CpE Semester Curriculum

Undergraduate

Semester System Curriculum

for Computer Engineering

Starting September 1998

`Revised 5Mar98`

This set of semester-system requirements for the Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science has been approved by the faculties of both Computer Science and Electrical Engineering. The current quarter system requirements are presented to simplify comparison. Please send comments to semesters@cs.utah.edu.

Click here to see the list of proposed semester-length courses in Computer Science.

Click here to see the list of proposed semester-length courses in Electrical Engineering.

Click here to see a sample four-year semester-based curriculum based on the proposed requirements.

Caveats

Here are some things to keep in mind when reading this document.

One quarter hour of effort is equal to two-thirds of a semester hour of effort. We have endeavored to keep the number of semester hours that are required in the curriculum at approximately two-thirds of the number of quarter hours that are currently required. (The general education requirements, which are dictated by the University, violate this constraint.)
The number of different courses that we offer must also decrease by approximately two-thirds if the faculty teaching load is to remain constant. This means that we must eliminate some classes and consolidate others.
The hardest part about the semester conversion process will be dealing with students who have completed some of their requirements under the quarter system and who must finish their requirements under the semester system. We have developed guidelines for such students.

General Education

Semesters (21 hours)
Students must complete six 3-hour courses to satisfy the intellectual explorations requirement. Students must take two courses each from fine arts, humanities, and social sciences. One of the courses must satisfy the diversity requirement. The College of Engineering will doubtless place further conditions on these six courses.
Students must also take a 3-hour course from the approved list of American Institutions courses.

Quarters (28 hours)
Students must complete eight courses to satisfy the liberal education requirement. The courses must comprise at least 28 hours, must include courses numbered 300 or above, and must include at leasat two groups with at least two courses in each group that form a concentration.

Writing Requirement

Semesters (6 hours)

Two writing classes

Writing 1010, Introductory Writing (3 hours)

Writing 3400, Professional Writing (3 hours)

Quarters (8 hours)

Two writing classes

Writing 112, College Writing II (4 hours)

Writing 301, Technical Writing (4 hours)

Math Requirement

Semesters (11 hours)

Two semesters of calculus

Math 1210, Calculus I (4 hours)

Math 1220, Calculus II (4 hours)
Differential equations/linear algebra

Math 2250, ODEs and Linear Algebra (3 hours)

Quarters (18 hours)

Three quarters of calculus

Math 111, Calculus I (4 hours)

Math 112, Calculus II (4 hours)

Math 113, Calculus III (4 hours)
Differential equations and linear algebra

Math 251, Ordinary Differential Equations (3 hours)

Math 252, Matrices and Vector Analysis (3 hours)

Physics Requirement

Semesters (8 hours)

Two semesters of physics

Physics 2210, Physics I (4 hours)

Physics 2220, Physics II (4 hours)

Quarters (12 hours)

Three quarters of physics

Physics 221, Physics I (4 hours)

Physics 222, Physics II (4 hours)

Physics 223, Physics III (4 hours)

Math/Science Elective

Semesters (9-12 hours)

A combination of three math and science courses, including at least one math and one science course. Courses must be chosen from the list below.

Biology 1000, General Biology (4 hours)

Chemistry 1210, General Chemistry I (5 hours)

Math 2210, Calculus III (3 hours)

Math 5010, Probability (3 hours)

Math 5600, Survey of Numerical Analysis (3 hours)

Physics 3740, Quantum Theory and Relativity (3 hours)

Quarters (12 hours)

One quarter of probability:

Math 507, Probability (4 hours)
One quarter of chemistry

Chemistry 121, General Chemistry I (5 hours)
One quarter of modern physics:

Physics 374, Modern Physics (3 hours)

Computer Engineering Requirement

Semesters (64-71 hours)
The following courses must be taken:

CS 1010, Introduction to Unix (0.5 hours)

EE 1000, Introduction to Electrical Engineering (4 hours)

EE 1010, Lab Instruments and Methods (0.5 hours)

EE 2000, Circuits (4 hours)

CS 2010, Computer Science I (4 hours)

CS 2020, Computer Science II (4 hours)

CS 2030, Computer Science III (*)

EE 2100, Electronics (4 hours)

CS 3500, Software Practice (4 hours)

CS/EE 3700, Digital Design (4 hours)

CS/EE 3710, Computer Design Laboratory (3 hours)

CS/EE 3720, Microprocessors (4 hours)

CS/EE 3810, Computer Architecture (4 hours)

CS/EE 4710, Computer Engineering Senior Project (3 hours)

Restricted elective. Two of the following four courses must be taken:

EE 3300, Electromagnetics and Transmission Lines (4 hours)

EE 3500, Signals and Systems (4 hours)

CS 3510, Algorithms and Data Structures (3 hours)

CS 5460, Operating Systems (3 hours)
Elective. Five technical electives offered through the EE or CS departments at a 3000-level or above. Three of the electives must be in a depth track.
Quarters (95-103 hours)
The following computer science courses must be taken:

CS 110, Introduction to Unix (1 hour)

EE 120, Electric Circuits (5 hours)

EE 133, Electronic Measurements (2 hours)

CS 201, Computer Science I (4 hours)

CS 202, Computer Science II (4 hours)

EE 221, Circuits I (4 hours)

EE 222, Circuits II (4 hours)

EE 230, Engineering Electronics (5 hours)

EE 261, Electronic Properties of Solids (3 hours)

CS 300, Discrete Structures (3 hours)

EE 321, Systems (4 hours)
CS 354, Algorithms and Data Structures (4 hours)

CS 355, Programming Language Concepts (4 hours)

CS 356, Object-Oriented Software Engineering (4 hours)

CS/EE 361, Logic Design (4 hours)

CS/EE 362, Computer Architecture and Design I (4 hours)

CS 506, Operating Systems (3 hours)

CS/EE 550, Digital and Analog Interfaces (3 hours)

CS/EE 551, Microprocessor Lab (3 hours)

CS/EE 552, Microprocessor Lab (3 hours)
Elective. Eight technical electives offered through the CS or EE departments, including a concentration of three classes and another concentration of two classes.

Free Electives

Semesters (0-3 hours)

122 semester hours are required to graduate. The above requirements can be completed in between 119 and 129 hours. At most 3 hours of free electives would then have to be completed.

Quarters (2-10 hours)

183 quarters hours are required to graduate. The above requirements can be completed in between 173 and 181 hours. Between 2 and 10 hours of free electives would then have to be completed.

Sample Semester Curriculum

Year 1

Fall Semester (15.5 hours)

Math 1210 Calculus I 4

CS 1010 Introduction to Unix .5

CS 2010 Computer Science I 4

Physics 2210 Physics I 4

Writing 2010 Writing 3

Spring Semester (16.5 hours)

Math 1220 Calculus II 4

EE 1000 Introduction to EE 4

EE 1010 Lab Instruments and Methods .5

CS 2020 Computer Science II 4

Physics 2220 Physics II 4

Year 2

Fall Semester (15 hours)

CS 2030 Computer Science III *

EE 2000 Circuits 4

Math 2250 ODEs and Linear Algebra 3

CS 3500 Software Practice 4

CS/EE 3810 Computer Architecture 4

Spring Semester (14 hours)

EE 2100 Electronics 4

CS/EE 3700 Digital Design 4

Math/Science Math/science elective 3

CE CE Restricted Elective 3

Year 3

Fall Semester (15 hours)

CS/EE 3710 Computer Design Lab 3

CE CE Restricted Elective 3

Math/Science Math/science elective 3

Gen Ed General Education 3

Gen Ed General Education 3

Spring Semester (16 hours)

CS/EE 3720 Microprocessors 4

Writing 3400 Professional Writing 3

CE CE Restricted Elective 3

Math/Science Math/science elective 3

Gen Ed General Education 3

Year 4

Fall Semester (15 hours)

CS/EE 4710 Senior Lab 3

CE CE Elective 3

CE CE Elective 3

Gen Ed General Education 3

Gen Ed General Education 3

Spring Semester (15 hours)

CE CE Elective 3

CE CE Elective 3

Gen Ed General Education 3

Gen Ed General Education 3

Free Elective Free elective 3

*CS 2030 is a two-hour course that will be required of all newly admitted majors during the fall semester of 1998. These students will have taken the two-quarter CS 201-202 sequence instead of the two-semester CS 2010-2020 sequence. CS 2030 is designed to bring these students up to speed. It will be neither offered nor required after 1998.

Semester Conversion

zachary@cs.utah.edu