Electrical and Computer Engineering

The George R. Brown School of Engineering

Chair Adjunct Faculty
Behnaam Aazhang Akhil Bidani
Professors Michael Brogioli
Behnaam Aazhang John Byrne
Athanasios C. Antoulas Anand Dabak
Richard G. Baraniuk Clifford Dacso
Joseph R. Cavallaro Ronald A. Devore
John W. Clark Jr. Christopher Dick
Naomi J. Halas Daniel John DiLorenzo
Edward W. Knightly Katherine Fletcher
Junichiro Kono Thomas Harman
Erzsébet Merényi Amit Joshi
Daniel Mittleman Markku Juntti
Michael Orchard Dirar Khoury
Frank K. Tittel Mati Latva-Aho
Peter J. Varman Jorma Lilleberg
James F. Young Robert Nowak
Professors Emeriti Eva Sevick-Muraca
C. Sidney Burrus Steve Sheafor
Don H. Johnson Gennady Shvets
Markus Sigrist
Associate Professors Thanh Tran
Kevin Kelly Venu Vasudevan
Yehia Massoud Stephen T. C. Wong
Assistant Professors Gerard Wysocki
Farinaz Koushanfar Lecturers
Kartik Mohanram Osama Mawlawi
Ashutosh Sabharwal Sydney Poland
Qianfan Xu James B. Sinclair
Lin Zhong James D. Wise
Faculty Fellow Professors in the Practice
Volkan Cevher Scott Cutler
Ray Simar, Jr.
Gary Woods

The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) strives to

provide high-quality degree programs that emphasize fundamental principles,
respond to the changing demands and opportunities of new technology,
challenge the exceptional abilities of Rice students, and prepare students
for roles of leadership in their chosen careers. Undergraduate and graduate
programs in ECE offer concentrations in areas that include system and control
theory, communications, computer systems, signal processing, and photonics
and nanoengineering. The latest information on the department’s faculty,
research areas, and degree programs and requirements can be found on the
ECE website: www.ece.rice.edu/.
Undergraduate Degree Programs
The department offers two undergraduate degrees: the bachelor of arts (BA)
and the bachelor of science in electrical engineering (BSEE). The BA degree
2  Departments / Electrical and Computer Engineering
provides a basic foundation in electrical and computer engineering that the
student can build on to construct a custom program. Because of its flexibility
and large number of free electives, the BA can be combined easily with courses
from other departments to create an interdisciplinary program. This may be
particularly appropriate for students planning further study in law, business,
or medicine.
The BSEE degree is the usual degree taken by those students planning a
career of engineering practice. It is accredited by the Accreditation Board for
Engineering and Technology (ABET*), and can reduce the time required to
become a licensed professional engineer. The program for the BSEE requires
more hours and greater depth than the BA degree but still provides considerable
flexibility.
Both degrees are organized around a core of required courses and a selection
of elective courses from three specialization areas: computer engineering;
photonics and nanoengineering; and systems: control, communication, and
signal processing. Each student’s program must contain a depth sequence
in one area and courses from at least two areas to provide breadth. The
specialization electives provide the flexibility to create a focus that crosses
traditional areas. Because of the number of options, students should consult
early with departmental advisors to plan a program that meets their needs.
BSEE Degree Requirements—See Graduation Requirements (Undergraduate
Student section, pages 2–5) for general university requirements.
A BSEE program must have a total of at least 134 semester hours and include the
following courses. A course can satisfy only one program requirement. Students
who place out of required courses without transcript credit must substitute
other approved courses in the same area. Current degree requirements and
planning sheets can be found on the ECE website: www.ece.rice.edu.
Mathematics and Science Courses ELEC 301 Introduction to Signals
CHEM 121 General Chemistry ELEC 305 Introduction to Physical Electronics
ELEC 261 Electronic Materials and Quantum ELEC 326 Digital Logic Design
Devices
ELEC 303 Random Signals Computation Course: One from
MATH 101 Single Variable Calculus I CAAM 210 Introduction to Engineering
Computation
MATH 102 Single Variable Calculus II
COMP 140 Computational Thinking
MATH 212 Multivariable Calculus
MATH 355 Linear Algebra or CAAM 335 Design Courses
Matrix Analysis ELEC 394 Professional Issues and Project
PHYS 101 Mechanics Management for Electrical Engineers
PHYS 102 Electricity and Magnetism ELEC 494 Senior Design
Additional approved mathematics and science Design Laboratory: One from
courses to bring the total to 32 hours. ELEC 327 Implementation of Digital Systems
ECE Core Courses ELEC 332 Electronic Systems: Principles and
Practice
ELEC 220 Fundamentals of Computer
Engineering ELEC 364 Photonic Measurements: Principles
and Practice
ELEC 241 Fundamentals of Electrical
Engineering I
ELEC 242 Fundamentals of Electrical
Engineering II
• ABET, Inc., 111 Market Place, Suite 1050, Baltimore, MD 21202-4012, Phone: 410-347-7700, E-mail: eac@abet.org. Website: http://www.abet.org
 Electrical and Computer Engineering  3

BSEE Specialization Area Courses

Upper-level ECE courses are organized into three specialization areas:
computer engineering; photonics and nanoengineering; and systems: control,
communication, and signal processing. The computer engineering area provides a
broad background in computer systems engineering, including computer
architecture, digital hardware engineering, software engineering, and
computer systems performance analysis. The systems area focuses on wireless
communication systems, digital signal processing, image processing, and
networking. The photonics and nanoengineering area encompasses studies of
electronic materials, including nanomaterials, semiconductor and optoelectronic
devices, lasers and their applications.
For the BSEE Program, a minimum of six specialization area courses, including
three or more in one area, and courses from at least two areas are required.
Each course must be at least 3 semester hours. The department may add or
delete courses from the areas, and graduate courses and equivalent courses
from other departments may be used to satisfy area requirements with
permission. Consult with advisors and the ECE website www.ece.rice.edu
for the latest area courses. NOTE: COMP 211 is recommended in addition for
computer engineering. Graduate courses in the 500-level series often can count
as specialization courses with advisor’s approval.
Computer engineering: ELEC 322, 327, 342, 421, 424, 425, and 429 and COMP
221 and 430
Photonics and nanoengineering: ELEC 262, 306, 342, 361, 364, and 462 and
PHYS 302 and 311
Systems: Communications, control, networks and signal processing: ELEC 302,
306, 332, 381, 430, 431, 433, 434, 435, 436, 437, 438, 439, 446, 481, 482, 485,
and 486
BSEE Design Requirement
All BSEE degree candidates must complete a design sequence of courses taken
during the junior and senior years.
There are three related components to the BSEE Senior Design sequence: a design
laboratory course, a seminar in professional issues and project management,
and the actual design project. In the junior year, students choose one of the
approved design laboratory courses, currently ELEC 327 Implementation of
Digital Systems, ELEC 332 Electronic Systems Principles and Practice, or ELEC
364 Photonic Measurements: Principles and Practice. A seminar required to be
taken in the spring of the junior year, ELEC 394 Professional Issues and Project
Management for Electrical Engineers, provides instruction in professional
engineering topics, and the nontechnical aspects of the design process, including
ethics, design methodology, project planning, technical presentations, and
documentation. NOTE: The required design laboratory course does not count
as specialization.
Both semesters of the senior year are devoted to the team design project using
the resources of the Oshman Engineering Design Kitchen through the ELEC
494 Senior Design course. In the fall semester of the senior year, students
finalize their project topics in coordination with the faculty and begin the
design project. In the spring semester, students continue in the laboratory
to complete their design project. Several presentations and design contests
within the ECE department and the School of Engineering occur in the spring
in which to showcase the projects.
4  Departments / Electrical and Computer Engineering
BSEE Unrestricted Electives
Additional courses to provide the BSEE minimum requirement of at least 134
semester hours.
BA Degree Requirements—See Graduation Requirements (Undergraduate
Students section, pages 2–5) for general university requirements. A BA
program must have a total of at least 121 semester hours and include the
following courses. A course can satisfy only one program requirement, except
for laboratory. Students who place out of required courses without transcript
credit must substitute other approved courses in the same area. Current degree
requirements and planning sheets may be found on the ECE website: www.
ece.rice.edu.
Mathematics and Science Courses ELEC 305 Introduction to Physical Electronics
ELEC 261 Electronic Materials and Quantum ELEC 326 Digital Logic Design
Devices
ELEC 303 Random Signals (Note: ELEC 303 Computation Course: One from
is required for BA and must have instructor’s CAAM 210 Introduction to Engineering
approval) Computation
MATH 101 Single Variable Calculus I COMP 140 Computational Thinking
MATH 102 Single Variable Calculus II
MATH 212 Multivariable Calculus Laboratory: One from
MATH 355 Linear Algebra or CAAM 335 Matrix ELEC 327 Implementation of Digital Systems
Analysis ELEC 332 Electronic Systems: Principles
PHYS 101 Mechanics and Practice
PHYS 102 Electricity and Magnetism ELEC 342 Electronic Circuits
ELEC 364 Photonic Measurements: Principles
ECE Core Courses and Practice
ELEC 220 Fundamentals of Computer ELEC 433 Architectures for Wireless
Engineering Communications
ELEC 241 Fundamentals of Electrical ELEC 434 Digital Signal Processing Laboratory
Engineering I
ELEC 242 Fundamentals of Electrical
Engineering II
BA Specialization Area Courses
For the BA Program, a minimum of four specialization area courses, including
two or more in one area, and courses from at least two areas are required. Each
course must be at least 3 semester hours. The department may add or delete
courses from the areas, and graduate courses and equivalent courses from
other departments may be used to satisfy area requirements with permission.
Consult with department advisors and the ECE website www.ece.rice.edu for
the latest area courses.
NOTE: Graduate courses in the 500-level series often can count as specialization
courses with advisor’s approval.
Computer engineering: ELEC 322, 327, 342, 421, 424, 425, and 429 and COMP
221 and 430
Photonics and nanoengineering: ELEC 262, 306, 342, 361, 364, and 462 and
PHYS 302 and 311
 Electrical and Computer Engineering  5

Systems: Communications, control, networks and signal processing: ELEC 301,

302, 306, 332, 381, 430, 431, 433, 434, 435, 436, 437, 438, 439, 446, 481, 482,
485, and 486
BA Unrestricted Electives
Additional courses to provide the BA minimum requirement of at least 121
semester hours.
Graduate Degree Programs
The ECE department offers two graduate degree programs. The master of
electrical engineering (MEE) degree is a course-based program designed to
increase a student’s mastery of advanced subjects; no thesis is required. The
MEE prepares a student to succeed and advance rapidly in today’s competitive
technical marketplace. A joint MBA/MEE degree is offered in conjunction with
the Jesse H. Jones Graduate School of Management. The doctor of philosophy
(PhD) program prepares students for a research career in academia or industry.
The PhD program consists of formal courses and original research conducted
under the guidance of a faculty advisor, leading to a dissertation. Students in the
PhD program complete a master of science (MS) degree as part of their program;
the ECE department does not admit students for a terminal MS degree.
Information on admission to graduate programs is available from the ECE
Graduate Committee and on the ECE website. Students must achieve at least a
B (3.0) average in the courses counted toward a graduate degree. In addition,
no course in which the student earned a grade lower than a C may count
toward a graduate degree.
MEE Degree Requirements—Students are admitted to the MEE program in
both fall and spring semesters. MEE students must prepare a degree plan and
have it approved by their ECE faculty advisor. The plan must include at least
30 semester hours of courses, all at the 300 level and above. The program
should include a major area of specialization (18 semester hours), a minor
area (six semester hours), plus free electives. At least seven of the major and
minor area courses must be at the 400 level and above, and at least four must
be at the 500 level or above. ELEC 590 or ELEC 599 may not count as major
area courses; no more than three semester hours can be transfer credit from
another university, and at most one 1-hour seminar course may be included
in the plan. A MEE degree planning form and current requirements may be
found on the ECE website.
PhD Degree Requirements—Students are admitted to the PhD program
only in the fall semester. ECE PhD students move through the program in
stages, starting as first-year student, advancing to MS candidate, PhD-qualified
student, and PhD candidate; each advancement requires the approval of the
ECE graduate committee. Students entering with previous graduate work
may follow a hybrid program developed in consultation with the faculty and
the graduate committee. The first academic year concentrates on foundation
coursework and developing a research area. Each student must successfully
complete a project, ELEC 599, in his or her chosen area of research in lieu
of an oral or written qualifying exam. In addition to enabling the faculty
to evaluate the student’s research potential, the project encourages timely
completion of the MS degree. The student must complete a master’s thesis
and successfully defend it in an oral examination. Students who have already
acquired a master’s degree elsewhere must also complete the ELEC 599 project,
after which acceptance of their previous master’s degree will be determined
by the Graduate Committee.
6  Departments / Electrical and Computer Engineering
A candidate for the PhD degree must demonstrate independent, original research
in electrical and computer engineering. After successfully presenting a PhD
research proposal and completion of all coursework, a student is eligible for
PhD candidacy. The student then engages in full-time research, culminating
in the completion and public defense of the PhD dissertation. Details of the
PhD program requirements, the phases of study, and a timetable may be found
on the ECE website.

See ELEC in the Courses of Instruction section for course descriptions.