ABET Outcome

1) Provide students a well-balanced curriculum that covers a broad range of topics in electrical and computer engineering. This curriculum will specifically provide students:

1. A sound mathematical and scientific foundation.
2. A breadth of analysis and design experience including both hardware and software.
3. Advanced upper division courses that permit a student to explore topics in depth.

This is the most important outcome and can be succinctly defined as ensuring that all graduating students receive an adequate education. The three parts to this outcome are written to cover the three phases of the curriculum at OSU: the pre-professional school math, science and engineering core requirements corresponding typically to the freshman and sophomore years; the required ECEN courses corresponding to sophomore and junior years; and the technical electives typically taken in the junior and senior year. Several key definitions in this outcome are designed to mesh with the OSU and CEAT mission statements.

A well balanced curriculum is one in which all students are given the opportunity to learn key concepts which ECEN feels are necessary for an electrical and computer engineering graduate at the bachelor level. These key concepts are defined later in suboutcomes 1(a)-1(c). The well-balanced curriculum is specifically defined to cover a broad range of topics in electrical and computer engineering. ECEN will define what topics are necessary for electrical and computer engineering graduates. These may be different than those for other engineering disciplines.

The remaining key definitions are broken into the three suboutcomes corresponding roughly to different levels of undergraduate students as discussed above. Each of these suboutcomes has a general definition as well as a minimum list of specific concepts that ECEN students must have been taught*. These specific lists are designed to serve as a basis for assessment and are attached as an appendix at the end of this document. The lists are designed to have a minimum required number of concepts to enable flexibility by the faculty member teaching a specific course. Furthermore, the lists are broken down by area, not course, to permit faculty in a specific area to address how the requirements will be satisfied. To meet ABET requirements, ECEN must review, interpret, and revise these lists of specific concepts as the curriculum and discipline change and after each assessment cycle.

1a) A sound mathematical and scientific foundation is broadly defined to mean that students entering the professional school shall have been taught the mathematics and science necessary to understand the advanced concepts which are taught in ECEN courses. Many of these courses are not under the direct control of ECEN and therefore the role of ECEN is assessment and oversight. These roles are defined further in Outcome 5. All students are required to have been taught all the concepts on this list.

1b) A breadth of analysis and design experience has two complementary definitions. First, the ECEN program has a breadth of coverage of electrical and computer engineering areas such that graduates will be able to function in a professional environment. The specific electrical and computer engineering concepts that all graduating students must be taught are listed in the table at the end of this document. Second, students will have been exposed to problems which incorporate both analysis and/or design at several points in the curriculum. Key points of such problems are further discussed in Outcome 3.

1c) Advanced upper division courses are those in a specific area which are not required for all students, typically but not exclusively with 4000 designations. Therefore, not all students must be exposed to all the concepts listed as advanced, but all students must have exposure to some of these concepts. The key definition here is that of permitting a student to explore topics in depth. Students should take advanced courses in specific areas which are complementary and which will meet a particular student’s long-term outcomes. The choice of electives should form a coherent plan rather than be based upon perceived workload, scheduling, or other factors. This philosophy is not meant to be restrictive in any way; rather ECEN students should receive guidance and advising when choosing electives that will further their own stated goals.

The following list of concepts are designed to minimize the required number of concepts to enable flexibility by the faculty member teaching a specific course. The required concepts are listed by area, not course, to permit faculty in a specific area to address how the requirements will be satisfied.

1a) Specific Elements of a Sound Mathematical and Scientific Foundation

All students are required to have been taught all the concepts on this list.

The list below is a set of concepts that students will have covered in an OSU course and have a working understanding of. Since the role of ECEN is oversight and assessment of these foundation concepts we define coverage to mean that the concepts listed below are on the syllabus of a required course, and that the topic was covered in all sections of that course at some point in the semester. A working understanding is defined as follows: Students have recognition of the concept and are able to solve simple problems with appropriate review done by the student outside of class time. This definition as stated puts responsibility for understanding the listed concepts on the student.

This list also includes skills, which are defined as the ability of a student to apply concepts to the solution of an engineering problem. In a broad sense this separates knowledge (concepts) from the application of the knowledge (skills) to solve engineering problems.

It should be noted that this list is not intended to be a complete compendium of basic knowledge of each of the fields listed below. Rather the concepts and skills listed below are those which are required to pursue a degree in electrical engineering at OSU. It is expected that students will learn concepts and skills in each of these disciplines which are not included on this list. These additional concepts and skills will change with advances in knowledge of each of the disciplines listed below.

Calculus

1. Derivatives, integrals, series, limits, vectors and extensions to multiple dimensions

Differential Equations

1. Solution of simple differential equations using several common methods including Laplace transforms
2. Representation of engineering problems in terms of differential equations
3. Boundary values

Linear Algebra

1. Matrix representation of systems of linear equations
2. Matrix operations
3. Skill: ability to manipulate matrices and perform basic matrix operations

Engineering Mathematics

1. Numerical solution of systems of equations
2. Skill: the use of commercial software packages for solution of engineering problems

Physics

1. Energy (conservation, kinetic and potential)
2. Vector nature of forces
3. Momentum
4. Newton’s Laws
5. Fundamental thermodynamics
6. Harmonic oscillators and waves
7. Electric, static and magnetic fields
8. Simple AC and DC circuits
9. Light
10. Skill: MKS unit system
11. Skill: dimensional analysis

Chemistry

1. Structure, bonding and interaction of atoms and molecules
2. Scientific method
3. Skill: Laboratory procedures and safety
4. Skill: MKS unit system

Computer Science

1. Programming, including subroutines, conditional statements, loops, and input and output of data
2. Skill: ability to write a simple program that includes subroutines, conditional statements, loops, and input and output of data

Engineering

1. Mathematical models of dynamic systems (?)
2. Equations of motion for dynamic systems (?)
3. Free body diagrams
4. Kinematics and kinetics
5. Skill: ability to model a simple physical system in software

Economics

1. Time, money and engineering design.

1b) A breadth of analysis and design experience in electrical engineering

This list covers specific ECEN concepts that all graduating students must cover

This listed set of concepts must be covered in an OSU course and students must have a working understanding of these concepts. Within each of the areas defined below students must have some engineering analysis and design experience as defined in outcome 3. The analysis and design experience should reinforce concepts within an area. The listed concepts are general rather than all inclusive so that faculty have latitude in teaching individual courses.

Note that overlap of concepts between different areas is expected. For example inductance is seen is both Power and Energy and Electromagnetics. Similarly fundamentals of semiconductor devices is needed both for Electronics and Solid State.

General Electrical Engineering

1. At least two course equivalents of engineering design experience as defined in outcome 1b). At least one course equivalent will consist of an in-depth project.

Power and Energy

1. Sinusoidal circuit analysis; one and three phase including experimental component
2. Magnetic and inductive circuits including experimental component
3. Equivalent circuits and steady state analysis of transformers, DC machines, synchronous machines, and induction motors including experimental component

Computer Engineering

1. Boolean Algebra
2. Logic Networks and Optimization
3. Synchronous Sequential Circuits
4. Number Systems and Representation for Computer Arithmetic
5. Basic Computer Components and Organization
6. Assembly Language

Circuits and Electronics

1. Basic semiconductor physics including doping, semiconductor work functions, electron and hole conduction.
2. Semiconductor junctions – depletion and diffusion
3. MOS capacitors
4. Relationship between semiconductor device physics and models: diode, bipolar junction transistor, MOSFET, and Laser diodes
5. Large and small signal models for operational amplifiers, diodes, bipolar junction transistors, and MOSFETs covering both mathematical and SPICE models
6. Small signal two port representations electronic devices including hybrid p and y-parameters.
7. Applications issues of electronics including bandwidth, gain, input, output impedance and the effect of feedback on each
8. DC bias or quiescent operation
9. Transient and large signal switching behavior of semiconductor devices.
10. Followers – opamp, FET, and BJT.
11. Inverting amplifiers – opamp, FET, and BJT-- i.e. common source and common emitter.
12. Non-inverting amplifiers – opamp, FET, and BJT-- i.e. Common gate, common base

Controls, Communications, Networks, and Systems

1. Fourier Series
2. Laplace, Fourier, and Z transforms
3. Modeling and dynamics of electrical and mechanical systems
4. State variable models
5. Block diagrams and transfer functions
6. Passive filters
7. Frequency response and Bode diagrams
8. Time response of first and second order systems
9. Sampling theorem
10. Modulation and demodulation
11. Probability and random variables
12. Density functions and distributions
13. Statistical independence
14. Multiple random variables
15. Random processes
16. Linear systems and noise
17. Correlation and power spectral density
18. Ability to model linear systems in software such as Matlab or Pspice

Electromagnetics & Optics

1. Electrostatics including electric forces, potential energy, and capacitance.
2. Magnetostatics including current, magnetic forces, potential energy, and inductance.
3. Transmission lines including the concepts of characteristic impedance and matching.
4. Time varying electromagnetics including Maxwell’s equations, plane waves, and power flow