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Office of Institutional Research and Assessment

Undergraduate Computer Skills Requirements
College of Engineering and Computing


Undergraduate degree programs Computer skills required of graduates Where in curriculum students are taught computer skills Procedures to ensure program graduates possess computer skills required
BS Chemical Engineering Word Processors, spreadsheets, math (equation solving) software, graphing software, presentation software, computer-aided-design software and chemical process simulators. Students communicate via e-mail and gather information from the Internet. Some courses use software specifically designed for those courses, and which sometimes comes with the required text. Every required ECHE course has some computer skills required. UNIV 101E and ENGR 102 also require computer skills The required computer skills are used in completing assignments (homework, reports and presentations) that contribute to the student's grade in the courses.
BS Civil Engineering Write documents using a word processor (eg Word); present information, manipulate data using a spread sheet and/or graphically (eg Excel, Autocad); Set up/program and solve technical problems using Mathcad; Set up and solve technical problems using "canned software" provided in the course (eg Fortran Applications, Statistical/Data Analysis Packages; Draw figures and for statistical analysis (eg Autocad); Have an understanding of what goes on in the "black box' of canned software (eg Design and analysis programs acquired or written by faculty teaching the course). The majority of the required skills are introduced in UNIV 101 and ENGR 301. Refinement of these skills is accomplished in many courses in our curriculum. Laboratory sections require the use of spreadsheets to analyze data (ECIV 303L, 330L, 350L, 360L). The Senior Design Course requires the use of application software and technical graphics to analyze and present student developed designs. Many courses require the use of word processing and use of Internet skills in retrieving information and writing research papers. Additionally, students acquire skills with presentation software (eg Power Point) when giving class presentations in ECIV 301 and ECIV 470. Verification of student profeciency is insured by the instructors of the above courses by evaluating student performance. Many of the required skills are part and parcel of the learning/analysis/writing/ presenting process and are therefore evaluated as an integral part of a report or presentation.
BS Computer Engineering
  1. Ability to analyze and design digital logic;
  2. Understanding of computer architecture fundamentals;
  3. Ability to design programmable electronics (embedded computer systems);
  4. Understanding algorithms and data structures;
  5. Ability to create computer programs and perform software engineering;
  6. Ability to design and implement algorithms and data structures
  7. Ability to use electrical and computer engineering in a capstone design project;
  8. Ability to use appropriate computer tools in engineering design and communication of results.
  1. EECE 211 Digital Logic Design
  2. EECE 212 Introduction to Computer Architecture
    3.
  3. EECE 301 ECE Lab I
    4.
  4. EECE 311 Foundations of Computer Engineering
  5. EECE 351 Software Engineering
    6.
  6. EECE 352 Algorithms and Data Structures
    7.
  7. EECE 403, 404 Computer Engineering Project Design
    8.
  8. EECE 301, 302, 403, 404, ECE Lab I & II Computer Engineering Project Design I and II

 The students must successfully complete the listed required courses to be eligible for the degree. Outcomes are assessed in courses listed 1, 2, 4, 5, and 6 primarily by exams or design projects, while courses listed as 3, 7 and 8 use written and oral reports. Furthermore, the students in EECE 301, 403 and 404 build and demonstrate hardware that includes embedded computer systems.
BS Electrical Engineering
  1. Ability to analyze and design digital logic
  2. Understanding of computer architecture fundamentals
  3. Ability to design programmable electronics
  4. Ability to create computer programs and perform software engineering
  5. Ability to model and simulate electrical systems using computer tools
  6. Ability to use electrical and computer engineering in a capstone design project
  7. Ability to uses appropriate computer tools in engineering design and communication of results
  1. EECE 211 Digital Logic Design
    2.
  2. EECE 212 Introduction to Computer Architecture
    3.
  3. EECE 301 ECE Lab I
    4.
  4. EECE 351 Software Engineering
    5.
  5. EECE 353 Modeling Electrical Systems
    6.
  6. EECE 401, 402 Electrical Engineering Project Design I & II
    7.
  7. EECE 301, 302, 401, 402 ECE Lab I & II, EE Project Design I & II

 

 The students must successfully complete the listed required courses to be eligible for the degree. Outcomes are assessed for courses listed 1, 2, 4 and 5 primarily by exams or design projects; while courses listed 3, 6, and 7 use written and oral reports. Furthermore, the students in EECE 301, 401 and 402 build and demonstrate hardware that includes embedded computer systems.
BS Mechanical Engineering The graduates have the ability to use contemporar y computation techniques and tools. These include modern computer-aided desig n tools such as AutoCad, symbolic manipulators such as MathCad, programming languages and various engineering calculation software packages. The graduates also have the ability to use a suite of computer applications for data analysis and professional communications. These include a word processor such as Word, a spreadsheet such as Excel, a presentation application such as Power Point, and e-mail package such as Outlook, and a web browser such as Netscape.

UNIV 101-E: Engineering:

Students are taught a suite of computer applications (word processor, spreadsheet & presentation application) that they use throughout their engineering college experience.

ENGR 102:Introduction to Engineering II

Students learn the principles and practice of visualization and graphical representation using modern computer-aided design tools such as AutoCad

EMCH 301: Numerical Methods for Computers

Students learn elementary methods of numerical analysis that can be applied to engineering/physocal problems. Students apply elementary numerical methods using technological platforms i.e. programming languages, symbolic manipulators, software packages

EMCH 332: Kinematic and Dynamic Analysis of Machines

Students perform mechanism analysis to find the position, velocity, acceleration, and dynamics of multi-bar mechanisms using software.

EMCH 361: Measurements and Instrumentation

Students use word processing software to write reports and spreadsheets to analyze and present experimental results.

EMCH 367: Fundamentals of Microprocessors

Students learn to program the microprocessor to perform sensing and actuation control functions, students use word processing software to write reports and spreadsheets to analyze and present experimental results.

EMCH 371: Engineering Materials

Students use word processing software to write reports and spreadsheets to analyze and present experimental results.

EMCH 394: Applied Thermodynamics

Special problems assigned to be solved using MathCad and submitted electronically.

ECMH 427: Mechanical Design I & II

Students use word processing software to write reports, spreadsheets and specific programs for project scheduling/ monitoring and Power Point for visual/oral reporting. Students apply computer-based analysis and synthesis techniques and tools to the mechanical and thermal systems, subsystems, and components of the design.

EMCH 467 Mechanical Engineering Laboratory

Students make sample computations using MathCad Students use word processing software to write reports and spreadsheets to analyze and present experimental results. Students use Power Point software to make oral presentations.

EMCH 497: Design of Thermal Systems

Students perform optimization analyses using computer search techniques

EMCH 501: Engineering Analysis

Students use numerical solution techniques and computational tools for the implementation of analytic solutions using libraries and packages.

EMCH 502: Engineering Analysis II

Students apply numerical solution techniques to the solution of complex partial differential equations using technological platforms such as programming languages, symbolic manipulators, software packages.

EMCH 507; Computer Aided Design

Students use computer-aided design packages (Pro/ENGINEER and Pro/MECHANICA) to model and analyze mechanical parts and assemblies.

EMCH 508: Introduction to Finite Element Analysis in Mechanical Engineering

Students learn the basic concepts, procedures, and techniques of finite element methods as computational tools for solving boundary-value problems in engineering. Students use representative custom-made and commercial finite element codes. Students learn how to apply finite element methods in the design of engineering systems. Students will complete two computer projects and will write reports for the projects using software for word processing, spreadsheet and technical plotting.

EMCH 509 Computer Aided Manufacturing

Students learn boolean logic, and ladder logic in order to program PLCs. Students learn about first and second order control systems and how to optimize closed loop feedback gains to quicken the response and increase the accuracy of positional servo-mechanisms. Students learn basic Val-II programming to direct and control a Puma-260 robot.

EMCH 554 Intermediate Heat Transfer

All assignments are completed using MathCad and submitted electronically. Fifty percent of tests require MathCad and are submitted electronically.

EMCH 560 Intermediate Fluid Mechanics

Students use FLUENT, a computational fluid dynamics software for flow analysis, students make in-class group presentation with Power Point.Students prepare reports and numerical calculations using word processing and spreadsheet software.

EMCH 561 Concurrent Engineering

Students use e-mail and MicroSoft Word to submit written analysis of case studies. Students use Power Point for presentations on new product design. Students also access a web Site on the Internet to obtain all course material. E-mail is used to communicate on a daily basis between students and the course instructor.

ECMH 586: Experimental Stress Analysis

Students use word processing software to write reports and spreadsheets to analyze and present experimental results.

EMCH 597: Solar Heating

Students use the F-Chart program for solar system design

 Graded assignments are given in the classes indicated above that require the students to demonstrate proficient computer skills. Also our College's Senior Exit Survey is used to collect student opinion on the extent that the program helped them develop the required computer skills.