ECE Mission Statement

Our Mission

The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering seeks to provide a comprehensive, rigorous and accredited educational program for the graduates of California's high schools and for postgraduate students, both domestic and international. The department has a dual mission:

Education

We will develop and produce excellent electrical and computer engineers who will support the high-tech economy of California and the nation. This mission requires that we offer a balanced and timely education that includes not only strength in the fundamental principles but also experience with the practical skills that are needed to contribute to the complex technological infrastructure of our society. This approach will enable our graduates to continue learning throughout an extended career.

Research

We will develop relevant and innovative science and technology through our research that addresses the needs of industry, government and the scientific community. This technology can be transferred through our graduates, through industrial affiliations, and through publications and presentations. The ECE department emphasizes teaching and research in the areas of electronic and photonic materials, devices and circuits, computer engineering, VLSI design and testing, controls, communications, and signal processing. We provide a faculty that is committed to education and research, is accessible to students, and is highly qualified in their areas of expertise.

Educational Objectives

The educational objectives of the EE Program identify what we hope that our graduates will accomplish within a few years after graduation.

1. We expect our graduates to make positive contributions to society in fields including, but not limited to, engineering.
2. We expect our graduates to have acquired the ability to be flexible and adaptable, showing that their educational background has given them the foundation needed to remain effective, take on new responsibilities and assume leadership roles.
3. We expect some of our graduates to pursue their formal education further, including graduate study for master's and doctoral degrees.

Program Outcomes

Upon graduation, students in the Electrical Engineering B.S. degree program at UCSB are expected to have:

1. an ability to identify, formulate, and solve complex engineering problems by applying principles of engineering, science, and mathematics
2. an ability to apply engineering design to produce solutions that meet specified needs with consideration of public health, safety, and welfare, as well as global, cultural, social, environmental, and economic factors
3. an ability to communicate effectively with a range of audiences
4. an ability to recognize ethical and professional responsibilities in engineering situations and make informed judgments, which must consider the impact of engineering solutions in global, economic, environmental, and societal contexts
5. an ability to function effectively on a team whose members together provide leadership, create a collaborative and inclusive environment, establish goals, plan tasks, and meet objectives
6. an ability to develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze and interpret data, and use engineering judgment to draw conclusions
7. an ability to acquire and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies

The Electrical Engineering B.S. program is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, http://www.abet.org