Website: www.engineering.ucsb.edu (will open in a new browser window)
Dean: Matthew V. Tirrell
Associate Dean for Academic Personnel: David R. Clarke
Acting Associate Dean for Undergraduate Studies: Marie D. Dahleh
Contents:
The College of Engineering at UCSB is noted for its excellence in teaching, research, and service to the community. The college has an enrollment of approximately 1,640 undergraduate students and 740 graduate students with a full-time, permanent faculty of 128. This results in an unusually good student to faculty ratio and a strong sense of community in the college.
Our laboratory facilities, both departmental and in our research centers, are state-of-the-art, and most are available to undergraduate as well as graduate students. UCSB has an unusually high proportion of undergraduates who are actively involved in faculty-directed research and independent study projects.
The college offers the bachelor of science degree in five disciplines: chemical engineering, computer engineering, computer science, electrical engineering, and mechanical engineering. Graduate degree programs are available in: chemical engineering, computer science, electrical and computer engineering, materials, and mechanical engineering. The undergraduate programs in chemical, electrical, and mechanical engineering are accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. The computer science undergraduate programs are accredited by the Computing Accreditation Commission of ABET, 111 Market Place, Suite 1050, Baltimore, MD 21202-4012. (410) 347-7700.
The curriculum for the bachelor of science degree is designed to be completed in four years. Completion of the four-year program provides students with the background to begin professional careers or to enter graduate programs in engineering or computer science, or professional schools of business, medicine, or law. Our curricula are specifically planned to retain both of these options and to assure that our graduates are equally well prepared to enter industry and graduate study. The college and the university offer a wide variety of career counseling and job placement services.
The Undergraduate Office in Engineering I, Room 1006, provides general counseling for all undergraduates in the college. Faculty advisors for the individual majors are provided by the respective departments. The College of Engineering Announcement, which contains detailed information about the various programs and schedules, is published yearly and may be obtained by writing to the College of Engineering, Engineering I, Room 1006, University of California, Santa Barbara, California 93106-5130.
The mission of the College of Engineering is to provide its students a firm grounding in scientific and mathematical fundamentals; experience in analysis, synthesis, and design of engineering systems; and exposure to current engineering practice and cutting edge engineering research and technology. A spirit of entrepreneurship in education, scholarly activity and participation in engineering practice infuses UCSB's College of Engineering.
| English | 4 years | |
| U.S. History | 1 year | |
| Algebra | 2 years | |
| Plane Geometry | 1 year | |
| Pre-calculus/calculus | 1 year | |
| Physics or Chemistry (preferably both) |
1 year | |
| Foreign Language | 2 years |
It is strongly recommended that incoming freshmen complete a computer programming course prior to enrollment at UCSB.
A high-school student who is admitted to UCSB and is deficient in one or more of these prerequisites may be required to complete equivalent courses at UCSB. Students lacking these prerequisite high-school courses may be delayed in entering the upper division and in graduating.
Any student who is admissible to the university may be accepted by the College of Engineering provided that the college does not have more qualified applicants than openings, in which case preference will be given to advanced-standing students who are ready to enter the upper division and to freshmen. Supplemental screening for admission to the College of Engineering is based on further consideration of prior coursework, grades, test scores, and other factors.
Students entering the College of Engineering either as freshmen or as transfer students must be enrolled in a particular curriculum within the Department of Chemical Engineering, the Department of Computer Science, the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, or the Department of Mechanical and Environmental Engineering.
Admission to the lower division (freshman and sophomore years) does not necessarily guarantee advancement to the upper division (junior and senior year) at some later time. Some departments have grade-point average requirements which must be met before a student is advanced to the upper-division major.
Continuing students shall have completed substantially all of the lower-division requirements for the major they are pursuing. Students who have not done so should go to the undergraduate office to determine eligibility for upper-division work.
Transfer students shall have (1) satisfied the general requirements for admission to the university at the junior level for transfer students, and (2) substantially completed a lower-division engineering or computer science program of not fewer than 90 quarter-units or 60 semester-units. The program must include the subject requirements listed in the table "Subject Requirements for Entrance to the Upper Division."
(The university accepts a maximum of 105 quarter-units or 70 semester-units of credit for college courses completed at a two-year community college.)
To be eligible for a bachelor of science degree from the College of Engineering, a student must meet two sets of requirements: university degree requirements and college degree requirements.
University Degree Requirements
All undergraduate students must satisfy university academic residency, Subject A, American history and institutions, unit, and scholarship requirements. These requirements are described fully in the section "Undergraduate Education at UCSB."
College Undergraduate Degree Requirements
All undergraduate students must satisfy the preparation for the major, the major, the general education, and scholarship requirements. Preparation for the major and the major requirements for each program offered by the College of Engineering appear in other sections of this website.General Education Requirements
The aims of the General Education Program in the College of Engineering are to provide a body of knowledge of general intellectual value that will give the student a broad cultural base and meet the objectives of the engineering profession. An appreciation and understanding of the humanities and social sciences are important in making engineers aware of their social responsibilities and enabling them to consider related factors in the decision-making process.
Students in the College of Engineering must complete the General Education requirements in order to qualify for graduation. These requirements may be met with courses satisfactorily completed on this campus or with equivalent courses completed at another accredited college or university. Once a student has matriculated at UCSB, the writing requirement may be met only with designated UCSB courses. Lists of courses satisfying the various General Education area requirements are available in the Undergraduate Office of the College of Engineering. For current information regarding the general education status of courses, please refer to the quarterly Schedule of Classes.
The General Education requirements for the College of Engineering include:
| Writing 2 or 2E and 50 or 50E (Area A) | 8 units | |
| Social Sciences (Area D) and Civilization and Thought (Area E) | 8-15 units | |
| Arts (Area F) and Literature (Area G) | 8-15 units |
A total of 23 units is required from areas D, E, F, and G. At least 8 units must be from Areas D and E combined, with at least 4 of these units from Area E-1. At least 8 units must be completed in Areas F and G combined, and at least 4 of them must be from Area G.
In the process of fulfilling the General Education area requirements, students must include the following:
At least four courses designated as general education and writing requirement classes. (These courses are identified in the handout General Education Requirements, available in the College of Engineering Undergraduate Office and in the Schedule of Classes.)
At least two upper-division general education courses, from two separate departments, in each of which the student has already successfully completed one lower-division general education course.
One course that focuses on the history and cultural, intellectual, and social experience of racial minorities and/or other ethnic groups in the United States. Courses that meet this requirement are included in the General Education Requirements list available in the College of Engineering and are identified in the Schedule of Classes.
No more than two courses taken from the same department may be applied to the General Education requirement. Students should consult with the Office of Undergraduate Studies in the College of Engineering for additional information about General Education requirements.
Grade-Point Average Requirement
Students must maintain at least a 2.0 grade-point average in all courses taken in the overall major (including both lower- and upper-division classes), in all upper-division major courses, and in all work completed at the university. In addition, students who fail to earn a 2.0 grade-point average in either the preparation for the major or the major may be denied the privilege of continuing in the program. Individual departments may have higher grade-point average requirements.
Courses taken at any of the UC campuses are included in the computation of the grade-point average. (For information about courses completed through UC Extension, please refer to the Grade-Point Average Requirement section found in Undergraduate Education.)
Courses appropriate for satisfying major requirements must be used in the computation of the grade-point average even if they are in excess of the minimum requirements of the major program. Courses graded Incomplete, except those taken on a passed/not passed basis, will be included as F grades in final computations. Certain courses designated as remedial are offered for work-load credit only and do not figure in calculation of the grade-point average.
In order to be eligible for graduation, students must complete at least 180 total units. Some majors in the College of Engineering require more than 180 units (see descriptions of individual majors.) Students must earn a specified number of these units while in residence at UCSB. See the chapter titled "Undergraduate Education at UCSB" for details. The unit differences between the total number of units specified for the baccalaureate degree and the number of units specified for the preparation for the major, the major, and general education are designated as free elective units. Students may choose from any course offering open to them to meet this requirement.
College Board Advanced Placement Credit
Students may satisfy some of the requirements of the College of Engineering through the College Board Advanced Placement Tests. Credit for these tests is assigned as follows:
Computer Science-AB
With a score of 3, 4, or 5 on Examination AB, equivalent credit will be granted for Computer Science 5PA. A score of 4 or 5 may be substituted for Computer Science 10 at the student's request by petition; however, students with high scores may take Computer Science 10 for full credit. Students substituting AP credit for Computer Science 10 must successfully complete Computer Science 11JA before enrolling in Computer Science 20.
English
With a score of 3, equivalent credit will be granted for the Subject A requirement (Writing 1 or 1E). With a score of 4, equivalent credit will be granted for the Subject A requirement and Writing 2 or 2E. With a score of 5, equivalent credit will be granted for Writing 2 or 2E and Writing 50 or 50E.
History
With a score of 3, 4, or 5 in American history, 8 units of credit toward graduation will be awarded, and the student will be given credit for one course in general education Area D. If the score of 3, 4, or 5 is in European history, 8 units of credit toward graduation will be granted, and the student will be given credit for one course in general education Area E-2. Advanced placement credit in American history will satisfy the American history and institutions requirement.
Mathematics
With a score of 3, 4, or 5 on Examination AB, equivalent credit will be granted for Mathematics 3A. A score of 4 or 5 may be substituted by petition for Mathematics 3A and 3B at the student's request; however, students with scores of 4 or 5 may take Mathematics 3B for full credit. With a score of 3, 4, or 5 on Examination BC, equivalent credit will be granted for Mathematics 3A-B; students should enroll in Mathematics 3C.
Specific unit values assigned to each test, and the applicability of this credit to the General Education requirements, are presented in the College Board Advanced Placement Examinations chart.
A student in the College of Engineering will be placed on academic probation if the total number of units passed at UCSB is fewer than 36 at the end of the third term of enrollment, 72 at the end of the sixth term of enrollment, 108 at the end of the ninth term, or 144 at the end of the twelfth term. At least three-fourths of the minimum number of academic units passed must include courses prescribed for the major.
The following courses may be counted toward the unit minimums: courses repeated to raise C-, D, or F grades; courses passed by examination; courses graded IP (In Progress); courses passed during summer session at UCSB or at another accredited college or university and transferred to UCSB.
Students must obtain the approval of the dean of engineering to deviate from these requirements. Approval normally will be granted only in the case of medical disability, severe personal problems, or accident.
Students enrolled in dual-degree programs must submit their proposed programs of study to the dean of engineering for approval. The individual programs must contain comparable standards of minimal academic progress.
This is a program which prepares technology and non-technology students for entrepreneurial business careers. It is available to engineering, science, and other technologically-oriented undergraduate or graduate students.
For completion of the Technology Entrepreneurship Certificate (TEC) program, students must complete ENGR 185A, 185B, and 185C, each with a grade of B or better; satisfactorily complete three units of ENGR 102 or ENGR 202; and actively participate in the student entrepreneurship club and selected other Center for Entrepreneurship and Engineering Management activities. The required courses should be completed during the student's junior, senior, or graduate years.
Additional information about the TEC program is available in the College of Engineering Undergraduate Office.
A combined B.S. Engineering/M.S. Materials program provides an opportunity
for outstanding undergraduates in chemical, electrical, or mechanical engineering
to earn both of these degrees in five years. This program enables students to
develop all of the requisite knowledge in their core engineering disciplines
and to complement this with a solid background in materials. This combination
provides highly desirable training from an industrial employment perspective
and capitalizes on the strengths of our internationally renowned materials department.
For additional information, see the "Materials"
section.
A program which combines a B.S. in any engineering major (including computer
science) with a master of arts in economics with an emphasis in business economics
provides an opportunity for outstanding engineering undergraduates to earn both
degrees in five years. Information about this program is available in the College
of Engineering Undergraduate Office or from the Department of Economics. Interested
students should inform the Undergraduate Office of their interest in the program
at the end of the sophomore year in order to plan their upper-division classes
differently from other engineering undergraduates. After completing undergraduate
degree requirements in an engineering program, students in this joint program
must fulfill master's degree requirements for the degree in economics, as described
in the section, "Graduate Education at UCSB."
Interdepartmental Graduate Program in Biomolecular Science and Engineering
For a complete description of this interdisciplinary program, refer to the Biomolecular Science and Engineering Program found in the College of Letters and Science section of this site.
Interdepartmental Graduate Program in Media Arts and Technology
For a complete description of this interdisciplinary program, refer to the Media Arts & Technology Program found in the College of Letters and Science section of this site.
The Honors Program in the College of Engineering is being designed to enrich the educational opportunities of its best students. Students in the Honors Program will be provided early experiences in research and scholarship through special seminars and individualized work in regular courses and as members of research teams as these programs are developed. Since this is a new honors program, just being implemented, it will be an expanding program, offering new options over the coming years.
Participation in the Honors Program offers preferential enrollment in classes for continuing students as well as graduate library privileges. Housing is available to eligible first-year students in Scholars' Halls located in several university-owned residence halls.
The College of Engineering Honors Program is open to incoming freshmen who have an academic high school grade-point average of 3.75 or better and a combined SAT I score of 1350 or higher. (Please note: eligibility criteria are subject to change at any time.) Students may continue as program members as long as they maintain a UCSB grade-point average of at least 3.5 and participate in program activities.
Dean's Honors
The College of Engineering gives public recognition to its outstanding
undergraduate students by awarding Dean's Honors at the end of each regular
academic term to students who have earned a 3.5 grade-point average for the
quarter and have completed a program of 12 or more letter-graded units. (Grades
of Incomplete or Not Passed automatically disqualify students for eligibility
for Dean's Honors.) The Dean's Honors List is posted quarterly, and the award
is noted quarterly on the student's permanent transcript.
Graduating students of the College of Engineering who have achieved distinguished scholarship while at the university may qualify for Honors, High Honors, or Highest Honors at graduation.
Tau Beta Pi
Tau Beta Pi is the nation's oldest and largest engineering honor society.
Its purpose is to honor academic achievement in engineering. Election to membership
is by invitation only. To be eligible for consideration, students must be in
the top one-eighth of their junior class or the top one-fifth of the senior
class. Graduate students and faculty also belong to this honor society. In addition
to regular meetings on campus, the organization participates in regional and
national activities and sponsors local events, such as tutoring and leadership
training, to serve the campus and community.
Students planning to enter an engineering major or to change from one engineering major to another will be expected to complete at least 30 units at UCSB before petitioning for a change of major. Students normally must satisfy the prerequisites of the prospective major.
Students planning to enter the pre-computer science program must complete at least 16 units of pre-major coursework at UCSB, including 8 units in computer science, with at least a 3.0 grade-point average for all pre-major courses completed with the University of California. Students who have completed the entire computer science pre-major with at least a 2.75 University of California grade-point average will be admitted to full major standing upon petition whether or not they have been officially declared pre-majors. Petitions for changing to the pre-computer science or computer science majors may be filed any time upon meeting the above requirements.
Students planning to enter the pre-computer engineering program must have an overall UCSB grade-point-average of at least 3.0 and must complete at least four pre-computer engineering core classes at UCSB with a GPA of at least 3.0 for all core classes completed. Students with an overall grade-point-average of at least 3.0, who have completed six or more core classes at UCSB with a minimum 3.0 GPA or who have completed all 13 core classes with a University of California grade-point-average of at least 2.75 will be admitted to full major standing upon petition whether or not they have been officially declared pre-majors. Petitions for changing to the pre-computer engineering or computer engineering majors may be filed any time upon meeting the above requirements.
Before petitioning for a change of major to chemical engineering, the following courses or their equivalents must be completed: Mathematics 3A-B; Chemistry 1A-AL, 1B-BL; Engineering 3; Physics 1.
Petitions for changing to the chemical engineering major will be accepted only during the first four weeks of the spring quarter. Only a limited number of petitions will be approved, and selection for entry into the major will be based on UC grade-point averages and applicable courses completed.
For information about petitioning for a change of major to electrical or mechanical engineering, students should consult the respective departments or the College of Engineering Undergraduate Office.
Students who have completed more than 105 units will not be considered for a change of major/change of college in engineering or computer science unless they can demonstrate that they will be able to complete all the degree requirements for the proposed program without exceeding 200 total units.
Student chapters of a number of engineering professional organizations are active on the UCSB campus. Students interested in any of these organizations may contact the Undergraduate Office of the College of Engineering for more information.
Center for Advanced Nitride Electronics
Director: Umesh Mishra
Engineering I, Room 5107
Telephone: (805) 893-5648
Center for Computational Modeling and Systems (Alexandria Digital Library)
Director: Terence R. Smith
Girvetz Hall, Room 1205
Telephone: (805) 893-7665
Center for Control Engineering and Computation
Director: Andrew Teel
Engineering I, Room 5119A
Telephone: (805) 893-7066
Center for Entrepreneurship and Engineering Management
Director: Tim Schwartz
Engineering I, Room 1117
Telephone: (805) 893-5133
Center for Information Processing Research
Co-Director: Kenneth Rose
Engineering I, Room 3162
Telephone: (805) 893-8555
Center for Multifunctional Materials and Structures
Director: Anthony Evans
Engineering II, Room 1361A
Telephone: (805) 893-7851
Center for Risk Studies and Safety
Director: Theofanis G. Theofanous
Engineering Research Center (ERC)
6740 Cortona Drive, Goleta, CA 93117
Telephone: (805) 893-4936
Center for Solid State Lighting and Display
Director: Shuji Nakamura
Engineering II, Room 1347D
Telephone: (805) 893-5552
Compound Semiconductor Research Center
Director: Mark Rodwell
Engineering I, Room 5165
Telephone: (805) 893-5999
Engineering Computing Infrastructure
Director: Michael F. Doherty
Engineering I, Room 3110
Telephone: (805) 893-3221
High Performance Composites Center
Director: Francis (Frank) Zok
Engineering II, Room 1361
Telephone: (805) 893-8232
Innovative Microwave Power Amplifier Consortium Center
Director: Umesh Mishra
Engineering I, Room 5107
Telephone: (805) 893-5648
Institute for Quantum Engineering, Science, and Technology
Director: Mark Sherwin
Building 981
Telephone: (805) 893-3774
Interdisciplinary Center for Wide Band-Gap Semiconductors
Director: James Speck
Engineering II, Room 1347
Telephone (805) 893-5039
Mitsubishi Chemical Center for Advanced Materials
Director: Glenn
H. Fredrickson
Materials Research Laboratory, Room 3025
Telephone: (805) 893-7913
Ocean Engineering Laboratory
Director: Marshall P. Tulin
Engineering Research Center (ERC)
6740 Cortona Drive, Goleta, CA 93117
Telephone: (805) 893-4080
Walsin-Lihwa Electronics and Photonics Center
Director: John Bowers
Engineering I, Room 4163
Telephone: (805) 893-8447
Materials Research Laboratory
Director: Craig Hawker
Materials Research Laboratory, Room 3004
Telephone: (805) 893-7233
National Nanofabrication Users Network
Director: Mark Rodwell
Building 981
Telephone: (805) 893-5999
Optoelectronics Technology Center
Director: Larry A. Coldren
Engineering II, Room 1339
Telephone: (805) 893-7105
California Institute for Science and Innovation
California Nano-Systems Institute
Director: Martha Krebs (UCLA)
Scientific Director: Evelyn Hu
Physical Sciences - North, Room 4670
Telephone: (805) 893-6145
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