College of Engineering
Office of Undergraduate Studies, Harold Frank Hall, Room 1006;
Telephone (805) 893-2809
Dean’s Office, Harold Frank Hall, Room 1038
MESA Programs; Telephone (805) 893-8347
Website: www.engineering.ucsb.edu (will open in a new browser window)
Associate Dean for Undergraduate Studies: Glenn E. Beltz
Associate Dean for Advancement and Planning: Kevin Almeroth
Associate Dean for Technology Management Programs: Gary Hansen
Contents:
- Overview
- Academic Departments in the College of Engineering (includes course descriptions):
- Mission Statement
- Admission
- Degrees and Majors in the College of Engineering
- Degree Requirements
- Five-Year Joint B.S.Engineering/M.S. Materials Degree Program
- Five-Year Joint B.S./M.A. Program with Economics
- Interdepartmental Graduate Program in Biomolecular Science and Engineering
- Interdepartmental Graduate Program in Media Arts and Technology
- College of Engineering Honors Program
- Change of Major and Change of College
- Student Organizations
- Engineering Research Centers
- National Research Centers
- Affiliated Centers
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 1,400 undergraduate students and 700 graduate students with a full-time, permanent faculty of 134. 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 (ABET). The computer science undergraduate programs are accredited by the Computing Accreditation Commission of ABET.
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 Office of Undergraduate Studies in Harold Frank Hall, Room 1006, provides academic advising for all undergraduates in the college. Faculty and academic advisors for the individual majors are also 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, Harold Frank Hall, Room 1006, University of California, Santa Barbara, California 93106-5130. Alternatively, it is available on the web at:
www.engineering.ucsb.edu/current_undergraduates.
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.
Applicants desiring to enter the College of Engineering must satisfy the general university admission requirements described in earlier sections of this catalog. The college strongly recommends that students who want to study engineering at UCSB plan their high-school programs to also include the following courses:
| Algebra | 2 years | |
| Plane Geometry | 1 year | |
| Pre-calculus/calculus | 1 year | |
| Physics or Chemistry (preferably both) |
1 year |
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.
Supplemental screening for admission to the College of Engineering is based on further consideration of prior coursework, grades, test scores, and other factors. 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.
Students must apply for a specific major in the College of Engineering either as freshmen or as transfer students; in Chemical Engineering, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or Mechanical Engineering.
Transfer student applicants 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.
All transfer applicants must complete the following courses:
Calculus for science majors—1 year
Differential Equations
Linear Algebra
Physics (calculus-based)—3 years
In addition, there are major-specific courses that must be completed:
Chemical Engineering—General Chemistry with Labs—1 year; Organic Chemistry with labs – 1 year; and Computer Programming in C or C++.
Computer Engineering—General Chemistry—1 semester; Computer Programming–Java; Java course with Data Structures; Circuits and Devices; and Assembly Language or Computer Architecture.
Computer Science—General Chemistry—1 semester; Computer Programming–Java; Java course with Data Structures; Circuits and Devices; and Assembly Language or Computer Architecture.
Electrical Engineering—General Chemistry—1 semester; Computer Programming in C or C++; Circuits and Devices; and Assembly Language or Computer Architecture.
Mechanical Engineering—General Chemistry—1 semester; Computer Programming in C or C++; Circuits and Devices; Statics; and Dynamics.
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.
Majors with Pre-Major Standing
Some of the College of Engineering majors have pre-major courses that need to be completed before the student can advance to the upper division (junior and senior years). Admission to the lower division does not necessarily guarantee advancement to the upper division. Please review specific pre-major information for Computer Science and Computer Engineering in their specific department sections of the catalog. 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 Office of Undergraduate Studies to determine eligibility for upper-division work.
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, UC Entry Level Writing Requirement, 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 subsequent sections of this catalog.
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. For current information regarding the general education status of courses, please refer to GOLD, the quarterly Schedule of Classes or the College of Engineering General University and General Education Program Requirements Brochure available in the Office of Undergraduate Studies or you may download (PDF) version: www.engineering.ucsb.edu/ug/pubs/index.html
The General Education requirements for the College of Engineering are as follows:
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Students must enroll in Writing 2 or 2E and Writing 50 or 50E. Students must complete the University of California Entry Level Writing requirement before enrolling in courses that fulfill the Area A requirement of the General Education Program.
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Six courses are required from areas D, E, F, and G. At least two courses must be from Areas D and E combined. At least two courses must be completed in Areas F and G combined, and at least one of them must be from Area G.
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In the process of fulfilling the General Education area requirements, students must fulfill the following Special Subject Area requirements:
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Writing Requirement. At least four courses designated as writing requirement classes.
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Depth Requirement – Choose one of the following options:
Option 1: At least two upper-division courses from two separate departments, in each of which a course has already been completed. All courses used towards this requirement must also fulfill areas D, E, F or G.
Option 2: Complete a three-course sequence from the list of approved sequences. -
Ethnicity Requirement. 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.
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European Traditions Requirement. One course that focuses on European cultures or cultures in the European tradition.
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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 section 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 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.
For additional information about credit given for College Board Advanced Placement Examinations, see 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.
Five-Year B.S. Engineering/M.S. Materials Degree Program
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.
Five-Year Joint B.S./M.A. Program with Economics
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 Office of Undergraduate Studies or from the Department of Economics. Interested students should inform the Undergraduate Studies 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.”
Biomolecular Science and Engineering, Interdepartmental Graduate Program in
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.
Media Arts and Technology, Interdepartmental Graduate Program in
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.
College of Engineering Honors Program
The Honors Program in the College of Engineering is designed to enrich the educational opportunities of its best students. Students in the Honors Program will be encouraged to participate in 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. Student in the honors Program will be provided opportunities to become peer mentors and tutors within the College.
Participation in the Honors Program offers preferential enrollment in classes for continuing students as well as graduate student library privileges. Housing is available to eligible first-year students in Scholars’ Halls located in several university-owned residence halls.
The College of Engineering invites approximately the top 10% of incoming freshmen into the Honors Program based on a combination of high school GPA and SAT or ACT scores. (Please note: eligibility criteria are subject to change at any time.) Transfer students with a UC transferable GPA of 3.6 or greater are invited to join the College Honors Program. Students who do not enter the College of Engineering with honors at the freshman level may petition to enter the program after attaining a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or greater during two consecutive quarters at UCSB.
Engineering honors students with upper division standing may, with faculty approval, enroll in their departmental Independent Studies course to research topics that will compliment their major studies. College of Engineering Honors students may also enroll in special honors sections of general education courses offered by the College of Letters and Science.
Continued participation in the College Honors Program is dependent on maintaining a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or greater and active participation in both the academic and community service components of the Program.
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.
Change of Major and Change of College
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 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.
Chemical Engineering.
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. 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.
Computer Engineering.
Students may petition to enter the Computer Engineering pre-major at any time Option 1 below has been met, or they may petition to enter the full major when the requirements in Option 2 have been met.
OPTION 1:
- An overall UCSB grade point average of at least 3.0; AND
- Satisfactory completion at UCSB of at least four core classes required as preparation for the Computer Engineering major with a grade point average of at least 3.0 in all core classes completed. The core classes are Mathematics 3A, 3B, 3C, 5A; Computer Science 10, 20, 40, 60; Electrical and Computer Engineering 2A, 2B, 2C, 15A, 15B. Once approved for the Computer Engineering pre-major, the student must meet the requirements for advancing to the full major.
OPTION 2:
- An overall UCSB grade point average of at least 3.0; AND
- Satisfactory completion at UCSB of at least six of the core classes with a grade point average of at least 3.0. If the student has not attained the minimum 3.0 grade point average with the first six core classes completed, all core classes subsequently completed will be included in the grade point average computation; OR
- Satisfactory completion of all thirteen core classes with a University of California grade point average of at least 2.75.
Computer Science.
Students planning to enter the pre-computer science program must com-plete 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 Univer-sity 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 stand-ing 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.
Electrical Engineering.
Students may petition to enter the Electrical Engineering major at any time both of the following requirements are met:
- An overall UCSB grade point average of at least 3.0.
- Satisfactory completion at UCSB, with a grade point average of 3.0 or better, of at least five classes, including at least two mathematics classes, from the following: Mathematics 5A-B-C, ECE 2A-B-C, ECE 15A-B. The calculation of the minimum GPA will be based on all classes completed from this list at the time of petitioning.
Mechanical Engineering.
Students may petition to enter the Mechanical Engineering Department at any time both of the following requirements are met:
- An overall UCSB grade point average of at least 3.0.
- Satisfactory completion at UCSB, with a grade point average of 2.95 or better, of at least six (6) core classes required as preparation for the major (see below), including at least one in Mechanical Engineering. The core classes are defined as: Math 3A-B-C; Math 5A-B-C; Physics 1-2; ME 14-15. If the student has not attained the minimum 2.95 GPA with the first six core classes completed, all subsequent core classes will be included in the GPA calculation.
Student Organizations
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 Office of Undergraduate Studies of the College of Engineering for more information.
- American Institute of Chemical Engineers
- American Society of Mechanical Engineers
- Association for Computing Machinery
- Engineering Student Council
- Engineers without Borders
- Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
- Los Ingenieros (Mexican-American Engineering Society/Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers)
- National Society of Black Engineers
- Society for Advancement of Chicano and Native Americans in Science
- Society of Women Engineers
- Student Entrepreneurship Association
Engineering Research Centers
Center for Advanced Nitride Electronics
Director: Umesh Mishra
Engineering Sciences Building, Room 2215C
Telephone: (805) 893-3586
Center for Bio-Image Informatics
Director: B.S. Manjunath
Engineering I, Room 5107
Telephone: (805) 893-7112
Center for Control, Dynamical Systems and Computation
Director: Mustafa Khammash
Engineering I, Room 5119A
Telephone: (805) 893-7066
Center for Multifunctional Materials and Structures
Director: Anthony Evans
Engineering II, Room 2361
Telephone: (805) 893-7839
Center for Polymers and Organic Solids
Director: Guillermo Bazan
Broida Hall, Room 4417
Telephone: (805) 893-2001
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 Sciences Building, Room 3231
Telephone: (805) 893-8462
Engineering Computing Infrastructure
Director: Michael F. Doherty
Engineering I, Room 3110
Telephone: (805) 893-3221
High Performance Composites Center
Director: Frank Zok,
Engineering II, Room 1355
Telephone: (805) 893-8232
Institute for Multiscale Materials Studies-LANL
Director: David Clarke
Engineering Sciences Building, Room 3221
Telephone: (805) 893-8275
Interdisciplinary Center for Wide Band-Gap Semiconductors
Director: James Speck
Engineering Sciences Building, Room 3231
Telephone (805) 893-8462
Mitsubishi Chemical Center for Advanced Materials
Director: Glenn H. Fredrickson
Materials Research Laboratory, Room 3100
Telephone: (805) 893-7913
UCSB Nanofabrication Research Center
Director: Mark Rodwell
Engineering Sciences Building. Room 2205
Telephone: (805) 893-7989
National Research Centers
International Center for Materials Research
Director: Anthony K. Cheetham
Materials Research Laboratory, Room 3117C
Telephone: (805) 893-5850
Materials Research Laboratory
Director: Craig Hawker
Materials Research Laboratory, Room 3004
Telephone: (805) 893-7233
National Nanofabrication Infrastructure Network
Director: Mark Rodwell
Engineering Sciences Building. Room 2205
Telephone: (805) 893-7989
Optoelectronics Technology Center
Director: Larry A. Coldren
Engineering II, Room 1339
Telephone: (805) 893-7104
California Nanosystems Institute
Director: J. Fraser Stoddart (UCLA)
Scientific Director: Evelyn Hu
Physical Sciences North, Room 4670
Telephone: (805) 893-6145
Institute for Collaborative Biotechnologies
Director: Daniel Morse
Associate Director: Frank Doyle
Phelps Hall, Room 3309
Telephone: (805) 893-4856
Kavli Institute for Theoretical Physics
Director: David J. Gross
Kohn Hall
Telephone: (805) 893-4111
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