PDF version of this chapterDegree Requirements
Educational Program Objectives
The electrical engineering program objectives are designed to promote technical competence, professional development and citizenship in the global community.Technical Competence
Graduates will have the proficiency in mathematics, science and engineering necessary to apply these disciplines to the solution of problems encountered in modern electrical engineering practice.Graduates will have the ability to model, analyze, design and experimentally evaluate components or systems that achieve desired technical specifications subject to the reality of economic constraints.
Professional Development
Graduates will have the professional skills necessary to compete effectively in a world of rapid technological change as well as to assume leadership roles within industrial, entrepreneurial, academic or governmental environments in the broad context of electrical engineering.Graduates who have chosen an appropriate plan of study will be capable of professional redirection into such diverse fields as medicine, business, law, computer science, multimedia and music through graduate-level studies and the process of lifelong learning.
Citizenship in the Global Community
Graduates will have the capabilities and communication skills necessary to function effectively both as individuals and as members of multidisciplinary teams in a diverse global economy.Graduates will have an understanding of the importance of high ethical and professional standards as well as the significance of engineering decisions and solutions in a global, environmental and societal context.
Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering
The requirement for the degree is 131 units. A cumulative scholarship average of C (2.0) is required for: (a) all courses taken at USC; (b) all courses taken within the Department of Electrical Engineering; (c) all upper division courses taken within the Department of Electrical Engineering. See also the common requirements for undergraduate degrees section.| First Year, First Semester | Units | |
|---|---|---|
| CHEM 105aL | General Chemistry, or | |
| CHEM 115aL | Advanced General Chemistry, or | |
| MASC 110L | Materials Science | 4 |
| EE 105 | Introduction to Electrical Engineering | 3 |
| MATH 125 | Calculus I | 4 |
| General education | 4 | |
| 15 | ||
| First Year, Second Semester | Units | |
|---|---|---|
| MATH 126 | Calculus II | 4 |
| PHYS 151L** | Fundamentals of Physics I: Mechanics and Thermodynamics | 4 |
| WRIT 140* | Writing and Critical Reasoning | 4 |
| General education* | Social Issues | 4 |
| 16 | ||
| Second Year, First Semester | Units | |
|---|---|---|
| CSCI 101L | Fundamentals of Computer Programming | 3 |
| EE 101 | Introduction to Digital Logic | 3 |
| MATH 226 | Calculus III | 4 |
| PHYS 152L | Fundamentals of Physics II: Electricity and Magnetism | 4 |
| General education | 4 | |
| 18 | ||
| Second Year, Second Semester | Units | |
|---|---|---|
| EE 202L | Linear Circuits | 4 |
| MATH 245 | Mathematics of Physics and Engineering I | 4 |
| PHYS 153L | Fundamentals of Physics III: Optics and Modern Physics | 4 |
| Electives | See requirements for graduation | 5 |
| 17 | ||
| Third Year, First Semester | Units | |
|---|---|---|
| EE 301 | Introduction to Linear Systems | 3 |
| EE 364 | Introduction to Probability and Statistics for Electrical Engineering | 3 |
| MATH 445 | Mathematics of Physics and Engineering II | 4 |
| WRIT 340 | Advanced writing | 3 |
| Electives | See requirements for graduation | 3 |
| 16 | ||
| Third Year, Second Semester | Units | |
|---|---|---|
| EE 330 | Electromagnetics I | 3 |
| ISE 460 | Engineering Economy, or | |
| BUAD 301 | Technical Entrepreneurship | 3 |
| Electives | See requirements for graduation following | 7 |
| General education | 4 | |
| 17 | ||
| Fourth Year, First Semester | Units | |
|---|---|---|
| Electives | See requirements for graduation following | 12 |
| General education | 4 | |
| 16 | ||
| Fourth Year, Second Semester | Units | |
|---|---|---|
| Electives | See requirements for graduation following | 16 |
| 16 | ||
**Satisfies general education Category III.
Requirements for Graduation:
Engineering Electives
Engineering electives are to be chosen from the courses listed under entry-level electives, areas of specialization, non-EE engineering science elective and EE design electives.
Entry-Level Electives
The entry-level courses listed under three of the four following topical areas are required:Communication, Control and Signal Processing: EE 241 (3)
Computer Engineering: EE 201L (2), EE 357 (3)
Electromagnetics and Energy Conversion: EE 370 (3), EE 470 (3)
Electronic Devices and Circuits: EE 338 (3), EE 348L (4)
Areas of Specialization
Courses in at least one of the 10 areas of specialization listed below are required:Communication, Control and Signal Processing
Communications and Networks: EE 401 (3), CSCI 455x (4), (take at least one): EE 450 (3), EE 447L (4/CD*), EE 467x (3)Signal Processing, Communication and Control Systems (take at least three): EE 434L (4/CD*), EE 467x (3), EE 469 (3), EE 475 (3/D**), EE 482 (3), EE 483 (3), EE 484 (3/CD*)
Controls and Robotics: EE 482 (3) or CSCI 445 (4); (take at least two): EE 401 (3), EE 454L (4/D**), EE 459L (3/CD*)
Computer Engineering
Computer Architecture and Organization: EE 454L (4/D**), EE 457x (3), EE 459L (3/CD*)Hardware/Software (take 3 of 4): CSCI 402x (3D**), CSCI 455x (4), EE 454L (4/D**), EE 457x (3)
Computer Networks (take 3 of 4): CSCI 402x (3), CSCI 455x (4), EE 450 (3), EE 457x (3).
Electromagnetics and Energy Conversion
Energy Conversion: EE 440 (3), EE 442 (3), EE 443 (3)Lasers: EE 471 (3), EE 472 (3), EE 473L (3/D**).
Electronic Devices and Circuits
Electronic Circuits (take 3 of 4): EE 447L (4/CD*), EE 448L (4/D**), EE 478L (4/CD*), EE 479 (3/D**)Integrated Circuits: EE 438L (3/D**), EE 448L (4/D**), EE 477L (4/D**).
Non-EE Engineering Science Elective
At least one elective must be a non-EE engineering science elective, either from the list below: CE 205, 225, CE 309, CE 325; CHE 472; AME 201, AME 310, AME 452, AME 453; or others by special advisor approval.EE Design Electives
At least three courses must be taken from the following list of design courses: EE 434L*, EE 438L, EE 447L*, EE 448L, EE 454L, EE 459L*, EE 473L, EE 475, EE 477L, EE 478L*, EE 479, EE 484*, including one of the asterisked capstone design courses.*CD -- Capstone Design Elective
**D -- Design Elective
Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering (Computers)
The Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering (Computers) is earned by successfully completing the normal requirements for the Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering with the following courses chosen as EE electives: EE 454L; CSCI 455x; EE 457x; EE 478L.Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering and Computer Science
See the listing under Computer Engineering.Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering (Integrated Media Systems)
This 131-unit program will expose students to the creative technology side of multimedia. To obtain the BSEE (IMS), the student must successfully complete the normal requirements for the Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering with the following restrictions: (1) students must take the listed entry-level electives in the topical areas of Computer Engineering and Electronic Devices and Circuits and must also take EE 241, which will be the entry-level elective for the topical area of Communication, Control and Signal Processing; (2) students must take the following courses within the Communication, Control and Signal Processing area of specialization: EE 434L (4/CD*) (satisfies the capstone design course requirement), EE 469 (3) and EE 483 (3); (3) students must take at least two courses from the following list of design courses: EE 402, EE 438L, EE 444L, EE 447L, EE 448L, EE 454L, EE 459L, EE 477L, EE 478L and EE 479; and, (4) students must take CSCI 351 (3), CSCI 480 (3) and EE 450 (3), as technical electives.It is highly recommended that the student take EE 483 before the start of the fourth year, because EE 434L is only taught in the fall semester.
Industry recommends that students also be exposed to the creative-artistic side of multimedia. This can be accomplished (but is not required) by BSEE (IMS) students taking the Minor in Multimedia and Creative Technologies (described on page 604). Because all of the technical required and elective courses of that minor will have been taken as part of the BSEE (IMS), BSEE (IMS) students can complete this minor by focusing on the minor's creative artistic courses -- required and elective. Up to six units from the BSEE (IMS) can be counted toward this minor.
Minor in Multimedia and Creative Technologies
See listing under Multimedia and Creative Technologies.Minor in Music Recording
A minor in music recording is offered through the USC Thornton School of Music to provide undergraduate students with the background necessary to enter the field of recording engineering and to familiarize them with the design needs of modern recording equipment. The minor is recommended to electrical engineering majors with extensive musical training who would like to combine their technical and musical abilities while learning the engineering applications of physical and mathematical principles to the art of music recording. See the listing under the Thornton School of Music.Accelerated Dual Degree Program: B.S., Electrical Engineering/M.S., Electrical Engineering
The accelerated dual degree program offers qualified students the opportunity to simultaneously complete the requirements for the B.S. and M.S. degrees in five years. Students are eligible for the accelerated dual degree program upon completing 96 or more units toward their B.S. with a GPA of 3.2 or higher. Qualified students who are interested should see their advisor in their junior year to begin planning for the inclusion of graduate courses during their senior year. Students should apply to the graduate program in the fall of their senior year. Eligible students will be automatically accepted to the M.S. degree program without needing to take the GRE. All the requirements of both the B.S. and M.S. degrees must be met; however, up to 9 units of course work will be counted towards satisfying the unit requirements of both degrees. In some cases, there may be limits to the number of 400 level course work that can be used towards the M.S. degree and there may be specific course requirements. Application information may be obtained in the Viterbi School of Engineering Office of Admissions and Student Affairs. Students should see their departmental advisor for assistance with course selection.Master of Science in Electrical Engineering
A minimum grade point average of 3.0 must be earned on all course work applied toward the master's degree in electrical engineering. This average must also be achieved on all 400-level and above course work attempted at USC beyond the bachelor's degree. Transfer units count as credit (CR) toward the master's degree and are not computed in the grade point average.In addition to the general requirements of the Viterbi School of Engineering, the Master of Science in Electrical Engineering is also subject to the following requirements: (1) a total of at least 27 units is required; (2) every non-EE course for graduate credit requires prior written advisor approval recorded each semester on a special request form in the student's department file; (3) no more than nine units at the 400 level may be counted toward the degree -- the remaining units must be taken at the 500 or 600 level; (4) at least 18 units must be taken in electrical engineering, those not in EE require written advisor approval and must be technical in nature; (5) to achieve a degree of breadth in their program, students are encouraged to take two technical courses outside their area of specialization but within EE; (6) at least 21 of the 27 units must be taken in the Viterbi School of Engineering; (7) units to be transferred (maximum four with advisor approval) must have been taken prior to taking classes at USC -- interruption of residency is not allowed.
The aerospace controls option is available as an area of emphasis for MSEE students interested in learning to apply innovative control techniques to aerospace control problems. In addition to 18 approved units of electrical engineering courses, students in this option will take at least three of the following aerospace and mechanical engineering courses: AME 453 Engineering Dynamics (3); AME 531 Aerodynamics of Wings and Bodies (3); AME 532ab Flight Vehicle Stability and Control (3-3); AME 525 Engineering Analysis (3); AME 526 Engineering Analytical Methods (3); ASTE 580 Orbital Mechanics I (3).
Master of Science in Electrical Engineering (Computer Networks)
Under the computer networks option students must satisfy the M.S., Electrical Engineering requirements with the exception that only 15 units of EE are required. It is expected that each student in this program will take or have taken the equivalent of the following fundamental courses: CSCI 402x, EE 450, EE 457Lx, and EE 465.The following required courses must be included: CSCI 551, EE 549 or EE 550, and EE 555. Suggested elective courses include: CSCI 530, CSCI 555, CSCI 558L, CSCI 570, CSCI 694a, CSCI 694b, EE 532, EE 535, EE 554, EE 557, EE 558, EE 579, EE 590, EE 599, EE 650, EE 652, EE 659. Any other course must be approved by a faculty advisor. Total units required for the degree is 27.Master of Science in Electrical Engineering (Multimedia and Creative Technologies)
See listing under Multimedia and Creative Technologies.Master of Science in Systems Architecture and Engineering
See the listing under Systems Architecture and Engineering.Master of Science in Electrical Engineering (VLSI Design)
The Master of Science in Electrical Engineering (VLSI Design) is earned by successfully completing the normal requirements for the Master of Science in Electrical Engineering, with the following additional required courses: EE 536a; EE 577a; EE 577b or EE 536b; and EE 552. If a student chooses to take EE 536b as well as EE 577b, the student may either count EE 536b as one of the courses for Area 2 or EE 577b as one of the courses for Area 1 or Area 3.The students must also take two courses from one of the following areas and one course from a second area:
Area 1: CSCI 455x, EE 560, EE 577b (see above), EE 658, EE 680 and EE 681.
Area 2: EE 448L, EE 504L, EE 536b (see above), EE 537, EE 581 and EE 630.
Area 3: CSCI 455x, CSCI 570, EE 557, EE 560, EE 577b (see above), EE 659, EE 677.
With explicit approval of a faculty advisor, EE 599 Special Topics and/or 3 units of EE 590 Directed Research may be used to meet requirements for any of the approved areas.
The remaining courses must be technical electives approved by the advisor, and can including the following: EE 501, EE 502, EE 504L, EE 506, EE 540, EE 554, EE 560, EE 590, EE 601 and EE 677.