Author_Institution :
Dept. of Electr. & Comput. Sci., Temple Univ., Philadelphia, PA, USA
Abstract :
A bridge program for EE and EET in a single ECE department utilizes a common freshman experience in electrical and computer engineering and a common sophomore circuit theory and instrumentation sequence. While same EET departments have abandoned engineering technology entirely for engineering programs, this bridge program demonstrates the partnership between the undergraduate EE and EET disciplines as a new paradigm. The required and elective computer language, electronics, microelectronics, VLSI, digital circuits, programmable logic, hardware description language and computer networking courses in the junior and senior year are common. Common laboratories in these applied technology courses complete the relationship. Diversity and differentiation certainly exists, though, in the mathematical prerequisites and the resulting electromagnetic, signals and systems curricula only in EE. Undergraduate student retention has been enhanced with this program because of the bridge and a common ECE departmental advising Professional employment opportunities for EET students have increased substantially because of the common applied technology courses. Transfer between the EE and EET curricula, in both directions, has been facilitated to the satisfaction of the undergraduate student.
Keywords :
educational courses; engineering education; student experiments; applied technology courses; bridge program; electrical engineering technology; engineering education; freshman experience; instrumentation course; sophomore circuit theory course; undergraduate student retention; Bridge circuits; Circuit theory; Computer languages; Digital circuits; Electrical engineering computing; Instruments; Microelectronics; Programmable logic arrays; Programmable logic devices; Very large scale integration;