Wayne State’s Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering changes title and structure of undergraduate program

The Wayne State University Board of Governors recently approved a title modification to one of the College of Engineering’s top undergraduate programs. The bachelor of science in electrical engineering (BSEE) was changed to the bachelor of science in electrical and computer engineering (BSECE), a reflection of not only the eponymous department but also the deepened connection between electrical, electronic and computer systems in modern technology.

The change, which takes effect in the fall of 2022, requires some updates to the curriculum in order to meet ABET requirements for a BSECE degree. Students must accumulate 131 credit hours for graduation, five more than the current BSEE standard.

The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering’s faculty members and Industrial Advisory Board feel this alteration will add substantial value to the degree and position Wayne State students with an edge in such domains as the Internet of Things, robotics, machine learning, artificial intelligence and systems-on-chip.

“ECE faculty strongly believe that the new name and the newly revised curriculum will serve our students better and provide them with skill sets that are timely and relevant as foreseen by current trends and future directions in the industry,” said Mohammed Ismail, professor and chair of the department.

Students currently enrolled in the BSEE program have to option to either complete it as is or switch to the new BSECE program.