Frequently Asked Questions

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Undergraduate Program FAQs

Can’t find what you’re looking for? Contact Heather Dunlap at hdunlap@udel.edu.

How can I find out who my advisor is?

Log in to UDSIS (Student Information System). Under your Student Center tab, on the right-hand side, you will see ADVISOR.

I'm having trouble reaching my advisor. What can I do?

After you locate your advisor in UDSIS, click the link that says ‘details’ and you can email your advisor. You can also call on the phone or drop by his/her office. Faculty members often receive a huge volume of email. Sometimes they will reply promptly to email and sometimes they are unable to reply as promptly as you would like. If you don’t get a response in the time frame you need, please contact Heather Dunlap at hdunlap@udel.edu and she will assist you in contacting your advisor or answering your questions/concerns.

What minimum grade must I get in CISC 106, 210, 220 and 361?

For your Electrical or Computer Engineering major, you must attain a C- or better in CISC 106, 210, 220 and 361.

I placed out of MATH 241 (or PHYS 207, or CISC 106, etc.) with AP credit. What should I take in its place?

In general, if you place out of a course with high school or transfer credits, you should take the next course in the sequence.  A first-semester freshman who has placed out of MATH 241 will thus generally take MATH 242 in his/her first semester and be one semester ahead in the math sequence.  Once the end of that sequence is reached, (in this case the student will complete MATH 342 at the end of the sophomore year) there will be a hole (in this case, the rest of the junior class will take MATH 342 in the first semester of the year).  This hole can be filled with a breadth class or technical elective.

What are “technical electives?”

General technical electives (those classes labeled technical elective on the sample curriculum) are classes of 300 or 400 level in engineering, computer science, or the natural or mathematical sciences.  There are a few exceptions to this rule (for instance, classes that study societal impacts of engineering or science are not generally counted.)

Do I need to take the elective courses in the order they are prescribed on the sample curriculum?

No.  While the sample curricula list the general technical electives before the ELEG/CPEG technical electives, there is no requirement that you do things in this order.  (The sample curricula are just examples of how the required classes can be fit together to graduate in four years.) Moreover, there is no rule that says you must take the foundation electives before you take real technical electives, but some technical electives will require certain foundation electives.  Because the foundation electives are (almost) specific courses required for graduation, it is a good idea to take them as early as possible.

Which foundation electives are offered in the fall and which are offered in the spring?

CPEG 323, ELEG 306, 312, 403 and 476 are offered in the fall and ELEG 404, 413, CPEG 422, ELEG 456, 465 and 492 are offered in the spring.

What is the senior design (capstone course) sequence?

Computer Engineering majors take CPEG 498 in the fall and CPEG 499 in the spring. Electrical Engineering majors take ELEG 498 in the fall and ELEG 499 in the spring. The department also offers an honors section for both CPEG and ELEG majors. The senior design course is your designated ‘Discovery Learning Experience,’ which is a university requirement for graduation.

Can I get a bachelor's degree and master's degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering in 5 years?

If you are up to the challenge, yes! The MS Degree (non-thesis program) requires 10 courses beyond the undergraduate work. Two things allow you to design a 5-year program: (1) With permission and prerequisites, you can take two graduate courses while still an undergraduate. (2) You can take 4 courses a term as a graduate student. It is not for the faint of heart, but it is allowed and doable. A 5-year program requires advanced planning. You should start discussing it with your advisor at the end of your sophomore year. If you are interested in the thesis program, you must complete six additional ELEG 869 Master’s Thesis credits. NOTE: a graduate course taken in place of a related undergraduate course to meet a major requirement cannot also count toward the graduate program.