College of Engineering

Department of Computer Engineering

Armin Eberlein, Head

Faculty

• Rana Ahmed (on sabbatical 2007–2008)
  
• Abdul-Rahman Al-Ali
  
• Fadi Aloul
  
• Taha Landolsi
  
• Tarik Ozkul
  
• Ghassan Qadah
  
• Assim Sagahyroon
  
• Imran Zualkernan

Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering (BSCoE)

The mission of the computer engineering program is to educate students in the principles and modern practices of computer engineering, to prepare students to pursue a wide range of computer engineering careers, and to generate new knowledge by the pursuit of research in selected areas of computer engineering.
The computer engineering program is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission (EAC) of ABET as well as by the UAE Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research.

The phenomenal growth of the computer engineering field has been fueled by rapid advances in integrated circuits, microprocessors, software and networking technologies. Many of the modern products and services used in our daily life have been developed by computer hardware and software engineers. The primary purpose of the computer engineering program is to educate students with an understanding of digital systems, programming languages, computer architecture, computer networks, computer applications in industry and software engineering. These topics bridge traditional electrical engineering and computer science curricula. Computer engineers design, build and maintain integrated computer-based systems for home, business, government and industrial use. The undergraduate program in computer engineering prepares students for a wide range of positions in business and government service, as well as higher education, and research and development roles.
The curriculum satisfies the needs of the engineering community, especially in the United Arab Emirates and the Gulf region. The program includes general education requirements and core requirements for all computer engineering students. In addition, technical and free elective courses must be completed. A summer internship experience is required, as is a senior design project accomplished over a two-semester period.

Required laboratory courses provide hands-on experience and support class work and the senior project. The laboratories are equipped with state-of-the-art hardware, software and networking equipment.

Program Educational Objectives

Graduates of computer engineering are expected to be able to:

• serve as engineers equipped with the necessary technical and problem-solving skills in computer engineering to analyze, design, implement and maintain integrated hardware/software and networking systems
  
• understand the ethical, legal and social issues in the computing discipline and act in society’s best interest
  
• pursue lifelong learning, continuing education and graduate studies consistent with their professional and personal development goals
  
• work on research projects in the area of computer engineering
  
• be independent and work as an effective team member on multidisciplinary projects
  
• communicate effectively through speaking, writing and audio/visual tools with peers, management and the public at large
  
• play leadership roles in their professions

Program Outcomes

Upon graduation, the student of the computer engineering program is able to:

• demonstrate proficiency in the areas of digital systems, computer architecture, electronics, computer networks and embedded systems
  
• demonstrate proficiency in the areas of software design and development, data structures, algorithms and operating systems
  
• identify, formulate and solve computer engineering problems, including the planning, specification, design, implementation and operation of integrated hardware/software and networking systems, and/or processes that meet performance, cost, time, safety and quality requirements
  
• apply knowledge of mathematics (especially calculus, differential equations, linear algebra, discrete mathematics and statistics), sciences and engineering to the analysis of computer engineering problems
  
• use modern computing techniques and skills and software and hardware tools needed to solve computer engineering problems
  
• show an understanding of professional, legal and ethical issues in computer engineering, including software copyright, intellectual property, patents and computer crimes
  
• demonstrate the broad education and knowledge of contemporary issues necessary to understand the impact of computer engineering solutions in a global and societal context
  
• enter graduate school and/or to engage in a lifelong learning process
  
• successfully take professional and certificate exams to improve career opportunities
  
• communicate effectively both orally and in written form
  
• function as an effective contributing member on multidisciplinary teams

Degree Requirements

Students must complete a minimum of 140 credits to graduate. After the third year, each student is required to devote at least five weeks to the summer internship prior to graduation. In the fourth year, each student is required to complete a senior design project. All computer engineering students are required to take a comprehensive assessment examination during this capstone course sequence.

Students seeking the BSCoE degree must complete the following requirements:

General Education Requirements (44 credits)

• English language competency requirement: a minimum of 12 credits in 100-level or above writing (WRI)/English (ENG) courses, including ENG 204 and ENG 207
  
• Arabic heritage requirement: any course listed as an Arabic heritage requirement
  
• mathematics and/or statistics requirement: MTH 103 and MTH 104
  
• science requirement: CHM 101, PHY 101 and PHY 101L
  
• humanities and social sciences requirement: a minimum of 15 credits to be selected from the areas of  humanities and social sciences  with at least six credits taken from the humanities area and at least six credits taken from the social sciences area. If the three credits in courses on Arabic heritage are satisfied by one of the theme courses (THM 301 or THM 302), three additional credits must be taken from the humanities or social sciences courses.
  
• computer literacy requirement:  satisfied through extensive use of computer resources in courses throughout the engineering curriculum
  
• information literacy requirement: satisfied through WRI 102 and ENG 204

Major Requirements (78 credits)

• COE 210 Programming I
• COE 211 Programming II
• COE 221 Digital Systems
• COE 311 Data Structures and Algorithms
• COE 312 Software Design for Engineers
• COE 331 Microprocessors
• COE 341 Computer Architecture and Organization
• COE 360 Probability and Stochastic Processes
• COE 370 Communications Networks
• COE 371 Computer Networks I
• COE 381 Operating Systems
• COE 397 Professional Training in Computer Engineering
• COE 412 Embedded Systems
• COE 420 Software Engineering I
• COE 424 Advanced Digital System Design
• COE 490 Design Project I
• COE 491 Design Project II
• ELE 211 Electric Circuits I
• ELE 241 Electronics I
• ELE 241L Electronics I Lab
• ELE 323 Signal Processing
• ELE 341 Electronics II
• MCE 225 Statics and Dynamics for Computer Engineers
• MTH 205 Differential Equations
• MTH 213 Discrete Mathematics
• MTH 221 Linear Algebra
• NGN 110 Introduction to Engineering and Computing
• NGN 111 Introduction to Statistical Analysis
• PHY 102 General Physics II
• PHY 102L General Physics Laboratory II

Major Electives (minimum of 12 credits)

Four three-credit courses from the approved technical elective courses listed below must be completed. At least three of the four courses should be in computer engineering.

• COE 422 Database Systems
• COE 423 Computer Networks II
• COE 425 Modern Computer Organizations
• COE 427 Internet Computing
• COE 428 VLSI Design
• COE 431 Industrial Computer Systems
• COE 434 Mobile Computing
• COE 481 Real-time Industrial Networks
• COE 482 Soft Computing
• COE 494 Special Topics in Computer Engineering
• COE 496 Independent Study in Computer Engineering
• CMP 341 Computational Methods
• CMP 433 Artificial Intelligence
• CMP 435 Computer Security
• ELE 311 Electromagnetics
• ELE 432 Medical Instrumentation I
• ELE 441 Microelectronic Devices

Free Electives (minimum of 6 credits)
A minimum of six credits of any courses offered at or above the 100 level.

Minor in Computer Engineering

Students enrolling in the computer engineering minor should have completed a minimum of 60 credit hours of course work and be in good academic standing. 

The following rules apply:

• The minor consists of a minimum of 20 credit hours, including at least 10 credit hours in courses at or above the 300 level in computer engineering.
  
• At least 10 credits of the minor must be taken in residence at AUS.
  
• At least seven credits of the 10 credits at or above the 300 level must be taken in residence at AUS.
  
• Free electives may be taken towards the minor.
  
• A grade of at least C- in each course and a GPA of at least 2.0 must be earned in the courses taken to satisfy the minor.

Students seeking a minor in computer engineering must complete the following courses or their equivalent. All course prerequisites must be satisfied.

Minor Requirements (11 credits)

• COE 210 Programming I 
• COE 221 Digital Systems
• COE 331 Microprocessors

Minor Electives (minimum of 9 credits)

Depending upon the student’s interests in a specific area (option) in computer engineering, the following courses should be completed:

Option 1—Networking
• COE 370 Communication Networks
• COE 371 Computer Networks I
• COE 4XX
Option 2—Hardware
• COE 341 Computer Architecture and Organization
• COE 412 Embedded Systems
• COE 4XX
Option 3—Software (not open to computer science majors)
• COE 211 Programming II
• COE 311 Data Structures and Algorithms
• COE 381 Operating Systems or COE 4XX

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