EE FAQ
Where do I find the requirements for the EE major program?
General requirements for the BS degree are documented in the school bulletin, along with the specific requirements for each major and minor program. Some alternate courses and restrictions are listed in footnotes. The bulletin also contains sample schedules (see link to pdf file) and a formal description for every course. In addition, the EE Dept. posts an EE program “checklist" on its website that summarizes all the BS requirements, and includes more detailed guidelines for the choice of technical electives than can be found in the bulletin. The EE website also contains other useful references, such as a course flowchart and a list of recent course offerings.
Should I rely on tools such as the old DAR (Degree Audit Report) and Stellic to track my degree progress?
The DAR is outdated, and Stellic is new and not fully tested yet. Both can be useful tools to catch problems, but neither should add to stress. If you are confident that you have filled a requirement and the tool says you did not, it is most likely a problem with the tool that will not prevent graduation. But in the case of Stellic, it does warrant further investigation to track down the reason to be sure.
Who is my advisor?
All Columbia students continue to have advisors at the Center for Student Advising for general issues and requirements throughout their entire undergraduate program. But once they have declared a major, they are also assigned a major faculty advisor for questions about major requirements and discussions about future career paths. Major advisors are posted on the EE website. Students are not required to see their major advisors regularly, but it is recommended that they be consulted at least on occasion, particularly when making important choices along the way such as which electives to take. Information can also be obtained directly from EE student Affairs (Cassandra Kokofu currently helps undergraduates) and general advising can also be done by the Faculty Undergradute Advising Committee (currently chaired by Charles Zukowski), either as needed or at regular advising lunches. Questions can also be emailed to [email protected].
Are EE courses offered every semester?
Most EE courses are offered either in the fall or the spring, and are rarely offered in the summer. Some electives are not even offered every year. As a result, careful advance planning with backup options can be very useful. While patterns are never guaranteed to continue, it is possible to determine future offerings with high likelihood by looking at the history of course offerings on the EE website.
How should I pick my technical electives?
There are many options, and students can learn about options by sitting in on courses, looking at posted course information, and speaking with advisors and fellow students. Most EE majors primarily select EE (including joint) courses beyond the requirements that sound interesting to them and fit in their schedule. But there are some restrictions. EE majors must complete 18 points (6 courses) of technical courses at the 3000 level or above, as summarized on the EE program checklist. Two of the courses must satisfy a depth requirement, and another two must satisfy a breadth requirement. The last two are more flexible, and could even include a math or science course, but many EE majors just take additional EE electives. Research projects for credit, if technical, can usually qualify as well. If there is any question about whether a course qualifies, please check with EE student affairs, the EE undergraduate committee, or a major advisor.
What is the EE depth requirement?
The goal of the depth requirement is not to have students choose a specialization for a future career, or even to test out an area of possible interest, although it can be used for those purposes. The goal is to give students experience with pursuing a topic in more detail than is possible in introductory courses. Courses that are allowed generally build on introductory courses in a particular area. Currently there are four possible EE depth areas to choose from, and the courses for each are specified on the EE program checklist. Two of the six technical electives must be chosen from one of the depth area lists. All of the choices are 3-point 3000-level (or higher) engineering content courses.
What is the EE breadth requirement?
The breadth requirement ensures that students do not over-specialize at the undergraduate level, helping to prevent the obsolescence of their skills, to enhance their creativity, and to prepare them for interdisciplinary projects. To satisfy the requirement, two of the six technical electives must be chosen from outside the chosen depth area (see the program checklist for more detailed rules). The courses may be from other departments, but they normally must have substantial engineering content. Together, the four depth and breadth courses ensure that students have enough engineering content in their program to satisfy EE accreditation rules. Note that a course may appear in multiple depth areas, in which case it could not serve as a breadth elective if any of those depth areas are chosen.
Which Probability course should I take?
There are a few options listed in the bulletin in a footnote, but note that EE majors are required to take a full probability course, and not one that mixes probability with statistics.
Which Data Structures course should I take?
The main required Data Structures course for EE majors is COMS W3136, but EE students with knowledge of Java have the option to take COMS W3134 Data Structures instead. This can be useful for those considering certain technical electives in CS, but it not recommended for those who are not already proficient in Java.
What is the EE capstone requirement?
All EE majors must take a capstone course sequence at the end of their program. This generally consists of ELEN E3399 in the fall of senior year followed by ELEN E3390 in the spring of senior year. Design projects are planned in the fall and implemented in the spring. It is sometimes possible to make special arrangements with the instructor of ELEN E3399 to substitute a different project course for ELEN E3390, but that generally means that projects need to satisfy additional requirements beyond those imposed by their course.
Can EE undergraduates participate in research?
Most EE majors just take courses, but some who want to participate in research are able to find interesting projects in Columbia research labs, and can use those projects to receive technical elective credit. Students are more likely to find positions they are qualified for as they progress further in the program, but there is no guarantee of a match. Students are advised to keep checking for options in the labs they are interested in, using networking, email inquiries, and web pages that post open positions.
How many points of credit are required for the EE major?
All the courses required for the EE major, including general school and non-tech requirements, add up to a total amount of credit that is very close to the minimum 128 points needed for a BS degree. If course requirements are filled before 128 points are reached, then additional courses must be taken. But it is more common that students find that the courses they select to meet each requirement will add up to more than 128 points.
What if I want to also get an EE Master’s degree at Columbia?
Any EE undergraduates can apply to the Columbia MS and PhD programs using the standard process, but Columbia undergraduates who qualify have two additional options for the MS. Seniors with a high enough GPA can apply using the MS Express application, which is considerably simpler and can lead to an earlier decision. Details can be found on the school graduate admissions website. Juniors with a high enough GPA can apply, by April 30, to the Integrated BS/MS Program, which overlaps the two programs during the senior year, as described elsewhere on the EE website.