This is the preliminary (or launch) version of the 2026-2027 VCU Bulletin. Courses that expose students to cutting-edge content and transformative learning may be added and notification of additional program approvals may be received prior to finalization. General education program content is also subject to change. The final edition and full PDF version will include these updates and will be available in August prior to the beginning of the fall semester.
Computer engineers are responsible for developing the powerful computer systems that have become a part of our everyday life. Applications for computer engineering span the spectrum from high-performance, general-purpose computing systems such as desktop workstations used in all facets of business, to small microprocessors embedded in larger systems and functioning as controllers. These latter applications, known as embedded systems, can be found in control systems for trains, aircraft and automobiles; medical equipment; telecommunications systems; and consumer electronics and appliances. This explosive growth of computer systems in use in almost every new appliance or vehicle has resulted in a strong demand for engineers trained in the development of these systems, and all indications are that this trend will continue for the foreseeable future.
Student learning outcomes
Upon completing this program, students will know and know how to do the following:
Computer engineering core outcomes
- Identify, formulate and solve complex engineering problems by applying principles of engineering, science and mathematics
- Apply engineering design to produce solutions that meet specified needs with consideration of public health, safety and welfare, as well as global, cultural, social, environmental and economic factors
- Communicate effectively with a range of audiences
- Recognize ethical and professional responsibilities in engineering situations and make informed judgments, which must consider the impact of engineering solutions in global, economic, environmental and societal contexts
- Function effectively on a team whose members together provide leadership, create a collaborative and inclusive environment, establish goals, plan tasks and meet objectives
- Develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze and interpret data, and use engineering judgment to draw conclusions
- Acquire and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies
Digital hardware design concentration-specific outcome
- Demonstrate a fundamental understanding of the application of engineering concepts to designing hardware systems
Special requirements
Program D grade policy: Students must receive a minimum grade of C in all engineering, computer science, physics, mathematics and all technical electives to graduate.
Degree requirements for Computer Engineering, Bachelor of Science (B.S.)
| Course | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| General education | ||
| Select 30 credits of general education courses in consultation with an adviser. | 30 | |
| Major requirements | ||
| • Major core requirements | ||
| CMSC 302 | Introduction to Discrete Structures | 3 |
| EGRE 101 | Introduction to Engineering | 3 |
| EGRE 201 | Fundamentals of Electrical and Computer Engineering | 3 |
| EGRE 206 | Electric Circuits | 4 |
| EGRE 207 | Electric Circuits II | 4 |
| EGRE 245 | Engineering Programming | 4 |
| EGRE 246 | Advanced Engineering Programming | 3 |
| EGRE 254 | Digital Logic Design | 4 |
| EGRE 335 | Signals and Systems | 4 |
| EGRE 337 | Statistical Information Processing | 3 |
| EGRE 399 | Fundamentals of Design and Analysis | 3 |
| ENGR 395 | Professional Development | 1 |
| • Additional major requirements | ||
| Select one of the following sequences: | 4 | |
| Senior Design Studio I (Laboratory/Project Time) and Senior Design Studio II (Laboratory/Project Time) | ||
| Senior Design Studio I - VIP (Laboratory/Project Time) and Senior Design Studio II - VIP (Laboratory/Project Time) | ||
| Math/science elective (see list below) | 3 | |
| Technical and professional electives (see list and requirements below) | 14 | |
| • Concentration requirements | ||
| EGRE 306 | Introduction to Microelectronics | 4 |
| EGRE 364 | Microcomputer Systems | 4 |
| EGRE 365 | Digital Systems | 4 |
| EGRE 426 | Computer Organization and Design | 3 |
| EGRE 429 | Advanced Digital Systems Design and Analysis | 3 |
| • Concentration electives | ||
| Select concentration electives as described below | 6-7 | |
| Ancillary requirements | ||
| CHEM 101 | General Chemistry I (satisfies general education BOK for natural sciences and SOI for scientific and logical reasoning) | 3 |
| or BIOL 151 | Introduction to Biological Sciences I | |
| ECON 205 | The Economics of Product Development and Markets (satisfies BOK for social/behavioral sciences and/or AOI for global perspectives) | 3 |
| MATH 200 | Calculus with Analytic Geometry I (satisfies general education quantitative foundations) | 4 |
| MATH 201 | Calculus with Analytic Geometry II | 4 |
| MATH 301 | Differential Equations | 3 |
| MATH 310 | Linear Algebra | 3 |
| PHIL 201 | Introduction to Ethics (satisfies general education BOK for humanities/fine arts and AOI for diversities in the human experience) | 3 |
| PHYS 207 & PHYZ 207 | University Physics I and University Physics I Laboratory (satisfies general education BOK for natural sciences and AOI for scientific and logical reasoning) | 5 |
| Open electives | ||
| Select any course. | 3 | |
| Total Hours | 127 | |
The minimum number of credit hours required for this degree is 127.
Capstone project (four credits)
The program culminates in the capstone project. In order to prepare for the appropriate focus area of the capstone project, students, with the help of their academic adviser, should plan a course of study beginning in the fall semester of their junior year.
Concentration electives
Computer engineering students completing the digital hardware design concentration will choose two elective courses from the following list. A special topic, independent study or other course may be used as a concentration elective with prior written approval of the department chair.
| Course | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| EGRE 303 | Electronic Devices | 3 |
| EGRE 307 | Integrated Circuits | 4 |
| EGRE 347 | Applied Embedded Programming | 3 |
| EGRE 354 | Introduction to Feedback Control Systems | 3 |
| EGRE 435 | Microscale and Nanoscale Fabrication | 4 |
| EGRE 510 | Introduction to Internet of Things | 3 |
| EGRE 512 | Intelligent Autonomous Systems | 3 |
| EGRE 526 | Computer Networks and Communications | 3 |
| EGRE 531 | Multicore and Multithreaded Programming | 3 |
| EGRE 532 | GPU Computing | 3 |
| EGRE 535 | Digital Signal Processing | 3 |
| EGRE 536 | Introduction to Cyber-Physical Systems | 3 |
| CMSC 303 | Introduction to the Theory of Computation | 3 |
| CMSC 411 | Computer Graphics | 3 |
| CMSC 438 | Machine Learning | 3 |
Math/science electives
Students must complete three credits using one course or a combination of courses from the list below. A course can not be used to meet both an ancillary requirement and the math/science elective requirement.
| Course | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| BIOL 151 | Introduction to Biological Sciences I | 3 |
| BIOZ 151 | Introduction to Biological Science Laboratory I | 1 |
| BIOL 152 | Introduction to Biological Sciences II | 3 |
| BIOZ 152 | Introduction to Biological Science Laboratory II | 1 |
| CHEM 101 | General Chemistry I | 3 |
| CHEZ 101 | General Chemistry Laboratory I | 1 |
| CHEM 102 | General Chemistry II | 3 |
| CHEZ 102 | General Chemistry Laboratory II | 1 |
| MATH 300 | Introduction to Mathematical Reasoning | 3 |
| MATH 305 | Elementary Number Theory | 3 |
| MATH 324 | Mathematical Problem Solving | 3 |
| MATH 350 | Introductory Combinatorics | 3 |
| MATH 356 | Graphs and Algorithms | 3 |
| MATH 370 | Mathematical Foundations for Artificial Intelligence | 3 |
| PHYS 208 | University Physics II | 4 |
| PHYZ 208 | University Physics II Laboratory | 1 |
| PHYS 301 | Classical Mechanics I | 3 |
| PHYS 302 | Classical Mechanics II | 3 |
| PHYS 320 | Modern Physics | 3 |
| PHYZ 320 | Modern Physics Laboratory | 1 |
Technical and professional electives
Students must complete a combined total of 14 credits of technical and professional electives. No more than nine credits of professional electives may apply toward this total.
Technical electives
Technical electives in the junior and senior year must be chosen from the approved lists. The following criteria must be met:
- At least six credit hours must come from the electrical and computer engineering or computer science areas
- Courses not from the approved lists must be approved by the adviser and department chair.
- Courses must be technical courses at the 300 level or above.
- No more than three credit hours may come from independent study courses.
- If a student wants to apply ENGR 497 toward their technical electives, a minimum of four credit hours must be earned.
- A maximum of eight credits of ENGR 494, ENGR 497 and independent study courses may be used toward technical electives.
Note: Some of the listed courses may have prerequisites that do not count as technical electives.
| Course | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Approved electives in electrical and computer engineering | ||
| EGMN 315 | Process and Systems Dynamics | 3 |
| EGMN 427 | Robotics | 3 |
| EGRE 303 | Electronic Devices | 3 |
| EGRE 307 | Integrated Circuits | 4 |
| EGRE 309 | Introduction to Electromagnetic Fields | 3 |
| EGRE 310 | Electromagnetic Fields and Waves | 3 |
| EGRE 334 | Introduction to Microfabrication | 4 |
| EGRE 336 | Introduction to Communication Systems | 3 |
| EGRE 371 | Introduction to Power Systems | 3 |
| EGRE 435 | Microscale and Nanoscale Fabrication | 4 |
| EGRE 436 | Advanced Microscale and Nanoscale Fabrication | 3 |
| EGRE 444 | Communication Systems | 3 |
| EGRE 454 | Automatic Controls | 4 |
| EGRE 455 | Control Systems Design | 3 |
| EGRE 471 | Power System Analysis | 3 |
| EGRE 510 | Introduction to Internet of Things | 3 |
| EGRE 512 | Intelligent Autonomous Systems | 3 |
| EGRE 521 | Advanced Semiconductor Devices | 3 |
| EGRE 525 | Fundamentals of Photonics Engineering | 3 |
| EGRE 526 | Computer Networks and Communications | 3 |
| EGRE 531 | Multicore and Multithreaded Programming | 3 |
| EGRE 532 | GPU Computing | 3 |
| EGRE 535 | Digital Signal Processing | 3 |
| EGRE 536 | Introduction to Cyber-Physical Systems | 3 |
| EGRE 539 | Introduction to Microwave Engineering | 3 |
| EGRE 540 | Microwave System Design | 3 |
| EGRE 541 | Medical Devices | 3 |
| EGRE 553 | Industrial Automation | 3 |
| EGRE 554 | Advanced Industrial Automation | 3 |
| EGRE 573 | Sustainable and Efficient Power Systems | 3 |
| Approved electives in computer science | ||
| CMSC 303 | Introduction to the Theory of Computation | 3 |
| CMSC 355 | Fundamentals of Software Engineering | 3 |
| CMSC 401 | Algorithm Analysis with Advanced Data Structures | 3 |
| CMSC 404 | Compiler Construction | 3 |
| CMSC 411 | Computer Graphics | 3 |
| CMSC 420 | Software Project Management | 3 |
| Approved electives outside of electrical and computer engineering and computer science | ||
| EGMN 309 | Material Science for Engineers | 3 |
| EGMN 321 | Numerical Methods | 3 |
| EGRB 407 | Physical Principles of Medical Imaging | 3 |
| EGRB 408 | Advanced Biomedical Signal Processing | 3 |
| EGRB 507 | Biomedical Electronics and Instrumentation | 3 |
| ENGR 497 | Vertically Integrated Projects | 0-2 |
| MATH 307 | Multivariate Calculus | 4 |
| PHYS 307 | The Physics of Sound and Music | 3 |
| PHYS 320 | Modern Physics | 3 |
| PHYZ 320 | Modern Physics Laboratory | 1 |
Professional electives
Professional electives are satisfied by completing courses that meet all four of the following criteria:
- One of the following course rubrics: ACCT, ANAT, BIOC, BIOL, BIOS, BNFO, BUSN, CHEM, ECON, ENVS, FIRE, HSEP, INFO, INNO, INSC, LFSC, MATH, MGMT, MILS, MKTG, NANO, OPER, PHIS, PHYS, STAT, SCMA, VNTR.
- Not otherwise required for the major by the effective bulletin
- 300 level or higher
- Three or more credit hours
In addition, EGMN 110 and EGMN 204 may be used as professional electives.
Other courses may be used to satisfy technical or professional elective requirements with prior written approval from the department chair.
All courses used to satisfy technical or professional elective requirements must be completed with a minimum grade of C.
Recommended course sequence/plan of study
| Freshman year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall semester | Hours | |
| CHEM 101 or BIOL 151 | General Chemistry I (satisfies general education BOK for natural sciences and AOI for scientific and logical reasoning) or Introduction to Biological Sciences I | 3 |
| EGRE 101 | Introduction to Engineering | 3 |
| MATH 200 | Calculus with Analytic Geometry I (satisfies general education quantitative foundations) | 4 |
UNIV 111  Play course video for Introduction to Focused Inquiry: Investigation and Communication | Introduction to Focused Inquiry: Investigation and Communication (satisfies general education UNIV foundations) | 3 |
| General education course (select AOI for creativity, innovation and aesthetic inquiry) | 3 | |
| Term Hours: | 16 | |
| Spring semester | ||
| EGRE 201 | Fundamentals of Electrical and Computer Engineering | 3 |
| EGRE 254 | Digital Logic Design | 4 |
| MATH 201 | Calculus with Analytic Geometry II | 4 |
| UNIV 200 | Advanced Focused Inquiry: Literacies, Research and Communication (satisfies general education UNIV foundations) | 3 |
| General education course | 3 | |
| Term Hours: | 17 | |
| Sophomore year | ||
| Fall semester | ||
| EGRE 206 | Electric Circuits | 4 |
| EGRE 245 | Engineering Programming | 4 |
| ENGR 395 | Professional Development | 1 |
| MATH 301 | Differential Equations | 3 |
| PHYS 207 & PHYZ 207 | University Physics I and University Physics I Laboratory (satisfies general education BOK for natural sciences and AOI for scientific and logical reasoning) | 5 |
| Term Hours: | 17 | |
| Spring semester | ||
| EGRE 207 | Electric Circuits II | 4 |
| EGRE 246 | Advanced Engineering Programming | 3 |
| EGRE 335 | Signals and Systems | 4 |
| EGRE 337 | Statistical Information Processing | 3 |
| MATH 310 | Linear Algebra | 3 |
| Term Hours: | 17 | |
| Junior year | ||
| Fall semester | ||
| CMSC 302 | Introduction to Discrete Structures | 3 |
| EGRE 306 | Introduction to Microelectronics | 4 |
| EGRE 364 | Microcomputer Systems | 4 |
| EGRE 365 | Digital Systems | 4 |
| Term Hours: | 15 | |
| Spring semester | ||
| EGRE 399 | Fundamentals of Design and Analysis | 3 |
| EGRE 426 | Computer Organization and Design | 3 |
| EGRE 429 | Advanced Digital Systems Design and Analysis | 3 |
| PHIL 201 | Introduction to Ethics (satisfies general education BOK for humanities/fine arts and AOI for diversities in the human experience) | 3 |
| Technical and professional elective | 3 | |
| Term Hours: | 15 | |
| Senior year | ||
| Fall semester | ||
| ECON 205 | The Economics of Product Development and Markets (satisfies BOK for social/behavioral sciences and/or AOI for global perspectives) | 3 |
| EGRE 404 or EGRE 406 | Senior Design Studio I (Laboratory/Project Time) or Senior Design Studio I - VIP (Laboratory/Project Time) | 2 |
| Concentration electives | 6-7 | |
| Technical and professional elective | 4 | |
| Term Hours: | 15 | |
| Spring semester | ||
| EGRE 405 or EGRE 407 | Senior Design Studio II (Laboratory/Project Time) or Senior Design Studio II - VIP (Laboratory/Project Time) | 2 |
| Math/science elective | 3 | |
| Technical and professional electives | 7 | |
| Open elective | 3 | |
| Term Hours: | 15 | |
| Total Hours: | 127 | |
The minimum number of credit hours required for this degree is 127.