ECE 1100: Introduction to Electrical and Computer Engineering

ECE 1100: Introduction toElectrical and Computer Engineering Spring 2011 Wanda Wosik Associate Professor, ECE Dept. Notes 4 Slides adapted from lectures by Drs. Dave Shattuck/David Jackson/Charlson

Advising, Academic Policies, ECE/college Regulations, and Flowcharts

Advising Everyone is assigned an advisor. Letters from the Department are sent to you, informing you who your advisor is. Advisor assignments are posted in the glass case outside the ECE office*. Let Dr. Barr know if your name is not there or you don’t get a letter. * The list is usually updated once per semester by Dr. Barr.

Not an ECE Major?? …but planning to become one? Go see Dr. Barr. …or don’t know if you want to become one? Find out who your advisor is in whatever department you belong to, and see that person.

Advising Programs with special advising: Honors Program University Scholars Program PROMES Program (Program for the Mastery of Engineering Studies).

Advising and Registration Steps • Review the flowchart, with a long-term view. Look for “bottlenecks”. • Consult ECE web page, which has a list of which semesters all the courses are expected to be offered in for the one-two years. (Go to Undergraduate, then Courses, then Future Class Offerings.) • Consult the class schedule (available online) to see what is offered next semester. • Make an appointment with your advisor. • No advisor? See Dr. Barr, N311 D.

Online Class Schedule • Go to main UH website: www.uh.edu • Click on “Current Students” • Click on “Course Listing” • Select the institution as “UH” and select the semester of interest • Click on “Browse Catalog” • Click on “E” to go to the ECE classes In step 5 you can also select “Search for Classes” and then enter “ECE” for the “Course subject.”

Enrollment Enrollment is done online by using the PeopleSoft system: http://www.uh.edu/peoplesoft/mypeoplesoft/ Complete instructions for online enrollment of courses is given there, along with deadlines for enrollment. (Click on “Enrollment Schedule” and then “Registration and Enrollment”, and then the link “Enrollment Schedule” under “Enrollment Resources”.) You can also see the class schedule from this website (click on “Course Offerings”).

Prerequisites and Closed Sections The ONLINE enrollment system does not check for prerequisites. However, if you are missing prerequisites, you may be dropped at any time from your courses – it is your responsibility to make sure that you have the necessary prerequisites. ONLINE enrollment will not allow you to register in a “full” class. If that happens, you need to fill out a “closed section request form” (from the ECE front office). Register early to avoid this problem.

Prerequisites and Closed Sections (cont.) Prerequisites and CFORI are put in place so that you are properly prepared for the courses you are taking. They are not there simply to annoy you. They cannot be easily waived. Your advisor cannot waive prerequisites. This is done through Dr. Barr. Your advisor cannot get you into a full class. This is done through the closed section request form.

Important Dates Watch the Academic Calendar each semester for important dates such as drop deadlines. Follow the links from the UH Web page: Current Students >> Academic Calendar Click on “By Event/Deadline” and then click on the semester of interest.

Important Dates (cont.) Drop deadlines for Spring 2011: • Last day to drop without a receiving a grade (Feb. 2) • Last day to drop (April 5) After the last day to drop without a grade, students receive a W if they drop. After the last day to drop, students must receive a letter grade (A - F) (or S/U in ECE 1100).

Important Dates (cont.) Drop without receiving a grade: you drop online. Drop with a grade: You get a drop form from the Welcome Center.

Incompletes An incomplete (I) is given only under special circumstances. You cannot get an I to get out of a class you are flunking. An incomplete (I) is given when an unforeseen and documented event prevents a student from finishing the coursework. The student and instructor sign an agreement form to indicate what needs to be done in order to remove the I grade. The deadline to remove the I grade is one year (after this, it turns to an F).

Withdrawals For special medical problems, a student may petition to obtain a medical withdrawal. For other special circumstances beyond a student’s control (illness in the family, etc.), the student may petition to obtain an administrative withdrawal. Normally, it is not possible to get a medical or administrative withdrawal from a single class. Please see the Undergraduate Studies Catalog for more details: www.uh.edu/academics/catalog

Withdrawals (cont.) To petition to obtain a medical or administrative withdrawal: Academic Program Management, room 109 E. Cullen, 713-743-9112.

C - Rule In order to “pass” any required math, science, or engineeringcourse, you must make a grade of C- or better. A grade that is below C- in a required math, science, or engineering course means that the course must be repeated. A grade that is below C- in a required math, science, or engineering course cannot be used to satisfy any prerequisites (although you can petition with Dr. Barr to waive the prerequisite).

Note on ECE 1100 • In ECE 1100, the grade is either S or U • (this is the only ECE course that has S/U). • S grade means satisfactory (passing) • U grade means unsatisfactory (failing) If you get a grade of U, you must re-take the course before it can be used to satisfy any prerequisites. Neither the S or the U grade affects your GPA.

Two-Attempt Rule The College of Engineering policy does not allow a student to attempt a required engineering course more than two times. Counted attempts include all courses that resulted in a grade lower than C-, "W“, "I“, or U. Note: to avoid having a course count as an attempt, you must drop before the deadline of “last day to drop without receiving a grade.” Feb 2nd.

Three-Attempt Rule The College of Engineering policy does not allow a student to attempt a required science, mathematics, or computer science course more than three times. Counted attempts include all courses that resulted in a grade lower than C-, "W“, "I“, or U. Note: to avoid having a course count as an attempt, you must drop before the deadline of “last day to drop without receiving a grade.”

6 W Rule The University of Houston sets a limit of 6 W grades that you are allowed to accumulate during your program at the university. Students who enrolled for the first time in college in Fall 2007 or later need to be aware of the following: Effective Fall 2007 the Texas Senate Bill 1231 provides that, except for several specific instances of good cause, undergraduate students enrolling as first-time freshmen at a public institution of higher education in Fall 2007 or later will be limited to a total of six dropped courses during their entire undergraduate careers. For these students courses dropped at other Texas public institutions will count towards the 6-drop limit.

GPA Definitions Major GPA If you are an EE major (BSEE): Your Major GPA includes only graded ECE courses (except for ECE 3336). If you are a CPE major (BSCpE): Your Major GPA includes graded ECE courses (except ECE 3336) and those COSC courses that could apply to the degree (COSC 1320, 2320, 4330, 4351 and "certain" 3000 & 4000 level classes). UH GPA This GPA is based on all courses that you take at UH.

Minimum GPA to Avoid Probation/Suspension If your cumulative majorGPA goes below 2.25, you are put on probation.* In that case… …you must maintain a major GPA better than 2.25 in EACH semester until your cumulative major GPA goes above 2.25, or else you are put on suspension. If you are put on suspension, you cannot enroll in any engineering courses for one semester. Re-admission into engineering also requires permission from the Associate Dean of Undergraduate Programs. Re-admission is not possible after a second suspension. * The rule takes effect once you have attempted 6 hours of major credit.

University Graduation Requirements • Students must complete core curriculum requirements: • 6 hrs American History: Hist 1377, Hist 1378 • 6 hrs Communications: Eng 1303, Engl 1304 • 6 hrs Government: Pols 1336, Pols 1337 • 3 hrs Humanities: pick one 3 hrs • 3 hrs Visual & Performing Arts: pick one 3 hrs • 6 hrs Natural Sciences: Phys I and Phys II • 6 hrs Mathematics: Math 1431, Math 1432 • 3 hrs Soc and Behavioral Sciences: Econ 2304 • 3 hrs Writing in the curriculum: Engi 2304 • _________ • Total 42 hrs

University Graduation Requirements (cont.) 2) Students must complete all course requirements of the major. 3) Students must earn a 2.00 minimum grade point average in courses attempted at UH (including repeated courses). 4) Students must earn a 2.00 minimum grade point average in courses attempted in their major at UH (including repeated courses). 5) Students must earn a 2.00 minimum grade point average in all core courses attempted at the university. 6) A catalog more than seven years old shall not be used at the time of graduation. 7) 3000-4000 level courses in the student's major must be taken within seven years of graduation. 8) Students must complete a minimum of 30 semester hours of engineering courses in residence at UH. These 30 hours must be courses that count toward the bachelor's degree. 9) The last 30 semester hours to be applied toward a bachelor's degree must be taken in residence

Department Web Page http://www.egr.uh.edu/ece • Announcements about courses and schedules • Flowcharts • Future Course Offerings • Explanation breadth and depth options • Rules and regulations for ECE students (Advisor’s Notebook) • Notices about job opportunities

Department Web Page (cont.) A computer station is set up in the lobby of the ECE main office (N308D) for your use to browse through the Department Web page.

Helpful Forms A variety of forms are available in the main office (N308-D) that you should be aware of. They are also on the ECE web page. • Request for waiver of prerequisites/CFORI • Petition for admission into a closed section • Permission to enroll in a graduate (6xxx) course • Flowcharts • Breadth/Depth elective lists • FAQ’s about Computer Engineering

Helpful Document The “Advisor’s Notebook” gives a summary of all the important policies related to the undergraduate program. It is on the ECE Dept. Web page. (much of the information on these slides was taken from this document.) Follow the links from the ECE Web page: undergraduate ->Advising -> Advisor’s Notebook

Flowcharts Flowcharts indicate what courses you need to take in order to graduate, and which courses are prerequisites for other courses. Follow the links from the ECE Web page: undergraduate >> Curriculum Flowcharts

Flowcharts (cont.) The Dept. of ECE offers three degree programs, each with their own flowchart: • BSEE (EE option) • BSEE (CE option) • BSCpE more computer engineering (CE)

Flowcharts (cont.) Note: Computer Science is NOT in the College of Engineering. This is in the College of Natural Science and mathematics. Computer Science is concerned with software only, including programming and compiler design. Computer Engineering involves both hardware and software.

Flowcharts (cont.) • You are allowed to follow the flowchart for the year you first started your degree program, or any later year. • You cannot “mix” different flowcharts. • No matter which flowchart year you are following, the most recent one always gives the existing prerequisites.

Flowcharts Lines • A solid line from course A to course B indicates a prerequisite (course A must be taken before course B). • A dashed line from course A to course B indicates CFORI (credit for or registration in). Course A must be taken before or at the same time as course B. Note: if you drop course A, you must also drop course B. • A dashed line going in both directions, from course A to course B and from course B to course A, indicates a corequisite. Both courses must be taken at the same time. If you drop one, you must drop the other one.

Electives Depending on which degree program you are following, you are required to take various electives. An elective (ECE, CpE, COSC) is chosen from courses at the 3000 level or higher. The flowcharts will give you the restrictions.

Electives: EE Option ECE Electives: At least 21 hours consisting of at least six ECE electives, at least three of which must have a lab*. Breadth Courses: At least one course in each of two different areas: • Electromagnetics and Solid State Devices • Power and Controls • Signals and Communications • Electronics * An elective with lab can be satisfied by taking a 4-hour ECE course OR a three-hour course that has an associated 1-hour lab course

Electives: EE Option (cont.) Depth Courses: At least two additional courses at the 5000 level. Remainder: Two remaining courses may be any ECE elective at the 3000 level or above except ECE 3336. ECE 4334 (Systems Design): A Senior design course that must be taken during the semester of graduation.

Electives: EE Option (cont.) To see a list of all breadth/depth electives, go to the ECE website (www.egr.uh.edu), then click on “undergraduate” and then “Breadth/Depth electives”.

Electives: CE Option ECE Electives: At least 7 hours consisting of at least two ECE electives, one of which must have a lab. CpE Electives: Two of them (from ECE 4437, ECE 5436, and ECE 5440). ECE 4334 (Systems Design): A Senior design course that must be taken during the semester of graduation.

Electives: BSCPE ECE Electives: One ECE elective with lab. One ECE OR COSC elective (COSC 3480, COSC 3340, or any 3- or 4-hour 4000 level COSC course. CpE Electives: Two of them from ECE 4437, ECE 5436, and ECE 5440. ECE 4334 (Systems Design): A Senior design course that must be taken during the semester of graduation.

ECE 1100: Introduction to Electrical and Computer Engineering