Undergraduate Bulletin

Fall 2024

Requirements for the Major and Minor in Electrical Engineering (ESE)

Acceptance into the Major

Qualified freshman and transfer students who have indicated their interest in the major on their applications may be admitted directly as a degree major or as a pre-major. Pre-majors are placed into the Area of Interest (AOI) program and to be eligible for the degree, they must be admitted to and declare the major. The requirements and application process for matriculation are detailed below. Students admitted to other programs within the College of Engineering and Applied Science (CEAS) follow the same admissions process as students in the AOI program. Students in programs outside of CEAS (non-CEAS students) and double major applicants may apply for admission to the degree program following a separate process, outlined below.

Intellectual honesty and academic integrity are cornerstones of academic and scholarly work. The department may table any applications for major/minor admission until academic judiciary matters are resolved. An academic judiciary matter will be identified by a grade of “Q” in the instance of a first offense.

Area of Interest and Other CEAS Students (excluding double major applicants)
Applications for major admission from AOI and other CEAS students are reviewed twice per year and must be received by January 5 for Spring admission and June 5 for Fall admission. Students who submit their application on time will be admitted if they meet the following requirements:

    • Completion of at least 11 credits of mathematics, physics, and electrical and computer engineering courses required for                 major (excluding ESE300  and ESE301),
    • Earned a G.P.A. of 3.2 or higher in all mathematics, physics, and engineering courses (excluding ESE300 and ESE301)                   applicable to major requirements with no more than one grade less than B-,
    • No courses required for the major have been repeated, and
    • Completion of course evaluations for all transferred courses that are to be used to meet requirements of the major.

Students must complete these requirements no later than one year after they enroll in the first course that applies towards major entry. Students must apply for admission by the application deadline immediately following completion of the above requirements, but no later than the one year limit. Admission of AOI students and other CEAS students who apply late will follow the process of Non-CEAS Students and Double Major Applicants below.

Non-CEAS Students and Double Major Applicants
Applications for major admission from non-CEAS students and double major applicants are reviewed twice per year and must be received by January 5 for Spring admission and June 5 for Fall admission. Students who do not meet the requirements for AOI admission above will not be considered. Fulfilling the requirements does not guarantee acceptance. Admission is competitive and contingent upon program capacity.

Requirements for the Major

The curriculum begins with a focus on basic mathematics and natural sciences followed by courses that emphasize engineering science and bridging courses that combine engineering science and design. The series of courses culminates in a one-year design experience that integrates various engineering skills and knowledge acquired. Technical elective courses are also required according to the student's chosen specialization. The core sequence, technical electives, and additional courses may be chosen in consultation with a faculty advisor, taking into consideration the particular interest of the student.

Completion of the major requires approximately 100 credits.

1. Mathematics

Note: The following alternate calculus course sequences may be substituted for AMS 151, AMS 161 in major requirements or prerequisites: (MAT 131 and MAT 132), or (MAT 125, MAT 126, and MAT 127).

2. Natural Sciences & Mathematics

3. Freshman Introduction to Electrical Engineering

  • ESE 123 Introduction to Electrical and Computer Engineering
  • ESE 124 Programming Fundamentals

4. Core Courses

  • ESE 118 Digital Logic Design 
  • ESE 224 Advanced Programming and Data Structures
  • ESE 271 Electrical Circuit Analysis
  • ESE 272 Electronics 
  • ESE 273 Microelectronic Circuits
  • ESE 280 Embedded Microcontroller Systems Design I
  • ESE 305 Deterministic Signals and Systems
  • ESE 306 Random Signals and Systems
  • ESE 315 Control System Design
  • ESE 319 Electromagnetic Waves and Transmission Lines
  • ESE 323 Modern Circuit Board Design and Prototyping
  • ESE 324 Advanced Electronics Laboratory 
  • ESE 331 Semiconductor Devices
  • ESE 342 Communication Systems

5. Specializations

Students must select one of the four specializations listed below by the end of the sophomore year.

a. Circuits and VLSI

b. Communications, Signal Processing, and Networking

c. Nanoelectronics and Photonics

d. Power and Energy Systems

Each specialization requires 5 elective courses . A list of acceptable electives can be found in the electrical and computer engineering undergraduate guide.

6. Design

Note: ESE 440 and ESE 441 are engineering design project courses that must be carried out at Stony Brook under the supervision of an Electrical and Computer Engineering faculty member.

7. Upper-Division Writing Requirement: ESE 300 Technical Communication for Electrical and Computer Engineers

All degree candidates must demonstrate skill in written English at a level acceptable for Electrical Engineering majors. Students must register for the writing course ESE 300 after completion of ESE 280. 

8. Engineering Ethics

  • ESE 301 Engineering Ethics and Societal Impact 

Grading

All courses taken for the major must be taken for a letter grade. A grade of C or higher is required in the following courses:

ESE 118, ESE 271, ESE 272, ESE 273, ESE 300, ESE 301, ESE 305, ESE 315, ESE 323, ESE 331, ESE 342, ESE 440, ESE 441, Two ESE Technical Electives, ESE Specialization Courses, AMS 151, AMS 161 (or MAT 131, MAT 132), PHY 131, PHY 132, PHY 133, PHY 134

Honors Program in Electrical Engineering

The purpose of the honors program in Electrical Engineering is to give high achieving students an opportunity to receive validation for a meaningful research experience and for a distinguished academic career.  A student interested in becoming a candidate for the honors program in Electrical Engineering may apply to the program at the end of the sophomore year.  To be admitted to the honors program, students need a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.50 and a B or better in all major required courses (including math and physics).  Transfer students who enter Stony Brook University in the junior year need a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.50 and a B or better in all required major courses (including math and physics) in their first semester at Stony Brook University.  

Graduation with departmental honors in Electrical Engineering requires the following:

  1. A cumulative grade point average of 3.50 or higher and a B or better in all major required courses (including math and physics) upon graduation.
  2. Completion of ESE 494, a 1 credit seminar on research techniques, with a B or better during the junior year.
  3. Completion of ESE 495, a 3-credit honors research project, with a B or better.
  4. Presentation of an honors thesis (written in the format of an engineering technical paper) under the supervision of an ESE faculty member.  The thesis must be presented to and approved by a committee of two faculty members including the student’s advisor.

For students who qualify, this honor is indicated on their diploma and on their permanent academic record.

Requirements for the Accelerated B.E./M.S. degrees

The intent of the accelerated five-year Bachelor of Engineering and Master of Science in Electrical Engineering (or Computer Engineering) program is to prepare high-achieving and highly-motivated undergraduate electrical engineering students for either doctoral studies or a variety of advanced professional positions. Electrical engineering students interested in the accelerated program should apply through the undergraduate office of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. The program is highly selective and is offered to the top 10 to 20 percent of the junior undergraduate class. Admission is based on academic performance (at least a major g.p.a. of 3.30) as well as undergraduate research and professional activities. The accelerated program is as rigorous as the current B.E. and M.S. programs taken separately. The requirements for the accelerated program are the same as the requirements for the B.E. and M.S. programs except that two 300-level electives in the B.E. program are substituted by two 500-level graduate courses. Therefore six graduate credits will be counted towards the undergraduate degree. Detailed guidelines and sample course sequences are provided by the Department.

Requirements for the Minor

The Electrical Engineering minor is intended for students with majors other than Electrical or Computer Engineering who seek to complement their chosen major through an introduction to the principles and techniques of electrical engineering. Students interested in the minor should apply through the office of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, as early as possible. A cumulative grade point average of 2.75 is required for admission to the minor.

Students seeking to complete the ESE minor must meet the relevant prerequisites and corequisites of each ESE course.

At least nine credits must be in upper-division courses. All courses for the minor must be passed with a letter grade of C or higher.

Completion of the minor requires 20 credits.

1. ESE 123 (4 credits)
2. ESE 271 (3 credits)
3. Four or five ESE courses for a total of at least 13 credits.

Note:  Students may not take ESE 111, ESE 121, ESE 122, ESE 124, ESE 188 ESE 201, ESE 300, ESE 301, ESE 324, ESE 440, ESE 441, ESE 475, ESE 476, ESE 488, or ESE 499 for credit toward the minor.