Electrical Engineering, B.S.E.

Admissions

Entrance Requirements

Admission requirements and processes for freshman, transfer students, and former students seeking readmission are managed by the Office of Undergraduate Admissions.

Transfer applicants from regionally accredited colleges and universities must have a minimum cumulative 2.75 GPA on a 4.00 scale to enter the Molinaroli College of Engineering and Computing. Current University of South Carolina students, and former students seeking readmission, must have an institutional GPA of 2.50 or better on at least 15 hours earned at USC.

Degree Requirements (126-137 hours)

See College of Engineering and Computing for progression requirements and special academic opportunities.

Program of Study

Requirements Credit Hours
1. Carolina Core 34-43
2. College Requirements 0
3. Program Requirements 65-67
4. Major Requirements 27

Founding Documents Requirement

All undergraduate students must take a 3-credit course or its equivalent with a passing grade in the subject areas of History, Political Science, or African American Studies that covers the founding documents including the United State Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, the Emancipation Proclamation and one or more documents that are foundational to the African American Freedom struggle, and a minimum of five essays from the Federalist papers.  This course may count as a requirement in any part of the program of study including the Carolina Core, the major, minor or cognate, or as a general elective.  Courses that meet this requirement are listed here.

Requirements (126-137 hours)

Course Title Credits
1. Carolina Core (34-43 hours)
CMW - Effective, Engaged, and Persuasive Communication: Written 1
ENGL 101Critical Reading and Composition3
ENGL 102Rhetoric and Composition3
ARP - Analytical Reasoning and Problem Solving 1
MATH 141Calculus I4
MATH 142Calculus II4
SCI - Scientific Literacy 1
CHEM 111
111L
General Chemistry I
and General Chemistry I Lab
4
PHYS 211
211L
Essentials of Physics I
and Essentials of Physics I Lab
4
GFL - Global Citizenship and Multicultural Understanding: Foreign Language
Score two or better on foreign language placement test; or complete the 109 and 110 courses in FREN, GERM, LATN or SPAN; or complete the 121 course in another foreign language.
CC-GFL course(s)0-6
GHS - Global Citizenship and Multicultural Understanding: Historical Thinking
CC-GHS course(s)3
GSS - Global Citizenship and Multicultural Understanding: Social Sciences
CC-GSS course(s)3
AIU - Aesthetic and Interpretive Understanding
CC-AIU course(s)3
CMS - Effective, Engaged, and Persuasive Communication: Spoken Component 2
CC-CMS course(s)0-3
INF - Information Literacy 2
Rhetoric and Composition (overlay with CMW)
VSR - Values, Ethics, and Social Responsibility 2
CC-VSR course(s)0-3
2. College Requirements (0 hours)
No college-required courses for this program.
3. Program Requirements (65-67 hours)
Supporting Courses (62-64 hours)
Foundational Courses (19 hours):
UNIV 101The Student in the University3
EMCH 220Mechanical Engineering Fundamentals for Non-Majors3
MATH 241Vector Calculus3
MATH 242Elementary Differential Equations3
PHYS 212Essentials of Physics II3
PHYS 212LEssentials of Physics II Lab1
STAT 509Statistics for Engineers3
Lower Division Engineering (25-27 hours):
CSCE 106Scientific Applications Programming3
CSCE 211Digital Logic Design3
CSCE 212Introduction to Computer Architecture3
CSCE 313Embedded Systems3
ELCT 101Electrical and Electronics Engineering1-3
or ENCP 101 Introduction to Engineering
ELCT 102Electrical Science3
ELCT 201Introductory Electrical Engineering Laboratory3
ELCT 221Circuits3
ELCT 222Signals and Systems3
Career Plan Electives (18 hours):
The student will select 18 hours of Career Plan Electives. These include ELCT courses numbered 430 and higher. These may include up to 6 hours of non-ELCT courses at the 300 level or higher with department approval. In addition, CSCE 240 may count towards the 6 hours of non-ELCT courses. Other courses may be approved by the department. Courses can not duplicate a course otherwise applied to the degree.18
Elective (3 hours)
The student will select an additional 3 credit hours to satisfy the General Elective. These include any university course that does not essentially duplicate a course otherwise applied to the degree. 3
Major Requirements (27 hours)
ELCT 301Electronics Laboratory3
ELCT 302Real Time Systems Laboratory3
ELCT 321Digital Signal Processing3
ELCT 331Control Systems3
ELCT 361Electromagnetics3
ELCT 363Introduction to Microelectronics3
ELCT 371Electronics3
ELCT 403Capstone Design Project I3
ELCT 404Capstone Design Project II3
1

Must be passed with a grade of C or higher.

2

Carolina Core Stand Alone or Overlay Eligible Requirements — Overlay-approved courses offer students the option of meeting two Carolina Core components in a single course. A maximum of two overlays is allowed. The total Carolina Core credit hours must add up to a minimum of 31 hours. Some programs may have a higher number of minimum Carolina Core hours due to specified requirements.

Major Map

A major map is a layout of required courses in a given program of study, including critical courses and suggested course sequences to ensure a clear path to graduation.

Major maps are only a suggested or recommended sequence of courses required in a program of study. Please contact your academic advisor for assistance in the application of specific coursework to a program of study and course selection and planning for upcoming semesters.

Electrical Engineering, B.S.E.

Plan of Study Grid
First Year
FallCredit Hours
ENGL 101 Critical Reading and Composition 3
MATH 141 Calculus I 3 4
CHEM 111 General Chemistry I 3
CHEM 111L General Chemistry I Lab 1
ELCT 101
Electrical and Electronics Engineering (fall only)
or Introduction to Engineering
1
UNIV 101 The Student in the University 3
 Credit Hours15
Spring
ENGL 102 Rhetoric and Composition 3
MATH 142 Calculus II 4
PHYS 211 Essentials of Physics I 3
PHYS 211L Essentials of Physics I Lab 1
ELCT 102 Electrical Science 3
CSCE 106 Scientific Applications Programming 3
 Credit Hours17
Second Year
Fall
CSCE 211 Digital Logic Design 3
ELCT 221 Circuits 3
PHYS 212 Essentials of Physics II 3
PHYS 212L Essentials of Physics II Lab 1
MATH 242 Elementary Differential Equations 3
STAT 509 Statistics for Engineers 3
 Credit Hours16
Spring
CSCE 212 Introduction to Computer Architecture 3
EMCH 220 Mechanical Engineering Fundamentals for Non-Majors 3
ELCT 201 Introductory Electrical Engineering Laboratory 3
ELCT 222 Signals and Systems 3
ELCT 363 Introduction to Microelectronics 3
MATH 241 Vector Calculus 3
 Credit Hours18
Third Year
Fall
ELCT 301 Electronics Laboratory 3
ELCT 321 Digital Signal Processing 3
ELCT 331 Control Systems 3
ELCT 371 Electronics 3
CSCE 313 Embedded Systems 3
Carolina Core GSS 4 3
 Credit Hours18
Spring
ELCT 302 Real Time Systems Laboratory 3
ELCT 361 Electromagnetics 3
Career Plan Elective 5 3
Elective 6 3
Carolina Core VSR 4 3
Carolina Core CMS 4 0-3
 Credit Hours15-18
Fourth Year
Fall
ELCT 403 Capstone Design Project I 3
Career Plan Elective 5 3
Career Plan Elective 5 3
Carolina Core GHS 4 3
Carolina Core AIU 4 3
Carolina Core GFL 7 0-3
 Credit Hours15-18
Spring
ELCT 404 Capstone Design Project II 3
Career Plan Elective 5 3
Career Plan Elective 5 3
Career Plan Elective 5 3
Carolina Core GFL 7 0-3
 Credit Hours12-15
 Total Credit Hours126-135
1

Regardless of individual course grades, students must maintain a minimum 2.00 cumulative GPA. 

2

Some colleges require a minimum GPA for major courses.  

3

Students who place into MATH 115 will be required to successfully complete it before taking MATH 141. 

4

The Carolina Core provides the common core of knowledge, skill and academic experience for all Carolina undergraduate students.   

5

Career Plan Electives (18 hours): The student will select 18 hours of Career Plan Electives. These include ELCT courses numbered 430 and higher. These may include up to 6 hours of non-ELCT courses at the 300-level or higher with department approval.  In addition, CSCE 240 may count towards the 6 hours of non-ELCT courses. Other courses may be approved by the department.  Courses can not duplicate a course otherwise applied to the degree. 

6

The student will select an additional 3 credit hours to satisfy the Elective.  These include any university courses that do not essentially duplicate a course otherwise applied to the degree. 

7

Students in the College of Engineering and Computing are required to demonstrate proficiency in one foreign language equivalent to the 121 course by 1) a score of two or better on the foreign language placement test; or 2) completion of the 109 and 110 courses in FREN, GERM, LATN, or SPAN or completion of the 121 course in another foreign language.  Students who do not place out of the GFL requirement may need to take additional hours to meet this requirement. 

Program Notes:

  • All undergraduate students must take a 3-credit course or its equivalent with a passing grade that covers the founding documents. This course may fulfill any requirement in the program of study. Courses that meet this requirement are listed in the academic bulletin.
  • As Career Plan Electives have 300-level prerequisites, there may be career plans for which one or more of the 300-level classes are critical, even though they are not listed as critical in this document.
  • A student cannot repeat courses from the College of Engineering and Computing in which they earned a grade of C or better.  In addition, a student cannot repeat any course from the College a second time.  No more than four courses from the College of Engineering and Computing may be repeated in order to satisfy the requirements for any degree from the College, regardless of satisfactory work.  For this purpose, withdrawal from a course with a grade of W is not regarded as enrollment in that course.  A student that does not satisfactorily complete a degree-required College course within two attempts must change major or transfer out of the College of Engineering and Computing.
  • The last 25% of a student’s degree must be completed in residence at the University, and at least half of the hours in the student’s major courses and in the student’s minor courses (if applicable) must be taken at the University.
  • Disclaimer: Prerequisites on courses are subject to change.  Please refer to Bulletin.