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Program Educational Objectives (PEOs) for Undergraduates

Program Educational Objectives (PEOs) for Undergraduates

The B.S. degree in electrical engineering and the B.S. degree in computer engineering are accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission(s) of ABET, https://www.abet.org, under the General Criteria and the Electrical, Computer, Communications, Telecommunication(s) and Similarly Named Programs Program Criteria

Virginia Tech's electrical and computer engineering programs integrate a strong and broad technical education with experiential learning and engineering professionalism training to provide our graduates the necessary knowledge and skills to solve complex 21st century problems. Within a few years of graduation, our graduates will be:

  • Advancing knowledge and making significant contributions to a variety of constituencies
  • Seeking advanced degrees and life-long learning opportunities to maximize their contributions to society
  • Emerging as entrepreneurs, researchers, or innovators in multi-disciplinary domains
  • Contributing value to their employers and communities as conscientious and ethical professionals

We aim for the following Student Outcomes upon graduation

  • An ability to identify, formulate, and solve complex engineering problems by applying principles of engineering, science, and mathematics
  • An ability to 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
  • An ability to communicate effectively with a range of audiences
  • An ability to 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
  • An ability to function effectively on a team whose members together provide leadership, create a collaborative and inclusive environment, establish goals, plan tasks, and meet objectives
  • An ability to develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze and interpret data, and use engineering judgment to draw conclusions
  • An ability to acquire and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies

How the objectives relate to the ECE mission

The mission of the Harry Lynde Bradley Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Virginia Tech conforms to the global mission of the College of Engineering through “serving the citizens of Virginia, the nation, and the world by developing and transferring electrical and computer engineering knowledge that will improve the quality of people’s lives.” In order to accomplish this broad ideal, the primary goals of the department are: to provide the highest quality engineering education at the undergraduate and graduate levels; to conduct scholarly research at the frontiers of electrical and computer engineering; and to make the unique facilities and faculty expertise of the department available to serve the profession and to provide leadership in electrical and computer engineering.

The ECE Department is one of the largest departments in the College of Engineering, with a strong orientation towards research. As a result of this research culture, many faculty members incorporate hands-on practical learning opportunities in the early courses. As students progress through the curriculum they are increasingly provided with more learning opportunities that emphasize the application of the basics towards design. The final year is dominated by a wide range of electives.