Computer Engineering
The Master of Science in Computer Engineering may be earned with thesis option or through the non-thesis option. Either option may be used as preparation for further graduate study or employment in industrial research, development or design.
Also a strong Ph.D. program is available for those who wish to pursue a research and/or teaching career in Industry, Government or Academia.
Master's Degree Requirements
Thirty-one (31) credit hours; a thesis is optional. Students must have at least 21 hours of ECE courses that cover at least three specialty areas and have at least three credit hours of advanced-level (700-level) ECE courses. Students electing the Option B non-thesis option must meet core course requirements; have ECE courses that cover at least three specialty areas' and have at least three credit hours of 700-level ECE courses.
The Master's degree is offered online through Engineering Online. Applications to these MS on-line programs are through the ECE Department and all students must comply with ECE program requirements.
Doctoral Degree Requirements
Approximately 54 credit hours are required beyond the M.S. degree or 72 credit hours beyond the B.S. degree. For those with an NC State MS degree in our department, no additional courses are required. For those with an NC State MS degree in another department, 6 credit hours are required in our department. For those with a non NC State MS degree, 12 credit hours of coursework are required. For those with only a Bachelors degree 30 credit hours of coursework are required. The remaining credit hours are research.
The department wishes to evaluate a Ph.D. student's research potential as quickly as possible. Consequently, all Ph.D. students are required to pass a qualifying review before the end of their third semester of study. This review is based on the student's academic performance to date and the results of a project with one of their committee members. Results are presented to the committee in both written and oral form. Based on this review, the committee will decide if the student may continue in the Ph.D. program.
Student Financial Support
The department offers financial support to qualified students in the form of teaching assistantships, research assistantships, and fellowships. These sources of support generally include coverage of tuition and fees.
More Information
Admissions Requirements
Admission to the M.S. program requires a B.S. in electrical engineering, computer engineering or computer science, and an overall undergraduate GPA of at least 3.0. For non-native English speakers, the minimum acceptable TOEFL score for admission to the M.S. program is 90 (minimum 18 in each area, with minimum of 19 on Speaking). Admission is further limited by available room in the elected program of study. Meeting the above minimum requirements alone does not guarantee admission.
Applicants to the Master’s and PhD programs who do not have a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering or Computer Engineering, but have a closely related degree from an accredited college or university, must have taken the following pre-requisite courses: courses equivalent to ECE 109, ECE 209, ECE 212, ECE 220, ECE 301, ECE 302, ECE 309 and CSC 226.
All international applicants from non English speaking countries must submit TOEFL scores. The TOEFL must have been taken within two years of the date of anticipated admission. On the TOEFL iBT, students must have a minimum of 18 on each section of the test with a minimum total of 90. Scores on previous versions of the TOEFL are considered with the same qualitative standard. On the IELTS, we require a minimum score of 6.5 in each section. This requirement also applies to US citizens whose principal language of instruction has not been English (for example, most applicants from Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands).
TOEFL - institution code 5496; department code 66
GRE - institution code 5496; department code 1203
Admission to the Ph.D. program requires a B.S. or M.S. in electrical engineering, computer engineering or computer science with an expectation of an overall GPA of at least 3.25. The minimum acceptable TOEFL score for admission to the Ph.D. program is 90 (minimum 18 in each area, with minimum of 19 on Speaking). The GRE is required for all programs of study but might be waived for NC State graduates or graduates from other US ABET accredited schools with good GPAs. Admission is further limited by available room in the elected program of study, and meeting the minimum requirements as given above does not guarantee admission.
Applicant Information
Computer Engineering (MS)
- Delivery Method: On Campus, Distance
- Entrance Exam: None
- Interview Required: None
Computer Engineering (PhD)
- Delivery Method: On-Campus
- Entrance Exam: None
- Interview Required: None
Application Deadlines
- Fall: January 9 (US and Intl)
- Spring: July 1 (US and Intl
Faculty
- B. Jayant Baliga
- Mesut E. Baran
- Salah M. A. Bedair
- Subhashish Bhattacharya
- Alper Yusuf Bozkurt
- Gregory T. Byrd
- Rada Yuryevna Chirkova
- Mo-Yuen Chow
- Hantao Cui
- Mihail Cutitaru
- Huaiyu Dai
- William Rhett Davis
- Alexandra Duel-Hallen
- Michael James Escuti
- Do Young Eun
- Demitry Farfurnik
- Brian Allan Floyd
- Paul D. Franzon
- John Gajda
- Paschalis Gkoupidenis
- John J. Grainger
- Edward Grant
- Zhishan Guo
- Sevgi Gurbuz
- Ali Gurbuz
- Robert Wendell Heath
- Fu-Chen Hsiao
- Brian L Hughes
- Iqbal Husain
- Sabre Kais
- Derek Kamper
- Ki Wook Kim
- Frederick Anthony Kish Jr.
- Robert Michael Kolbas
- Hamid Krim
- Yuan Liu
- Frederick J. Livingston
- Ning Lu
- Srdjan Miodrag Lukic
- Leda Lunardi
- Thomas Kenan Miller III
- Veena Misra
- Rainer Frank Mueller
- John F. Muth
- H. Troy Nagle Jr.
- Arne Nilsson
- Omer Oralkan
- Mehmet Cevdet Ozturk
- Harilaos George Perros
- Anderson Rodrigo de Queiroz
- Douglas Stephen Reeves
- James Lee Reynolds
- Eric Rotenberg
- Vijay Shah
- Mihail Lorin Sichitiu
- Daniel D. Stancil
- Michael B. Steer
- J K Townsend
- James Tuck
- Daryoosh Vashaee
- John Victor Veliadis
- Ioannis Viniotis
- Wenye Wang
- Jonathan Wierer
- Man Ki Yoon
- Huiyang Zhou
- Jacob James Adams
- Dror Zeev Baron
- Michela Becchi
- Aranya Chakrabortty
- Alexander G. Dean
- Qing Gu
- Ismail Guvenc
- Khaled Abdel Hamid Harfoush
- Michael W. Kudenov
- Edgar Lobaton
- Zeljko Pantic
- Nuria Gonzalez Prelcic
- David Ricketts
- Nitin Sharma
- Cranos M. Williams
- Chengying Xu
- Aydin Aysu
- Amay Jairaj Bandodkar
- Michael Daniele
- Yaoyao Jia
- Shih-Chun Lin
- Spyridon Pavlidis
- Bradley Galloway Reaves
- Muhammad Shahzad
- Wenyuan Tang
- Chau-Wai Wong
- Tianfu Wu
- Gregory Edward Bottomley
- Laura J. Bottomley
- James Paul Dieffenderfer
- Robert Joseph Evans
- Rachana Ashok Gupta
- Douglas C. Hopkins
- Steven Wade Hunter
- Steven D. Jackson
- Bongmook Lee
- David Lee Lubkeman
- Robert Dwight Oden Jr.
- Hatice Orun Ozturk
- Veety,Elena Nicolescu
- Tania Milkova Paskova
- Andrew J. Rindos III
- Elena Nicolescu Veety
- Leonard Wilson White
- Donna G. Yu
- Wensong Yu
- Winser E. Alexander
- George F. Bland
- David H. Covington
- Tildon H. Glisson Jr.
- John R. Hauser
- Michael A. Littlejohn
- David Franklin McAllister
- Carlton M. Osburn
- Wilbur Carroll Peterson
- Sarah Ann Rajala
- Wesley E. Snyder
- Kaixiong Zhou
Courses
This course investigates the engineering techniques to understand, repair, replace, or enhance neural systems. The topics to be covered includes the following: the history of bioelectricity phenomena, the basics of modern neuroscience in electrical engineering terms and models, design of functional electrical interfaces with the nervous system for stimulating and recording purposes, basics of electrochemistry development of various systems for neuroprosthetics and neurorobotics applications such as pacemakers, cochlear implants and neuroprosthetic limbs.
Senior or graduate standing.
Typically offered in Fall only
The need for parallel and massively parallel computers. Taxonomy of parallel computer architecture, and programming models for parallel architectures. Example parallel algorithms. Shared-memory vs. distributed-memory architectures. Correctness and performance issues. Cache coherence and memory consistency. Bus-based and scalable directory-based multiprocessors. Interconnection-network topologies and switch design. Brief overview of advanced topics such as multiprocessor prefetching and speculative parallel execution. Credit is not allowed for more than one course in this set: ECE 406, ECE 506, CSC 406.
Typically offered in Fall, Spring, and Summer
Concepts of digital signal processing: Discrete-Time Signals and Systems, Z-Transform, Frequency Analysis of Signals and Systems, Digital Filter Design, Analog-to-Digital and Digital-to-Analog Conversion, and the Discrete Fourier Transform.
Prerequisite: ECE 301
Typically offered in Fall and Spring
Analog integrated circuits and analog integrated circuit design techniques. Review of basic device and technology issues Comprehensive coverage of MOS and Bipolar operational amplifiers. Brief coverage of analog-to-digital conversion techniques and switched-capacitor filters. Strong emphasis on use of computer modeling and simulation as design tool. Students required to complete an independent design project.
Prerequisite: ECE403
Typically offered in Fall only
Topics covered will include modeling by minimum description length, scientific programming, optimization, machine learning basics, sparse signal processing, and dimensionality reduction.
P: ECE 301 or equivalent (Fourier transforms), ECE 410 or 510 (analog to digital conversion, filters), probability, linear algebra, calculus.
Typically offered in Fall only
Probabilistic descriptions of signals and noise, including joint, marginal and conditional densities, autocorrelation, cross-correlation and power spectral density. Linear and nonlinear transformations. Linear least-squares estimation. Signal detection.
Prerequisite: Statistics 371; Signals and Linear Systems; Linear Algebra; Calculus
Typically offered in Fall only
This course is a first graduate-level course in digital communications. Functions and interdependence of various components of digital communication systems will be discussed. Statistical channel modeling, modulation and demodulation techniques, optimal receiver design, performance analysis methods, source coding, quantization, and fundamentals of information theory will be covered in this course.
Typically offered in Spring and Summer
Introduction to analysis and design of continuous and discrete-time dynamical control systems. Emphasis on linear, single-input, single-output systems using state variable and transfer function methods. Open and closed-loop representation; analog and digital simulation; time and frequency response; stability by Routh-Hurwitz, Nyquist and Liapunov methods; performance specifications; cascade and state variable compensation. Assignments utilize computer-aided analysis and design programs.
Prerequisite: ECE 435 or ECE 301
Typically offered in Spring only
The design of object-oriented systems, using principles such as the GRASP principles, and methodologies such as CRC cards and the Unified Modeling Language (ULM). Requirements analysis. Design patterns Agile Methods. Static vs. dynamic typing. Metaprogramming. Open-source development practices and tools. Test-first development. Project required, involving contributions to an open-source software project.
Typically offered in Fall and Spring
This course surveys the methods and application of wearable electronics and microsystems to monitor human biometrics, physiology, and environmental conditions. Topics covered include wearable electrocardiograms, blood-glucose monitors, electronic tattoos, wearable energy harvesting, "smart" clothing, body area networks, and distributed population networks. Critical comparison of different sensor modalities, quantitative metrics, and how their limitations in realistic applications define the selection, design, and operation criteria of one type of sensor over another will be considered.
Prerequisite: Senior standing
Typically offered in Fall only
Fundamentals of medical instrumentation systems, sensors, and biomedical signal processing. Example instruments for cardiovascular and respiratory assessment. Clinical laboratory measurements, theraputic and prosthetic devices, and electrical safetyrequirements. Students should have background in electronics design using operational amplifiers.
Typically offered in Spring only
This course investigates photonic devices at the component level and examines the generation, propagation and detection of light in the context of optical communication systems. Topics include planar and cylindrical optical waveguides, LEDs, lasers,optical amplifiers, integrated optical and photodetectors, design tradeoffs for optical systems, passive optical networks, and wavelength division multiplexed systems.
Prerequisite: Graduate standing or Senior standing ; Engineering Majors or Physics Majors
Typically offered in Spring only
Introduction to communication theory and radio system design. Design and analysis of radio systems, such as heterodyne transceivers, and effects of noise and nonlinearity. Design and analysis of radio circuits: amplifiers, filters, mixers, baluns and other transmission line and discrete circuits.
Prerequisite: ECE 302
Typically offered in Spring only
This course explores the theory and operational characteristics of semiconductor optoelectronic devices. It broadly covers the fundamentals of the propagation, modulation, generation, and absorption of light in semiconductors. Topics include the energy transfer between photons and electrons/holes, light emission and absorption, radiative and non-radiative processes, electrical and optical characteristics, semiconductor materials, heterojunctions, and light extraction and trapping. Specific devices that are discussed include laser diodes, light-emitting diodes, electroabsorption modulators, photodetectors, and solar cells.
Prerequisite: ECE 302 and ECE 404 or equivalent; knowledge of programming and plotting software such as MATLAB, Python, or Excel
Typically offered in Fall only
Properties of charged particles under influence of fields and in solid materials. Quantum mechanics, particle statistics, semi-conductor properties, fundamental particle transport properties, p-n junctions.
Prerequisite: ECE 303, B average in ECE and MA
Typically offered in Fall only
Analysis of operating principles of transistor structures. Basic semi-conductor physics reviewed and used to provide explanation of transistor characteristics. Development and usage of device-equivalent circuits to interpret semi-conductor-imposed limitations on device performance. Devices analyzed include MISFIT'S, HEMT'S, Bipolar transistors, PBT'S, heterojunction BJT'S and SIT's.
Prerequisite: ECE 404
Typically offered in Fall only
This course introduces design of high-performance power electronic circuits where the integrated physical topology must be considered as part of the circuit, and provides an understanding of the multitude of parasitic elements created by circuit layout, materials and fabrication techniques. This prepares the student for high-density, high-frequency design of converters, gate drive circuits and resonant topologies. The student is also introduced to a power-electronics packaging lab and primary fabrication processes, such as Direct Bonded Copper (DBC) module construction with heavy-wire bonding, two-sided and 3D power modules in layered polymers, and high-voltage isolation of circuits with encapsulate in modules.
Prerequisite: ECE 434 or with permission of instructor
Typically offered in Spring only
DC and AC analysis of isolated and non-isolated switch mode power supply. Basic converter topologies covered include: buck, boost and buck/boost and their transformer-couples derivatives. Design of close loop of these DC/DC converters. Power devices and their applications in DC/DC converters. Inductor and transformer design.
Prerequisite: ECE 302
Typically offered in Fall only
A practical introduction to electromechanical systems with emphasis on modeling, analysis, design, and control techniques. Provides theory and practical tools for the design of electric machines (standard motors, linear actuators, magnetic bearings, etc). Involves some self-directed laboratory work and culuminates in an industrial design project. Topics include Maxwell's equations, electromechanical energy conversion, finite element analysis, design and control techniques.
Prerequisite: MA 341
Typically offered in Spring and Summer
Discrete system dynamics, sampled-data systems, mathematical representations of analog/digital and digital/analog conversions, open- and -closed-loop systems, input-output relationships, state-space and stability analyses, time and frequency domain analysis with emphasis on time domain. Design and implementation of digital controllers. Case studies. Design project including hardware implementation.
Prerequisite: Graduate standing & ECE 436 or similar or consent of instructor
Typically offered in Fall only
Processes used in fabrication of modern integrated circuits. Process steps for crystal growth, oxidation, diffusion, ion implantation, lithography, chemical vapor deposition, etching, metallization, layout and packaging. Process integration for MOS and biopolar processes. Characterization techniques, simulation, yield and reliability.
Prerequisite: ECE 404
Typically offered in Fall only
Brief review of Maxwell's Equations, constitutive relations and boundary conditions. Reflection and refraction of plane waves; power and energy relations in isotropic media. Potential functions, Green's functions and their applications to radiation and scattering. Antenna fundamentals: linear antennas, uniform linear arrays and aperture antennas, microstrip antennas. Fundamentals of numerical methods for electromagnetic simulation and antenna design.
Prerequisite: ECE 422
Typically offered in Spring only
This course introduces theoretical and practical concepts for antennas and arrays. Students will learn antenna fundamentals and basic parameters, the relationships between radiation and vector potentials, and apply key electromagnetic theorems such as image theory and equivalence principle. The theory and design of linear antennas, aperture antennas, microstrip antennas are discussed. Radiation pattern control via phased arrays, reflectarrays, and periodic structures are studied. Students will learn CAD tools for electromagnetic design. This course assumes familiarity with Maxwell's equations, electromagnetic waves, electromagnetic theorems, and transmission line theory.
Prerequisite: ECE 422 or equivalent
Typically offered in Spring only
Techniques for the design of neural networks for machine learning. An introduction to deep learning. Emphasis on theoretical and practical aspects including implementations using state-of-the-art software libraries. Requirement: Programming experience (an object-oriented language such as Python), linear algebra (MA 405 or equivalent), and basic probability and statistics.
Typically offered in Spring only
A study of the design of digital and mixed signal interconnect and packaging. Topics covered include: Single chip (surface mount and through-hole) and multi-chip module packaging thecnology; packaging techology selection; thermal design; electricaldesign of printed circuit board, backplane and multi-chip module interconnect; receiver and driver selection; EMI control; CAD tools; and measurement issues.
Prerequisite: ECE 302
Typically offered in Spring only
Digital systems design in CMOS VLSI technology: CMOS devise physics, fabrication, primitive components, design and layout methodology, integrated system architectures, timing, testing future trends of VLSI technology.
Prerequisite: ECE 302
Typically offered in Spring only
Study of cloud computing principles, architectures, and actual implementations. Students will learn how to critically evaluate cloud solutions, how to construct and secure a private cloud computing environment based on open source solutions, and how to federate it with external clouds. Performance, security, cost, usability, and utility of cloud computing solutions will be studied both theoretically and in hands-on exercises. Hardware-, infrastructure-, platform-, software-, security-, - "as-a-service".
Typically offered in Fall only
Design of the hardware aspects of wireless systems with principle emphasis on design of radio frequency (RF) and microwave circuitry. Introduction of system concepts then functional block design of a wireless system. RF and microwave transistors, noise, power ampliefiers, CAE, linearization and antennas.
Typically offered in Fall only
Fundamental concepts of economic operation and control of power systems. Real and reactive power balance. System components, characteristics and operation. Steady state and dynamic analysis of interconnected systems. Tieline power and load-frequencycontrol with integrated economic dispatch.
Prerequisite: ECE 305, ECE 435
Typically offered in Fall only
Features and components of electric power distribution systems, power flow, short circuit and reliability analysis, basic control and protection, communications and SCADA, new "smart" functionality such as integrated volt/var control, automated fault location isolation and restoration, demand response and advanced metering infrastructure, integration of distributed generation and energy storage.
Prerequisite: ECE 451
Typically offered in Spring only
Principles and characteristics of renewable energy based electric power generation technologies such as photovoltaic systems, wind turbines, and fuel cells. Main system design issues. Integration of these energy sources into the power grid. Economics of distributed generation. Credit is not allowed for both ECE 452 and ECE 552.
Typically offered in Spring only
The operational physics and design concepts for power semiconductor devices. Relevant transport properties of semiconductors. Design of breakdown voltage and edge terminations. Analysis of Schottky rectifiers, P-i-N rectifiers, Power MOSFETs, Bipolar Transistors, Thyristors and Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistors.
Prerequisite: ECE 404
Typically offered in Fall only
Topics covered in this course: Principles of Electromechanical energy conversion; analysis, modeling and control of electric machinery; steady state performance characteristics of direct current, induction, synchronous and reluctance machines; scalar control of induction machines; introduction to direct and quadrature axis theory; dynamic models of induction and synchronous machines; vector control of induction and synchronous machines.
Prerequisite: ECE 305 or equivalent
Typically offered in Spring only
An introduction to robotics: history and background, design, industrial applications and usage. Manipulator sensors, actuators and control, linear, non-linear, and force control. Manipulator kinematics: position and orientation, frame assignment, transformations, forward and inverse kinematics. Jacobian: velocities and static forces. Manipulator Kinetics: velocity, acceleration, force. Trajectory generation. Programming languages: manipulator level, task level, and object level. Introduction to advanced robotics. Credit not allowed for both ECE 455 and 555.
Typically offered in Spring only
The study of electro-mechanical systems controlled by microcomputer technology. The theory, design and construction of smart systems; closely coupled and fully integrated products and systems. The synergistic integration of mechanisms, materials, sensors, interfaces, actuators, microcomputers, controllers, and information technology.
Prerequisite: ECE 308
Typically offered in Fall only
MOS capacitor and transistor regions of operation. Depletion and enhancement mode MOSFETs. MOSFET scaling, short and narrow channel effects. MOSFETs with ion-implanted channels. High field effects in MOSFETs with emphasis on recent advances in design of hit carrier suppressed structures. Small and large signal MOSFET models. State of the art in MOS process integration.
Prerequisite: ECE 404
Typically offered in Fall only
Foundation for designing and using digital devices to accurately capture and display color images, spatial sampling, frequency analysis, quantization and noise characterization of images. Basics of color science are presented and applied to image capture and output devices.
Typically offered in Fall only
Concepts of architectures for embedded computing systems. Emphasis on hands-on implementation. CPU scheduling approaches to support multithreaded programs, including interrupts, cooperative schedulers, state machines, and preemptive scheduler (real-time kernel). Communication and synchronization between threads. Basic real-time analysis. Using hardware peripherals to replace software. Architectures and design patterns for digital control, streaming data, message parsing, user interfaces, low power, low energy, and dependability. Software engineering concepts for embedded systems. Students may not receive credit for both ECE 460 and ECE 560.
Prerequisite: C- or better in ECE 306
Typically offered in Fall only
Design and implementation of software for embedded computer systems. The students will learn to design systems using microcontrollers, C and assembly programming, real-time methods, computer architecture, interfacing system development and communication networks. System performance is measured in terms of power consumption, speed and reliability. Efficient methods for project development and testing are emphasized. Credit will not be awarded for both ECE 461 and ECE 561. Restricted to CPE and EE Majors.
Prerequisite: Grade of C- or better in ECE 460
Typically offered in Spring only
Architecture of microprocessors. Measuring performance. Instruction-set architectures. Memory hierarchies, including caches, prefetching, program transformations for optimizing caches, and virtual memory. Processor architecture, including pipelining, hazards, branch prediction, static and dynamic scheduling, instruction-level parallelism, superscalar, and VLIW. Major projects.
Typically offered in Fall and Spring
Design of digital application specific integrated circuits (ASICs) and Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) based on hardware description languages (Verilog) and CAD tools. Emphasis on design practices and underlying methods. Introduction to ASIC specific design issues including verification, design for test, low power design and interfacing with memories. Required design project. Expected Prior Experience or Background: ECE 310 is useful but not assumed. Functionally, I assume that students are familiar with logic design, including combinational logic gates, sequential logic gates, timing design, Finite State Machines, etc.
P: Grade of C or better in ECE 212 or equivalent.
Typically offered in Fall only
The course explores basic concepts and mechanisms related to the design of modern operating systems, including: process scheduling and coordination, memory management, synchronization, storage, file systems, security and protection, and their application to multi-core and many-core processors. The course involves coding projects requiring strong C programming skills.
Prerequisite: ECE306 or CSC246; ECE309; Restrictions: ECE465, ECE565 and CSC501 are mutually exclusive: students may not receive credit for both ECE465 and ECE565, or both ECE465 and CSC501, or both ECE565 and CSC501
Typically offered in Fall only
Provide insight into current compiler designs dealing with present and future generations of high performance processors and embedded systems. Introduce basic concepts in scanning and parsing. Investigate in depth program representation, dataflow analysis, scalar optimization, memory disambiguation, and interprocedural optimizations. Examine hardware/software tade-offs in the design of high performance processors, in particular VLIW versus dynamically scheduled architectures. Investigate back-end code generation techniques related to instruction selection, instruction scheduling for local, cyclic and global acyclic code, and register allocation and its interactions with scheduling and optimization.
Prerequisites: ECE 209 or competency in any machine language programming and ECE 309 or CSC 316 or proficiency in either C or C++ programming using advanced data structures, like hash tables and linked lists.P: ECE 209 or competency in an
Typically offered in Spring only
Conventional and emerging nano-manufacturing techniques and their applications in the fabrication of various structures and devices. Review of techniques for patterning, deposition, and etching of thin films including emerging techniques such as an imprint and soft lithography and other unconventional techniques. Electronic and mechanical properties of 0 to 3-D nanostructures and their applications in nano-electronics, MEMS/NEMS devices, sensing, energy harvesting, storage, flexible electronics and nano-medicine. Credit for both ECE/CHE 468 and ECE/CHE 568 is not allowed.
Prerequisite: E 304
Typically offered in Fall only
This course provides an introduction to quantum computing. It will feature the three pillars, quantum system architectures, algorithms, and programming of quantum computing. Its focus is on the applicability of problems to quantum computing from a practical point of view, with only the necessary foundational coverage of the physics and theoretical aspects to understand quantum computing. Both simulation software and actual quantum computers will be utilized to prototype problem solutions. This should develop a better understanding of how problems are transformed into quantum algorithms and what programming language support is best suited for a given application area. The course will require significant background reading plus presentations, projects, and exercises per participant.
Prerequisite: Knowledge of Python programming and linear algebra
Typically offered in Fall only
General introduction to computer networks. Discussion of protocol principles, local area and wide area networking, OSI stack, TCP/IP and quality of service principles. Detailed discussion of topics in medium access control, error control coding, and flow control mechanisms. Introduction to networking simulation, security, wireless and optical networking.
Prerequisite: ECE 206 or CSC 312, ST 371, CSC 258 and Senior standing or Graduate standing
Typically offered in Fall, Spring, and Summer
This course introduces advanced optimization theory and algorithms with rapidly growing applications in machine learning, systems, and control. Methods are given to obtain a non-dynamic system's extremum (minimum or maximum) and use these methods in various engineering applications. This course aims to prepare graduate students with a solid theoretical and mathematical foundation and applied techniques at the intersection of optimization, algorithms, and machine learning to conduct advanced research in related fields. Students will gain expertise in designing algorithms based on common techniques, dealing with intractable problems, and implementing algorithms given the description. Students must undertake a semester-long project (at Google Colab) that practices the optimization theory and algorithms in their areas of interest. These projects can replicate or improve a known solving strategy for a given optimization problem to assess and compare the performance.
Restriction: Introductory courses in probability and linear algebra and Graduate Student Standing
Typically offered in Fall only
Principles and issues underlying provision of wide area connectivity through interconnection of autonomous networks. Internet architecture and protocols today and likely evolution in future. Case studies of particular protocols to demonstrate how fundamental principles applied in practice. Selected examples of networked clinet/server applications to motivate the functional requirements of internetworking. Project required.
Prerequisite: CSC/ECE 570
Typically offered in Fall and Spring
This course presents foundational concepts of computer and network security and privacy. It covers a wide breadth of concepts, including; Fundamentals of computer security and privacy, including security models, policies, and mechanisms; Cryptography for secure systems, including symmetric and asymmetric ciphers, hash functions, and integrity mechanisms; Authentication of users and computers; Network attacks and defenses at the network and application layers; Common software vulnerabilities and mitigation strategies; Secure operating systems and seminal access control models and policies; Principles of intrusion detection; Privacy, including considerations of end-user technologies.
Typically offered in Fall and Spring
Introduction to cellular communications, wireless local area networks, ad-hoc and IP infrastructures. Topics include: cellular networks, mobility mannagement, connection admission control algorithms, mobility models, wireless IP networks, ad-hoc routing, sensor networks, quality of service, and wireless security.
Prerequisite: ECE/CSC 570
Typically offered in Spring only
Topics related to networking services, signaling for setting up networking services, such as SIP and IMS, networking architectures for providing QoS for networking services, such as MPLS, DiffServ and RAC, signaling protocols for setting up QoS connections in the transport stratum, such as LDP and RSVP-TE, video-based communications, and capacity planning models for dimensioning services.
Prerequisite: CSC/ECE 570
Typically offered in Fall and Spring
Topics related to design and management of campus enterprise networks, including VLAN design; virtualization and automation methodologies for management; laboratory use of open space source and commercial tools for managing such networks.
Typically offered in Fall only
The course provides an introduction to the theoretical fundamentals and practical/experimental aspects of Long Term Evolution (LTE) and 5G systems. A basic understanding of digital communications and radio access networks is required. Following topics will be studied: 1) User and control plane protocols, 2) physical layer for downlink, 3) physical layer for uplink, 4) practical deployment aspects, 5) LTE-Advanced, 6) 5G communications. Fundamental concepts to be covered in the context of LTE/5G systems include OFDMA/SC-FDMA, synchronization, channel estimation, link adaptation, MIMO, scheduling, and millimeter wave systems. Students are recommended to have the prior knowledge gained from ECE 570 or ECE 582 before taking this course. The course will also require using Matlab software for homeworks, including its LTE and 5G toolboxes.
Typically offered in Fall only
Workload characterization, collection and analysis of performance data, instrumentation, tuning, analytic models including queuing network models and operational analysis, economic considerations.
Prerequisite: CSC 312 or ECE 206 and MA 421
Typically offered in Fall and Spring
Protection systems used to protect the equipment in an electric power system against faults, fault analysis methods, basic switchgear used for protection, basic protection schemes, such as overcurrent, differential, and distance protection and their application.
Prerequisite: ECE 451
Typically offered in Spring only
Theory and analysis of wireless portable communication systems. Provides a fundamental understanding of the unique characteristics of these systems. Topics include: Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), mobile radio propagation, characterization of a Rayleigh fading multipathchannel, diversity techniques, adaptive equalization, channel coding, and modulation/demodulation techniques. Although contemporary cellular and personal communication services(PCS) standards are covered, the course stresses fundamental theoretical concepts that are not tied to a particular standard.
Prerequisite: Senior level digital communications course, e.g., ECE402, Corequisite: ECE 714
Typically offered in Fall only
This course introduces fundamentals of project management and system engineering principles in a wide range of electric power applications from concept through termination. The course also provides opportunities for students to adapt technical content to both expert and novice audiences in project management reports and presentations. Restricted to Master of Science in Electric Power Systems Engineering.
Prerequisite: ECE 451
Typically offered in Spring only
In this capstone course students will apply electric engineering and science knowledge to an electrical power engineering project. Consideration of the design process including feasibility study, preliminary design detail, cost effectiveness, along with development and evaluation of a prototype accomplished through design-team project activity. Complete written and oral engineering report required. Restricted to Master of Science in Electric Power Systems Engineering.
Prerequisite: ECE 583
Typically offered in Fall and Summer
Evolution of the electric utility industry, the structure and business models of the industry, the regulatory factors within which the utilities operate, the operations of the utility industry and the current policy and emerging technology issues facing the business. The course includes significant interaction with industry officials and utility business operations.
Prerequisite: ECE 451
Typically offered in Fall only
This is an introductory course on communication technologies and SCADA (supervisory control and data acquisition) systems for smart electric power applications. The fundamental concepts, principles, and practice of how communication systems operate are introduced and the function of main components reviewed. Application of communication systems for electric power, in particular SCADA architecture and protocols are also introduced. The course includes hands-on experience with typical intelligent electronic devices interconnected by a communication system.
R: Graduate Students Only
Typically offered in Fall only
Review of solutions to first and second order differential equations for electric power circuit transients. Applications to fault current instantaneous, shunt capacitor transients, circuit switching transients and overvoltages, current interruption and transformer transient behavior. Computer solution techniques for transient analysis using PSCAD and Matlab/Simulink. Modeling of utility power electronics circuits including single and three-phase rectifiers and inverters. Applications of power electronics for transmission system control and renewable generation. Distributed line modeling for traveling wave analysis of surge events. Introduction to voltage insulation, surge arrestor operation and lightning stroke analysis.
Typically offered in Fall only
This course provides an introduction to the field of systems biology with a focus on mathematical modeling, gene regulatory network and metabolic pathway reconstruction in plants. Students will learn how to integrate biological data with mathematical, statistical, and computational approaches to gain new insights into structure and behavior of complex cellular systems. Students are expected to have a minimal background in calculus and basic biology. The course will build on these basic concepts and provide all students, regardless of background or home department, with the fundamental biology, mathematics, and computing knowledge needed to address systems biology problems.
Typically offered in Fall only
This course studies the fundamental and recent advances of energy harvesting from two of the most abundant sources, namely solar and thermal energies. The first part of the course focuses on photovoltaic science and technology. The characteristics and design of common types of solar cells is discussed, and the known approaches to increasing solar cell efficiency will be introduced. After the review of the physics of solar cells, we will discuss advanced topics and recent progresses in solar cell technology. The second part of the course is focused on thermoelectric effect. The basic physical properties, Seebeck coefficient, electrical and thermal conductivities, are discussed and analyzed through the Boltzmann transport formalism. Advanced subject such as carrier scattering time approximations in relation to dimensionality and the density of states are studied. Different approaches for further increasing efficiencies are discussed including energy filtering, quantum confinement, size effects, band structure engineering, and phonon confinement.
Typically offered in Spring only
Two-semester sequence to develop new courses and to allow qualified students to explore areas of special interest.
Prerequisite: B average in technical subjects
Typically offered in Fall and Spring
Two-semester sequence to develop new courses and to allow qualified students to explore areas of special interest.
Prerequisite: B average in technical subjects
Typically offered in Fall and Spring
Introduction of the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department graduate program. Introduction to computing and library facilities; Review of NC State student code of conduct and ethics. Structure of the ECE department. General information for starting graduate studies. Overview of on-going research projects by faculty members. Must hold graduate standing.
Typically offered in Fall and Spring
Provision of opportunity for individual students to explore topics of special interest under direction of a member of faculty.
Prerequisite: B average in technical subjects
Typically offered in Fall and Spring
The study of advanced topics of special interest to individual students under direction of faculty members.
Prerequisite: Graduate standing
Typically offered in Fall, Spring, and Summer
This course requires an internship with a company or organization outside the University. The student will secure an internship of a technical nature and complete and submit a Coop report for evaluation.
Restricted: 14EEMS, 14CPEMS, 14CNEMS, 14EPSEMS
Typically offered in Fall and Spring
Teaching experience under the mentorship of faculty who assist the student in planning for the teaching assignment, observe and provide feedback to the student during the teaching assignment, and evaluate the student upon completion of the assignment.
Prerequisite: Master's student
Typically offered in Spring only
Instruction in research and research under the mentorship of a member of the Graduate Faculty.
Prerequisite: Master's student
Typically offered in Fall only
Thesis research.
Prerequisite: Master's student
Typically offered in Fall, Spring, and Summer
For graduate students whose programs of work specify no formal course work during a summer session and who will be devoting full time to thesis research.
Prerequisite: Master's student
Typically offered in Summer only
For students who have completed all credit hour requirements and full-time enrollment for the master's degree and are writing and defending their thesis.
Prerequisite: Master's student
Typically offered in Fall and Spring
Advanced topics in parallel computer architecture. Hardware mechanisms for scalable cache coherence, synchronization, and speculation. Scalable systems and interconnection networks. Design or research project required.
Prerequisite: ECE/CSC 506, ECE 521
Typically offered in Spring only
Digital signal processing (DSP) fundamental concepts are reviewed, providing additional depth in certain areas. The following advanced DSP concepts are covered: digital filter design, sample rate conversion, filter banks, wavelets, power spectrum estimation, and adaptive filtering. Additional topics are introduced at the instructor's discretion.
Prerequisite: ECE 410 or ECE 510 or equivalent; though not required, a background in linear algebra (MA 305 or MA 405 or equivalent) and probability/random variables (ST 371 or ECE 514 or equivalent) is helpful
Typically offered in Spring only
Analysis, simulation, and design of the key building blocks of an integrated radio: amplifiers, mixers, and oscillators. Topics include detailed noise optimization and linearity performance of high frequency integrated circuits for receivers and transmitters. Introduction to several important topics of radio design such as phase-locked loops, filters and large-signal amplifiers. Use of advanced RF integrated circuit simulation tools such as SpectreRF or ADS for class assignments.
Prerequisite: ECE 511
Typically offered in Spring only
This course is a graduate level course in Analog-to-digital converters. Students will learn the fundamentals of sampling and the translation of signals form the digital to analog and analog to digital domains. Students will learn the basic circuits unique to data converters and how they impact design. Students will learn to a design digital-to-analog converter as well as 3 ADCs: Pipeline, Sigma-Delta and Successive-approximation. After completion of this course you will have the background to successfully design an ADC and DAC.
Prerequisite: ECE 511
Typically offered in Fall only
Steady state and transient analysis of circuits with emphasis on circuit theory and computer methods. Consideration of many analysis techniques, including linear nodal, signal flow graph, state equation, time-domain and functional simulation and analysis of sampled data systems. Sensitivity and tolerance analysis, macromodeling of large circuits and nonlinear circuit theory.
Prerequisite: ECE 511
Development and examination of techniques used in the design of microwave and millimeter wave components and systems. Specific topics include frequency planning, system design using modules, and design of microwave amplifiers and oscillators. Design for specified frequency, noise, power, mixer or oscillator performance will be covered. There are three design projects: system planning, amplifier design, and oscillator design all using commercial microwave computer aided design tools.
Prerequisite: ECE 549
Typically offered in Spring only
Study of transaction-level modeling of digital systems-on-chip using SystemC. Simulation and analysis of performance in systems with distributed control. Synthesis of digital hardware from high-level descriptions. Physical design methodologies, including placement, routing, clock-tree insertion, timing, and power analysis. Significant project to design a core at system and physical levels. Knowledge of object-oriented programming with C and register-transfer-level design with verilog or VHDL is required.
Prerequisite: ECE 520
Typically offered in Fall only
Survey of advanced computer microarchitecture concepts. Modern superscalar microarchitecture, complexity-effective processors, multithreading, advanced speculation techniques, fault-tolerant microarchitectures, power and energy management, impact of new technology on microarchitecture. Students build on a complex simulator which is the basis for independent research projects.
Prerequisite: ECE 521
Typically offered in Spring only
This course is offered alternate even years
Materials and device-related electronic properties of semiconductors. Included topics: energy band structure, electrical and thermal transport phenomena, scattering processes, localized energy states, equilibrium and non-equilibrium semiconductor statistics.
Prerequisite: ECE 530
Typically offered in Spring only
Materials and device-related properties of compound optical semiconductors. Included topics: band structure, heterojunctions and quantum wells, optical constants, waveguides and optical cavities, absorption and emission processes in semiconductors, photodetectors, light emitting diodes, semiconductor lasers.
Prerequisite: ECE 530
Typically offered in Spring only
Basic physical phenomena responsible for operation of solids-state devices. Examination and utilization of semiconductor transport equations to explain principles of device operation. Various solid-state electronics devices studied in detail.
Prerequisite: ECE 530
Typically offered in Spring only
Development of advanced engineering concepts at the quantum level relevant to nanoscience, nanoelectronics, and quantum photonics. Topics include tunneling phenomena, specifics of time dependent and time independent perturbation methodology for addressing applications under consideration, including the WKB approach, and an introduction to second quantization for engineers. Applications include, but are not limited to, tunneling in a two-level system, molecular rotation through excitation, field emission, van der Waal interactions, optical absorption in quantum wells, and electron transport through model molecules.
Typically offered in Spring only
Advanced topics in dynamical systems and multivariable control. Current research and recent developments in the field.
Prerequisite: ECE 516
Typically offered in Fall only
Dynamic behavior of AC electric machines and drive systems; theory of field orientation and vector control for high performance induction and synchronous machines; permanent magnet and reluctance machines and their control; principles of voltage source and current source inverters, and voltage and current regulation methods.
Typically offered in Fall only
In-depth study of digital circuits at the transistor level. Topics include fundamentals; high speed circuit design; low-power design; RAM; digital transceivers; clock distribution; clock and data recovery; circuits based on emergining devices. Project.
Prerequisite: ECE 546
Typically offered in Fall only
Review of modern power management converters and circuits; Review modeling and control of converters; Detail discussion of voltage and current mode controllers; Understanding of power converter losses and optimization method, as well as management of power; Integrated circuit design of various power management chips.
Typically offered in Spring only
This course provides students with an in-depth knowledge of power devices built from wide bandgap semiconductors: the design of high breakdown voltages, the physics of unique power rectifier structures suitable for SiC material, the operating principles for unique SiC power MOSFETs, and GaN HEMT devices, the development of bipolar power devices from SiC to achieve ultra-high voltage performance and the performance of wide bandgap semiconductor power devices as compared to advanced silicon devices.
Prerequisite: ECE 553 or equivalent
Typically offered in Spring only
Principles of FACTS (flexible AC transmission systems) and their applications. Power transmission on an AC system. Power system models for steady-state and dynamic analysis. Power system transient analysis for stability assessment. Voltage phenomena and methods for assessment.
Prerequisite: ECE 451 and ECE 750
Typically offered in Spring only
An integrated circuit laboratory to serve as a companion to ECE 538. Hands-on experience in semiconductor fabrication laboratory. Topics include: techniques used to fabricate and electrically test discrete semiconductor devices, the effects of process variations on measurable parameters.
Prerequisite: ECE 538
Typically offered in Spring only
This course covers the verification process used in validating the functional correctness in today's complex ASICs (application specific integrated circuits). Topics include the fundamentals of simulation based functional verification, stimulus generation, results checking, coverage, debug, and formal verification. Provides the students with real world verification problems to allow them to apply what they learn.
Prerequisite: ECE 564
Typically offered in Spring only
The Universal Verification Methodology is the industry standard for functional verification of today's complex ASICs and FPGAs. Students will learn the content and use of UVM to architect and implement complex test benches. The characteristics and architecture of reusable verification components is a major focus of the course. Students will learn and implement verification components which are reusable across projects, from block level simulation to chip level simulation, and from simulation to emulation. The course projects teach and demonstrate advanced verification methodologies that prepare students for careers in functional verification of digital semiconductors.
Prerequisite: ECE 745 or equivalent
Typically offered in Fall only
Methods of detection and estimation theory as applied to communications, speech and image processing. Statistical description of signals and representation in time, spatial and frequency domains; Baysian methods, including Wiener, Kalman and MAP filters; performance measures; applications to both continuous and discrete systems.
Prerequisite: ECE 514, ECE 421
Typically offered in Spring only
An overview of Shannon's theory of information, which establishes fundamental limits on the performance of data compression and quantization algorithms, communication systems, and detection and estimation algorithms. Topics include information measures and their properties, information source models, lossless data compression, channel coding and capacity, information theory and statistics, and rate-distortion theory. Applications of information theory will also be discussed, including Lempel-Ziv data compression, vector quantization, error-correcting codes, satellite communications and high-speed modems.
Prerequisite: ECE 514: Random Processes
This course is designed to introduce computational methods used for power grid operation and planning. The course will help students understand the various computational methods that form the basis of major commercial software packages used by grid analysts and operators. Students are expected to have some basic understanding of principles of power system analysis including power system models, power flow calculation, economic dispatch, reliable and stability analysis. The course covers the following computational methods commonly used in power grid operation and planning: Locational Marginal Pricing Schemes, Game Theory, Unconstrained Optimization, Linear Programming, Non-linear Constrained Optimization, and Forecasting Methods.
Typically offered in Spring only
Advanced robotics at its highest level of abstraction; the level of synthesizing human reasoning and behavior. Advanced tobotics deals with the intelligent connection of perception to action. At this level the subject requires knowledge of sensing(computer vision, tactile, sonar), and reasoning (artifical intelligence: machine learning, planning, world modeling). The advanced robotics course will be valuable for students who wish to work in the area.
Typically offered in Fall only
A project-oriented course focusin on the design, analysis, and implementation of advanced mechatronics technologies, including large-scale distributed sensors, distributed-actuators, and distributed-controllers connected via communication networks.Will use unmanned vehicles as the project platform, with applications from sensors, actuators, network-based controllers, cameras, and microcontrollers. ECE 516 is recommended.
Typically offered in Spring only
Image pattern recognition techniques and computer-based methods for scene analysis, including discriminate functions, fixture extraction, classification strategies, clustering and discriminant analysis. Coverage of applications and current research results.
Prerequisite: ECE(CSC) 514, ST 371, B average in ECE and MA
Typically offered in Spring only
An advanced graduate-level course in digital communications. Topics include signal design, equalization methods and synchronization techniques for realistic communication channels. Projects concentrate on literature review and computer simulations.
Prerequisite: ECE 515 or equivalent
Typically offered in Fall only
Analysis of images by computers. Specific attention given to analysis of the geometric features of objects in images, such as region size, connectedness and topology. Topics include: segmentation, template matching, motion analysis, boundary detection, region growing, shape representation, 3-D object recognition including graph matching.
Typically offered in Spring only
Techniques for machine learning using probabilistic graphical models. Emphasis on Bayesian and Markov networks with applications to signal processing and computer vision.
Prerequisites: Programming experience (MATLAB, C++ or other object oriented language such as Python), linear algebra (MA 405 or equivalent), and probability (ECE 514, equivalent or instructor permission)
Typically offered in Fall only
This course deals with the signal processing principles underlying recent advances in communications and networking. Topics include: smart-antenna and multi-input multi-output (MIMO) techniques; multiuser communication techniques (multiple access, power control, multiuser detection, and interference managment); signal processing in current and emerging network applications such as cognitive radio and social networks. Knowledge of linear alegbra and stochastic analysis is required.
Prerequisite: Graduate standing
Typically offered in Fall only
This course is offered alternate even years
Cutting-edge concepts and technologies to support internetworking in general and to optimize the performance of the TCP/IP protocol suite in particular. Challenges facing and likely evolution for next generation intenetworking technologies. This course investigates topics that include, but may be not limited to: Internet traffic measurement, characteriztion and modeling, traffic engineering, network-aware applications, quality of service, peer-to-peer systems, content-distribution networks, sensor networks, reliable multicast, and congestion control.
Prerequisite: CSC/ECE 573
Typically offered in Spring only
A study of network security policies, models, and mechanisms. Topics include: network security models; review of cryptographic techniques; internet key management protocols; electronic payments protocols and systems; intrusion detection and correlation; broadcast authentication; group key management; security in mobile ad-hoc networks; security in sensor networks.
Typically offered in Spring only
In depth study of topics in computer design; advantages and disadvantages of various designs and design methodologies; technology shifts, trends, and constraints; hardware/software tradeoffs and co-design methodologies.
Prerequisite: ECE 520, ECE 521
Typically offered in Spring only
In-depth study of processor architectures to exploit data-level parallelism, including general computation on graphics processing units (GPGPU, aka GPU computing architecture) and vector processors; memory subsystems; advantages and disadvantages of various architectures; technology shifts, trends, and constraints.
Typically offered in Spring only
This course provides an in-depth investigation into security issues in areas including cellular air interfaces, core networking (SS7, IMS), cellular data networking, mobile device architectures, and classic telephone networks. In particular, we will study how these networks provide (or fail to provide) high confidentiality, integrity, availability, authentication, and privacy. A key focus of the course will be how the design philosophy of telephone networks differs from the Internet, complicating traditional security solutions.
Prerequisite: CSC 401 or CSC 405 or CSC 474 or CSC 537 or CSC 570 or CSC 573 or CSC 574 or equivalent
Typically offered in Fall only
Two-semester sequence to develop new courses and to allow qualified students to explore areas of special interest.
Prerequisite: B average in technical subjects
Typically offered in Fall and Spring
Two-semester sequence to develop new courses and to allow qualified students to explore areas of special interest.
Prerequisite: B average in technical subjects
Typically offered in Fall and Spring
Typically offered in Fall and Spring
Typically offered in Fall and Spring
Provision of opportunity for individual students to explore topics of special interest under direction of a member of faculty.
Prerequisite: B average in technical subjects
Typically offered in Fall and Spring
The study of advanced topics of special interest to individual students under direction of faculty members.
Prerequisite: Graduate standing
Typically offered in Fall, Spring, and Summer
Teaching experience under the mentorship of faculty who assist the student in planning for the teaching assignment, observe and provide feedback to the student during the teaching assignment, and evaluate the student upon completion of the assignment.
Prerequisite: Doctoral student
Typically offered in Fall only
For students who are preparing for and taking writte and/or oral preliminary exams.
Prerequisite: Doctoral student
Typically offered in Fall only
Instruction in research and research under the mentorship of a member of the Graduate Faculty.
Prerequisite: Doctoral student
Typically offered in Fall only
Dissertation research.
Prerequisite: Doctoral student
Typically offered in Fall, Spring, and Summer
For graduate students whose programs of work specify no formal course work during a summer session and who will be devoting full time to thesis research.
Prerequisite: Doctoral student
Typically offered in Summer only
For students who have completed all credit hour, full-time enrollment, preliminary examination, and residency requirements for the doctoral degree, and are writing and defending their dissertations.
Prerequisite: Doctoral student
Typically offered in Fall and Spring