College Code: EC

The College of Engineering and Computing delivers a transformative learning experience to its students by integrating engineering and technology with other areas of scholarship. We produce visionary stewards of society who are prepared to discover solutions to complex global challenges and make the world safer, cleaner, and more prosperous. A faculty of engaged educators lead high-impact research in critical areas, including sustainability, statistics and big data, cybersecurity, robotics, artificial intelligence and machine learning, Next-G and wireless communication, and healthcare technology. These existing and emerging areas of expertise span departmental and disciplinary boundaries and reflect the breadth of the scholarly activities of our faculty and students.

The College of Engineering and Computing prepares students to solve complex, multidisciplinary, global challenges by leveraging innovative learning tools, the inventive capacity of our region, and Mason's global presence. The faculty and administration support the needs of the 21st century learner by providing multiple paths to success, a diverse and inclusive academic community, and real-time integration of new data and technology in the classroom.

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 Undergraduate Programs

Bachelor of Science Programs

Our undergraduate degree programs prepare students to enter directly into professional employment or continue studies at the graduate level. The requirements for the bachelor's degrees include required and elective courses in mathematics, humanities, Mason Core, and specialty courses applicable to the major. Each program strongly emphasizes English composition and communication.

The College of Engineering and Computing offers the following Bachelor of Science programs:

  • Applied Computer Science
  • Bioengineering
  • Civil and Infrastructure Engineering
  • Computer Engineering
  • Computer Science
  • Cyber Security Engineering
  • Electrical Engineering
  • Information Technology
  • Mechanical Engineering
  • Statistics
  • Systems and Industrial Engineering

Minors

Minors are available in aviation flight training and management, bioengineering, computer science, data analysis, electrical and computer engineering, environmental engineering, information technology, mechanical engineering, peace engineering, software engineering, statistics, sustainable systems engineering, and systems engineering.

BS/Accelerated MS Programs

Accelerated master’s degree programs offer high-achieving Mason undergraduates the opportunity to complete their bachelor’s and master’s degrees within five years. Qualified candidates take advantage of a streamlined master’s application process with no application fee and the ability to take up to 12 graduate credits at the undergraduate tuition rate.

  • Applied Computer Science, BS/Computer Science, Accelerated MS
  • Applied Computer Science, BS/Data Analytics Engineering, Accelerated MS
  • Applied Computer Science, BS/Information Systems, Accelerated MS
  • Applied Computer Science, BS/Software Engineering, Accelerated MS
  • Applied Science, BAS Cyber Security Concentration/Applied Information Technology, Accelerated MS
  • Applied Science, BAS Cyber Security Concentration/Digital Forensics, Accelerated MS
  • Applied Science, BAS Data Analytics Concentration/Applied Information Technology, Accelerated MS
  • Applied Science, BAS Data Analytics Concentration/Data Analytics Engineering, Accelerated MS
  • BS (selected)/Operations Research, Accelerated MS
  • BS (selected)/Statistical Science, Accelerated MS
  • BS (selected)/Systems Engineering, Accelerated MS
  • Bachelor's Degree (Green Leaf)/Environmental Science and Policy, Accelerated MS
  • Bioengineering, BS/Data Analytics Engineering, Accelerated MS
  • Bioengineering, BS/Operations Research, Accelerated MS
  • Bioengineering, BS/Systems Engineering, Accelerated MS
  • Civil and Infrastructure Engineering, BS/Civil and Infrastructure Engineering, Accelerated MS
  • Civil and Infrastructure Engineering, BS/Operations Research, Accelerated MS
  • Civil and Infrastructure Engineering, BS/Systems Engineering, Accelerated MS
  • Computer Engineering, BS/Computer Engineering, Accelerated MS
  • Computer Engineering, BS/Electrical Engineering, Accelerated MS
  • Computer Engineering, BS/Operations Research, Accelerated MS
  • Computer Engineering, BS/Systems Engineering, Accelerated MS
  • Computer Science, BS/Computer Engineering, Accelerated MS
  • Computer Science, BS/Computer Science, Accelerated MS
  • Computer Science, BS/Curriculum and Instruction, Accelerated MEd (Secondary Education Computer Science Concentration)
  • Computer Science, BS/Data Analytics Engineering, Accelerated MS
  • Computer Science, BS/Information Systems, Accelerated MS
  • Computer Science, BS/Operations Research, Accelerated MS
  • Computer Science, BS/Software Engineering, Accelerated MS
  • Computer Science, BS/Systems Engineering, Accelerated MS
  • Cyber Security Engineering, BS/Computer Engineering, Accelerated MS
  • Cyber Security Engineering, BS/Cyber Security Engineering, Accelerated MS
  • Cyber Security Engineering, BS/Digital Forensics, Accelerated MS
  • Cyber Security Engineering, BS/Operations Research, Accelerated MS
  • Cyber Security Engineering, BS/Systems Engineering, Accelerated MS
  • Electrical Engineering, BS/Computer Engineering, Accelerated MS
  • Electrical Engineering, BS/Electrical Engineering, Accelerated MS
  • Electrical Engineering, BS/Operations Research, Accelerated MS
  • Electrical Engineering, BS/Systems Engineering, Accelerated MS
  • Electrical Engineering, BS/Telecommunications, Accelerated MS
  • Individualized Study, BIS/Telecommunications, Accelerated MS
  • Individualized Study, BIS/Applied Information Technology, Accelerated MS
  • Information Technology, BS/Applied Information Technology, Accelerated MS
  • Information Technology, BS/Digital Forensics, Accelerated MS
  • Information Technology, BS/Information Systems, Accelerated MS
  • Information Technology, BS/Software Engineering, Accelerated MS
  • Information Technology, BS/Telecommunications, Accelerated MS
  • Mechanical Engineering, BS/Applied and Engineering Physics, Accelerated MS
  • Mechanical Engineering, BS/Applied Information Technology, Accelerated MS
  • Mechanical Engineering, BS/Civil and Infrastructure Engineering, Accelerated MS
  • Mechanical Engineering, BS/Computational Science, Accelerated MS
  • Mechanical Engineering, BS/Data Analytics Engineering, Accelerated MS
  • Mechanical Engineering, BS/Electrical Engineering, Accelerated MS
  • Mechanical Engineering, BS/Operations Research, Accelerated MS
  • Mechanical Engineering, BS/Systems Engineering, Accelerated MS
  • Statistics, BS/Biostatistics, Accelerated MS
  • Statistics, BS/Data Analytics Engineering, Accelerated MS
  • Statistics, BS/Operations Research, Accelerated MS
  • Statistics, BS/Statistical Science, Accelerated MS
  • Statistics, BS/Systems Engineering, Accelerated MS
  • Systems and Industrial Engineering, BS/Data Analytics Engineering, Accelerated MS
  • Systems and Industrial Engineering BS/Operations Research, Accelerated MS
  • Systems and Industrial Engineering BS/Systems Engineering, Accelerated MS
  • Systems and Industrial Engineering, BS/Telecommunications, Accelerated MS

Graduate Programs

Master of Science Programs

The ever-increasing complexity and technical challenges in engineering, computer science, and information technology demand studies beyond the bachelor's degree.

The College of Engineering and Computing offers the following master's programs:

  • Applied Information Technology
  • Bioengineering
  • Biostatistics
  • Civil and Infrastructure Engineering
  • Computer Engineering
  • Computer Science
  • Cyber Security Engineering
  • Data Analytics Engineering
  • Digital Forensics
  • Electrical Engineering
  • Information Systems
  • Operations Research
  • Software Engineering
  • Statistical Science
  • Systems Engineering
  • Telecommunications

Doctor of Philosophy Programs

PhD students will gain comprehensive knowledge in their area of study and will be prepared for careers in higher education and scientific research. They are required to demonstrate a comprehensive understanding and complete research that adds significantly to the body of knowledge in engineering, computer science, information technology, or statistics.

The College of Engineering and Computing offers seven doctoral programs:

  • Bioengineering
  • Civil and Infrastructure Engineering
  • Computer Science
  • Electrical and Computer Engineering
  • Information Technology
  • Statistical Science
  • Systems Engineering and Operations Research

Cardinal Education

Cardinal Education (formerly the Commonwealth Graduate Engineering Program/CGEP) is the premier provider of high-quality post-baccalaureate online engineering education in the Commonwealth of Virginia.  It is designed for practicing engineers, computing, and information scientists interested in maintaining and enhancing their skills through the pursuit of an online degree or certificate. Participating universities are: George Mason University, Old Dominion University, University of Virginia, Virginia Commonwealth University, Virginia State University, and Virginia Tech. Offerings include master’s degrees and certificate programs.

While each program is based at one of the six participating universities, the collaboration between universities allows students more flexibility, potential shorter time to completion, and greater variety in course offerings. A substantial number of course requirements can be taken at any of the six participating universities to satisfy the degree or certificate program.

Students interested should begin by applying directly to the university offering the degree of interest. Mason has a number of degree and certificate programs available through Cardinal Education. These programs follow all policies stated in this catalog for the program, while also allowing up to 50 percent of non-core required credits to be completed at other Cardinal Education participating universities. Faculty advisor approval is needed when taking courses at a partner university.

Policies for other universities’ programs and courses are determined by those institutions. Please consult with the university offering the program or course of interest for details.

For more information including the Mason programs available through this partnership, visit the Cardinal Education website.

Undergraduate Requirements

Degree Requirements

The following general requirements must be completed by all undergraduate students:

  • At least 120 credits of academic work including at least 45 credits of upper-level courses (numbered 300 or above);
  • At least 6 credits of English composition, 3 credits of literature, and 3 credits of oral communication (Mason Core courses);
  • At least 3 credits of arts, 3 credits of Western civilization or world history, 3 credits of social and behavioral science, and 3 credits of global understanding issues (Mason Core courses);

All requirements are listed in the sections for specific College of Engineering and Computing (CEC) majors.  These include university requirements for mathematics, natural science, information technology and computing, and synthesis. Sample schedules that fulfill degree requirements for individual programs within the CEC are available from the departments.

Undergraduate Policies

Academic Policies

Students should become familiar with the Academic Policies in the University Catalog in addition to policies specific to each academic unit. The Academic Policies also list additional university requirements for minor programs and double majors.

Academic Appeal of Policies and Actions

A student's instructor, academic advisor and/or department can resolve most academic issues.  If, however, an undergraduate student disagrees with a decision at the department level and feels that there may be reasonable grounds for appeal, the student should contact the CEC Undergraduate Student Services Office at 703-993-1511 for guidance in preparing a request to the Associate Dean for Undergraduate Programs or other offices as appropriate. Information about grade appeals is found in AP.3.9 Grade Appeals.

Academic Progression

Students majoring in CEC programs are expected to have an acceptable plan of study on file, formulated with assistance from their departmental advisor. They are expected to make reasonable progress toward their degree during each semester in which they are enrolled. 

Termination from a major—or from all majors in a college—may be imposed as a result of excessive repeating of required courses without achieving the minimum standard, and for other evidence of continued failure to make adequate progress toward declaration or completion of the major.  For more information, see AP.5.2.4 Termination from the Major

Sample Schedules

Sample schedules that fulfill degree requirements for individual programs within the CEC are available from the departments.

 Change of Major

1. Criteria for freshman students in their first semester at Mason

Freshman students who have been admitted to any CEC engineering or computer science program may change their major to any other engineering or computer science program before the final drop deadline of their first semester at Mason.

Freshman students who have been admitted to Information Technology, Statistics, CEC Undeclared, CEC Undecided, or any non-CEC major must have departmental approval to change their major to a CEC program before the final drop deadline of their first semester at Mason.

Any change of major requests made after this deadline are bound to the change of major criteria outlined in section 3 and require the completion of at least one semester at Mason.

2. Criteria for transfer students in their first semester at Mason

Transfer students who have been admitted to any CEC engineering program may change their major to any other engineering program before the final drop deadline of their first semester at Mason.

Transfer students who have been admitted to Computer Science, Information Technology, Statistics, CEC Undeclared, or any non-CEC major must have department approval to change their major to a CEC program before the final drop deadline of their first semester at Mason.

Any change of major requests made after this deadline are bound to the change of major criteria outlined in section 3 and require the completion of at least one semester at Mason.

3. Criteria for students who have completed at least one semester at Mason

Students who have completed at least one semester at Mason and who are considering changing their major to any CEC engineering program should consult with the College of Engineering and Computing Undeclared and Undecided Academic Advisors in 2500 Nguyen Engineering Building.  These students must have successfully completed MATH 114, PHYS 160 and PHYS 161 (with a grade of at least C) and should have a minimum Mason GPA of 2.75* in all technical coursework.  Technical coursework refers to any math, physics, engineering, statistics and computer sciences courses completed thus far at Mason and that are applicable to the intended engineering major.  At least 6 credits of these technical courses should have been completed successfully at Mason.

*Students considering changing their major to Bioengineering with a Pre-Health concentration need to meet the above CEC engineering program requirements furthermore with a minimum Mason GPA of 3.00.

Students considering changing their major to Applied Computer Science, Computer Science, Information Technology, or Statistics should consult with the College of Engineering and Computing Undeclared and Undecided Academic Advisors in 2500 Nguyen Engineering Building.  These students need to meet the criteria for that program as defined in the change of major section for that program in the catalog.  Minimum GPA requirements stated for those programs are based on courses taken at Mason.

Exceptions to the policy may only be granted at the discretion of the chair or associate chair of the department.

Undecided Students in the College of Engineering and Computing

Students who are undecided about their specific major may select CEC Undecided Engineering as their major. This should be done as soon as possible after a student enrolls at Mason. Students will be advised to follow an initial semester or two of courses that could be applicable to majors that are of interest to them. This may involve taking courses that help the student better understand different engineering and computing areas, but which may not contribute to the total credits needed for the major they eventually choose.

CEC Undecided students are advised by the CEC Undeclared & Undecided Academic Advisors. Students should seek advising at least once each semester.

Undeclared Students in the College of Engineering and Computing

Students who apply to a CEC major but do not meet major admissions criteria will be accepted into CEC Undeclared. These students will become eligible to declare a CEC major after meeting specific requirements as determined by that particular major. Students will be advised to follow an initial semester or two of courses that would be applicable to the major they plan to declare.

CEC Undeclared students are advised by the CEC Undeclared & Undecided Academic Advisors. Students should seek advising at least once each semester.

Writing-Intensive Requirement

The university requires all undergraduate students to successfully complete a course, or a combination of courses, designated "writing intensive" in their majors at the 300 level or above. To determine the writing-intensive course requirements for specific degrees, refer to the major program descriptions in the following department sections.

Restricted Courses

Students are encouraged to take advantage of the many excellent courses available to broaden their educational experience or strengthen their background; however, some credits earned may not satisfy any degree requirements. Degree requirements for CEC undergraduate programs may not include credits earned below the 400 level in military science; military science credits at the 400 level may be used to meet degree requirements.  At most 3 credits of 100-level RECR coursework may be taken to satisfy the degree requirements of those CEC programs that allow general electives.  Whenever there is uncertainty, students must consult with an academic advisor in their department.

Online Education Programs

In order to increase access to College of Engineering and Computing education while meeting the needs of the School’s student population, select degree programs and courses may be completed via online education. All academic policies and procedures apply to online education programs and courses as referred to in the appropriate sections of this catalog. Some instructors may require exams and/or other meetings to take place in a proctored or on-campus environment. Students should contact the instructor concerning these requirements if not explicitly stated on Patriot Web. Space permitting and if desired, students enrolled in the online sections are also permitted to attend the instructor's campus-based classroom section if offered during the same semester.

For more information about the CEC programs available online, visit Mason Online.

Termination from the Major

No math, science, or College of Engineering and Computing (CEC) course required for the major may be attempted more than three times. Those students who do not successfully complete such a course within three attempts will be terminated from all majors in CEC. Undeclared and Undecided students in CEC who do not successfully complete a course required for a CEC major within three attempts will also be terminated from all majors in CEC.  

In addition, students in CEC with evidence of continued failure to make adequate progress toward declaring or completing a CEC major will be terminated from all majors in CEC. Adequate progress is determined by the major program. For more information, see AP.5.2.4 Termination from the Major.

Once a student has attempted a required math, science, or CEC course twice unsuccessfully, the third attempt must take place no later than the next semester of enrollment, excluding summers. If the student cannot take the course when required, the student may request a delay to a future semester; delays require approval of the student's advisor, their department, and the Associate Dean for Undergraduate Programs. The deadline for delay requests is the last business day prior to the last day to add classes for the semester in which the course is required. Failure to either (1) take the course in the required semester or (2) receive approval to delay will result in termination from all majors in CEC. A third attempt of a CEC course requires support by the student's major department as well as permission by the department offering the course. This permission is not guaranteed.  

Students who have been terminated from all majors in CEC may not register for a CEC course without permission of the department offering the course. This applies to all undergraduate courses offered by CEC except  IT 104 Introduction to Computing (Mason Core) and STAT 250 Introductory Statistics I (Mason Core).

A student may not declare any major in CEC if the student has previously met the termination criteria for any CEC major at any time, regardless of what the student's major was at the time the courses were taken. 

Graduate Policies

Admission

Admission decisions are made by the faculty committee or graduate coordinator of the respective graduate program. Denial of admission is not subject to appeal. Applicants denied admission to a program are not permitted to enroll in courses in that graduate program, though they may apply to either non-degree studies or to another degree program.

If an applicant is offered graduate admission, the college reserves the right to withdraw that offer of admission if:

  • During his or her academic studies, the admitted applicant has a significant drop in academic performance in the degree required for completion prior to admission to CEC graduate studies, or fails to graduate with a degree prior to the first day of classes for the term admitted.
  • There has been a misrepresentation in the application process.
  • Prior to the first day of classes for the term admitted, the college learns that the admitted applicant has engaged in behavior that indicates a serious lack of judgment or integrity, irrespective of the outcome of any disciplinary process related to such behavior.
  • Students admitted to an accelerated master's program do not maintain satisfactory progress in his or her undergraduate program, do not receive a minimum grade of "B" in the graduate classes taken as an undergraduate, or otherwise does not meet the conditions specified on the application and admission letter.

The university further reserves the right to require the applicant to provide additional information (and/or authorization for the release of information) about any such matter.

Academic Policies

Students are responsible for becoming familiar and complying with the Academic Policies in the University Catalog in addition to policies specific to the School. A handbook for CEC Graduate Students is maintained online with graduate-specific information.

Concentration

Students electing a degree concentration, post-admission, must do so in consultation with the graduate program advisor, via formal paperwork approved by the department/school, submitted and processed by the Registrar. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that their intended concentration is reflected on their transcript prior to graduation.

Doctoral Change of Program

Students in the College of Engineering and Computing doctoral programs are not permitted to change doctoral programs without a new, formal PhD admission application submitted in accordance with the established requirements and deadlines. 

Non-degree

Students may decide to apply for Non-Degree status for a number of reasons, including for life-long learning, to take pre-requisite courses, to reacclimate to the environment of higher education or to begin taking classes while they apply to a specific degree program.

University Policy on Non-Degree Student Status can be found in AP.6.4.1.

Readmission

Graduate students who have been terminated or have resigned from a program in the College of Engineering and Computing and want to reapply to the same program must wait five (5) semesters (Fall/Spring) before submitting a new application for admission. A full application for admission as well as all application materials required of that program must be submitted (or resubmitted). GRE scores, if required, cannot be older than five years. Previous admission to a program does not guarantee readmission to the same program. The circumstances of the prior termination or resignation will be a factor in the decision-making process.  Subject to the policy on Transfer of Credit, graduate credit earned prior to termination may be applied to the degree program.

Online Education Programs

In order to increase access to the College of Engineering and Computing education while meeting the needs of the School’s student population, select degree programs and courses may be completed via online education. All academic policies and procedures apply to online education programs and courses as referred to in the appropriate sections of this catalog. Some instructors may require exams and/or other meetings to take place in a proctored or on-campus environment. Students should contact the instructor concerning these requirements even if not explicitly stated on Patriot Web. Space permitting and if desired, students enrolled in the online sections are also permitted to attend the instructor's campus-based classroom section if offered during the same semester.

For more information about the CEC programs available online, visit Mason Online.

Termination

University policy on Academic Termination can be found in AP.6.6.2.  School specific process and criteria can be found in the CEC Graduate Student Handbook.

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Artificial Intelligence Innovation (AII) 

AII Course Schedule

600 Level Courses

AII 600: Foundations and Practice of Machine Learning for Artificial Intelligence. 3 credits.
This course will introduce the foundations of machine learning encountered in Artificial Intelligence (AI). The course will emphasize the practical aspects of machine learning, such as the ability to analyze complex datasets arising in several AI sub-fields. At the end of this course, students will be able to identify problems that benefit from AI solutions, articulate and implement such solutions utilizing appropriate libraries and computing platforms, as well as evaluate solutions against AI risk frameworks.Offered by Engineering & Computing. May not be repeated for credit.
Registration Restrictions:

Enrollment limited to students with a class of Advanced to Candidacy, Graduate, Junior Plus, Non-Degree or Senior Plus.

Students in a Non-Degree Undergraduate degree may not enroll.

Enrollment limited to students in the Engineering Computing college.

Schedule Type: Lecture
Grading:
This course is graded on the Graduate Regular scale.
AII 601: Planning and Decision Making for Intelligent Agents. 3 credits.
This course will introduce the definition of planning domains, including representations for world states and actions. We will cover optimal search-based planning strategies in domains with finite states as well as methods for effective planning and acting in the real world, where both sensing and actions are uncertain. We introduce the framework or Markov Decision Processes for decision making under uncertainty and introduce basic algorithms for finding optimal policies; mapping from states to actions. In the second part of the course we will focus on reinforcement learning problems, covering model-free and model-based reinforcement learning methods, temporal difference learning and policy gradient algorithms. The course will also cover algorithms used to solve multi-arm bandit problems, each with its own trade-offs between exploration and exploitation. Reinforcement learning is an essential part of fields ranging from modern robotics to game-playing (e.g. Poker, Go, and Starcraft).Offered by Engineering & Computing. May not be repeated for credit.
Registration Restrictions:

Enrollment limited to students with a class of Advanced to Candidacy, Graduate, Junior Plus, Non-Degree or Senior Plus.

Students in a Non-Degree Undergraduate degree may not enroll.

Enrollment limited to students in the Engineering Computing college.

Schedule Type: Lecture
Grading:
This course is graded on the Graduate Regular scale.
AII 602: Foundations and Practice of Deep Learning for Artificial Intelligence. 3 credits.
This course will cover an introduction to neural networks and deep learning, including theoretical motivation and practical implementations. We will cover basic building blocks of designing, training and fine-tuning and monitoring deep networks, including explainability and hands-on exercises and programming assignments in Pytorch. We will discuss supervised, self-supervised, and unsupervised learning approaches and cover applications areas of deep neural networks in computer vision, natural language processing and understanding, deep reinforcement learning, generative deep learning, and adversarial learning.Offered by Engineering & Computing. May not be repeated for credit.
Registration Restrictions:

Required Prerequisite: AII 600B-.
B- Requires minimum grade of B-.

Enrollment limited to students with a class of Advanced to Candidacy, Graduate, Junior Plus, Non-Degree or Senior Plus.

Students in a Non-Degree Undergraduate degree may not enroll.

Schedule Type: Lecture
Grading:
This course is graded on the Graduate Regular scale.
AII 603: Engineering Artificial Intelligence Systems and Pipelines. 3 credits.
This course gives students hands-on, practical experience with building, deploying, and evaluating large-scale AI technologies with the potential to provide value across a variety of industry sectors. The projects are designed to explore the breadth of AI technologies for engineering scalable API solutions across embedded, edge, and cloud computing platforms. The projects are team-based to prepare students for the environments that they will encounter in industry. At the end of this course, students will be able to engineer effective and value-capturing AI solutions for various sectors.Offered by Engineering & Computing. May not be repeated for credit.
Registration Restrictions:

Required Prerequisite: AII 602B-.
B- Requires minimum grade of B-.

Enrollment limited to students with a class of Advanced to Candidacy, Graduate, Junior Plus, Non-Degree or Senior Plus.

Students in a Non-Degree Undergraduate degree may not enroll.

Schedule Type: Lecture
Grading:
This course is graded on the Graduate Regular scale.

College of Engineering and Computing  (CEC)

CEC Course Schedule

500 Level Courses

CEC 500: Special Topics. 0-4 credits.
Select contemporary topics in Engineering and Computing.Offered by Engineering & Computing. May be repeated within the degree for a maximum 6 credits.
Specialized Designation: Topic Varies
Registration Restrictions:

Enrollment limited to students with a class of Advanced to Candidacy, Graduate, Junior Plus, Non-Degree or Senior Plus.

Schedule Type: Lecture
Grading:
This course is graded on the Graduate Special scale.
CEC 501: Fundamentals of Computing, Engineering & Technology Education. 3 credits.
Aimed at educating future and current engineering faculty on basic concepts, ideas, and issues of computing, engineering, and technology (CET) education to prepare them for future professoriate career and/or help improve current teaching practices. The course material provides a broad introduction to CET education covering historical foundations, theories of learning, and current topics of interest. It focuses on key conceptual questions related to CET learning including what are the characteristics of CET cognition, how is it different than other content areas, what approaches work best for CET learning, how to use theory-driven approaches in education, and the role of technology, including learning analytics and educational data mining, in CET education.Offered by Engineering & Computing. May not be repeated for credit.
Registration Restrictions:

Enrollment limited to students with a class of Advanced to Candidacy, Graduate, Junior Plus, Non-Degree or Senior Plus.

Students in a Non-Degree Undergraduate degree may not enroll.

Schedule Type: Lecture
Grading:
This course is graded on the Graduate Regular scale.
CEC 502: Teaching and Learning in Computing, Engineering & Technology. 3 credits.
Aimed at educating future and current engineering faculty on principles of how to design and implement computing, engineering, and technology (CET) courses. The course provides a theory-based introduction to course planning, curriculum design, and evaluation and assessment. It focuses on proven methodologies to improve CET teaching including active learning, problem-based learning, and cooperative learning. The course will focus on design of CET learning for development of technical skills, critical thinking skills, creative thinking skills, and communication skills, among students. The course will also introduce students to ABET accreditation.Offered by Engineering & Computing. May not be repeated for credit.
Registration Restrictions:

Enrollment limited to students with a class of Advanced to Candidacy, Graduate, Junior Plus, Non-Degree or Senior Plus.

Students in a Non-Degree Undergraduate degree may not enroll.

Schedule Type: Lecture
Grading:
This course is graded on the Graduate Regular scale.

700 Level Courses

CEC 794: Graduate Internship. 0-3 credits.
Students with an Internship/Externship/Co-Op opportunity gain practical experience engaging in an experiential learning opportunity. Credited sections: students, under the direction of a faculty member, the student will prepare and submit a deliverable defined by the faculty member for a grade.Offered by Engineering & Computing. May be repeated within the term for a maximum 6 credits.
Recommended Prerequisite: Completion of at least 18 credit hours.
Registration Restrictions:

Enrollment limited to students with a class of Advanced to Candidacy, Graduate or Non-Degree.

Students in a Non-Degree Undergraduate degree may not enroll.

Enrollment limited to students in the Engineering Computing or Volgenau School of Engineering colleges.

Schedule Type: Internship
Grading:
This course is graded on the Satisfactory/No Credit scale.

900 Level Courses

CEC 900: Special Topics. 0-4 credits.
Select contemporary topics in Engineering and Computing.Offered by Engineering & Computing. May be repeated within the degree for a maximum 6 credits.
Specialized Designation: Topic Varies
Recommended Prerequisite: Permission of instructor.
Registration Restrictions:

Enrollment limited to students with a class of Advanced to Candidacy.

Enrollment limited to students in the Engineering Computing college.

Schedule Type: Lecture
Grading:
This course is graded on the Graduate Regular scale.

Computing (COMP)

COMP Course Schedule

500 Level Courses

COMP 500: Fundamentals of Mathematics and Computing. 3 credits.
This course provides students who hold an undergraduate degree in a non-STEM discipline with preparation in the fundamental principles and techniques of mathematics. Students will learn the principles and techniques through programming, visualization, and the use of associated programming libraries. Topics include mathematical notation, linear algebra, calculus, and probability.Offered by Engineering & Computing. May not be repeated for credit.
Registration Restrictions:

Enrollment limited to students with a class of Advanced to Candidacy, Graduate, Junior Plus, Non-Degree or Senior Plus.

Students in a Non-Degree Undergraduate degree may not enroll.

Schedule Type: Lecture
Grading:
This course is graded on the Graduate Regular scale.
COMP 501: Computer Programming Foundations I. 3 credits.
This course introduces students to the principles and techniques of object-oriented programming, including basic mechanisms of procedural programming such as variables, control statements, modularity, and program debugging, as well as object-oriented concepts of classes, object life cycles, public versus private variables and methods, inheritance, and dynamic binding. Students will develop, test, and debug object-oriented programs of increasing complexity.Offered by Engineering & Computing. May not be repeated for credit.
Registration Restrictions:

Enrollment limited to students with a class of Advanced to Candidacy, Graduate, Junior Plus, Non-Degree or Senior Plus.

Students in a Non-Degree Undergraduate degree may not enroll.

Schedule Type: Lecture
Grading:
This course is graded on the Graduate Regular scale.
COMP 502: Mathematical Foundations of Computing I. 3 credits.
This course covers topics in discrete mathematics that are foundational to many areas of computing. Topics include the principles and techniques of first-order logic, sets, sequences, number theory, graphs, combinatorics, and probability.Offered by Engineering & Computing. May not be repeated for credit.
Registration Restrictions:

Enrollment limited to students with a class of Advanced to Candidacy, Graduate, Junior Plus, Non-Degree or Senior Plus.

Students in a Non-Degree Undergraduate degree may not enroll.

Schedule Type: Lecture
Grading:
This course is graded on the Graduate Regular scale.
COMP 503: Computer Systems Foundations I. 3 credits.
This course provides a pragmatic introduction to the essentials of computer systems, with an emphasis on fundamental data representation, machine-level programming, and systems programming in C. This course focuses on the fundamentals of computer systems and organization with concepts covering number systems and data representation, digital logic and the basics of computer architecture, and an introduction to the C programming language, with a focus on low-level programming techniques.Offered by Engineering & Computing. May not be repeated for credit.
Registration Restrictions:

Enrollment limited to students with a class of Advanced to Candidacy, Graduate, Junior Plus, Non-Degree or Senior Plus.

Students in a Non-Degree Undergraduate degree may not enroll.

Schedule Type: Lecture
Grading:
This course is graded on the Graduate Regular scale.
COMP 505: Ethical and Legal Challenges in Computing. 3 credits.
The course focuses on ethical and controversial issues related to computing. Topics include professional codes of conduct, discrimination and inequality, intellectual property rights, computer-human interaction, data collection and privacy, digital security, social media related liabilities, and algorithmic bias. These issues will be discussed in the context of artificial intelligence and machine learning, internet of things, autonomous systems, and adoption of invasive technologies, and human enhancements. Students will discuss recent research and case studies that emphasize and articulate the legal, ethical, and social implications of computer technologies.Offered by Engineering & Computing. May not be repeated for credit.
Registration Restrictions:

Enrollment limited to students with a class of Advanced to Candidacy, Graduate, Junior Plus, Non-Degree or Senior Plus.

Students in a Non-Degree Undergraduate degree may not enroll.

Schedule Type: Lecture
Grading:
This course is graded on the Graduate Regular scale.
COMP 511: Computer Programming Foundations II. 3 credits.
This course is a continuation of COMP 501, giving students an education on the problems, principles and techniques of building large-scale object-oriented software systems. Topics include the effective design and use of complex data structures, and the concerns and techniques of the software engineering lifecycle from requirements engineering through maintenance.Offered by Engineering & Computing. May not be repeated for credit.
Recommended Prerequisite: COMP 501
Registration Restrictions:

Enrollment limited to students with a class of Advanced to Candidacy, Graduate, Junior Plus, Non-Degree or Senior Plus.

Students in a Non-Degree Undergraduate degree may not enroll.

Schedule Type: Lecture
Grading:
This course is graded on the Graduate Regular scale.
COMP 512: Mathematical Foundations of Computing II. 3 credits.
This course is a continuation of COMP 502, giving students further education on the discrete nature of computation and its relationship to symbolic processing, through a continued use of the formulation and proof of theorems. Topics include second-order logic, mathematical inference, automata theory, regular and context-free languages, computational complexity, incompleteness, and undecidability.Offered by Engineering & Computing. Limited to three attempts.
Recommended Prerequisite: COMP 502
Registration Restrictions:

Enrollment limited to students with a class of Advanced to Candidacy, Graduate, Junior Plus, Non-Degree or Senior Plus.

Students in a Non-Degree Undergraduate degree may not enroll.

Schedule Type: Lecture
Grading:
This course is graded on the Graduate Regular scale.
COMP 513: Computer Systems Foundations II. 3 credits.
This course is a continuation of COMP 503, with an emphasis on systems programming. This course focuses on programming that interacts with the management and creation of processes, handles exceptions and signals, and interacts with files at the systems level. This course introduces the concept of concurrency and discusses operating system support for processes, focusing on memory management, libraries, and secure programming.Offered by Engineering & Computing. May not be repeated for credit.
Recommended Prerequisite: COMP 503
Registration Restrictions:

Enrollment limited to students with a class of Advanced to Candidacy, Graduate, Junior Plus, Non-Degree or Senior Plus.

Students in a Non-Degree Undergraduate degree may not enroll.

Schedule Type: Lecture
Grading:
This course is graded on the Graduate Regular scale.
COMP 521: Usable Security. 3 credits.
This course will address the need for developing security policies, practices, and software systems that are usable for a large variety of users. The course will focus on specific techniques that implement security protocols without hampering authorized users. Students will learn how to provide convenient access to restricted data and services to authorized users, while also restricting access by unauthorized users.Offered by Engineering & Computing. Limited to three attempts.
Recommended Prerequisite: COMP 501, COMP 502, COMP 503
Registration Restrictions:

Enrollment limited to students with a class of Advanced to Candidacy, Graduate, Junior Plus, Non-Degree or Senior Plus.

Students in a Non-Degree Undergraduate degree may not enroll.

Schedule Type: Lecture
Grading:
This course is graded on the Graduate Regular scale.
COMP 522: Accessibility and Assistive Technologies. 3 credits.
This course will address the need for developing and deploying interactive applications and software systems that are accessible for users with diverse needs. The course will focus on how developers and designers must consider diverse user abilities and assistive technologies early in the implementation process. Students will learn about accessibility guidelines, how to evaluate and improve the accessibility of a system, and how to implement web applications considering universal design principles to ensure that interactive technologies become accessible for a large range of users.Offered by Engineering & Computing. Limited to three attempts.
Registration Restrictions:

Enrollment limited to students with a class of Advanced to Candidacy, Graduate, Junior Plus, Non-Degree or Senior Plus.

Students in a Non-Degree Undergraduate degree may not enroll.

Schedule Type: Lecture
Grading:
This course is graded on the Graduate Regular scale.

600 Level Courses

COMP 642: Interaction Design and Accessibility. 3 credits.
The overarching objective of the Interaction Design and Accessibility course is to help students to learn how to design interactive tools. The class aims at helping students to learn which specific application areas remain unexplored in the frontier of Human-Centered Computing. Throughout the class, students will learn core theoretical foundations and the practical skills that have been developed in the fields of Human-Computer Interaction.Offered by Engineering & Computing. May not be repeated for credit.
Registration Restrictions:

Enrollment limited to students with a class of Advanced to Candidacy, Graduate, Junior Plus, Non-Degree or Senior Plus.

Students in a Non-Degree Undergraduate degree may not enroll.

Schedule Type: Lecture
Grading:
This course is graded on the Graduate Regular scale.
COMP 690: Computing Capstone Project. 3 credits.
Students will work in groups, possibly including students from multiple concentrations, to specify, design, build, and evaluate a complete computing solution for a realistic customer. Students will study team communication skills, both written and oral. Students will be assessed on completion, quality of the work, satisfaction of the solution to the customers and users, and on their ability to function effectively in a team setting.Offered by Engineering & Computing. Limited to three attempts.
Recommended Corequisite: 18 hours of graduate study
Registration Restrictions:

Enrollment limited to students with a class of Advanced to Candidacy, Graduate, Junior Plus, Non-Degree or Senior Plus.

Students in a Non-Degree Undergraduate degree may not enroll.

Schedule Type: Lecture
Grading:
This course is graded on the Graduate Regular scale.

 Data Analytics Engineering (DAEN)

DAEN Course Schedule

500 Level Courses

DAEN 500: Data Analytics Fundamentals. 3 credits.
Provides a foundation in data analytics from which the student will build. Focuses on a dataset where students will use analytics tools and apply statistical methodologies in order to extract information of value.Offered by Engineering & Computing. May not be repeated for credit.
Registration Restrictions:

Enrollment limited to students with a class of Advanced to Candidacy, Graduate, Junior Plus, Non-Degree or Senior Plus.

Enrollment is limited to Graduate, Non-Degree or Undergraduate level students.

Students in a Non-Degree Undergraduate degree may not enroll.

Enrollment limited to students in the College of Science, Engineering Computing or Schar School of Policy and Gov colleges.

Schedule Type: Lecture
Grading:
This course is graded on the Graduate Regular scale.
DAEN 527: Learning From Data. 3 credits.
This is an introductory course in machine learning and pattern recognition that covers basic theory, algorithms, and applications. Machine learning is the science of getting computers to act without being explicitly programmed. This course balances theory and practice, and covers the mathematical as well as the heuristic aspects. It provides a broad introduction to machine learning and pattern recognition. Topics include: (i) supervised learning (parametric/non-parametric algorithms, support vector machines, kernels, neural networks). (ii) Unsupervised learning (clustering, dimensionality reduction, recommender systems, autoencoders). (iii) Learning theory (bias/variance tradeoffs, VC theory, generalization). (iv) Ensemble methods (boosting and bagging, random forests). (v) Deep learning (deep belief networks, convolutional neural networks, deep autoencoders). The course will draw from numerous case studies and applications.Offered by Engineering & Computing. May not be repeated for credit. Equivalent to ECE 527.
Recommended Prerequisite: (MATH 203 and STAT 346) or equivalent
Registration Restrictions:

Enrollment limited to students with a class of Advanced to Candidacy, Graduate, Junior Plus, Non-Degree or Senior Plus.

Students in a Non-Degree Undergraduate degree may not enroll.

Schedule Type: Lecture
Grading:
This course is graded on the Graduate Regular scale.

600 Level Courses

DAEN 690: Data Analytics Project. 3 credits.
Capstone project course for MS in Data Analytics program. Key activity is completion of a major applied team project resulting in an acceptable technical report and oral briefing. Students should plan to take this academically rigorous course in their last semester.Offered by Engineering & Computing. May not be repeated for credit.
Recommended Prerequisite: Completion of 21 credit hours of coursework in the MS Data Analytics program and departmental approval to register. It is also recommended that DAEN 690 be taken in your last semester and with no more than one other course at the same time.
Registration Restrictions:

Enrollment limited to students with a class of Advanced to Candidacy, Graduate, Junior Plus, Non-Degree or Senior Plus.

Enrollment is limited to Graduate, Non-Degree or Undergraduate level students.

Students in a Non-Degree Undergraduate degree may not enroll.

Enrollment limited to students in the College of Science, Engineering Computing or Schar School of Policy and Gov colleges.

Schedule Type: Seminar
Grading:
This course is graded on the Graduate Regular scale.
DAEN 698: Data Analytics Research Project. 1-3 credits.
Conduct a research project to be chosen and completed under guidance of a graduate faculty member that results in an acceptable technical report. Notes: No more than a total of three credits may be taken from within the DAEN program.Offered by Engineering & Computing. May be repeated within the term for a maximum 3 credits.
Specialized Designation: Topic Varies
Recommended Prerequisite: Graduate Standing, completion of at least two core courses and a minimum of 12 credits in the DAEN program, and permission of instructor.
Registration Restrictions:

Enrollment limited to students with a class of Advanced to Candidacy, Graduate, Junior Plus, Non-Degree or Senior Plus.

Enrollment is limited to Graduate, Non-Degree or Undergraduate level students.

Students in a Non-Degree Undergraduate degree may not enroll.

Enrollment limited to students in the College of Science, Engineering Computing or Schar School of Policy and Gov colleges.

Schedule Type: Research
Grading:
This course is graded on the Graduate Regular scale.