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2022-2023

Computer Engineering, Bachelor of Science (and accelerated masters)

VCU

Community college:
A.A.&.S. or A.S. in engineering (Virginia Community College System)
Virginia Community College System
Associate degree

A.A.&.S. or A.S. in Engineering

Program description

Computer engineers are responsible for developing the powerful computer systems that have become a part of our everyday life. Applications for computer engineering span the spectrum from high-performance, general-purpose computing systems such as desktop workstations used in all facets of business, to small microprocessors embedded in larger systems and functioning as controllers. These latter applications, known as embedded systems, can be found in control systems for trains, aircraft and automobiles; medical equipment; telecommunications systems; and consumer electronics and appliances. This explosive growth of computer systems in use in almost every new appliance or vehicle has resulted in a strong demand for engineers trained in the development of these systems, and all indications are that this trend will continue for the foreseeable future.

Career opportunities

Computer engineers (or computer hardware engineers) research, design, develop, test, and oversee the manufacture and installation of computer hardware, including computer chips, circuit boards, computer systems, and related equipment such as keyboards, routers, and printers.


This field should not be confused with computer software engineers, who design and develop the software systems that control computers. The work of computer hardware engineers is similar to that of electrical engineers in that they may design and test circuits and other electronic components; however, computer hardware engineers do that work only as it relates to computers and computer-related equipment. They work on the design, planning, development, testing, and even the supervision of manufacturing of computer hardware -- including everything from chips to device controllers. They also focus on computer networks for the transmission of data and multimedia. The work of a computer engineer is grounded in the hardware -- from circuits to architecture -- but also focuses on operating systems and software. Computer engineers must understand logic design, microprocessor system design, computer architecture, computer interfacing, and continually focus on system requirements and design.

Bachelor-level job titles
  • Computer engineer
  • Computer network architects
  • Computer systems engineer
  • Controls engineer
  • Hardware design engineer
  • Mechatronics engineer
  • Microsystems engineer
  • Network engineer
  • Product engineer
  • Test engineer
Graduate and professional level job titles
  • College Professor
  • Lead Research Scientist
  • Research & Development Engineer
  • Senior Embedded Software Engineer
  • System Architect
Contact information

 

VCU Transfer Center

Telephone: (804) 827-1349

Email: transferinfo@vcu.edu

Transfer Advising Request

VCCS Transfer Planning Checklist


Office of Admissions

Telephone: (804) 828-1222 or (800) 841-3638

Email: ugrad@vcu.edu
Apply Here.

Guaranteed transfer admission requirements
  • Completion of associate degree (A.A.&.S. or A.S. in Engineering)
  • Minimum GPA of 3.0
  • All courses must be completed with a grade of "C" or better
  • Earn a minimum grade of "B" in all your math, science and engineering classes
Degree requirements in Bulletin
Plan of study in Bulletin
Requirements
Highest level of math required
  • MATH 201 or higher
Science required
  • 5+ additional science courses
Foreign language requirements
Additional tuition/fees
GPA requirements (to progress/graduate in the major)
  • 3.0+ cumulative GPA to declare
VCU Major Maps

View VCU Major Map for Computer Engineering

Transfer major map
Visit majormaps.vcu.edu for the online version with links.
Sponsored by the Office of the Provost
Major map compass icon
2022-2023

Computer Engineering, Bachelor of Science (and accelerated masters)

Virginia Community College System (A.A.&.S. or A.S. in engineering)

MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
Explore Year 1
  • Schedule an appointment with your community college advisor to map out your associate degree course plan.
  • Enroll in the SDV student success course.
  • Complete your english and start your math requirements in your first year.
  • Be prepared for academic challenges and utilize tutoring resources to get ahead.
  • Explore GRASP financial aid resources and submit the FAFSA on time.
  • Identify a mentor in a diversity organization.
  • Attend diversity-focused events on your community college campus and in your community (e.g., international festival).
  • Make friends with people with diverse perspectives and join a cultural or identity-related student organization.
  • Create a weekly and monthly budget.
  • Prepare for a career after college by creating a brand for yourself.
  • Develop personal and career goals and create SMART steps for 2-3 "dream jobs."
  • Practice independent living skills such as money and time management, self-care, and personal responsibility.
Experience Year 2
  • Consider learning a foreign language to open doors to international organizations and future study.
  • Learn about short-term, semester and year-long study abroad options.
  • Attend VCU cultural events, including the monthly Global Café, VCU Diversity Scholars in Research week, or VCU Electrical and Computer Engineering department-related events.
  • Check out the VCU Office of Multicultural Student Affairs (OMSA) and follow @vcuomsa.
  • Find out about VCU REAL and learn about VCU's REAL graduation requirement.
  • Attend Career & Internship Fairs throughout the year.
  • Acquire career related experience (e.g., job, internship, organization involvement).
  • If your GPA is 3.5 or higher, consider applying for the VCU Honors College.
  • Using LinkedIn, connect to at least 10 people. Check out the VCU alumni page in My Network.
  • Conduct informational interviews or shadow someone in a field of career interest.
  • Use the cost calculator to estimate your tuition/fees as an upperclassman at VCU.
  • Explore the types of aid available at VCU.
  • Consider who you would like to have serve as professional and academic references for future letters of recommendation.

Explore
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
  • Schedule an appointment with your community college advisor to map out your associate degree course plan.
  • Enroll in the SDV student success course.
  • Complete your english and start your math requirements in your first year.
  • Be prepared for academic challenges and utilize tutoring resources to get ahead.
  • Explore GRASP financial aid resources and submit the FAFSA on time.
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
  • Identify a mentor in a diversity organization.
  • Attend diversity-focused events on your community college campus and in your community (e.g., international festival).
  • Make friends with people with diverse perspectives and join a cultural or identity-related student organization.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
  • Create a weekly and monthly budget.
  • Prepare for a career after college by creating a brand for yourself.
  • Develop personal and career goals and create SMART steps for 2-3 "dream jobs."
  • Practice independent living skills such as money and time management, self-care, and personal responsibility.

Experience
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
  • Consider learning a foreign language to open doors to international organizations and future study.
  • Learn about short-term, semester and year-long study abroad options.
  • Attend VCU cultural events, including the monthly Global Café, VCU Diversity Scholars in Research week, or VCU Electrical and Computer Engineering department-related events.
  • Check out the VCU Office of Multicultural Student Affairs (OMSA) and follow @vcuomsa.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
  • Find out about VCU REAL and learn about VCU's REAL graduation requirement.
  • Attend Career & Internship Fairs throughout the year.
  • Acquire career related experience (e.g., job, internship, organization involvement).
  • If your GPA is 3.5 or higher, consider applying for the VCU Honors College.
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
  • Using LinkedIn, connect to at least 10 people. Check out the VCU alumni page in My Network.
  • Conduct informational interviews or shadow someone in a field of career interest.
  • Use the cost calculator to estimate your tuition/fees as an upperclassman at VCU.
  • Explore the types of aid available at VCU.
  • Consider who you would like to have serve as professional and academic references for future letters of recommendation.
Recommended courses
Major map compass icon
2022-2023

Computer Engineering, Bachelor of Science (and accelerated masters)

Virginia Community College System (A.A.&.S. or A.S. in engineering)

Virginia Community College System courses
Course Title Equivalent course Credits Requirements
Students who earn this associate degree before enrolling at VCU will be eligible for a waiver of VCU's general education requirements.
SDV 100 or 101 College Success Skills UNIV 101 1 Elective
ENG 111 College Composition I Note: students with credit for AP English Language and Composition will only receive credit for UNIV 111 at VCU and should take ENG 112 to fulfill the VCU composition requirement. UNIV 111-112 3 General education
ENG 112 College Composition II UNIV 200 3 General education
MTH 263 Calculus I (earn minimum grade of "B") MATH 200 4 Major (Ancillary)
MTH 264 Calculus II (earn minimum grade of "B") MATH 201 4 Major (Ancillary)
MTH 288 or CSC 208 Discrete Mathematics or Introduction to Discrete Structures (earn minimum grade of "B") MATH 211 or CMSC 302 3 Major (Ancillary)
MTH 267 Differential Equations (earn minimum grade of "B") MATH 301 3 Major (Ancillary)
PHY 241 University Physics I (earn minimum grade of "B") PHYS 207 4 Major (Ancillary)
PHY 242 University Physics II (earn minimum grade of "B") PHYS 208 4 Major (Ancillary)
CHM 111 General Chemistry I (earn minimum grade of "B") CHEM/Z 101 4 Major (Ancillary)
EGR 121 + EGR 122 Foundations of Engineering + Engineering Design (both must be completed to receive credit for VCU equivalents) (earn minimum grade of "B") EGRE 101 5 Major (Ancillary)
EGR 125 Introduction to Computer Programming for Engineers (programming language must be C++ to receive credit for VCU equivalent) EGRE 245 3 Major
EGR 270 Fundamentals of Computer Engineering (earn minimum grade of "B") EGRE 254 4 Major
EGR 271 Electric Circuits I (earn minimum grade of "B") EGRE 206 4 Major
EGR 272 Electric Circuits II (earn minimum grade of "B") EGRE 207 4 Major
PHI 220 Ethics PHIL 201 3 Major (Ancillary)
ECO 202 Principles of Microeconomics (substitute for the ECON 205 requirement) ECON 210 3 Major (Ancillary)
Complete general education requirements for associate degree VCU equivalents 6 General education
Community college credits transferred to VCU 65
VCU courses
Course Title Credits Requirements
Your GPA Doesn't Transfer With You Although you worked hard to earn your grades at your current institution, they will only be considered by VCU for an admission decision. Once you enroll at VCU, your GPA will reset to 0.0, and your new GPA will be determined by your level of success in your classes at VCU.
CMSC 312 Introduction to Operating Systems 3 Major
EGRE 245 Engineering Programming (if VCCS course is not C++) 0 to 4 Major
EGRE 246 Advanced Engineering Programming 3 Major
EGRE 306 Introduction to Microelectronics 4 Major
EGRE 335 Signals and Systems 4 Major
EGRE 337 Statistical Information Processing 3 Major
EGRE 347 Applied Embedded Programming 3 Major
EGRE 364 Microcomputer Systems 4 Major
EGRE 365 Digital Systems 4 Major
EGRE 426 Computer Organization and Design 3 Major
EGRE 428 Introduction to Integrated Systems Design 2 Major
EGRE 429 Advanced Digital Systems Design 2 Major
ENGR 402 + ENGR 403 Senior Design Studio (Seminar) 2 Major
Select one of the following sequences: EGRE 404 + EGRE 405 or EGRE 406 + EGRE 407 4 Major
Technical electives 17 Major
SPCH 321 Speech for Business and the Professions 3 Major (Ancillary)
Open electives 4 Elective
Credits completed at VCU 65
Minimum credits required for bachelor's degree 130
The accelerated B.S. and M.S. program allows qualified students to earn both the B.S. in Computer Engineering and M.S. in Engineering with a concentration in electrical and computer engineering in a minimum of five years by completing approved graduate courses during the senior year of their undergraduate program. Minimum qualifications for entrance to this accelerated program include completion of 97 undergraduate credits, including the prerequisite courses for the capstone project and a minimum of 11 courses from the major requirements; an overall minimum GPA of 3.0; and a minimum GPA of 3.2 in major course work.