Engineering teaches students to apply engineering methods for solving professional problems. The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) at Clarkson University offers three ABET-accredited programs. In addition to the computer engineering undergraduate bachelor's degree program, the department administers the electrical and software engineering programs.

The Computer Engineering curriculum allows graduates to develop a solid theoretical foundation and a sound knowledge of engineering design based on a broad spectrum of concepts, principles, and techniques. Students gain experience with modern microcontroller-based embedded system design. In addition, they learn hardware description languages (HDLs), industry-standard simulation, synthesis, debugging, and verification tools for FPGA hardware design. Computer Engineering courses also provide students with skills in C/C++, Python, and Java in the context of modern integrated software development environments.

Clarkson's program balances hardware, software, and systems concepts, along with a robust set of communication and teamwork skills that industry leaders seek. Ultimately, students have an opportunity to showcase their accumulated knowledge in a design project that they complete as a capstone to the program. In addition, some of the design projects give students opportunities to work with professors and graduate students and publish the work at student conferences.

Dedicated faculty and staff encourage technology development to serve humanity and express that mission throughout our electrical engineering undergraduate bachelor's degree program. In addition, an extensive community of undergraduate students, graduate students, full-time faculty members, and more than 5,800 alumni makes the electrical engineering program a great choice.

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Computer Engineering Careers

Clarkson Class of 2020 97 percent employment


The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics has consistently ranked computer engineers near the top of its job list for many years. There are demands for computer engineers in all sectors of the economy, such as:

  • artificial intelligence
  • automotive industries
  • aviation
  • computing technology
  • defense
  • embedded systems
  • entertainment
  • energy
  • social media
  • telecommunication

 
Almost all organizations require some form of computer engineering to support their business. According to PayScale, the average computer engineer salary is nearly $75,000. Our computer engineering majors have gone on to work for companies, such as:

  • CACI
  • Ensign Bickford Aerospace and Defense
  • Epic
  • General Dynamics Electric Boat
  • C Speed
  • IBM 
  • Lockheed Martin
  • Raytheon 
  • Syracuse Research Corporation

Some computer engineering majors have also chosen to continue their studies in graduate school, including in Clarkson's Electrical and Computer Engineering Ph.D. program. 

Abul Khondker, Associate Professor and Executive Officer of the Electrical and Computer Engineering Program, shares how Clarkson's curriculum aligns with that of big engineering schools, but our small campus, accessible professors, and collaborative culture make the difference. 

Computer Engineering Curriculum & Academic Options

Major in Computer Engineering

Our computer engineering undergraduate bachelor's degree program provides a solid foundation in computer engineering and computational analysis. Computer engineering majors take courses such as :

  • Intro to Programming and Software Design
  • Intro to Digital design
  • Object-Oriented Languages
  • Embedded Systems
  • Systems and Signal Processing
  • Fundamentals of Software Engineering
  • Advanced Digital Circuit Design
  • Software System Architecture
Computer Engineering Major Curriculum

The 120 credit-hour computer engineering program consists of 42 credit hours in engineering, 3 credit hours in engineering science, 3 credits of computer science electives, and six credits of professional engineering electives. The rest of the credit hours are in basic & engineering sciences, mathematics, and Humanities, and Liberal studies courses, and six credit hours are in free electives.

Computer Engineering Checklist

All courses are 3 credits unless noted.

Clarkson Common Experience

The following courses are required for all students, irrespective of their program of study. These courses are offered during the fall semester, with FY100 First-Year Seminar being required of only first-year students. Both FY100 and UNIV190 are typically taken during the fall semester of the first year at Clarkson.
FY100 First-Year Seminar (1 credit)
UNIV190 The Clarkson Seminar 

Common First Year Courses

Students must complete the following courses in their first year:

  • CM131 General Chemistry I (4 credits)
  • CS141 Introduction to Computer Science (4 credits)
  • ES100 Introduction to Engineering Use of the Computer (2 credits)
  • ES110 Engineering & Society 
  • FY100  Transitions (1 credit)
  • MA131 Calculus I 
  • MA132 Calculus II 
  • PH131 Physics I (4 credits)
  • PH132 Physics II (4 credits)
  • UNIV190 Clarkson Seminar
Core Requirements

Students are required to complete the following courses:

The 120 credit-hour computer engineering program consists of 45 credit hours in engineering, 3 credit hours in engineering science, 3 credits of computer science electives, and six credits of professional engineering electives. The rest of the credit hours are in basic & engineering sciences, mathematics, and Humanities, and Liberal studies courses, and six credit hours are in free electives.

Computer Engineering core courses

  • CS141 Intro to Comp Science
  • ES250 Engineering Science
  • EE211 ECE Laboratory I 
  • EE221 Linear Circuits
  • EE260 Embedded Systems
  • ES262 Intro to Object-Oriented Programming and Software Design
  • EE264 Introduction to Digital Design
  • EE316 Computer Engineering Junior Laboratory 
  • EE321 Systems & Signal Processing 
  • EE341 Microelectronics 
  • EE361 Fundamentals of Software Engineering 
  • EE363 Software Components & Generic Programming 
  • EE365 Advanced Digital Circuit Design 
  • EE416 Computer Engineering Senior Laboratory
  • EE462 Software System Architecture 
  • EE464 Digital Systems Design 
  • EE466 Computer Architecture 
  • ES499 Professional Experience (0 credits)

Other required mathematics courses are:

  • MA211 Foundations 
  • MA231 Calculus III 
  • MA232 Elementary Differential Equations 
  • STAT383 Probability & Statistics, or STAT389 Multivariate probability and statistics
Computer Engineering Electives

Students must complete the following courses:

Professional Electives

Students must take 2 EE courses 300-level or above. 

Additional Electives

Students are also required to take one Engineering Science Elective or Science elective.

Knowledge Area/University Course Electives

Students will have at least 15 credit hours available toward Knowledge Area and/or University Course electives to satisfy the Clarkson Common Experience requirements.

Free Electives

Students will have approximately 6 credit hours available to use toward courses of their choice.

Relevant Minors

Computer engineering majors have the opportunity to explore minors that will complement the computer engineering bachelor's degree. View our recommendations below or learn more about all of Clarkson's minors, concentrations and professional advising tracks.

Biomedical Engineering Minor

Robotics Minor

Our Minors

Minors are programs where students take a smaller amount of credits in a particular area of study that complements the major. Pursuing one or more minors allows students to add another area of specialization outside the major. Minors typically require 15 or more credit hours of specified coursework. Clarkson offers 50 minors spanning all of our schools in engineering, arts, sciences, business, environmental studies and interdisciplinary programs. Students can also create their own minor through our "individually designed" minor option. 

 

Our Minors:

Professional Concentrations

Professional Concentrations are a way to build an area of specialized expertise within, or closely related to, their degree program major. Concentrations typically require approximately 15 credit hours of coursework. Clarkson offers over a dozen professional concentrations in arts, sciences, engineering, engineering management and environmental studies. 

 

Professional Concentrations:

Our Advising Tracks

Advising Tracks are a way for our students to prepare for further professional study in professional graduate school programs in health sciences and law. Students at Clarkson do not major in health sciences or law, but instead have special advising from Clarkson faculty and staff to ensure they are well prepared for applying to and entering their respective graduate programs. 

Our Advising Tracks:

Experiential Learning

Computer Engineering Undergraduate Research

Our computer engineering professors are also active researchers. As a result, rich research opportunities are available for all computer engineering undergraduate majors, including projects sponsored by agencies like the National Science Foundation, New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, and private companies. In addition, students can work on research projects to gain professional or research experience and as part of the senior capstone design projects.

Internship and Co-op Opportunities

There are a plenty of internship and co-op opportunities from companies, government offices and other organizations available for our computer engineering majors. Clarkson's Fall and Spring Career Fairs, which bring in nearly 200 companies each, are very effective in helping our students secure such opportunities, often leading to full-time job offers before graduation. 

Computer Engineering Student Clubs

Clarkson computer engineering students can get involved outside the classroom through over 200 clubs and organizations on campus, including several related to computer engineering. These include:

  • American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES)
  • Autonomous Robotics Club
  • Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)
  • National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE)
  • Order of Omega 
  • Power and Energy Society
  • Robotics Living Learning Community
  • Sigma Xi - The Scientific Research Society
  • Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE)
  • Society of Asian Scientists and Engineers (SASE)
  • Society of Women Engineers (SWE)
  • Tau Beta Pi - National Engineering Honor Society
Clarkson undergraduate engineering students are inducted to the Order of Omega with a ring ceremony
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