Kathie Debenham College: College of Technology and Computing

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College: College of Technology and Computing

Department: Computer Science

Program Title: Computer Engineering

Recommended Classification of Instructional

Programs (CIP) Code: 14.0902

Degree to be Awarded: Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering

(BSCE)
Proposed Beginning Date: Fall, 2012

Institutional Signatures:

Kirk Love

Department Chair, Computer Science

Ernest L. Carey

Dean, College of Technology and Computing

Ian Wilson

Vice President, Academic Affairs

Matthew S. Holland

President, Utah Valley University

Date: Jan. 31, 2012

The bachelor degree in computer engineering prepares students for careers that deal with computer systems, including both hardware and software aspects of the system, from design through implementation. These computer systems, sometimes referred to as embedded systems, are components of many commercial products such as cell phones, smart mobile devices, fuel injection systems in vehicles, and controller units in washing machines. They can also be found in medical products such as x-ray machines. This degree is different from the existing Computer Science and Software Engineering degrees at UVU. All three degrees complement each other. Each fulfills a specific market demand in the computing area.

The proposed engineering program supports the institutional mission statement and roles in many ways. UVU’s mission statement specifies that UVU meets regional educational needs. The BSCE program “prepares professionally competent people of integrity” and provides a quality academic learning opportunity while at the same time promoting “economic and cultural development” throughout the region and State with a strong commitment to meet current and future talent-force needs. This engineering program will provide occupational, technical, and career opportunities to students. UVU expects this program to grow as the technical industry base grows in Utah County—developing, broadening, and strengthening mutually beneficial partnerships with business and industry to provide an increasingly educated workforce and to enhance economic growth and development in the community. The BSCE will allow students currently enrolled in the Computer Engineering emphasis to receive a degree that more accurately reflects the course work completed, thus increasing employment opportunities for those graduates and providing one more area of specialization to the ever-expanding computer technology companies in Utah. The BSCE graduates also provide a larger pool of candidates for graduate students at other USHE institutions.

The U.S. Department of Labor: Bureau of Labor Statistics lists computer systems design and related services as third for industries having the largest wage and salary employment growth in 2008-2018. (http://www.bls.gov/news.release/ecopro.t03.htm) According to www.careeroutlook.us, the state of Utah expects high job creation rate in the areas of computer system software developers and electrical engineers. (The website does not list computer engineers as a separate category. The job functions of system software developers and electric engineers are closely related to that of the computer engineer.) For example, the growth rates for electrical engineers and computer hardware engineers are 2.11% and 2.97% respectively. The job growth rate for the computer system software engineers is 5%. These growth rates indicate that there is a strong demand for computer engineers in the near future in the state of Utah. A recent survey of 78 Utah companies (results distributed to members of the Utah Technology Council 1/27/2012) employing 4,203 engineering and computer scientists showed 432 current open positions for which the minimum requirements is a BS degree. An additional 1,642 openings are expected in the next 12 months. Those 78 companies represent only a fraction of the total number of companies in Utah employing similar engineers and developers.

The Computer Science department offered the Computer Engineering emphasis in the Computer Science degree for the first time in Fall 2001. In Fall 2011, it had 102 declared majors. A survey of 345 computer science students (across all areas of emphases) was conducted by the Computer Science department at UVU in 2011. The survey revealed (with 93% confidence) that the current Computer Engineering emphasis students would choose a Computer Engineering degree if it were offered at UVU. This survey also indicated that if UVU offered a Computer Engineering degree, 45% of the Computer Science majors in other areas of emphasis would be interested in pursuing that degree.

Grants

Reallocated Funds

Tuition dedicated to the program

Other*
*Tuition growth in other programs.
Similar Programs Already Offered in the USHE

The University of Utah, Utah State University and Brigham Young University have Electrical and Computer Engineering departments offering BS in Computer Engineering degrees. Weber State University started a BS program in Electronics Engineering in 2010. The proposed BS degree program in Computer Engineering at Utah Valley University would take advantage of the unique background of the UVU faculty and their research areas, placing emphasis on the programming aspect of embedded systems. UVU has offered the computer engineering curriculum as an emphasis in the BSCS since 2001 with little or no impact to other USHE institutions offering the BSCE. The proposed BS Computer Engineering degree at UVU will provide students with a diploma that better describes the courses they have taken; we anticipate it will not negatively impact other institutions.