Computer Engineering and Computer Science and Engineering Combined Degrees

Program Overview

The joint BS in Computer Engineering/PhD in Computer Science and Engineering program provides a comprehensive education in hardware and software, emphasizing research areas like AI and cybersecurity. Students work closely with faculty to solve complex industry problems, preparing them for careers in computer programming, app development, and design. The program is accredited by ABET and offers access to state-of-the-art research labs and a Living Learning Community.

Program Outline

Degree Overview:

The program offers a combined Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Computer Engineering and a Doctoral Degree (Ph.D.) in Computer Science and Engineering. It is a 6-7 year program with 192 credit hours. The program aims to provide students with a high-quality education that balances theoretical and experimental aspects of hardware and software issues. It emphasizes the development of skills in electrical engineering and computer science, enabling students to create innovative technology solutions. The program also focuses on research areas like artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, software engineering, natural language processing, and other areas that contribute to community and global needs.

Teaching:

The program emphasizes a collegial atmosphere conducive to intellectual and scholarly pursuits for both faculty and students. Interdisciplinary research is strongly encouraged. The program involves formal coursework, independent study, and research. Students work closely with distinguished faculty members to solve complex problems faced by businesses and consumers.

Careers:

Possible career fields include:

• Computer programming and app development
• Game programming
• Hardware and software design
• Information systems management
Graduates with practical experience are expected to have favorable job prospects due to the rapid growth in computer systems design and related services and the limited supply of qualified individuals. Computer scientists and engineers also enjoy some of the highest starting salaries of any engineering profession.

Other:

• The Bachelor of Science degree with a major in computer engineering is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission (EAC) of ABET.
• Research lab space includes space for the Centers for Information and Cybersecurity, and Net-Centric Software, as well as 13 research labs dedicated to faculty and student research.
This designation places UNT among the top institutions in the country in the field of computer security.
• Current research interests of the faculty include theoretical computer science, databases, visualization, game programming, wired and wireless networks, computer security, artificial intelligence, natural language processing, computer systems architecture, agent-based systems, collaborative learning, parallel and distributed processing, and numerical analysis.
• The Living Learning Community brings together engineering students who live on campus to enhance academic and social experiences.
• Students are given access to a group of hosted virtual machines running Ubuntu Linux which provide general-purpose computing via remote SSH connectivity.
An Apache web server and a MySQL database server are also made available as part of this environment.
• Faculty research is supported through grants from federal and state institutions and private industry, including the:
• National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency
• National Institutes of Health
• National Science Foundation
• Texas Department of Transportation
• U.S. Department of Education
• The department offers comprehensive research that focuses on:
• Algorithms and Computational Science
• Computer Security
• Computer Systems and Networks
• Databases and Data Mining
• Intelligent Systems
• Software
• Marketable Skills:
• Analyze the complexity of an algorithm
• Use digital logic in circuit design
• Compare merits of computer architectures
• Teamwork
• Learn a programming language
• Complex problem-solving
• Advanced critical thinking
• Ability to conduct research
• Software development
• Advanced oral and written communication