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Armour College of Engineering

Electrical and Computer Engineering

The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering is engaged in the latest technologies of artificial intelligence, deep learning, computer vision, medical imaging, sensor networks, cybersecurity, wireless communications, power system operations, smart microgrids, electric vehicles, power semiconductor device technologies, microelectronics, internet of things, cloud computing, and computer hardware and software capabilities.

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Illinois Tech’s Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) has a tradition of innovation dating back to 1901, when faculty member Lee de Forest, widely recognized as the “father of radio,” sent his first long-distance broadcast from the university. In 1906 he invented the first vacuum tube capable of amplifying an electrical signal. Other notable alumni include Marvin Camras, the “father of magnetic tape recording,” and Marty Cooper, inventor of the cell phone.

ECE faculty, students, and alumni continue to change the world by developing technologies for alternative energy resources and communications advancements.

The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering offers the Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering. The department also offers a Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering in conjunction with the Department of Computer Science. Both degree programs are accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, http://www.abet.org.

Click below to view our annual ABET-accredited program data: 

As part of our commitment to offering our students with the latest technologies and technical backgrounds in preparation for industry careers and academic research, the following ECE courses have been recently updated and newly introduced: 

ECE 100 Introduction to the Profession I

ECE 222 Introduction to Cybersecurity Engineering

ECE 406/504 Introduction to Wireless Communication Systems

ECE 407/408 Introduction to Computer Networks

ECE 412/512 Electric Vehicle Drives

ECE 420 Analytical Methods for Power System Economics and Cybersecurity

ECE 430/523 Fundamentals of Semiconductor Devices

ECE 441 Smart and Connected Embedded System Design

ECE 442/510 Internet of Things and Cyber Physical Systems

ECE 443/518 Introduction to Computer Cyber Security/Computer Cyber Security

ECE 444/543 Computer Network Security

ECE 447/501 Artificial Intelligence and Edge Computing

ECE 448/528 Application Software Design

ECE 449/590 Object-Oriented Programming and Machine Learning

ECE 473/573 Cloud Computing and Cloud Native Systems

ECE 474/574 Data Science for Engineers

ECE 503 5G Wireless Network: Architecture, New Radio, and Security

ECE 537 Next Generation Smart Grid

ECE 545 Modern Internet Technologies

ECE 563 Artificial Intelligence in Smart Grid

ECE 566 Machine and Deep Learning

ECE 572 Secure Machine Learning Design and Applications

ECE 586 Hardware Security and Advanced Computer Architecture

ECE 588 Hardware Acceleration for Machine Learning

Electrical and computer engineers contribute to diverse and challenging application areas. This includes problems at all scales, from nanotechnology to large-scale power grids, from miniature electronics devices to networks of billions of nodes among others. 

The Illinois Tech ECE undergraduate programs prepare students for successful careers in the corporate sector, government agencies, or for further study in graduate or professional schools, and they provide students with flexibility consistent with their interests.

Our alumni have gone on to find exciting career opportunities in everything from small to giant product development companies, manufacturers, service providers across many fields, and government agencies.

Electrical and computer engineers are instrumental in many areas including telecommunications, computer systems, energy systems, control systems, semiconductors, aerospace, health care, biomedical engineering, security, transportation, defense, and more.

Can I attain a master’s degree through an online program at Illinois Tech?

The ECE Department at Illinois Tech has been offering ABET accredited online master’s programs since the early 1980s. The online courses are the courses we teach on campus, they are the same. All the material and requirements whether you are in the classroom or watching from your computer are the same. The only difference being a face-to-face meeting with the faculty can be attained through Zoom or other forms of video conferencing.

How do I enroll in online classes?

Dr. Saniie, chair of the ECE department, will meet with students via Zoom for online advising for course and individual project selections and choice of two transfer courses. You will then receive your PIN to register for courses. Once you are admitted email Joanette Catino, catino@iit.edu to set up a Zoom appointment with Dr. Saniie.

How do I register for classes?

Once admitted you will receive email instructions on how to register. Instructions are also available on the Registrar’s website under “How to Register”: www.iit.edu/registrar/registration/how-register

How do I pay for courses?

See the Student Accounting Website for payment plans, www.iit.edu/student-accounting and email them with any questions you have sa@iit.edu

Where is the list of courses offered online for fall 2020 for the ECE Department?

All ECE 400/500-level courses are online.

To find a list of courses available for fall 2020 click here.

To see all 400-level course offerings in the ECE Department go to catalog.iit.edu//undergraduate/courses/ece/

To see all 500-level courses visit: catalog.iit.edu/graduate/courses/ece/

What times are courses offered, given the time difference? 

Courses have a scheduled time but are recorded so that students can access them at their convenience. Courses are taught via Collaborate Ultra, a secured account, that students will be provided access to through their Illinois Tech Portal. Instructors will send communications to you through Blackboard and email with instructions on how to submit homework and how exams will be conducted. The Office of Digital Recording proctor exams to ensure integrity of the test results.

How do I transfer my credits?

After you have chosen your courses for transfer credit with Dr. Saniie you will submit an e-form transfer request through the Graduate Degree Works in your Illinois Tech Portal.

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We’re Hiring!

The ECE department is running a faculty search in Advanced Semiconductors. Consider joining Chicago’s only tech-focused university!

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Professional Master’s Degrees in Emerging Technologies

Learn how to overcome challenges in today's emerging fields with our new professional master’s degrees in wireless communications and computer networks, internet of things, and computer vision and control.

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Faculty Research

Our faculty members are renowned experts in energy, medical imaging, computer networks, and other cutting-edge disciplines in the field.

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ECE Student Research

Student Research

Students will find opportunities to work side-by-side with faculty, researching emerging technologies and the most pressing problems society will face in the coming decades.

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Dane Yamashiro (EE/M.S. EE 4th Year) with his family visiting Rome’s Colosseum

Experience Learning ECE Abroad

Students can earn course credits and have the opportunity to live in another country through the Ecole Nationale Supérieure de l’Electronique French AMerican Exchange program, among others.

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“I decided to pursue a degree in computer engineering based on my undergraduate coursework at Illinois Tech. I was instantly hooked on computer design after being a part of Dr. Borkar’s ECE 242 Digital Computers and Computing class. I found the machine languages that we were learning fascinating and the introductory material to pipelining made me interested in continuing to learn about computer organization and design.”

—David Arnold (EE/M.S. CPE ’19, Ph.D. CPE Candidate)

“It is a very rigorous program that works you very hard. This trains you for the real world so that you can come up with solutions to problems quickly.”

Samuel Rarick (ECE ’17)

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ECE Fast Facts

Contact Electrical and Computer Engineering

Phone

312.567.3400

Email

ece@iit.edu

Department Type

Academic

Office Location

Electrical and Computer Engineering
Siegel Hall
3301 South Dearborn Street, Suite 103
Chicago, IL 60616