Bachelor’s Degree Requirements

Electrical, computer, and cyber security engineering undergraduate degree requirements consist of five components: the basic engineering program, departmental core curriculum courses, general elective courses, technical electives, and other remaining courses.

Electrical engineering students must earn 128 credits, computer engineering students must earn 127 credits, and cyber security engineering students must earn 125 credits in order to graduate. For software engineering degree requirements, see the Software Engineering program website.

Basic Program Requirements

The basic program consists of courses that all engineering students must take. Students must have at least a 2.0 GPA within the basic program courses and a 2.0 cumulative GPA at Iowa State in order to take core engineering courses and graduate with an engineering degree from Iowa State.

BASIC PROGRAM COURSES (24 CREDITS):

  • Math 165: Calculus I and Math 166: Calculus II
  • Engl 150: Critical Thinking and Communication (see details on English Proficiency Requirements)
  • Chem 167: General Chemistry for Engineering Students or Chem 177: General Chemistry
  • CprE 185: Introduction to Computer Engineering and Problem Solving I or EE 185: Introduction to Electrical Engineering and Problem Solving I (Engr 160 is also accepted)
  • Phys 231 & 231L: Introduction to Classical Physics I
  • Engr 101: Engineering Orientation
  • Lib 160: Library Instruction

Core Courses in Electrical, Computer, and Cyber Security Engineering

The core courses are the foundation classes that all students must take to graduate with a degree in computer engineering (CprE), cyber security engineering (CybE) or electrical engineering (EE) at Iowa State. Students must have at least a 2.0 cumulative GPA in the core courses to graduate with an engineering degree.

ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING CORE COURSES (41 CREDITS):

  • CprE 281: Digital Logic
  • CprE 288: Embedded Systems I: Introduction
  • EE 201: Electric Circuits
  • EE 224: Signals and Systems I
  • EE 230: Electronic Circuits and Systems
  • EE 285: Problem Solving Methods and Tools for Electrical Engineering
  • EE 303: Energy Systems and Power Electronics
  • EE 311: Electromagnetic Fields and Waves
  • EE 322: Probabilistic Methods for Electrical Engineers
  • EE 321: Communication Systems I or EE 324: Signals and Systems II
  • EE 330: Integrated Electronics or EE 332: Semiconductor Materials and Devices

COMPUTER ENGINEERING CORE COURSES (33 CREDITS):

  • CprE 281: Digital Logic
  • CprE 288: Embedded Systems I: Introduction
  • CprE 308: Operating Systems: Principles and Practice
  • CprE 310: Theoretical Foundations of Computer Engineering
  • CprE 381: Computer Organization and Assembly Level Programming
  • ComS 309: Software Development Practices
  • ComS 311: Design and Analysis of Algorithms or CprE 315x: Applications of Algorithms in Computer Engineering
  • EE 201: Electric Circuits
  • EE 230: Electronic Circuits and Systems

CYBER SECURITY ENGINEERING CORE COURSES (37 CREDITS):

  • CybE 230: Cyber Security Fundamentals
  • CybE 231:  Cyber Security Concepts and Tools
  • CybE 234:  Legal, Professional, and Ethical Issues in Cyber Systems
  • CybE 331:  Application of Cryptographic Concepts to Cyber Security
  • CprE 281: Digital Logic
  • CprE 288: Embedded Systems I: Introduction
  • CprE 308: Operating Systems: Principles and Practice
  • CprE 310: Theoretical Foundations of Computer Engineering
  • CprE 381: Computer Organization and Assembly Level Programming
  • ComS 309: Software Development Practices
  • ComS 311: Design and Analysis of Algorithms or CprE 315x: Applications of Algorithms in Computer Engineering

General Education Requirements

Both Iowa State University and industry want our graduates to be well-rounded professionals who can interact with their coworkers, business clients, and society. General education electives are an important part of your electrical or computer engineering degree program. These courses can help you develop or expand skills necessary to achieve success within both industry and society.

All general education electives must be reviewed with an academic advisor and/or faculty mentor. If you have transferred general education courses from another institution, you should discuss the general education requirements with your academic advisor to ensure all requirements have been met.

GENERAL EDUCATION COURSE REQUIREMENTS (15 CREDITS):

  • 3 credits of U.S. Diversity
  • 3 credits of International Perspectives
  • 6 credits at 300-level or higher
  • English 250: Written, Oral, Visual, and Electronic Composition
  • English 314: Technical Communication

In addition, general education courses do not include:

  • courses in engineering, physical sciences, mathematics, or computer science
  • “trade” courses (such as music lessons and groups, applied arts, physical education, etc.)
  • remedial courses
  • courses taken on a Pass/Not Pass basis

Please check the General Education List list to ensure the course(s) you wish to take will be accepted.

Technical Elective Requirements

Technical electives are courses that allow for more in-depth study in a specialty area of your choice. All technical electives must be taken from an approved list of computer engineering technical electives or electrical engineering technical electives. For technical elective lists for current or past course catalogs, see Flowcharts and Technical Electives Lists.

COMPUTER ENGINEERING TECHNICAL ELECTIVE COURSES (21 CREDITS): **New as of F2019

  • At least 9 credits of CprE electives
  • 6 credits of Computational Thinking Electives
  • 6 credits of Tech Electives

In addition, computer engineering students may declare a CprE Supplemental Area of Focus, which will help determine which technical electives the student should take. See the Supplemental Focus Areas for Computer Engineering list (PDF) for details.

CYBER SECURITY ENGINEERING TECHNICAL ELECTIVE COURSES (21 CREDITS): 

  • At least 12 credits of Cyber Security Electives
  • 3 credits of Computer Engineering Tech Electives
  • 6 credits of Tech Electives

ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING TECHNICAL ELECTIVE COURSES (18 CREDITS):

  • 12 credits in EE or CprE (including one approved sequence)
  • 6 credits from EE, CprE, or non-EE/CprE technical electives

Other Remaining Courses

In addition to basic program, core curriculum, and other required electives, students must take certain engineering, math, physical science, computer science, and English courses in order graduate.

Examples of those courses are below:

  • Math 265: Calculus III
  • Math 267: Elementary Differential Equations and Laplace Transforms
  • Math 207: Matrices and Linear Algebra
  • Phys 232 : Introduction to Classical Physics II (Electrical Engineering Majors only)
  • EE/CprE 491: Senior Design Project I and Professionalism
  • EE/CprE 492: Senior Design Project II
  • I E 305: Engineering Economic Analysis

Students may also obtain credit for seminars, co-ops, and internships, but no internship/co-op is required in order to graduate.

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