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Electrical Engineering

Holmes 483
2540 Dole Street
Honolulu, HI 96822
Tel: (808) 956-7586
Fax: (808) 956-3427
E-mail: eeoffice@spectra.eng.edu
Web: www-ee.eng.hawaii.edu

Faculty

* Graduate Faculty

• *A. Kuh, PhD (Chair)--neural networks, communications
• A. M. Bullock, PhD--physical electronics, lasers
• *R. Chattergy, PhD--power electronics
• *J. C. Chiao, PhD--microwaves, microelectromechanical systems, optoelectronics, optical networks
• *M. DeLisio, PhD--electromagnetic theory, microwaves
• *T. P. Dobry, PhD--digital systems, computers
• *M. Fossorier, PhD--coding theory, communication algorithms, magnetic recording
• *N. T. Gaarder, PhD--communication theory, information theory
• *A. Hac, PhD--software systems, telecommunication networks
• *J. W. Holm-Kennedy, PhD--applied solid-state physics, solid-state devices, IC technology
• A. Host-Madsen, PhD--communications signal processing, CDMA communications, multiuser communications, equalization
• *E. S. Kim, PhD--solid-state devices, integrated sensors
• *F. T. Koide, PhD--biomedical engineering, operational amplifiers, electronic circuits
• *V. Malhotra, PhD--physical electronics, solid-state devices
• *A. E. Quilici, PhD--artificial intelligence, natural language processing
• *G. H. Sasaki, PhD--computer communication networks, performance evaluation, optimization algorithms
• *W. A. Shiroma, PhD--electromagnetic theory, microwaves
• *M. J. S. Smith, PhD--computer-aided analog integrated circuit design
• *V. L. Syrmos, PhD--linear system theory, control theory
• *G. T. Uehara, PhD--integrated circuits, communication systems
• *J. R. Yee, PhD--computer communications networks, network optimization, stochastic models
• *D. Y. Y. Yun, PhD--networked computing, intelligent systems, 3D imaging, tele-health, resource planning

Cooperating Graduate Faculty

• W. W. Peterson, PhD--computer software
• R. Rocheleau, PhD--photovoltaics, sensors, thin films
• S. K. Sharma, PhD--thin films, amorphous materials and ceramics, instrumentation development

Degrees Offered: BS in electrical engineering, MS in electrical engineering, PhD in electrical engineering

The Academic Program

Electrical engineering (EE) is concerned with the basic forms of energy that run our world and the exciting fields of electronics and information technology. Electronics continues to bring forth new breakthroughs in solid-state technology (transistors, integrated circuits, LSI and VLSI chips, microprocessors, lasers, optical fibers), which in turn fuel the unprecedented revolution in telecommunications (World Wide Web, voice, and data), computers (neural network, distributed, and intelligent), instrumentation (biomedical, intelligent), and many other areas.

The undergraduate and graduate programs focus on three major areas: computers (architecture, algorithms, networking, and software), electro-physics (solid-state devices and sensors, analog and digital circuit design, and electromagnetic fields and microwaves) and systems (telecommunications, automatic controls, and power). The undergraduate and graduate programs require students to major in one of these three areas.

The culmination of the undergraduate program is the capstone design project; this is a significant project that integrates the design content of previous courses while satisfying realistic constraints.

Undergraduate Study

Bachelor's Degree

The BS degree program requires a minimum of 124 credit hours. The departmental requirements consist of 48 credit hours of basic courses and 23 credit hours of technical electives. Students must major in one of the three tracks (computers, electro-physics, or systems).

All electives are subject to the approval of an adviser. Enrollment in EE courses requires a grade of C or better in all prerequisite courses.

College Requirements
Students must complete the General Education Core courses for engineering (see "Undergraduate Programs" within the College of Engineering).

Departmental Requirements
Students must complete a total of 71 credit hours including the following:

• EE 101 Electrical Engineering Skills (3)
• EE 160 Programming for Engineers (4) 
• EE 260 Introduction to Digital Design (4)
• EE 211 Basic Circuit Analysis (4)
• EE 213 Basic Lab Measurements and Techniques (4) 
• EE 224 Physical Electronics (3)
• EE 315 Signal and System Analysis (3)
• EE 323 Basic Electronics/Lab (3/1)
• EE 341 Introduction to Communication Systems/Lab (3/1)
• EE 342 Probability and Statistics (3)
• EE 371 Fields and Waves I (3)
• PHYS 274 General Physics III (3)
• ME 311 Thermodynamics (3) or CE 270 Applied Mechanics I (3)
• MATH 302 Introduction to Differential Equations I (3)
• Technical electives (23)

Technical Electives
There are 23 credits of technical electives required; at least 17 of these credits are in one of the major tracks (computers, electro-physics, systems,) and at least 3 of the credits are outside the major track. The major track requirements must include all courses in Group I and 6 credits of projects (EE 296/396/496) that culminate in the capstone design experience; the remaining major track courses are from Group II. The three credits outside the major track must be above the 300 level.

Computers Track:

• Group I: EE 361/361L, 366, 367/367L
• Group II: EE 449, 461, 467, 468

Electro-Physics Track:

• Group I: EE 326/326L, 327, 372/372L
• Group II: EE 328/328L, 422/422L, 423, 426, 427, 473, 474, 477

Systems Track:

• Group I: EE 351/351L, 415
• Group II: EE 331/331L, 435, 436, 437, 442, 446, 449, 452, 453

Graduate Study

Master's Degree

Intended candidates for the MS degree in electrical engineering must present the BS degree in electrical engineering or the equivalent.

Requirements
Only Plan A (thesis) is offered. This program requires 30 credit hours in approved technical courses including one graduate seminar in electrical engineering or a related field. This plan requires 9 credit hours in EE 700 Thesis Research and a minimum of 12 credit hours in 600-level courses in a major track (computers, electro-physics, or systems), 6 credit hours in 400- or higher-level courses outside of the major track (engineering, mathematics, science), and 3 credit hours of electives in 400- and higher-level courses.

Doctoral Degree

Intended candidates for the PhD degree in electrical engineering must present the BS degree in electrical engineering or its equivalent. Applicants are required to submit the GRE General Test scores. PhD students are required to achieve a good, broad understanding of electrical engineering fundamentals and a thorough knowledge, up to its present state, in a chosen specialty. Students must perform research in their special field under the guidance of a faculty adviser and present a dissertation that is an original contribution to electrical engineering. The dissertation must be a scholarly presentation suitable for publication.

Requirements
PhD students are required to specialize in a major track (computers, electro-physics, or systems) and show competence in a minor track. In addition to the MS course credit requirements, 9 credit hours of 600-level course work in the major track and 3 credit hours of 600-level course work in a minor track are required. All PhD students must also participate in a substantial teaching project and demonstrate competence in teaching.

Intended candidates for the PhD degree must take a qualifying examination covering electrical engineering fundamentals. Students must demonstrate superior understanding of these fundamentals and the potential to do research. The qualifying examination will be offered about one week after registration every fall and spring semester. It must be passed during a student's first three semesters in the PhD program. Students who do not pass will be dropped from the PhD program.

After passing the qualifying examination, students are advanced to candidacy and must have a doctoral committee appointed within two semesters. The committee should consist of at least five members, one of whom must be in a department other than electrical engineering. After appointment of the committee, students should work out a tentative program of courses that meets with the committee's approval.

Comprehensive Examination
When students have completed most of their course work, they must pass a comprehensive examination before research is undertaken. This consists of an oral examination given by the entire committee; it may be preceded, at the discretion of individual committee members, by an additional oral or written examination. Students who fail may repeat the examination only once, no sooner than three months after the first examination. Once students pass the comprehensive examination, they may proceed with dissertation research.

Final Examination
At the conclusion of the research, students write a dissertation that must be approved by a majority of the doctoral committee. Finally, students must pass another oral examination covering primarily the dissertation.

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