Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering

John M. Hutson Associate Professor and Academic Chair
Greg G. Nordstrom, Professor
Stephanie Weeden-Wright, Professor of Practice

The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering is responsible for the curriculum leading to the ABET accredited Bachelor of Science degree with a major in electrical and computer engineering.

The ECE major offers two tracks, or areas of concentration, specifically computer engineering and electrical engineering. Both are built upon a common set of core courses. Beyond this common core, each has its own concentration courses and technical electives, as detailed in the major requirements below.

The electrical and computer engineering curriculum is designed to equip graduates with the knowledge and skills necessary for entry-level engineering jobs in industry or for the pursuit of a graduate degree in electrical engineering, computer engineering, or computer science. Specifically, it provides knowledge of current electrical and computer technology, the design techniques and tools pertinent to it, and a solid grounding in the mathematics and science that underlie both current and future technology in this field. Knowledge of current technology is required to make our graduates valuable from their first day of employment. Knowledge of the basics is required for lifelong learning, which is necessary for career-long professional growth in a world of rapidly advancing technological complexity. We continually strive to integrate and balance these two areas.

Distinctives of the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department

Lipscomb’s electrical and computer engineering graduates have received numerous research and teaching assistantships at such prestigious schools as Harvard, Columbia, and Vanderbilt. Likewise, graduates have taken positions in local companies, such as Nashville Electric Service, Bonitron, and Wright Industries; regional companies, such as TLC Engineering for Architecture, I.C. Thomasson Associates, Inc.; and national companies, including Intel, Lexmark, Jacobs Engineering, John Deere Electronic Solutions, Schneider Electric, and Badger Magnetics. Our students consistently score well above the national average on the professional engineering exam and have achieved a high placement rate upon graduation. The ECE faculty has both the academic and industrial experience to give our students the necessary preparation to be successful. On the basis of this record and the rapid growth of the electrical and computer industries, graduates have every reason for optimism regarding their professional prospects.

Program Educational Objectives

The educational objectives of the Electrical and Computer Engineering program at Lipscomb University are designed to prepare and produce graduates who, after the first few years of their professional career, have been successful in:

The practice of engineering by:
- maturing as professionals employed in industrial, governmental, educational or consulting positions with ever-increasing responsibilities and influence;
- being recognized as individuals whose interaction with their employers, coworkers, and neighbors is characterized as considerate, moral, and ethical;
The acquisition of new knowledge and skills by:
- earning advanced degrees in engineering and related fields;
- actively participating in ongoing professional development;
- refining and adapting their fundamental skills to keep pace with a rapidly changing environment;
The application of their talents to serving others by:
- being actively engaged in programs and initiatives which leverage their engineering competence and other skills in ways beneficial to their community, their church, their profession and society as a whole.

Career Opportunities

Electrical engineers design and build a wide range of electrical and electronic systems including hybrid automobile motors and batteries, communication systems (including cellular phone networks), electrical power transmissions systems (such as the emerging “smart grid”) and even alternative energy sources such as solar panels and wind turbines.

Computer engineers create next-generation computer systems by developing new computer architectures, high-speed processor chips and memory systems, digital displays and digital networks. They design both large and small systems, from the super computers used in space and high-energy physics research to the tiny embedded microprocessors used in a wide variety of applications such as automobiles, airplanes, appliances, traffic control systems, heating and cooling systems and many other modern products.

Both electrical engineers and computer engineers are involved in the autonomous control of mechanical systems, commonly called robotics. In the commercial world, they develop consumer electronics such as smart phones, game consoles, and an array of internet-connected appliances and devices. In our nation’s defense industry, electrical and computer engineers develop new systems to protect our freedom, while in the academic world they do research in new and innovative ways to apply technology. Also, electrical and computer engineers work to develop and deliver future green technologies to satisfy the world’s increasing demand for energy while protecting and sustaining our planet’s finite resources.

Program of Study Requirements

Major