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You are here: Home / Undergraduate Programs / Majors / Computer Science and Engineering

Computer Science and Engineering

Computer Science and Engineering is designed to provide students with the fundamentals of computer science, both hardware and software, and the application of engineering concepts, techniques, and methods to both computer systems engineering and software system design. The program gives students access to multidisciplinary problems in engineering with a focus on total systems engineering. Students learn the computer science principles that are critical to development of software, hardware, and networking of computer systems. From that background, engineering concepts and methods are added to give students exposure to circuit design, network design, and digital signal processing.

Computer Science and Engineering

Major Requirement – CSE 90 -2 Units will ONLY be offered Winter quarters.

If you require authorization for an ICS, Comp Sci or IN4MTX course, please contact the School of ICS. Only ICS can authorize for ICS courses.

Degree Requirements
  • Degree Requirements
  • Prerequisite Flowchart
  • Sample Program of Study
  • Technical Electives and Basic Science Electives are Required–see below 
Sample Program PDF

The sample template below is to help you create your own 4-year plan. Please note some courses may get full and when that happens you will have to adjust your schedule accordingly. You are welcome to speak to an advisor if this happens or if you have questions about moving classes around.

CSE 4 year plan POS 7.0Download
Graded Prerequisites

The following CSE major courses require a grade of C or better to proceed to the next course and future upper division requirements.

  • EECS 31
  • I&C SCI 31
  • I&C SCI 32
  • I&C SCI 33
  • I&C SCI 45C
  • I&C SCI 46

Please review the CSE catalogue for specific requirements.

Core Courses for your Final Year

Fall quarter of Senior year all students must be registered for the following core courses. Failure to do so will lead to requiring an additional year due to both courses only being offered once per year during the fall quarter.

  • EECS 159A – requires COMPSCI 145 as a prerequisite.

Winter quarter of Senior year:

  • EECS 159B – requires EECS 159A as a prerequisite.

    This is in addition to Technical Elective, Basic sciences elective requirements, ENGR 190W and any other pending requirements. Please review your Degreeworks to ensure you are satisfying your requirements.
Technical Electives

Students must complete a minimum of two courses (3 or more units each) of
technical electives chosen from the following:

Computer Science: 100 – 189 (except COMPSCI 121)
Electrical Engineering & Computer Science: 100 – 189, 199**
Informatics: 100 – 139
ENGR 7A & 7B*

Notes:

  • *ENGR 7A & 7B must both be taken to count as a technical elective. ENGR 7A & 7B are
    available only to first-year students in Fall & Winter quarters.
  • **Four (4) units of 199 coursework count as one technical elective. At most, an aggregate total of 6 units of EECS 199 may be used to satisfy degree requirements; EECS 199 is open to students with a 3.0 GPA or higher.
  • EECS 118 and COMPSCI 171 may not both be taken for credit toward the degree.
  • Basic Science Electives and Technical Electives are taken in addition to core degree requirements
  • EECS 197 is not approved to count as a TE.
Basic Science Electives

Students must complete two basic science electives selected from any Cat II
General Education except for those courses that are Computer Science & Engineering,
Engineering, ICS, Economics, or Math related. This includes AP Physics courses!

Art History (ART HIS)
ART HIS 55Disneyland
Biological Sciences (BIO SCI)
BIO SCI 1ALife Sciences
BIO SCI 6Tropical Biology: Race to Save the Tropics
BIO SCI 8Evolution and the Modern World
BIO SCI 9ANutrition Science
BIO SCI 9BBiology and Chemistry of Food and Cooking
BIO SCI 9EHorticulture Science
BIO SCI 9JBiology of Oriental Medicine
BIO SCI 9KGlobal Change Biology
BIO SCI 12Molecular Basis of Human Disease
BIO SCI 17Evolutionary Psychology
BIO SCI 23Sustainable Landscaping: Design and Practices
BIO SCI 35The Brain and Behavior
BIO SCI 36Drugs and the Brain
BIO SCI 37Brain Dysfunction and Repair
BIO SCI 38Mind, Memory, Amnesia, and the Brain
BIO SCI 41Aspects of Mood Disorder
BIO SCI 44Stem Cells and Brain Repair
BIO SCI 45AIDS Fundamentals
BIO SCI 47Stress
BIO SCI 48The Mind-Body Connection in the Neuroscience of Well-Being
BIO SCI 55Introduction to Ecology
BIO SCI 56Life Sciencing from Aristotle to Venter
BIO SCI 70Introduction to Vaccines
BIO SCI 75Human Development
BIO SCI H90The Idiom and Practice of Science
BIO SCI 93From DNA to Organisms
BIO SCI 93LDNA to Organisms – Introduction to Biology Research
BIO SCI H93Honors From DNA to Organisms
BIO SCI 94From Organisms to Ecosystems
BIO SCI 94LOrganisms to Ecosystems – Introduction to Biology Research Analysis
BIO SCI H94Honors From Organisms to Ecosystems
BIO SCI N118Clinical Psychophysiology
Biomedical Engineering (BME)
BME 3Engineering Innovations in Treating Diabetes
Chemistry (CHEM)
CHEM 1AGeneral Chemistry
CHEM 1BGeneral Chemistry
CHEM 1CGeneral Chemistry 
CHEM H2AHonors General Chemistry
CHEM H2BHonors General Chemistry
CHEM H2CHonors General Chemistry
CHEM M2AMajors General Chemistry Lecture
CHEM M2BMajors General Chemistry Lecture
CHEM M2CMajors General Chemistry Lecture
CHEM M3CMajors Quantitative Analytical Chemistry
CHEM 12Chemistry Around Us
CHEM 14Sense and Sensibility in Science
CHEM H90The Idiom and Practice of Science
Dance (DANCE)
DANCE 3Scientific Concepts of Health
Earth System Science (EARTHSS)
EARTHSS 1Introduction to Earth System Science
EARTHSS 3Oceanography
EARTHSS 5The Atmosphere
EARTHSS 7Physical Geology
EARTHSS 15Introduction to Global Climate Change
EARTHSS 17Hurricanes, Tsunamis, and Other Catastrophes
EARTHSS 19Introduction to Modeling the Earth System
EARTHSS 21On Thin Ice: Climate Change and the Cryosphere
EARTHSS 23Air Pollution: From Urban Smog to Global Change 
EARTHSS 40AEarth System Chemistry
EARTHSS 40BEarth System Biology
EARTHSS 40CEarth System Physics
Engineering (ENGR)
ENGR 1AGeneral Chemistry for Engineers
History (HISTORY)
HISTORY 60The Making of Modern Science
Informatics (IN4MATX)
IN4MATX 12Barter to Bitcoin: Society, Technology and the Future of Money
Logic and Philosophy of Science (LPS)
LPS 29Critical Reasoning
LPS 31Introduction to Inductive Logic
LPS 40The Nature of Scientific Inquiry
LPS 60The Making of Modern Science
LPS H81What is Space?
LPS H91The Philosophy and Biology of Sex
LPS H123What is Disease?
Medical Humanities Initiative (MED HUM)
MED HUM 3Art and Medicine 
Nursing Science (NUR SCI)
NUR SCI 50Nutrition Across the Lifespan
Philosophy (PHILOS)
PHILOS 3Technology and Society
PHILOS 29Critical Reasoning
PHILOS 31Introduction to Inductive Logic
Pharmaceutical Sciences (PHRMSCI)
PHRMSCI H80Drugs and Society
Physical Sciences (PHY SCI)
PHY SCI 9Introduction to Computation for Scientists and Engineers
Physics and Astronomy (PHYSICS)
PHYSICS 7E
PHYSICS 12Science Fiction and Science Fact
PHYSICS 14Energy and the Environment
PHYSICS 15Physics of Music
PHYSICS 18How Things Work
PHYSICS 19Great Ideas of Physics
PHYSICS 20AIntroduction to Astronomy
PHYSICS 20BCosmology: Humanity’s Place in the Universe
PHYSICS 20DSpace Science
PHYSICS 20ELife in the Universe
PHYSICS 21Special Topics in Physics
PHYSICS H80Impact of World War I on Science
PHYSICS H90The Idiom and Practice of Science
Psychology (PSYCH)
PSYCH 122PClinical Psychophysiology
Public Health (PUBHLTH)
PUBHLTH 2Case Studies in Public Health Practice
PUBHLTH 30Introduction to Urban Environmental Health
PUBHLTH 60Environmental Quality and Health
PUBHLTH 80AIDS Fundamentals
PUBHLTH 90Natural Disasters
Social Sciences (SOC SCI)
SOC SCI 11ABarter to Bitcoin: Society, Technology and the Future of Money
University Studies (UNI STU)
UNI STU H30ACritical Analysis of Health Science Literature
UNI STU H30BEnvironmental Issues Affecting the Sustainability of Societies I
UNI STU H30FCities: Focal Point for Sustainability Problems and Solutions II
Senior Design Information

All majors listed above MUST take Senior Design (EECS 159A-B):

  • Electrical Engineering ( EE)
  • Computer Engineering (CpE)
  • Computer Science & Engineering (CSE)

Spring of Junior Year, students should register for EECS 198 w/ Professor Dang (Senior “Pre-Design)

  • To help you self-identify whether or not you should sign up for EECS 198 next quarter:
    • TLDR version: Graduating next year, Class of 2026? Sign up for EECS 198 w/ Professor Dang in Spring’25
    • Longer version:
      1. If you are signing up for senior design project (EECS 159A) F’25 (i.e. you should be graduating class of ’26), YES you should sign up (see #5).
      2. If you are already part of a larger project (Hyperxite, UAV Forge, Race Car, etc), YES you should still sign up (see #5).
      3. If you are not signing up for senior design project (EECS 159A) F’25 (i.e. you are not graduating class of ’26), NO you should not sign up.
      4. If you have a course conflict that is not avoidable, email qpdang@uci.edu to discuss it.
      5. EECS 198 is not mandatory this year. However, if you choose not to sign up, you are accepting that you may be putting yourself at a disadvantage on EECS-specific preparations, requirements, announcements, and workshops for senior design.
        • If you have any further questions/concerns, email qpdang@uci.edu to discuss.

EECS 198 Expectations

  • Project options, team forming, and preparation will be reviewed in EECS 198
    • Create your own project
    • Get a project from your faculty advisor
    • Get a project from a corporate sponsor
    • Participate in a larger inter-departmental project TBD (Race Car, UAV Forge, Hyperxite, etc) – you should still sign up for EECS 198 as there will be relevant information shared. *approved on case-by-case basis*
    • Must be of adequate difficulty (2 quarters worth of work)
    • Should combine both software and hardware

EECS 159A, EECS 159B Expectations

  • Two quarters for design, prototyping, and verification/testing – Fall & Winter of Senior Year
    • The Fall quarter (EECS 159A) is design, documentation, & early prototype focused.
    • The Winter quarter (EECS 159B) consists of multiple build, test, refine, and document cycles.
  • Budgeting for projects are typically determined by course fees and industry sponsorship when available.
  • Team
    • A team of up to 2-4 students is typical; 5 students on a team are approved on a case-by-case basis depending on the project scope and advisor
    • It is recommended that teams consist of multiple majors (i.e. a mix of EE, CpE, CSE)
  • You will sign up for EECS 159 Lecture, Discussion, 1 main Lab session, and 1 Lab session with your primary advisor
    • A faculty advisor is required for every project team. DO NOT contact faculty advisors until instructed to do so by your Senior Capstone Coordinators. This process will be reviewed and discussed in EECS 198.
Additional Resources
  • Buzzfile Company Search Tool
  • Career Fairs – UCI Division of Career Pathways
  • How to get Involved in Research
    • Research – EECS
  • Student Organizations – EECS
  • Teaching Plan – ICS
  • Teaching Plan – Engineering
  • OAI Tutoring – ICS courses
Double Major with an ICS major

Review ICS double major restrictions.
If you have any questions regarding an ICS major, please contact the School of ICS.

Declaring an ICS minor as a CSE major – Restrictions

Declaring a Minor – UC Irvine Donald Bren School of Information & Computer Sciences


Distinctions Among Computing Degree Programs

Distinctions Among Computing Degree Programs

Winter 2024 Faculty Advising Session for Juniors
  • Zoom Recording Winter 2024
  • EECS-ICS Junior Advising Session 2024 Slides
  • Professor Ray Klefstad’s slides – Prep for a career in industry after graduation. (2022)
  • UCI Grad Programs 2024 slides from Nikki Spratt, Associate Director of Recruitment & Admissions, has presented at the faculty advising session.
  • We were fortunate to have Nikki Spratt, Associate Director of Recruitment & Admissions, present graduate programs information including M.Eng and MECPS information besides UCI Graduate Programs. Nikki has provided the following graduate program links and also information about the M.Eng Fall Capstone Showcase and Kickoff.
    • UCI Master of Engineering
    • UCI Master of Embedded and Cyber Physical Systems
    • UCI Graduate Programs
  • Students are encouraged to go to the Division of Career Pathways at https://career.uci.edu/ and make use of their free resources to current students. When you click on Undergraduates, scroll down to Jobs and Internships. There you will find a treasure-trove of information including Handshake and practice interviews. On Handshake at the bottom right you will find excellent internship tips and information
Winter 2024 Notes/links for EECS Junior Advising Session

Review past projects, review faculty listing, come up w/ a project & find advisor.
Some past senior design projects for ideas:

  • http://srproj.eecs.uci.edu/
  • https://projects.eng.uci.edu/projects/department/eecs
  • EECS Faculty info/web sites: http://engineering.uci.edu/dept/eecs/faculty-staff/faculty
  • Recap of Winter’23 Design Review: https://engineering.uci.edu/news/2023/4/seventeen-senior- design-projects-win-dean-s-choice-awards
  • Visit Winter’24 Design Review: https://engineering.uci.edu/events/2024/1/2024-annual-design-review
  • Library resources (more below): https://guides.lib.uci.edu/engr_eecs

  • Why are classes run the way they are?
    • Program Educational Objectives (PEO’s)
      • tldr: Our goal is to prepare you for industry, academia, and life-long learning
  • CpE
    • (1) be engaged in professional practice at or beyond the entry level or enrolled in high quality graduate programs building on a solid foundation in engineering, mathematics, the sciences, humanities and social sciences, and experimental practice as well as modern engineering methods;
    • (2) be innovative in the design, research and implementation of systems and products with strong problem solving, communication, teamwork, leadership, and entrepreneurial skills;
    • (3) proactively function with creativity, integrity and relevance in the ever changing global environment by applying their fundamental knowledge and experience to solve real-world problems with an understanding of societal, economic, environmental, and ethical issues.
  • CSE
    • (1) establish a productive Computer Science and Engineering career in industry, government, or academia;
    • (2) engage in professional practice of computer systems engineering and software systems engineering;
    • (3) promote the development of innovative systems and solutions using hardware and software integration;
    • (4) promote design, research, and implementation of products and services in the field of Computer Science and Engineering through strong communication, leadership, and entrepreneurial skills.
  • EE
    • (1) be engaged in professional practice in academia, industry or government;
    • (2) promote innovation in the design, research and implementation of products and services in the field of Electrical Engineering through strong communication, leadership and entrepreneurial skills;
    • (3) be engaged in life-long learning in the field of Electrical Engineering.

  • American Board of Engineering and Technology (now just ABET) Accreditation in relation to PEO’s
    • Federation of 30 professional and technical societies
    • Practicing professionals from industry and academia form the body of ABET
      • Program Evaluators
      • Board of Directors
      • Accreditation commissions (4 total)
        • Applied and Natural Science Accreditation Commission
        • Computing Accreditation Commission
        • Engineering Accreditation Commission
        • Engineering Technology Accreditation Commission
  • More info: http://abet.org/accreditation/ Who sets the curriculum? Who has a say?
    • Faculty/Staff
      • Industry
      • Alumni
      • Current Students
Spring 2023 Faculty Advising for EE/CpE/CSE Freshmen and Sophomores

Recording link for session

Here are the available presentation materials from this session:

  • EECS Advising Overview: https://tinyurl.com/eecsAdvisingS23Overview
  • Coding Interview Tips: https://tinyurl.com/eecsAdvisingS23InterviewTips

Program Faculty Advisor
Prof. Quoc-Viet Dang
qpdang@uci.edu

Academic Counselors please an advisor based on your last name

Student Last Names Loan – Zhou
Andrea Varon
avaron@uci.edu

Student Last Names Agrawal – Liu
Cesar Barrios
c.barrios@uci.edu

Computer Science & Engineering is a major within the Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS) Department and the Department of Computer Science

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