Electrical & Computer Engineering

THE MING HSIEH DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRICAL & COMPUTER ENGINEERING

Electrical & Computer Engineering is a diverse discipline encompassing computer and information systems, digital media, telecommunications and wireless technologies, nanoelectronics, lasers, robotics, display technologies, circuit design, and more.

It is the enabling technology that drives many of today’s most crucial industries and a critical field in advancing the future. In particular, it is a vital part of every industry, from biomedical engineering and health applications to telecommunications, aerospace, and information technology.

Hear From our Faculty

Check out our faculty roundtable discussion with three of our Ming Hsieh Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering faculty members, Professor Yasser Khan, Professor Feifei Qian, and Professor Murali Annavaram. This roundtable will discuss what the major is, the courses each faculty teach, research they conduct and the discipline of join us to discuss the courses they teach, the research they conduct, and the discipline of Electrical and Computer Engineering at USC Viterbi

Meet Other Faculty

ECE On The Podcast

ECE Student Blog

Learn More about Electrical & Computer Engineering (ECE) at USC through our student blog. These posts were written by USC Viterbi ECE students during their time at USC to help you better understand the discipline and their life.

Electrical

AI and ECE: How I Balance AI Use as an Engineer

I can confidently say that at some point in their college career, every engineer has been stuck on a tough…

Talise Baker-Matsuoka

High School Me vs. College Me: How my Perception of ECE has Changed

The first time I sat down in my high school physics class and was handed a box with a breadboard,…

Talise Baker-Matsuoka

Foundations That Stuck: Why EE 202 Stands Out in My ECE Journey

As a junior majoring in Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) at USC, I have just begun taking upper-division EE classes,…

Talise Baker-Matsuoka

So you think AI is cool…

Now that I'm a senior and I've been a teaching assistant for intro computer science classes in a while, I…

Anna Hsu

My East Coast Summer

This summer, I interned at Northrop Grumman in Linthicum Heights, Maryland. As someone from the Bay Area, I had always…

Hansini Ramachandran

My Summer Internship at Micron Technology!

This summer, I had the incredible opportunity to work at Micron Technology as a Process Control Engineering intern. My internship…

Victoria Aguirre

Summer 2025 Adventure Plans!

I can’t believe I’m halfway done with college. I seriously don’t know where the two years have gone but I’ve…

Hansini Ramachandran

Curriculum and Emphases

The ECE department offers an exciting diverse curriculum that prepares students with significant breadth and depth. Core sets of classes prepare students for one of three areas of emphasis: Circuit, Signals, and Systems; Computer Engineering; and Energy and Electrical Sciences. Additionally, a Computer Engineering and Computer Science degree is jointly offered by the CS and ECE Departments.

Electrical Engineering (Circuit, Signals, and Systems)

Students who choose a to focus on circuits, signals, and systems cover areas in VLSI design, media and audio systems, wireless communications, adaptive control, and mixed signal integrated circuits.

Course Plan

Electrical Engineering (Computer Engineering)

The computer engineering emphasis within electrical engineering contains courses that focus on digital hardware, embedded systems, and VLSI design.

Course Plan

Electrical Engineering (Energy and Electrical Sciences)

Courses in the energy and electrical sciences area cover nanoelectronics, integrated circuit technology, energy sources and management, mixed signal integrated circuits, and communications hardware.

Course Plan

Computer Engineering & Computer Science

(Jointly administered by the Computer Science and Electrical and Computer Engineering departments)

This program trains students to integrate hardware and software processes to design solutions to problems arising in complex domains such as atomic reactors, guidance systems, and manufacturing systems. These students graduate ready to design and build complex systems of hardware, software, and networks.

Course Plan

Have a question about Curriculum?

Research

We have a balance of programs – theoretical, computational, and experimental – which exemplify the Viterbi School’s approach to intensive and collaborative research.

Research in the Electrical & Computer Engineering department is revolutionizing nanoelectronics, information processing, telecommunications, medical diagnosis and treatment, energy and green initiatives, computer systems, and new media, among other areas. Partnerships with off-campus research institutions like the Information Sciences Institute and the Institute for Creative Technologies create unparalleled opportunities for students to work at the cutting-edge of technology.

The department’s instructional laboratories have been integrated into “studio” learning environments that combine traditional lectures with hands-on activities so that students learn by doing, not just listening. State-of-the-art instrumentation and computers support classes involving analog and digital electronics, microprocessor systems, and radio-frequency communications.

Recent Projects

Check out some recent developments from our Electrical & Computer Engineering Department.

https://vimeo.com/187727897

Faculty

Faculty will be teaching all of your classes and leading research projects as well. Your opportunities to build relationships with your faculty will begin immediately in your first year, both in the classroom and the lab.

Check out a few highlighted professors with whom you may work in the future:

Dr. Maryam Shanechi

Neural Systems Engineering & Information Processing

Her lab works at the interface of statistical inference and signal processing, machine learning, and control to develop algorithmic solutions for problems in basic and clinical neuroscience that involve the collection and manipulation of neural signals.

Dr. Paul (Dan) Dapkus

Computational Social Science Lab

In his interdisciplinary research group, researchers tackle similar research problems from different perspectives (Pyschology versus Engineering). They investigate properties of cognition at multiple levels of analysis using a mixture of computational, behavioral, and fMRI methods.

Dr. Mahta Moghaddam

Microwave Systems, Sensors, and Imaging

Her research group carries out a diverse range of research involving microwave systems and senors, environmental and medical imaging, electrostatic and acoustic scattering and inverse problems, non-contact medical therapy, and ultra-low-energy wireless sensor networks.

Dr. Shri Narayanan

Signal Analysis and Interpretation

His research group, also called SAIL, conducts fundamental and applied research in human-centered information processing. SAIL's research applications and systems development especially focus on domains with direct societal relevance including human health and well being, education, and defense.

Don't stop here.

Learn more about the cool faculty and amazing research being done at the Ming Hsieh Electrical & Computer Engineering Department:

ECE Dept. Website

Careers

Your engineering undergraduate degree will prepare you for many career and academic opportunities.

Your future with a degree in Electrical & Computer Engineering can see you pursue a number of future career paths at companies serving a variety of industries.

Whether you have always known “what you want to do when you grow up” or are hoping to find out, we are here to help you plan for your future beyond USC. We provide dedicated career services starting in your first year to help you find internships, co-ops, and full-time positions post graduation.

Develop alternative energy and green power sources

Develop wireless communication systems

Design robots and other embedded systems

Build new computer circuits, microchips, and boards for machine learning, autonomous vehicles, and the internet of things

Research and develop novel neuromorphic hardware, machine learning, and other artificial intelligence systems

Develop new biomedical imaging devices

Develop airborne and satellite electronic systems

Develop semiconductors and consumer electronics

Success After Graduation

Student Life

We want students who like to work hard – both in and out of the classroom. Our students know that going to college is more than attending class and completing assignments. College is about making connections and joining a community of dedicated students, faculty, staff, and alumni. Our students want to work and play with people as interesting as they are, and we have a number of ways for you to do the same.

Your life can be designed how you like it. Join a design team like Solar Car. Get industry advice from Institute of Electronics and Electrical Engineers. Keep making art with Corpus Callosum. On this page, we have a few student organizations we think you might be interested in, but there are so many more you can get involved in!

Institute for Electrical an Electronics Engineers

Professional Organization

IEEE at USC aims to connect student with Electrical & Computer Engineering related careers. Their general meetings allow students to network with industry representatives as well as USC faculty and staff.

Solar Car

Design/Build/Race

The Solar Car Team was founded in 2014 at USC and their mission is to design, build, and race full-size street legal solar-powered vehicles. They are currently preparing for a 2500 km race across the US.

USC Makers

Innovation in Electronics

Students offer assistance with electronics-related projects and host workshops that are open to general public in order to promote more innovation and interest in electronics.

Imagine yourself on campus.

Learn more about life at USC as an engineering student at Viterbi Voices:

Viterbi Voices

Alumni

As students, these alumni worked hard in class and didn’t stop there. From start-ups to research, they took advantage of all corners of campus in order to bring their dreams to life and succeed post-graduation. See what some of our alumni are doing now and how they reflect on their time at USC Viterbi.

Jose Ruiz

B.S. Electrical Engineering ’19

“I joined USC as a transfer student from East Los Angeles Community College and enjoyed serving as treasurer of the USC Viterbi chapter of the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers.” After graduation, Jose began working at Boeing as a Antenna RF and Array engineer. He then moved to a position at Northrop Grumman as a Communications Systems Engineer.

Yutong Gu

B.S. Electrical Engineering ’19

“I was able to take advantage of USC Viterbi’s Progressive Degree Program, and receive a B.S. and M.S. degree in five years. During my time at USC, I helped found the Makers Club, which promotes interest and innovation in electronics on campus.” After graduation, Yutong worked as a firmware engineer at Zoox- an autonomous vehicle company partnered with Amazon.

Roxanna Pakkar

B.S. Electrical Engineering ’20; M.S. Electrical Engineering ’21

While at USC Viterbi, Roxanna and four fellow female Viterbi engineering students founded Marlink- a technology that improves underwater communication technology. She and her team represented the United States at the Global Grand Challenges Summit student competition finals in London in 2019. Roxanna started her career after graduation as an embedded control systems engineer with the Aerospace Corporation in Los Angeles.

Cami Amein

B.S. Electrical & Computer Engineering ’21

“I got involved with the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) my first year and I loved it! Not only did I get to network with industry representatives in ECE, but was also an officer in IEEE, running our social media.”

Arynn Gallegos

B.S. Electrical & Computer Engineering, ’20

“As an Undergraduate Researcher in the Armani Research Lab on campus, I conducted optics and materials research and development. In the summer I worked at Sandia National Laboratories, so I’m enjoying seeing the differences between industry and research!”

More Engineering Disciplines

This area of the Viterbi School is just one of the many areas of Engineering & Computer Science. Beyond this area of study, we have ten academic disciplines spread across eight departments to make up more than thirty majors and areas of emphasis. Take some time to explore all of your interests before you apply by clicking on any area below.