Computer Engineering

The Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering (CompE) combines education in hardware and software development, with students gaining the background necessary to become broadly-educated professionals who are knowledgeable in both domains, understanding how the domains interact, restrict, or enable interdependent capabilities.

Core coursework encompasses the physical and mathematical sciences, object-oriented programming, algorithms, data structures, software engineering, technical communications, circuits and systems, microprocessors, embedded systems, and operating systems. The major also offers the opportunity to build a strong foundation in network design and development, signal processing, mobile computing, sensor systems, semiconductor devices, testing and quality assurance, and project management, among others.

This major is jointly offered by the Division of Computing & Software Systems (CSS) and the Division of Engineering & Mathematics (E&M).

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Navigate other pages:

  1. Getting Started with Computer Programming
  2. Admissions
  3. Curriculum Overview
  4. Capstone Requirement
  5. Academic Advising
  6. Student Forms & Resources
  7. CSS Registration & Waitlists

Accreditation & licensure

In September 2017, the University of Washington Bothell Computer Engineering program received full ABET accreditation. All graduates of the program are retroactively included under the umbrella of the ABET accreditation.

Please visit the the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) website to learn more about the accreditation. Students who have questions about licensure requirements and the effect ABET accreditation has in the State of Washington should access the related Department of Licensing site for more information.

Objectives & outcomes

Program educational objectives

Five to ten years after completing their degrees, our graduates will:

  1. Become engineering/computing professionals who can assume leadership roles, technical or managerial, in computer engineering and related fields.
  2. Be successful in pursuing advanced studies in computer engineering and related fields.
  3. Become contributing citizens who are conscientious of ethical and societal responsibilities.
  4. Become effective communicators in professional and non-professional environments and be able to function as a team member.

Learning outcomes

These are the abilities that we aim our graduates to have attained upon completion of the degree.

  • Outcome 1: an ability to identify, formulate, and solve complex engineering problems by applying principles of engineering, science, and mathematics.
  • Outcome 2: an ability to apply engineering design to produce solutions that meet specified needs with consideration of public health, safety, and welfare, as well as global, cultural, social, environmental, and economic factors.
  • Outcome 3: an ability to communicate effectively with a range of audiences.
  • Outcome 4: an ability to recognize ethical and professional responsibilities in engineering situations and make informed judgments, which must consider the impact of engineering solutions in global, economic, environmental, and societal contexts.
  • Outcome 5: an ability to function effectively on a team whose members together provide leadership, create a collaborative and inclusive environment, establish goals, plan tasks, and meet objectives.
  • Outcome 6: an ability to develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze and interpret data, and use engineering judgment to draw conclusions.
  • Outcome 7: an ability to acquire and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies.

Below is annual enrollment and graduation data for each academic year the program has existed. New enrollment in autumn quarter is a subset of the total enrollment. The number of graduates is for students graduating in that academic year, and is not an indication of how many enrolled students that year went on to graduate.

Enrollment & graduation data

Academic YearTotal Enrollment
in Autumn Quarter
New Enrollment
in Autumn Quarter
Number of Graduates in Academic Year (autumn through summer)
2014-2015991
2015-201619114
2016-2017251110
2017-201826185
2018-2019391910
2019-2020401414
2020-202156329
2021-2022743215

Faculty

Most of the courses in the Computer Engineering program are taught by faculty in these divisions of the School of STEM:

The links above take you to pages that list the faculty in each Division and briefly describe their background and interests.

Faculty coordinators

Kaibao Nie

Associate Teaching Professor and Computer Engineering Coordinator

Email: niek@uw.edu

Yang Peng

Assistant Professor and Computer Engineering Coordinator

Email: yangpeng@uw.edu