RICHARDSON, Texas (Sept. 20, 2006) — The Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science at The University of Texas at Dallas (UTD) will provide undergraduates with yet another degree option — a bachelor of science in computer engineering. Students can begin studying under the new program, which was recently approved by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, beginning in fall 2007.
A primary objective of the program is to train computer engineers to satisfy the design and development needs of both local and state industry, as well as prepare them to be innovators and policy makers. Under the program, faculty in the Jonsson School will provide the education needed to create engineers who are able to identify emerging problems and develop innovative solutions utilizing state-of-the-art technologies.
“A computer engineering degree is among the most sought-after degrees in academia today,” said Dr. Cy Cantrell, associate dean for academic affairs in the Jonsson School. “The immediate result we’ll see is increased enrollment, but more importantly, our students will now have a seamless transition to our existing master’s degree program, and, ultimately the Ph.D. degree in computer engineering.”
A strong existing graduate program in computer engineering was the catalyst for the new offering, and the need was reinforced by a report to the Board of Regents of The University of Texas System that was authored by the Washington Advisory Group in 2004. The group found that computer engineering was an area of emphasis that had been overlooked.
“There aren’t any tier one schools with only two departments within their schools of engineering and computer science,” Cantrell noted. “We are in the process of adding departments in other engineering areas, and this is a tremendous first step.”
More importantly, he said, the new program will provide UTD students with a total of five degree programs within engineering and computer science that cover the education process from a bachelor’s degree to a Ph.D.
“The new degree dovetails with UTD’s long-range academic plans and will ensure that UTD continues to produce exceptional engineers who are well prepared for the workplace,” Cantrell said.
The interim director of the new computer engineering degree program is Dr. William J. Pervin, a professor of electrical engineering, computer science and mathematics at UTD.
About UTD
The University of Texas at Dallas, located at the convergence of Richardson, Plano and Dallas in the heart of the complex of major multinational technology corporations known as the Telecom Corridor®, enrolls more than 14,500 students. The school’s freshman class traditionally stands at the forefront of Texas state universities in terms of average SAT scores. The university offers a broad assortment of bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degree programs. For additional information about UTD, please visit the university’s website at www.utdallas.edu.