The Bachelor of Science program in Computer Engineering Technology is a program that builds on the Vermont Tech associate's degree in Computer Engineering Technology or any accredited two-year associate's degree in Computer Engineering Technology.
This program offers a balanced treatment of hardware, software, and administrative (or "systems") topics. As with the two-year degree at Vermont Tech, this program explores what goes on "under the hood" of a computer system. Digital electronics and computer architecture are explored, as well as topics in programming, networks, and system administration. This broad-based approach is intended to give graduates a diverse range of career options.
Computer technology is a rapidly evolving field. Today's topics may be of no interest in 10 years. Vermont Tech's approach is to give students a good foundation in all aspects of computer technology so that they can adapt to changes in the field. Also, because hardware, software, and systems topics often overlap in the real world, Vermont Tech's preparation will equip graduates to properly evaluate the entire computer system they are working with and understand how all of its aspects interact.
Qualified students from Vermont Tech's Computer Engineering Technology three-year option and the AE.CPE program may continue in the BS.CPE program after completion of their associate's degrees. Recent graduates of other accredited two-year computer engineering technology programs should be able to enter the junior year with little or no additional coursework.
However, students coming from a related two-year degree (for example electrical engineering technology) or who have been out of school for awhile, might need to take some extra classes before being fully prepared for the junior year of this program. Each incoming student will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Prospective students are encouraged to contact the admissions office with any questions regarding admission into the junior year.
A graduate of Vermont Tech's Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering Technology program should be able to:
- Analyze, design, implement, and troubleshoot digital systems, and use a hardware description language to aid in describing, verifying, and synthesizing digital systems.
- Analyze, design, implement, and troubleshoot embedded microprocessor and micro-controller systems in both the hardware and software areas, as well as analyze, design, implement, and troubleshoot the interfacing circuitry to these systems.
- Evaluate new computer hardware technologies (architectures, system structure, etc) and make recommendations about such technologies based on features, performance, and cost.
- Analyze, design, implement, and troubleshoot simple digital signal processing systems, as well as understand the mathematical basis for the operation of these systems.
- Analyze, design, develop, and debug medium sized object-oriented applications written in C, C++, and/or JAVA, and have a reasonable understanding of how network applications (both client/server and distributed), multithreaded applications and graphical applications are constructed.
- Learn new programming languages easily and choose the appropriate language for a particular problem, as well as understand the concepts of programming well enough to apply those concepts in any language and even design and implement a small, specialized language, if necessary.
- Use standard software engineering tools such as debuggers, project build utilities (make), version control systems, and software design tools.
- Analyze network protocols as well as design and troubleshoot systems that interact using those protocols.
- Understand and evaluate system performance and security and use standard tools (such as network management tools, protocol analyzers, and system auditing packages) to evaluate a system, recommend actions for correcting performance problems and security issues, and implement those recommendations.
- Build system software that interacts directly with system hardware and write a device driver or other operating system module, as well as understand operating system design well enough to evaluate new systems.
- Make recommendations pertaining to the technical aspects of system policy and implement those recommendations.
- Locate, read, and understand relevant standards documents.
- Communicate clearly and interact appropriately with peers and with people in a management position.
- Demonstrate a commitment to quality, timeliness, and continuous improvement.
The minimum number of credits required for the degree is 130.
Curriculum: