2025-2026 Academic Catalog

Welcome to Virginia Tech! We are excited that you are here planning your time as a Hokie.

View Undergraduate Section View Graduate Section

Explore Programs

Search Courses

Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering

Networking & Cybersecurity Major

Course List
Code	Title	Credits
Degree Core Requirements
ECE 1004	Introduction to ECE Concepts (C)	3
ECE 2024	Circuits and Devices (C)	3
ECE 2514	Computational Engineering (C)	3
ECE 2544	Fundamentals of Digital Systems (C)	3
ECE 2564	Embedded Systems (C)	3
ECE 2804	Integrated Design Project (C)	2
ECE 3514	Data Structures & Algorithms (C-)	3
ECE 3574	Applied Software Design (C-)	3
Subtotal		23
Major Requirements
ECE 2214	Physical Electronics (C)	3
ECE 2714	Signals and Systems (C)	3
ECE 3504	Principles of Computer Architecture (C)	3
ECE 3564	Introduction to Computer Networking (C-)	3
ECE 4564	Network Application Design	3
ECE 4560	Computer and Network Security Fundamentals	3
CS 4264	Principles of Computer Security	3
Subtotal		21
Additional Course Requirements
MATH 2114	Introduction to Linear Algebra (C-)	3
MATH 2204	Introduction to Multivariable Calculus	3
STAT 4714	Probability and Statistics for Electrical Engineers	3
MATH 2534	Introduction to Discrete Mathematics	3
or MATH 3034	Introduction to Proofs
Career Bridge Experience ¹
ENGE 3900	Bridge Experience	0
Subtotal		12
Elective Courses
Secondary Focus Elelctives		9
Free Electives		2
Subtotal		11
Pathways to General Education
Pathways Concept 1 - Discourse
ENGL 1105	First-Year Writing (1F)	3
ENGL 1106	First-Year Writing (1F)	3
ECE 4805 & ECE 4806	Senior Design Project and Senior Design Project (1A)	6
Pathways Concept 2 - Critical Thinking in the Humanities
Select six hours in Pathway 2		6
Pathways Concept 3 - Reasoning in the Social Sciences
Select six hours in Pathway 3		6
Pathways Concept 4 - Reasoning in the Natural Sciences
PHYS 2305	Foundations of Physics	4
PHYS 2306	Foundations of Physics	4
Pathways Concept 5 - Quantitative and Computational Thinking
MATH 1225	Calculus of a Single Variable (5F)	4
MATH 1226	Calculus of a Single Variable (5F)	4
MATH 2214	Introduction to Differential Equations (5A ; MIN-GRADE-C-)	3
Pathways Concept 6 - Critique and Practice in Design and the Arts
Select three credits in Arts Pathway 6a		3
ENGE 1215 & ENGE 1216	Foundations of Engineering and Foundations of Engineering (6D)	4
or ENGE 1414	Foundations of Engineering Practice
Pathways Concept 7 - Critical Analysis of Identity and Equity in the United States
Pathways 7 may be met by another core concept course. If so, these 3-credit hours become free elective credits.		3
Subtotal		53
Total Credits		120

¹: Career Bridge Experiences help prepare students for post-graduation life and develop a professional identity. Internships, Co-ops, and Undergraduate Research are examples of possible Career Bridge Experiences. Students must participate in a Career Bridge Experience to complete the BSCPE degree. Because some of these experiences are not credit bearing, the ENGE 3900 course is used to track and assess student participation in Career Bridge and to record fulfillment of this degree requirement on the transcript. Students should enroll in ENGE 3900 during the semester (or one of the semesters) that they undertake the Career Bridge Experience. Enrollment in ENGE 3900 requires approval of a Career Bridge Plan. Further information about acceptable Career Bridge Experiences and the process for submitting a Career Bridge Plan are explained in ECE 1004.

Secondary Focus

The Networking and Cybersecurity Major requires 9 credits for a secondary focus area. Students have the flexibility to choose any 3 ECE courses (9 credits) at the 3xxx level or 4xxx level to meet the secondary focus requirements as long as at least one course (3 credits) is at the 4xxx level and the courses do not duplicate major courses. Alternatively, students may seek an approved individualized secondary focus. See the requirements below (page 3) for more information.

Secondary Focus Electives

The ECE secondary focus requirement consists of 3 ECE courses (9 credits) at the 3xxx level, 4xxx level, or 5xxx level where at least one course (3 credits) is at the 4xxx or 5xxx level. None of the 3 courses can duplicate a course from the student’s major. All courses used for secondary focus must be taken on an A-F basis. For purposes of satisfying the secondary focus requirements, the sum of the number of hours taken from ECE 4974 Course ECE 4974 Not Found and ECE 4994 Undergraduate Research cannot exceed 6 credits. Students in their senior year, with a 3.0 or better GPA, may enroll in 5000-level courses satisfying undergraduate degree requirements within their department with the permission of the course instructor and the Department Head. Should the student become a graduate student, these courses may not be used on the Plan of Study for a graduate degree.

The following courses are also included in the secondary focus:

Course List
Code	Title	Credits
AOE 4654	Space Weather: The Solar Wind and Magnetosphere	3
AOE 4674	Upper Atmosphere/Ionosphere Space Weather	3
CS 3214	Computer Systems	3
CS 4224	Linux Kernel Programming	3
CS 4264	Principles of Computer Security	3
CS 4504	Computer Organization	3
CS 4824	Machine Learning	3

The following courses cannot be used toward secondary focus

Course List
Code	Title	Credits
ECE 3054	Electrical Theory	3
ECE 3074	AC Circuit Analysis Laboratory	1
ECE 3254	Industrial Electronics	3
ECE 3274	Electronic Circuits Laboratory II	1
ECE 3354	Electric Power Engineering Laboratory	1
ECE 3524	Introduction to Unix for ECE	2
ECE 4944	Cybersecurity Seminar	1

Individualized Secondary Focus

(Must be preapproved by ECE Department)

Electrical and computer engineering has applications across a wide variety of fields, such as medicine, human-computer interaction, finance, and entertainment. People with ECE degrees can be entrepreneurs, patent lawyers, policy makers, and business executives. The individualized secondary focus helps students pursue these interests. This option can be used in place of a pre-defined, in-department secondary focus.

The individualized secondary focus typically is pursued via an already defined university-approved program such as a degree, major, minor, or certificate that the student has declared. Students are encouraged to select courses from these programs, subject to the guidelines below.

To begin this process, students must first meet with their academic advisor.
The student must complete a brief proposal form describing the expected added value to their major. This includes a narrative about how these courses support the student’s career goals and ability to achieve their professional aspirations. This proposal must be approved by the Director of Undergrad Program or designee.
Individualized secondary focus plans must include 3 courses within the following parameters:
1. None of the courses may duplicate the student’s ECE major requirements.
2. None of the courses can be at the 1xxx level (1xxx courses required for university-approved programs, e.g. minors, can be used for a student’s free electives).
3. A maximum of one course can be at the 2xxx level, and only if it is a requirement of a university approved program, or if the course is a prerequisite to one or more of the other two courses in the individualized secondary focus.
4. A minimum of one course must be at the 4xxx level.
If the set of courses is part of an already defined university program, the student should attach documentation to the proposal form.
If the set of three courses are not part of an already defined university-approved program, the student must also obtain written approval from the department that houses the courses.
It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that the set of courses is available to be taken in a timely manner. The ECE department is not responsible for changes of programs elsewhere in the university.

Satisfactory Progress Towards Degree

University Policy 91 outlines university-wide minimum criteria to determine if students are making satisfactory progress towards the completion of their degrees. The ECE Department fully supports this policy. Specific expectations for satisfactory progress for BSCPE and BSEE majors are as follows:

Each student must meet the minimum University-wide criteria as described in Policy 91 and summarized in the Undergraduate Catalog (under Academic Policies)
Upon completing 2 semesters in ECE, students must have satisfactorily completed ECE 2024 Circuits and Devices, ECE 2514 Computational Engineering, ECE 2544 Fundamentals of Digital Systems, MATH 2214 Introduction to Differential Equations, and PHYS 2306 Foundations of Physics
Upon completing 3 semesters in ECE, students must have satisfactorily completed ECE 2804 Integrated Design Project.
Upon attempting 90 credits, BSCPE and BSEE students must have successfully completed 33 credits of in-major courses and have 2.0 overall and in-major GPAs. (The BSCPE and BSEE in-major GPA includes all ECE courses, including repeats).

Graduation Requirements

Each student must complete at least 120 semester credit hours with a minimum overall GPA of 2.00 and a minimum in-major GPA of 2.00. In determining the Electrical Engineering in-major GPA, all ECE courses plus ENGE 4735 and ENGE 4736, including repeats, are used.

Grade Requirement

Students must earn a C or higher in the following ECE courses: ECE 1004 Introduction to ECE Concepts, ECE 2024 Circuits and Devices, ECE 2214 Physical Electronics, ECE 2514 Computational Engineering, ECE 2544 Fundamentals of Digital Systems, ECE 2564 Embedded Systems, ECE 2714 Signals and Systems, ECE 2804 Integrated Design Project.

Prerequisites:

In general, all ECE courses require a C- or better in prerequisite courses. Students must earn a C or higher in the ECE courses listed above.

Acceptable Substitutions

MATH 2405H Mathematics in a Computational Context may be substituted for MATH 2114 Introduction to Linear Algebra.
MATH 2405H Mathematics in a Computational Context + MATH 2406H Mathematics in a Computational Context may be substituted for MATH 2114 Introduction to Linear Algebra + MATH 2204 Introduction to Multivariable Calculus + MATH 2406H Mathematics in a Computational Context
ENGE 4735 Interdisciplinary Design Capstone + ENGE 4736 Interdisciplinary Design Capstone may be substituted for ECE 4805 Senior Design Project + ECE 4806 Senior Design Project. Students must successfully complete the pre-requisites needed for ECE 4805 and must be approved by the Director of the ECE Major Design Experience prior to enrolling in the ENGE sequence. These courses will also count towards the in-major GPA.

Foreign Language Requirement

Students must have had 2 years of a foreign language in high school or one year at the college level (6 credit hours) of the same language. College-level credits used to meet this requirement do not count towards the degree.

Roadmap

Plan of Study Grid
First Year
Fall Semester		Credits
ECE 1004	Introduction to ECE Concepts (C)	3
ENGE 1215	Foundations of Engineering	2
ENGL 1105	First-Year Writing	3
MATH 1225	Calculus of a Single Variable (C-)	4
Pathways 2 or 3 or 6A		3
	Credits	15
Spring Semester
ENGL 1106	First-Year Writing	3
ENGE 1216	Foundations of Engineering	2
MATH 1226	Calculus of a Single Variable	4
MATH 2114	Introduction to Linear Algebra (C-)	3
PHYS 2305	Foundations of Physics	4
	Credits	16
Second Year
Fall Semester
ECE 2024	Circuits and Devices (C)	3
ECE 2514	Computational Engineering (C)	3
ECE 2544	Fundamentals of Digital Systems (C)	3
MATH 2214	Introduction to Differential Equations (C-)	3
PHYS 2306	Foundations of Physics	4
	Credits	16
Spring Semester
ECE 2214	Physical Electronics (C)	3
ECE 2564	Embedded Systems (C)	3
ECE 2804	Integrated Design Project (C)	2
MATH 2204	Introduction to Multivariable Calculus	3
Pathways 2 or 3 or 6A		3
	Credits	14
Third Year
Fall Semester
ECE 2714	Signals and Systems	3
ECE 3504	Principles of Computer Architecture (C)	3
ECE 3514	Data Structures & Algorithms (C-)	3
STAT 4714	Probability and Statistics for Electrical Engineers	3
Pathways 2 or 3 or 6a		3
	Credits	15
Spring Semester
ECE 3574	Applied Software Design (C)	3
ECE 3564	Introduction to Computer Networking (C-)	3
Secondary Focus Elective		3
Pathways 2 or 3 or 6A		3
Free Elective		2
	Credits	14
Fourth Year
Fall Semester
ECE 4805	Senior Design Project (C-)	3
ECE 4564	Network Application Design	3
MATH 2534 or MATH 3034	Introduction to Discrete Mathematics or Introduction to Proofs	3
Secondary Focus Elective		3
Pathways 2 or 3 or 6A		3
	Credits	15
Spring Semester
ECE 4806	Senior Design Project	3
ECE 4560	Computer and Network Security Fundamentals	3
CS 4264	Principles of Computer Security	3
Secondary Focus Elective		3
Pathways 7 or Free Elective (if Pathways 7 double counted)		3
ENGE 3900	Bridge Experience	0
	Credits	15
	Total Credits	120