Computer usage in engineering education

Summary form only given. Minimal requirements for electrical engineering and computer engineering courses are examined. It is noted that, at the undergraduate level, the introduction of courses such as digital systems, programming languages, microprocessors, and computer architecture in an electrical engineering degree which has remained at four-years duration has necessitated a corresponding reduction of courses in traditional areas such as electromagnetics and control. As a consequence, today's electrical engineer is much mode knowledgeable in computers but less sophisticated in analytical methods than those of 20 years ago. While this shift in educational goals is inevitable, and probably desirable for the industry-bound engineer with a B.S. degree, it poses serious problems in graduate study and research. >