Computer Science and Computer Engineering (CSCE)
Jia Di
Head of the Department
504 J.B. Hunt Center for Academic Excellence
479-575-5728
Department of Computer Science and Computer Engineering Website
The faculty of the Computer Science and Computer Engineering Department is engaged in multidisciplinary academic research, course offerings, and student projects in areas such as: networking, data security, low power chip design, Web search, embedded systems, and graphics.
The educational objectives of the department are to produce graduates who are recruited in a competitive market and make valuable contributions to a wide variety of industries, particularly in computer and information technology; succeed in graduate or professional studies; pursue life-long learning and continued professional development; and undertake leadership roles in their profession, in their communities, and in the global society.
Accreditations
The B.S. in Computer Engineering is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, www. abet.org. The B.S. in Computer Science is accredited by the Computing Accreditation Commission of ABET, www.abet.org.
Courses
CSCE 20004. Programming Foundations I. 4 Hours.
Introductory programming course for students majoring in computer science or computer engineering. Software development process: problem specification, program design, implementation, testing and documentation. Programming topics: data representation, conditional and iterative statements, functions, arrays, strings, file I/O and classes. Using C++ in a UNIX environment. Corequisite: Lab component. Prerequisite: MATH 24005 or MATH 24004 with a grade of C or better, a College of Engineering (ENGR) student, a Computer Science Minor (CSCE-M), or a math major (MATHBS or MATHBA). (Typically offered: Fall and Spring)
CSCE 20104. Programming Foundations II. 4 Hours.
This course continues developing problem solving techniques by focusing on fundamental data structures and associated algorithms. Topics include: abstract data types, introduction to object-oriented programming, linked lists, stacks, queues, hash tables, binary trees, graphs, recursion, and searching and sorting algorithms. Using C++ in a UNIX environment. Corequisite: Lab component. Prerequisite: CSCE 20004 with a grade of C or better. (Typically offered: Fall and Spring)
CSCE 20203. Introduction to Programming in Java. 3 Hours.
Introduction to programming in Java with emphasis on engineering applications. Programming techniques: data representation and expressions, conditional and iterative statements, arrays, lists, file I/O, methods. Object oriented programming: designing, implementing and using classes, collections and composite objects. Students will gain hands-on programming experience and exposure to classic engineering problem solving techniques. Prerequisite: MATH 24005 or MATH 24004, each with a grade of C or higher. (Typically offered: Irregular)
CSCE 21104. Digital Design. 4 Hours.
Introduction to the hardware aspects of digital computers, logic gates, flip-flops, reduction, finite state machines, sequential logic design, digital systems, software design tools, hardware description language (VHDL), and implementation technologies. Corequisite: Lab component. Prerequisite: MATH 24004 with a grade of C or better. (Typically offered: Fall and Spring)
This course is cross-listed with ELEG 29004.
CSCE 22104. Computer Organization. 4 Hours.
Presents the relationship between computing hardware and software with a focus on the concepts for current computers. CPU design topics are covered including various techniques for microprocessor design and performance evaluation. Corequisite: Lab component. Prerequisite: CSCE 21104 with a grade of C or better. (Typically offered: Fall and Spring)
CSCE 31903. Programming Paradigms. 3 Hours.
Programming in different paradigms with emphasis on object oriented programming and network programming. Survey of programming languages, event driven programming, and concurrency. Prerequisite: CSCE 20104 or DASC 21003, each with a grade of C or better. (Typically offered: Fall and Spring)
CSCE 319H3. Honors Programming Paradigms. 3 Hours.
Programming in different paradigms with emphasis on object oriented programming and network programming. Survey of programming languages, event driven programming, and concurrency. Prerequisite: Honors standing and (CSCE 20104 or DASC 21003, each with a grade of C or better). (Typically offered: Fall and Spring)
This course is equivalent to CSCE 31903.
CSCE 35103. Software Engineering. 3 Hours.
A modern approach to the current techniques used in software design and development. This course emphasizes the use of modern software development tools, multi-module programming, and team design and engineering. Prerequisite: CSCE 31903 or CSCE 319H3 or DASC 21003, each with a grade of C or better. (Typically offered: Fall and Spring)
CSCE 36103. Operating Systems. 3 Hours.
An introduction to operating systems including topics in system structures, process management, storage management, files, distributed systems, and case studies. Prerequisite: CSCE 20104 and CSCE 22104, each with a grade of C or better. (Typically offered: Fall and Spring)
CSCE 361H3. Honors Operating Systems. 3 Hours.
An introduction to operating systems including topics in system structures, process management, storage management, files, distributed systems, and case studies. Prerequisite: CSCE 20104 and CSCE 22104, each with a grade of C or better. (Typically offered: Spring)
This course is equivalent to CSCE 36103.
CSCE 39503. System Synthesis and Modeling. 3 Hours.
This course instructs the students in the use of modern synthesis and modeling languages and approaches for design automation. This course will teach students the use of HDLs and modeling languages for representing and implementing digital computer systems. Prerequisite: CSCE 22104 with a grade of C or better. (Typically offered: Fall)
CSCE 40103. Special Topics. 3 Hours.
Consideration of computer science topics not covered in other courses. Prerequisite: CSCE 31903 or CSCE 319H3 or DASC 21003, each with a grade of C or better. (Typically offered: Irregular) May be repeated for up to 12 hours of degree credit.
CSCE 40403. RFID Information Systems Security. 3 Hours.
Radio frequency identification (RFID) information systems provide information to users about objects with RFID tags. They require the application of information systems security (INFOSEC) to protect the information from tampering, unauthorized information disclosure, and denial of service to authorized users. This course addresses security and privacy in an RFID system. Prerequisite: INEG 23104. (Typically offered: Irregular)
CSCE 41104. Embedded Systems. 4 Hours.
The architecture, software, and hardware of embedded systems. Involves a mixture of hardware and software for the control of a system (including electrical, electro-mechanical, and electro-chemical systems). They are found in a variety of products including cars, VCRs, HDTVs, cell phones, pacemakers, spacecraft, missile systems, and robots for factory automation. Corequisite: Lab component. Prerequisite: CSCE 22104 with a grade of C or better. (Typically offered: Fall)
CSCE 41203. Programming Challenges. 3 Hours.
This course studies the principle methods used in the solution of programming contest problems, e.g., data structures strings, sorting, machine arithmetic and algebra, combinatorics, number theory, backtracking, graph traversal, graph algorithms, dynamic programming, grids, and computational geometry. Prerequisite: CSCE 31903 or CSCE 319H3, each with a grade of C or better. (Typically offered: Irregular)
CSCE 41303. Algorithms. 3 Hours.
Provides an introduction to formal techniques for analyzing the complexity of algorithms. The course surveys important classes of algorithms used in computer science and engineering. Prerequisite: (CSCE 31903 or CSCE 319H3 or DASC 21003, each with a grade of C or better) and (MATH 26103 or MATH 28003). (Typically offered: Fall)
CSCE 41403. Data Mining. 3 Hours.
The course focuses on the principles, theory, design, and implementation of data mining algorithms for large-scale data. Topics include foundations of data mining; preprocessing; mining frequent patterns, associations and correlations; supervised learning including decision tree induction, naïve Bayesian classification, support vector machine, logistic regression, Bayesian network, and K-nearest neighbor learning; unsupervised learning including K-means clustering, hierarchical clustering, density-based clustering, and grid-based clustering; outlier analysis; graph mining; scalable and distributed data mining. Prerequisite: (CSCE 31903 or CSCE 319H3 or DASC 21003) or (CSCE 20104 and INEG 23303 and INEG 23104) or (CSCE 20104 and STAT 30133 and STAT 30043)). (Typically offered: Fall)
This course is cross-listed with INEG 41403.
CSCE 42103. Computer Architecture. 3 Hours.
The architecture of modern scalar and parallel computing systems. Techniques for dynamic instruction scheduling, branch prediction, instruction level parallelism, shared and distributed memory multiprocessor systems, array processors, and memory hierarchies. Prerequisite: CSCE 22104 with a grade of C or better. (Typically offered: Spring)
This course is cross-listed with ELEG 49803.
CSCE 42303. Low Power Digital Systems. 3 Hours.
The reduction of power consumption is rapidly becoming one of the key issues in digital system design. Traditionally, digital system design has mainly focused on performance and area trade-offs. This course will provide a thorough introduction to digital design for lower consumption at the circuit, logic, and architectural level. Prerequisite: CSCE 22104 with a grade of C or better. (Typically offered: Irregular)
CSCE 42503. Concurrent Computing. 3 Hours.
Programming concurrent processes; computer interconnection network topologies; loosely coupled and tightly coupled paralleled computer architectures; designing algorithms for concurrency; distributed computer architectures. Prerequisite: CSCE 31903 or CSCE 319H3 or DASC 21003, each with a grade of C or better. (Typically offered: Irregular)
CSCE 42603. Advanced Data Structures. 3 Hours.
This course continues the study of data structures, algorithmic analysis for these data structures, and their efficient implementation to support standard library in programming languages. Topics include: AVL trees, Red-Black trees, Splay trees, Optimal Binary Search trees, 2-3 tree, 2-3-4 tree, B-trees, Segment trees, Leftist Heaps, Binomial Heaps, Fibonacci Heap, Disjoint Set, Hashing, and big integer with hundreds to thousands of digits. Prerequisite: CSCE 31903 or CSCE 319H3, each with a grade of C or better. (Typically offered: Irregular)
CSCE 42703. Big Data Analytics and Management. 3 Hours.
Introduction to tools and techniques for distributed data computing and management, big data analytics, scalable machine learning, and real-time streaming data analysis. Students cannot receive credit for both CSCE 42703 and CSCE 52703. Prerequisite: CSCE 31903 or CSCE 319H3 or DASC 21003, each with a grade of C or better. (Typically offered: Irregular)
CSCE 43203. Formal Languages and Computability. 3 Hours.
Finite Automata and regular languages, regular expressions, context-free languages and pushdown automata, nondeterminism, grammars, and Turing machines. Church's thesis, halting problem, time complexity, space complexity and undecidability. Prerequisite: (CSCE 31903 or CSCE 319H3, each with a grade of C or better) and (MATH 26103 or MATH 28003). (Typically offered: Spring)
CSCE 43303. Introduction to Integrated Circuit Design. 3 Hours.
Design and layout of large scale digital integrated circuits using CMOS technology. Topics include MOS devices and basic circuits, integrated circuit layout and fabrication, dynamic logic, circuit design and layout strategies for large scale CMOS circuits. Students may not receive credit for both CSCE 43303 and CSCE 52203. Prerequisite: ELEG 32103 or ELEG 39903 and MATH 25804 (Typically offered: Fall)
CSCE 43503. CPLD/FPGA-Based System Design. 3 Hours.
Field Programmable Logic devices (FPGAs/CPLDs) have become extremely popular as basic building blocks for digital systems. They offer a general architecture that users can customize by inducing permanent or reversible physical changes. This course will deal with the implementation of logic options using these devices. Prerequisite: CSCE 22104 with a grade of C or better. (Typically offered: Irregular)
This course is cross-listed with ELEG 49603.
CSCE 43703. Electronic Design Automation. 3 Hours.
This course studies physical design, analysis and optimization of VLSI circuits and systems with emphasis on computational realizations and optimization. We start with some related topics such as graph algorithms and discuss various well-known algorithms and methodologies in the design process of VLSI circuits, including design partitioning, logic synthesis, floorplanning, routing, static timing analysis and performance-driven layout. It requires a basic knowledge of digital circuit design, data structure, and object-oriented programming. Students cannot receive credit for both CSCE 43703 and CSCE 53703. Prerequisite: CSCE 39503 and CSCE 31903, each with a C or higher. (Typically offered: Irregular)
CSCE 44203. Computer Systems Modeling. 3 Hours.
Basic concepts of problem analysis, model design, and simulation experiments. A simulation will be introduced and used in this course. Prerequisite: CSCE 31903 or CSCE 319H3, each with a grade of C or better. (Typically offered: Irregular)
CSCE 44303. Cryptography. 3 Hours.
This course provides a general introduction to modern cryptography. Topics include: stream ciphers, block ciphers, message authentication codes, public key encryption, key exchange, and signature schemes. Prerequisite: (CSCE 31903 or CSCE 319H3 or DASC 21003, each with a grade of C or better) and (MATH 26103 or MATH 28003). (Typically offered: Irregular)
CSCE 44803. Wearable and Ubiquitous Computing. 3 Hours.
This course will introduce wearable and ubiquitous computing paradigms with emphasis on the engineering and development. Three key themes that will be taught during this course the systems and infrastructures which compose IoT and wearable systems, the devices and techniques for gathering data and communicating with the user, and the applications of these technologies including the user experience. Students cannot receive credit for both CSCE 44803 and CSCE 54803. Prerequisite: CSCE 31903 or CSCE 319H3, each with a grade of C or better. (Typically offered: Irregular)
CSCE 45203. Database Management Systems. 3 Hours.
Introduction to database management systems, architecture, storage structures, indexing, relational data model, E-R diagrams, query languages, SQL, ODBC, transaction management, integrity, and security. Students may not receive credit for both CSCE 45203 and CSCE 55203. Prerequisite: CSCE 31903 or CSCE 319H3, each with a grade of C or better. (Typically offered: Spring)
CSCE 45403. Software Architecture. 3 Hours.
A study of software architecture through the use of case studies drawn from real systems designed to solve real problems from technical as well as managerial perspectives. Techniques for designing, building, and evaluating software architectures. Prerequisite: CSCE 41303 and CSCE 35103. (Typically offered: Irregular)
CSCE 45503. Information Retrieval. 3 Hours.
The objective of this course is to give students a hands-on introduction to information retrieval systems. Classical textual information retrieval systems are studied, including text preprocessing, file structures, term-weighting schemes, and web search engines. Students may not receive credit for both CSCE 45503 and CSCE 55303. Prerequisite: CSCE 31903 or CSCE 319H3, each with a grade of C or better. (Typically offered: Irregular)
CSCE 45601. Capstone I. 1 Hour.
CSCE students complete a comprehensive software capstone project during their final year of undergraduate studies. The project is done over 2 semesters in phases: concept, formal proposal, implementation, and presentation. The projects include and may require the integration of software and human factors and hardware elements and are developed to software engineering methodologies. Prerequisite: CSCE 35103 and (CSCE 36103 or CSCE 361H3) and completion of 91 credit hours. (Typically offered: Fall)
CSCE 46103. Artificial Intelligence. 3 Hours.
Introduction to intelligent agents, AI languages, search, first order logic, knowledge representation, ontologies, problem solving, natural language processing, machine vision, machine learning, and robotics. Prerequisite: CSCE 31903 or CSCE 319H3 or DASC 21003, each with a grade of C or better. (Typically offered: Irregular)
CSCE 46203. Mobile Programming. 3 Hours.
An introduction to software development on mobile devices. The major topics covered in this course include underlying concepts and principles in mobile programming, as well as hands-on programming experience on mobile devices with an emphasis on smartphones. Prerequisite: CSCE 31903 or CSCE 319H3, each with a grade of C or better. (Typically offered: Irregular)
CSCE 46403. Graphics Processing Units Programming. 3 Hours.
This course provides an introduction to massively parallel programming using Graphics Processing Units (GPUs). Topics include basic programming model, GPU thread hierarchy, GPU memory architecture, and performance optimization techniques and parallel patterns needed to develop real-life applications. Prerequisite: CSCE 20104 with a grade of C or better. (Typically offered: Irregular)
CSCE 47503. Computer Networks. 3 Hours.
This course is an introductory course on computer networks. Using the Internet as a vehicle, this course introduces underlying concepts and principles of modern computer networks, with emphasis on protocols, architectures, and implementation issues. Students cannot receive graduate credit for CSCE 47503. Prerequisite: CSCE 31903 or CSCE 319H3, each with a grade of C or better. (Typically offered: Irregular)
CSCE 47803. Cloud Computing and Security. 3 Hours.
Cloud computing has entered the mainstream of information technology, providing highly elastic scalability in delivery of enterprise applications and services. In this course, we will focus on the architecture of today's cloud computing, the technologies used within them, application development using contemporary cloud computing tools, and the security risks and management in the cloud. Students cannot receive credit for both CSCE 47803 and CSCE 57803. Prerequisite: CSCE 36103 or CSCE 361H3, each with a grade of C or better. (Typically offered: Irregular)
CSCE 48103. Computer Graphics. 3 Hours.
Introduction to the theory and algorithms used in computer graphics systems and applications. Topics include: 2D and 3D geometric models (points, lines, polygons, surfaces), affine transformations (rotation, translation, scaling), viewpoint calculation (clipping, projection), lighting models (light-material interactions, illumination and shadow calculation). Students will implement their own graphics pipeline to demonstrate many of these techniques. Higher level computer graphics applications will be created using OpenGL. Prerequisite: CSCE 31903 or CSCE 319H3, each with a grade of C or better. (Typically offered: Irregular)
CSCE 48503. Information Security. 3 Hours.
This course covers principles, mechanisms, and policies governing confidentiality, integrity, and availability of digital information. Topics to be covered include security concepts and mechanisms, security policies, multilevel security models, system vulnerability, threat and risk assessment, basic cryptography and its applications, intrusion detection systems. Prerequisite: CSCE 31903 or CSCE 319H3 or DASC 21003, each with a grade of C or better. (Typically offered: Irregular)
CSCE 4900V. Individual Study. 1-6 Hour.
Individual study directed by faculty in current research topics, state of the art, or advanced methodology in one of the major computer science or computer engineering areas. (Typically offered: Irregular) May be repeated for up to 6 hours of degree credit.
CSCE 49104. Advanced Digital Design. 4 Hours.
To master advanced logic design concepts, including the design and testing of synchronous and asynchronous combinational and sequential circuits using state of the art CAD tools. Corequisite: Lab component. Prerequisite: CSCE 21104 or ELEG 29004. (Typically offered: Irregular)
CSCE 491HV. Honors Thesis. 1-3 Hour.
To provide honors students with experience in presenting their research accomplishments to their peers and faculty. Prerequisite: Honors standing. (Typically offered: Fall and Spring) May be repeated for up to 3 hours of degree credit.
CSCE 49603. Capstone II. 3 Hours.
CSCE students complete a comprehensive capstone project during their final year of undergraduate studies. The project is done over two consecutive semesters in phases: concepts, formal proposal, implementation, and presentation. The projects include and may require the integration of software, human factors, and hardware elements and are developed using software engineering methodologies. Prerequisite: CSCE 45601. (Typically offered: Spring)