1.0. BACKGROUND TO THE PROGRAM
The Computer Society of the Institute for Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE-CS) and the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) define Computer Engineering as a discipline that embodies the science and technology of design, construction, implementation, and maintenance of software and hardware components of modern computing systems and computer-controlled equipment. This program prepares students for careers that deal with computer systems from design through implementation. Computing systems are components of a wide range of products such as fuel injection systems in vehicles, medical devices such as x-ray machines, communication devices such as cell phones, and household devices such as alarm systems and washing machines. The work done by a Computer Engineer includes designing computing systems and computing components of products, developing and testing their prototypes, and commercializing the products.
Despite the considerable investment by Uganda’s public and private sector in computer systems and related facilities, there is currently inadequate human resource capacity in the country to design, domesticate, prototype, test, deploy, and maintain these systems.
2.0. JUSTIFICATION FOR THE PROGRAM
There is a proliferation of computer systems and related products in the economy of Uganda and manifested in the Banking, Health, and Telecommunications Sectors, as well as in the Automobile, Service and Manufacturing Industries. The Computer Engineers trained on this program will provide an invaluable human resource for commissioning, supporting, development, and maintenance of the systems. Further, the graduates of this program, through establishment and creation of Business Enterprises, will provide the much needed base in Computer Systems Business Process Outsourcing for other Enterprises and Organizations whose core business is not Development and Support of Computer Systems. In so doing, Uganda will eventually become a hub for provision of Computer Systems and Associated Support tailored for both regional and global markets.
3.0. OBJECTIVES AND EDUCATIONAL OUTCOMES
The primary focus of this program is to produce entrepreneurship-oriented graduates who are capable of propping up new companies, out of the prototypes that they will have developed at the undergraduate level. This demands that the final year projects should benchmark world class standards, capable of leading to Computer Engineering and Information and Communication Technologies incubations.
3.1 Educational Objectives
The educational objectives of this program are to:
(a) Produce graduates who are able to practice computer engineering to serve Uganda and the regional industries, government agencies, or national and international industries.
(b) Produce graduates with the necessary background and technical skills to work professionally in one or more of the following areas: computer hardware and software design, computer -based systems, computer network design, system integration, electronic design automation.
(c) Prepare graduates for personal and professional success with awareness and commitment to their ethical and social responsibilities, both as individuals and in team environments.
(d) Prepare graduates who are capable of entering and succeeding in an advanced degree program in a field such as engineering, science, or business.
3.2 Program Outcomes
The outcomes for the computer engineering program are:
(a) To Understand - to understand fundamentals of computer hardware and software, electronics, electronic design automation, and mathematics, and how these are used in computers and computer-based systems. An understanding that engineering knowledge should be applied in an ethically responsible manner for the good of society.
(b) To Question - to critically evaluate alternate assumptions, approaches, procedures, tradeoffs, and results related to engineering problems.
(c) To Design - to design and implement a computer system including processor, memory and I/O system, compiler, operating system, and local area network interface.
(d) To Lead - to lead a small team of student engineers performing a laboratory exercise or design project; to participate in the various roles in a team and understand how they contribute to accomplishing the task at hand.
(e) To Communicate - to use written and oral communications to document work and present project results.
4.0. TARGET GROUP
The target group for this program will be the annual outputs of Advanced Level Certificate
Education, or its equivalent, and those individuals in the working sector possessing appropriate entry
Requirement, who desire to acquire further training at Degree level.
5.0. REGULATIONS FOR THE DEGREE OF BACHELOR OF SCIENCE
IN COMPUTER ENGINEERING
Studies and examinations for the degree of Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering - B.Sc. (CE) shall be governed by the general regulations of the University and in addition by the regulations of the Faculty of Technology:
5.1 Admission to First Year
Admission into the first year is through any of the three avenues, the Direct Entry Scheme, the Mature Age Scheme and the Diploma Holders Scheme.
5.2 The Direct Entry Scheme
An applicant must have obtained two advanced level passes, one in Mathematics and one in Physics, at the same sitting of the Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education or its equivalent. For purposes of computing entry points, the advanced level subjects shall carry the following weights:
· Weight 3 - Mathematics, Physics
· Weight 2 - Best of Economics, Chemistry, or Technical Drawing
· Weight 1 - General Paper
· Weight 0.5 - Any other subject.
5.3 Diploma Holders Entry Scheme
Holders of the Uganda National Examinations Board Ordinary Technical Diploma or its equivalent can be admitted to the program. Applicants should have obtained a Credit Class diploma with at least a Credit Pass in Mathematics.
5.4 Admission to other Years
Admission other than to the first year of the program shall require a special resolution of the Faculty Board and permission of the Senate. The Departments will work out all appropriate Credit transfers, which shall not exceed 40% of the minimum degree Credit Units. Persons holding Higher National Diploma from a recognized Institution can be admitted to 2nd year, with the proviso that they will be required to take some courses from the 1st year that the Faculty Board will have identified and deemed mandatory.
6.0. CONDUCT OF THE PROGRAM
6.1 Type of Program
This program shall be conducted through Course-work and Examinations. There shall be two offering types; namely, Day Program (DAY) and Evening Program (EVENING).
6.2 Program Duration
The minimum duration for this program shall be four (4) years. The course is designated to be taken over a minimum period of eight semesters. The duration of a Semester is seventeen (17) weeks. There shall be university examinations to be conducted in the last two weeks of each semester.
6.3 Course Credits
The program shall be conducted on credit unit (CU) basis. One credit unit shall be equivalent to one contact hour (CH) per week per semester, or a series of 15 contact hours.
One Contact hour is equivalent to one hour of lectures (LH) or two hours of practical work (PH) or five hours of fieldwork/industrial training (FH).
No course shall carry less than one credit unit.
6.4 Type of Courses
The Course content to be covered in this Program shall be based on the Curriculum approved by the Senate and NCHE. The method of teaching and examination will adhere to the Senate approved syllabi. This program shall be composed of of a set of prescribed Courses that shall be registered for by every student in order for him or her to qualify for the award of the Degree of Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering.
Courses in the program shall be classified as follows:
(a)A core course is one which must be registered for and passed by a student in order to obtain a
degree.
(b)An elective course is one which may be taken to make up the minimum requirements of the
degree.
(c)An audited course is one which a student attends but is not examined in it.
(d)A pre-requisite course is one which must be taken and passed before a related higher level
course.