Transferring into Rowan ECE

Electrical and Computer Engineering program at Rowan ECE receives many applications each semester for transferring into our program. The admission criteria are similar - with minor exceptions listed below - for all transfer applicants, regardless whether the applicant is a current student or a graduate of a community college or another four-year program, or even for current Rowan students wishing to change their major from a different program into ECE. 

If you are considering transferring to Rowan ECE, the earlier you make that decision and take preparatory steps, the smoother the transfer process will be, and the more likely you will graduate in a timely manner. To start this process, please read the following very carefully in its entirety.

1. Is Rowan ECE the right program for me?
2. Do I meet the required criteria for transfer admission into ECE?
3. How do I apply?
4. I am admitted, now what? How do I get on track with the curriculum?
5. How long will it take to complete the program? Can I graduate in two years if I transfer with an AS degree?

 

1. Is Rowan ECE the right program for me?

Our program is a combined electrical and computer engineering program. This is actually relatively rare, as most Electrical and Computer Engineering Departments in the U.S. offer either an electrical engineering and/or a separate computer engineering program. The Rowan ECE program is also very heavily project-based with most classes having integrated lab components. Furthermore, all engineering programs at Rowan include an innovative curricular component, called Engineering Clinics, which are design courses that are distributed over four years. In particular, Junior and Senior Engineering Clinics feature projects that require you to tackle unsolved real-world problems that are typically brought to us and sponsored by our industrial partners or government research agencies. These projects have real milestones, real deliverables, and real consequences (and many lead to internships or job offers).

To determine whether Rowan ECE is the right program for you, we recommend that you first explore our program through these web pages, paying particular attention to ECE Undergraduate Program and Curriculum. Then, come and visit us so that you can see our labs, meet existing students and ask any questions you may have.

2. Do I meet the required criteria for transfer admission into ECE?

We expect transfer applicants to Rowan ECE to have completed (or be in progress of) the following courses (or their equivalent) at their institution(s) at time of application:

• ENGL 01.111 College Composition I
• MATH 01.130 Calculus I
• MATH 01.131 Calculus II
• PHYS 00.220 Introductory Mechanics (also called Physics I, must be Calculus based)
• PHYS 00.222 Intro to Electricity and Magnetism (also called Physics II, must be Calculus based)
• CS 04.103 Computer Science and Programming (CS&P)

If you hold a GPA of 3.3 or higher cumulatively as well as in the above-listed required courses, your admission into Rowan ECE is automatic. A minimum GPA of 3.0 is required for consideration, and acceptances will be based on level of academic performance as well as seat availability. All courses to be transferred must be approved as equivalent to Rowan University courses. Pass/Fail grades are not acceptable for transfer. Students transferring courses from other NJ two‐year or four‐year institutions may refer to the NJ Transfer website (http://www.njtransfer.org) to compare course equivalencies.

If you are transferring from another program at Rowan, then all courses appearing on your Rowan transcript - whether earned at Rowan or successfully transferred to Rowan from another institution - are, of course, Rowan courses and hence eligible for transferring them into your ECE program of study. 

If you are transferring from a community college, you may apply as soon as you meet the above course and GPA requirements, or during the semester - at the end of which - you anticipate completing these requirements. Completing an associates degree is not required to apply.

Any exceptions to these requirements are handled on a case-by-case basis, and must be approved by the Dean's Office.

3. OK, I am convinced, this is the right program for me, and I have (or will have) all the prerequsites. How do I apply?

If you are an external candidate, wishing to transfer into Rowan ECE from another institution, please check the information at Transfer Guidelines for External Applicants, and then visit the Transfer Applications main page, where you will find all the information needed to submit your application. Note again, if you are transferring from a community college, you may apply as soon as you meet - or during the semester in which you expect to complete - the course and GPA requirements listed in Step 2. Completing an AS or AA degree is not required to transfer into Rowan ECE.

The transfer application deadline for external candidates is November 1 for students who wish to start in Spring semester, and April 1 for those who wish to start in Fall semester. The website Application Calendar and Fees provide detailed information for all relevant deadlines and fees associated with applying to our programs.

If you are an internal candidate, wishing to transfer into ECE from another program at Rowan, you are in fact changing your major. Please see Change of Major Guidelines for Internal Applicants first and then fill out the Change of Major Form to apply. Note that the deadlines for change of major applications are November 1 for Spring admission; and April 1 for Fall admission. Applications for changing majors are not accepted after these deadlines.

4. I am admitted, now what? How do I get on track with the curriculum?

Congratulations! If you are admitted, you now know which classes you have previously taken have transferred to Rowan. Note that not all courses or credits that might have transferred into Rowan necessarily count towards ECE degree requirements. To determine which ones do, and to plan your program of study, you should contact an advisor. The transfer advisor for ECE is Dr. Gina Tang, who can be contacted at tang@rowan.edu.

Before you do so, it would be most beneficial to carefully study the ECE Undergraduate Program and Curriculum one more time. In particular, look at the semester-by-semester list of courses at the ECE Curriculum Table, as well as the ECE Curriculum Flowchart, which shows the prerequisite relationship of various courses. Note that not all courses are offered every semester. Typically, the courses listed for the Fall semester (for example, Signals and Systems, Embedded Design, VLSI Design) are offered in Fall, and those listed for the Spring semester are offered in Spring (for example Systems and Control, Digital Signal Processing).

In order to help transfer students get on track as soon as possible, we do offer most of our first year and sophomore level required in-major ECE courses (see table below) during summer sessions as online classes. 

Table 1. ECE major courses during the first two years

Course Number	Course Name	Prerequisite(s)	Normally Taught During	Also Taught During
ECE 09.101	ECE: Solving Tomorrow's Problems	None	Fall	Summer
ECE 09.241	Introduction to Digital Systems	ECE 09.101 ECE: Solving Tomorrow's Problems	Spring	Summer
ECE 09.203	Principles of Electric Circuit Analysis	MATH 01.131 Calculus II; PHYS 02.222 Intro to Elec. & Magnetism (Min C); ECE 09.101 ECE: Solving Tomorrow's Problems	Fall	Summer
ECE 09.243	Computer Architecture	ECE 09.241 Introduction to Digital Systems	Fall	Summer
ECE 09.311	Electronics I	ECE 09.203 Principles of Electric Circuit Analysis	Spring	Summer
ECE 09.342	Embedded Systems	ECE 09.311 Electronics I (taken concurrently)	Spring

 

You may want to consider taking these classes during the summers before you start at Rowan (or even earlier, if you wish, as soon as you have the prerequisites listed above in the table). 

Engineering Clinics

In addition to the four courses listed above, there are four Engineering Clinics: First-year Engineering Clinic I and II (FEC I/II), Sophomore Engineering Clinic I and II (SEC I/II) that are also required and are only offered at Rowan University and Rowan Colleges (Rowan College South Jersey or Rowan College at Burlington County). If you are not coming from one of the Rowan Colleges and/or if you have not taken these courses, you will need to complete them. However, we offer considerable flexibility for these courses.

If you have not taken FEC I/II, you may take a review & equivalency exam for each of the two courses. To do so, we provide you with access to a web-based e-book for you to read and review. The equivalency test is essnetially the end-of-chapet exercises of the e-books, which are automatically graded. Most students complete each of these in about a week or so. Depending on your score, you will i) be exempt from that class (but still need to make up for the credits); ii) be allowed to take FEC and SEC at the same time; or iii) need to take FEC before you can take SEC. To request the FEC I and FEC II  equivalency exams, please contact the ECE Department Head, Dr. Polikar.

Sophomore Engineering Clinics integrate College Composition II (in SEC I) and Public Speaking (in SEC II), plus an engineering design component. If you have taken those two communication classes, you can take a bridge class that covers the engineering design portion of SEC I and SEC II. The birdge class is also commonly taught in summer sessions. Please ask your advisor.

 

5. How long will it take to complete the program? Can I graduate in two years if I transfer with an AS degree?

The duration it will take to complete your Rowan ECE degree depends on how much of the overall required program of study you have already completed at the time of transfer, as well as your successful completion of the remaining courses at Rowan. This is why it is so critical that you carefully read the ECE Undergraduate Program and Curriculum,  the semester-by-semester list of courses at the ECE Curriculum Table, as well as the ECE Curriculum Flowchart so that you understand the program requirements.

A common misconception among transfer students is that only two more years are needed at Rowan to complete your BS in ECE degree after transferring with an associate degree. 

Completing the BS in ECE degree program in two years is only possible if you arrive at Rowan ECE having completed (or have transfer credit for) all of the courses that are taught during the first two years of our program, including all of the four first and second-year engineering clinics, and all six ECE major courses, listed in Table 1, that are normally taught during the first two years of our program. This is why we offer the summer courses to help you catch up with any of the classes you need to get on track.

Since not all community colleges offer these courses, your best option may be to take them at Rowan during summers prior to transferring. Hence, you need to start planning very early, during your first year in the community college or other school from which you wish to transfer. Make sure to visit your advisors at your community college and contact us as early as possible for planning and guidance.

You should also visit the Advising section of our webpage, where you will find additional information, including ECE Frequently Asked Questions. You will also find guidelines for general education requirements, as well as other services and resources available to you.