Online BSEE Degree Completion Program

Overview

This program is intended for working professionals who have already completed some college-level work. It is not intended for students who have just graduated from high school.

The program enables students to combine Clemson online courses with courses taken elsewhere to complete the Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering Degree. It is not a separate degree program, but rather, a separate modality of obtaining the degree. All course requirements are the same for both modalities. Upon completion, the transcript will be indistinguishable from that of the regular degree.

The program is rigorous and has the same expectations as the on-campus program. To succeed, a student must have strong skills in mathematics, a diligent work ethic, and a passion to obtain the degree.

Pace and Time for Completion

Students normally work full time while participating in the online degree completion program, taking one or two courses per fall, spring, and summer semester. The length of time to degree depends on the students’ work from other schools and on how many courses they take per semester. Typical times to completion range from 4 to 8 years.

There is no time limit for completing the program. However, if a student does not maintain continuous enrollment, they will need to “reapply” to Clemson (using a very short form for this purpose) and pay a modest reapplication fee. Students in good standing (with at least a 2.0 GPA and who do not have unpaid charges) who reapply will be readmitted to the program.

Accreditation and EPCE

The Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering program is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, https://www.abet.org, under the General Criteria and the Electrical, Computer, Communications, Telecommunication(s) and Similarly Named Engineering Programs Program Criteria. The online format is one mode of delivery of this accredited program. Visit our accreditation information page to learn about the Program Educational Objectives and Student Outcomes.

For professionals in the energy industry, the Clemson ECE department provides an online pathway to completion of the BS in Electrical Engineering via EPCE. EPCE serves as a national resource for online access to energy education.

Admission Requirements and Application Procedures

Prior to applying to the program, students should have already completed the following seven courses. At least a B average (3.0 on a 4.0 scale) is expected on these courses.

i. ENGL 1030 – Composition & Rhetoric (3 credits)
ii. CH 1010 – General Chemistry (4 credits)
iii. ENGR 1020 – Engineering Disciplines & Skills (3 credits)
iv. MATH 1060 – Calculus of One Variable I (4 credits)
v. MATH 1080 – Calculus of One Variable II (4 credits)
vi. PHYS 1220 – Physics with Calculus I (3 credits)
vii. PHYS 2210 – Physics with Calculus II (3 credits)

Students are also highly encouraged to have completed the following three additional courses:

viii. MATH 2060 – Calculus of Several Var. (4 credits)
ix. MATH 2080 – Intro to Ord. Diff. Eqns. (4 credits)
x. ECE 2210 – Python Programming for ECE (3 credits)

Transfer equivalency is determined by the Clemson academic program that teaches the course under consideration. If a student has already completed some courses and has questions about whether additional planned courses will meet the requirements, they are encouraged to complete a preliminary application, and send it along with unofficial transcripts to the email address on the form. Clemson will only provide this advice if this procedure is followed.

Course descriptions of these ten courses can be found under the “courses of instruction” section of the Clemson Catalog.

Students who meet these admissions requirements and complete the preliminary application with unofficial copies of transcripts from all colleges attended will be assessed for suitability to the program. This assessment may include an informal online interview. If found suitable, we will recommend the student for admission, at which point the student will formally apply to Clemson University as a transfer student. Admission to Clemson University depends on additional factors, most notably a sufficient overall GPA on previous coursework. In some cases, an insufficient overall GPA can be overcome by demonstrating a higher GPA on more recent coursework.

Students with degrees in other fields are welcome to apply to and participate in this program.

Course Structure of Online Courses 

It is never necessary to come to the Clemson campus. However, students may wish to do so, especially at the beginning of the program, to meet with program coordinators, and at the end, to participate in the Senior Design Showcase.

Details of the Electrical Engineering B.S. curriculum (which is identical for online and in-person modalities) can be found on our curriculum resource page. Broadly speaking, the course requirements for the degree include Clemson ECE-taught lecture courses, ECE-taught laboratory courses, ECE-taught senior design courses, and non-ECE courses. Each of these are described below.

Clemson ECE-taught lecture courses in the fall and spring semesters typically consist of an online section that runs in parallel with an in-person section on campus. These courses provide asynchronous lecture materials, either recordings of live lectures, or recorded presentations of lecture material (voice over PowerPoint). Tests and the Final Exam are typically synchronous with the rest of the course and require proctoring, either online using Zoom and/or the Respondus Lock-Down Browser, or through the use of an approved live proctor either at the student’s place of employment or through a testing center. Courses may have additional requirements such as online quizzes, homework, projects, etc. Courses may have textbook and online homework package requirements or may rely solely on course notes and other materials. Students have access to professor office hours through Zoom or other online platforms.

Clemson ECE-taught lecture courses in summer semesters typically consist of a purely online course that is available to students in the in-person program, students in the online completion program (i.e., this program), and transient students from other universities taking courses “a la carte.” Other than the fact that these can be larger class sizes, the courses are in a format very similar to those that the online completion students take in fall and spring (i.e., asynchronous lectures with synchronous exams).

Clemson ECE-taught laboratory courses include the purchase of laboratory equipment, some of which is used repeatedly over multiple laboratories, and some of which is specific to each laboratory course. Laboratory courses are likely to include Zoom meetings with a T.A. to demonstrate that the student has successfully implemented required laboratory projects. Pre-laboratory assignments, laboratory writeups, and other activities are typical components of laboratory courses.

Clemson ECE-taught senior design courses (two courses in a sequence) are project-based courses with a team project that is a major portion of the student’s grade. Students in the online section are typically teamed up with students in the in-person program. Teams break down responsibilities for each team member, and the fact that online students are not able to attend in person is incorporated into students’ responsibilities. Online students are encouraged (but not required) to attend the Senior Design showcase that takes place at the end of the second senior design course.  

Non-ECE-taught courses are typically purely online courses. In some cases, students may choose to take non-ECE courses (such as general education courses such as humanities and social sciences courses) at other universities, either online or in person (for example, at a junior college local to the student). There are limits on how many courses can be taken at other schools and on when they can be taken in the student’s progression to degree. Students should work closely with their advising team when planning to take courses elsewhere.  

Course Availability and Schedule Planning 

All required ECE-taught courses in the curriculum are available at least once per year. Students must work closely with their advising team, meeting all deadlines for providing requested information, so that online sections can be arranged in a way that allows the student to progress at their desired rate. To avoid having faculty teach online sections more frequently than necessary, students’ schedules (especially in the fall and spring) are arranged by the advising team so that multiple students take a given online section in one semester when possible.

Non-ECE online course schedules are up to the departments teaching the courses. As mentioned earlier, students may choose to take some non-ECE courses at other colleges and transfer them to Clemson.   . 

Rules of Progress 

Students generally need to maintain at least a 2.0 GPA at Clemson to avoid probation. Students also need a C or better on all prerequisites to ECE courses before they can take them.

Students are allowed two attempts to take a required ECE course (needing a C or better if it is a prerequisite to another required ECE course or a D or better otherwise). If a student does not succeed with two attempts, they must submit a variance request to take a course for a third and final time. An ECE variance committee evaluates each such request. Approvals are not guaranteed.

Students are encouraged to drop courses by the drop deadline if it appears likely that they will not get a sufficient grade in the course. Dropped courses will appear with a “W” on a student’s transcript (unless they are dropped very early, in which case they do not appear at all). Dropped courses do NOT count as an attempt in the ECE two-attempt policy.  

Evaluation of a Student's Previous Courses

Prior coursework is only evaluated in detail upon admission to the program. In most cases, a syllabus must be provided for each course that will be considered for transfer credit. A syllabus from a later semester may be acceptable if a syllabus from the time the student took the course is not available. Generally speaking, Engineering Technology courses do not transfer, as they do not require the same mathematical background (i.e., Calculus) that the courses in Clemson’s program require. As a result, Engineering Technology courses, even if there is some topical overlap, are not considered equivalent to Clemson’s courses.

Program Costs

Tuition and fees for courses at Clemson can be found on the student financial services website. Note the cost per credit hour of ECE online courses for any given semester. Only ECE-designated undergraduate courses are at the special in-state +10% tuition rate. All other course requirements outside of ECE will be at the appropriate in-state or out-of-state rates. Tuition and fees may change without notice, and miscellaneous fees may apply. 

For More Information

For answers to any questions not addressed here, please contact ECE Undergraduate Student Services Manager Patty McNulty at pmcnult@clemson.edu. Patty McNulty