UCSB College of Engineering Programs: A Comprehensive Overview

The College of Engineering (CoE) at the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB), officially named the Robert Mehrabian College of Engineering, stands as one of the university's three undergraduate colleges and a leading institution for engineering education and research. Known for its interdisciplinary environment, cutting-edge research facilities, and commitment to student success, UCSB Engineering offers a range of programs designed to prepare students for leadership roles in various engineering fields.

Academics and Programs

UCSB's College of Engineering provides a wide array of academic programs, catering to both undergraduate and graduate students. The college prides itself on offering engaging and top-ranked undergraduate programs, supported by world-renowned faculty.

Undergraduate Programs

The College offers Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degrees in several core engineering disciplines:

Chemical Engineering: This program focuses on the design, development, and optimization of chemical processes and products.
Computer Engineering: A multidisciplinary field that combines electrical engineering and computer science, focusing on the design of computer systems and embedded systems.
Computer Science: This program covers the theoretical foundations of computing, as well as practical applications in software development, algorithms, and data structures.
Electrical Engineering: This program deals with the design, development, and testing of electrical systems and devices, including circuits, electronics, and electromagnetics.
Mechanical Engineering: This program focuses on the design, analysis, and manufacturing of mechanical systems and devices.

Notably, the B.S. programs in Chemical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, and Mechanical Engineering are accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET). Similarly, the Computer Science B.S. program holds accreditation from the Computing Accreditation Commission of ABET, ensuring that these programs meet rigorous quality standards.

For students with interests that span multiple disciplines, UCSB Engineering offers options such as Individual Majors and Dual-College Double Majors. An Individual Major allows highly motivated students with above-average scholastic records to design a program tailored to their specific academic interests, although it is not ABET accredited and has stringent requirements. A Dual-College Double Major enables students to pursue a double major with a program in the College of Letters and Science or the College of Creative Studies, though double majoring within the College of Engineering is not possible. Students may also pursue an academic minor in either the College of Letters & Science or the Gevirtz Graduate School of Education to complement their major.

Read also: Explore UCSB Majors

Graduate Programs

Upon completing an undergraduate degree, students can further their education through the College of Engineering’s graduate programs, which lead to a Master of Science (MS) and/or Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree. The graduate programs are highly regarded and consistently ranked among the best in the nation.

Master's Degree: Provides advanced knowledge and skills in a specific engineering discipline.
Doctoral Degree: Focuses on original research and prepares students for careers in academia or industry research and development.

Specific course and program offerings at the graduate level include:

Biomedical / Bioengineering
Electrical / Electronic / Communications

The college's Materials graduate program has been ranked #1 among public universities for several years, according to multiple sources. The National Research Council has also ranked all of the engineering graduate programs in the nation’s top 5.

Technology Management

The Department of Technology Management at UCSB offers programs designed to provide entrepreneurial students with a solid foundation in business principles and professional skills. These programs include Technology Management Certificate Programs for undergraduate and graduate students, an intensive Master of Technology Management (MTM) program, and a PhD in Technology Management for students with backgrounds in science, engineering, or technology.

Combined BS/MS Programs

The College of Engineering offers six Senate-approved combined Bachelor of Science/Master of Science (BS/MS) programs and one Engineering/MTM fellowship program, allowing outstanding undergraduates to earn two degrees in five years.

Read also: Living in UCSB Apartments

Admissions

The UC Santa Barbara College of Engineering maintains a highly selective admissions process. The acceptance rate for master's and doctoral programs is 25.6%.

Cost of Attendance

Tuition and fees for doctoral programs are $14,016 per year for in-state residents and $15,102 per year for out-of-state residents.

Research and Faculty

UCSB Engineering is home to the nation's first NSF-funded Quantum Foundry, a center dedicated to developing materials for quantum information-based technologies. The College also operates as the West Coast hub of the American Photonics Manufacturing Institute and is a key participant in the federal Next Generation Power Electronics Institute. The Materials Research Laboratory at UCSB is consistently ranked among the top materials research facilities globally. The college has 156 full-time faculty members, most of whom are involved in interdisciplinary research and academic programs. Twenty-nine faculty members are in the National Academy of Engineering, and nine are elected to the National Academy of Sciences. Three faculty members have won the Nobel Prize:

Alan J. Heeger: Professor of Physics and of Materials, won the 2000 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for the discovery and development of conductive polymers.
Herbert Kroemer: Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering and of Materials, won the 2000 Nobel Prize in Physics for developing semiconductor heterostructures used in high-speed and opto-electronics.
Shuji Nakamura: A professor of Materials and Computer Engineering, won the Millennium Technology Prize in 2006 for developing blue, green, and white LEDs and the blue laser diode, and the 2014 Nobel Prize in Physics for his contribution to the invention of blue light-emitting diodes.

In 2015, Professor Arthur Gossard was awarded the National Medal of Technology and Innovation by the Obama Administration.

Research Impact

The research output of UCSB Engineering is highly impactful, as demonstrated by various metrics:

Citations per publication: 16.8
Field weighted citation impact: 1.6
Publications Cited in top 5% of Most Cited Journals: 26.2%
Publications Cited in top 25% of Most Cited Journals: 71.9%

These metrics, extracted from SciVal based on Elsevier’s data, highlight the significant influence and recognition of the research conducted at UCSB Engineering.

Student Life and Support

UCSB Engineering is dedicated to student success, offering various resources and programs to support students throughout their academic journey and career advancement. The student-faculty ratio is 3.8:1.

INSPIRE Program

Launched for the 2024-’25 academic year, the INSPIRE program is designed for high-achieving first-year, low-income, and/or first-generation College of Engineering majors. The program helps students successfully navigate their first year by providing a community of peers and a junior- or senior-year peer mentor.

Gender Distribution

The gender distribution of enrolled master's students is:

Female: 23.8%
Male: 75.4%
Other: 0.8%

Convergence Magazine

Convergence is the magazine of Engineering and the Sciences at UC Santa Barbara. Sponsored by the College of Engineering and the Division of Mathematical, Life, and Physical Sciences in the College of Letters and Science, Convergence was established in early 2005 as a print publication to share stories of interest from engineering and the sciences with alumni, friends, partners, funding agencies, corporations, donors, and potential supporters.

Accreditation

The University of California, Santa Barbara is fully accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.

tags: #ucsb #college #of #engineering #programs