About Engineering Physics Major in University of California San Diego

This major provides a strong background in physics and mathematics, and it is intended for students interested in applying theory to applied problems in acoustics, optics, continuum mechanics, and materials science. The structure of the program is very similar to that of electrical engineering except the depth requirement includes seven courses and there are only five electives.

NOTE: WITH THE EXCEPTION OF SP20, FA20, WI21 AND SP21, ALL COURSES USED TO SATISFY MAJOR REQUIREMENTS MUST BE TAKEN FOR A LETTER GRADE AND RECEIVE A GRADE OF C- OR BETTER.

ECE P/NP EXCEPTION

REQUIREMENTS

Lower Division (70 units):

• Mathematics: MATH 20A, 20B, 20C, 20D, 20E, and 18 

• Physics: PHYS 2A, 2B, 2C, 2D, 2DL

• Chemistry: CHEM 6A

• Electrical and Computer Engineering: ECE 15, 25, 30, 35, 45, and 65

Upper Division (76 units):

• Breadth (24 units): ECE 100, 101, 102, 103, 107, and 109
• Design (4 units): ECE 111 or 190 or 191 or 193H (Honors Students Only)
• Depth (28 units): PHYS 110A, 130A-B, 140A; MATH 110; ECE 123 and 166 or ECE 135A and 135B or ECE 182 and (181 or 183)
• Electives (20 units): 2 Technical (engineering, physics or math) Elective and 3 Professional Elective

Design:

Students can choose from ECE 111 (Advanced Digital Design Project), ECE 190 (Engineering Design), or ECE 191 (Engineering Group Design Project). Graduation will not be approved until a written copy of the design project is submitted to the ECE Undergraduate Office.

ELECTIVES

Professional and technical electives are an integral part of the ECE major curriculum. They allow students course flexibility as well as the unique opportunity to tailor their major to their personal interests and professional goals.

Professional Electives:

Professional electives are acceptable courses taken in one department. Normally these will be upper-division courses in engineering, mathematics, or physics. Students may also choose upper-division courses from other departments provided that they fit into a coherent professional program. In such cases, a lower-division prerequisite may be included in the electives. Courses other than upper-division engineering, mathematics, or physics must be justified in terms of such a program, and must be approved by the ECE department.

Technical Electives:

Technical electives must be upper-division engineering, math or physics courses.  At most one lower-division course in engineering may be used but it must receive prior approval from the ECE department. Certain courses listed below are not allowed as electives because of overlap with ECE courses.

GPA (Grade-Point Average) Requirement

To be eligible for admission to UC San Diego, you must earn the following minimum GPAs:

• California residents must earn a GPA of 3.0 (or better) with no grade lower than "C."
• Non-California residents & International applicants must earn a GPA of 3.4 (or better) with no grade lower than "C."

Your GPA is based on the above college preparatory (A-G) courses taken during 10th and 11th grades. Students admitted to UC San Diego have GPAs that exceed these minimums.

 UC San Diego will not consider SAT or ACT test scores as a factor in admissions decisions through Fall 2024. If you choose to submit test scores as part of your application, they may be used as an alternative method of fulfilling minimum requirements for eligibility or for course placement after you enroll.

International Students

If your native language is not English and your secondary/high school education was in a country where English is not the language of instruction, you must take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) examination (academic modules) and have your scores reported to the UC San Diego Office of Admissions. A minimum score of 83 is required for the TOEFL, or a minimum score of 7 is required for the IELTS. Learn more on the International Students page.

University of California Cost of Attendance

An expected budget for overseas students wishing to study in the United States is as follows for potential university aspirants enrolling in the forthcoming sessional term:

The cost of attendance for graduate programs varies by program. However, the estimated cost is presented below: