Computer Science & Engineering (CSE) educates students to become leaders in the design and implementation of the computing systems that touch every aspect of modern society. Our courses cover everything from the mathematical foundations of what computers can and cannot do; to hands-on experiences building software and hardware artifacts with a range of programming languages and tools; to advanced courses in software engineering, human-computer interaction, computer graphics and animation, artificial intelligence, machine learning, large-scale data management, natural language processing, computer networking, computational biology, robotics, computer security and privacy, and much more. Computer scientists and computer engineers combine creative problem-solving, rigorous design, and the creation of algorithms, software, and hardware systems to build solutions that change the world.
CSE offers two undergraduate degrees: Computer Science (through the College of Arts and Sciences) and Computer Engineering (through the College of Engineering). Students working toward either degree have the same broad opportunities to take the wide array of courses that CSE offers. The Computer Engineering major may be more appropriate for students who are interested in building systems that include both hardware and software components and that must be engineered to meet a variety of cost and performance constraints.
Applicants are considered in three groups - Entering Freshmen, Currently Enrolled UW Students, and Entering Transfers. Admission is capacity constrained. Completion of minimum requirements does not guarantee admission.
All students must make satisfactory academic progress in the major. Failure to do so results in major-level academic notification, major-level warning, and major-level alerts, which can lead to dismissal from the major and being precluded from subsequently declaring the major in a future quarter. For the complete continuation policy, contact the departmental adviser or refer to the department website.
180 credits
General Education Requirements
Basic Skills
Areas of Inquiry
Major Requirements (72-73 credits)
Free Electives to bring total for the degree to 180 credits
The Minor in Neural Computation and Engineering is designed to provide students with a background in quantitative, mathematical, engineering, and computational approaches to problems in neuroscience.
30 credits
Note: Many of the courses for this minor have prerequisite courses
Student Outcomes and Opportunities
The computer engineering undergraduate degree is housed in the College of Engineering and is thereby accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, 111 Market Place, Suite 1050, Baltimore, MD 21202-4012, phone: (410) 347-7700. The Allen School has adopted the following student outcomes. Upon graduation from the computer engineering program, students will have:
The Allen School general-purpose laboratories support the diverse set of hardware and software platforms required for a cutting-edge education in the field. The special-purpose laboratories provide tailored support for activities such as mobile robotics, computer graphics, digital design, motion capture, embedded systems, laser scanning, educational technology, networking, and artificial intelligence.
The Allen Center and Gates Center are two of the finest computer science and computer engineering facilities in the nation. All Allen School students have access to these resources.
Contact department for requirements.
Total credits: 90
Total credits: 90
The Graduate Certificate in Modern AI Methods at the Allen School is designed with the interests of recent graduates and working professionals in mind. Courses in this part-time program meet in-person one evening per week on the UW Seattle campus. The Modern AI Methods certificate is designed for a broad audience. Professionals and recent graduates who have proficiency in key math, statistics, and programming topics, such as those with STEM degrees, mathematically-focused business degrees, or similar fields, are likely to find their academic training a good match with the certificate’s scope. Current or prior professional experience is not required for the Modern AI Methods certificate and the program is open to both industry professionals and recent graduates intending to join the workforce.
Contact department for requirements.
Total credits: 16
Contact department for requirements.
All options require 40 credits. See additional requirements below for option-specific requirements.
Total credits: 40
Undergraduate Breadth Requirement
Students must have demonstrated breadth at the undergraduate level or higher by meeting one of the following three options:
Complete a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science and Engineering or equivalent
OR
Complete three courses from three of the four Breadth groups:
OR
Complete three additional400-level course in Computer Science and Engineering. One course from three of the following groups:
Computer Science and Engineering: Qualifying Evaluation Courses
Breadth Courses (3 from): CSE 505, 507, 515, 521, 525, 526, 531, 534, 535, 546, 552, 501, 503, 505, 544, 548, 549, 550, 551, 552, 561, 562, 564, 567, 512, 517, 527, 528, 541, 542, 543, 546, 547, 556, 557, 571, 573, 576, 579, 582, GENOME 540, INSC 570, 571, 572 STAT 548, CSE 510, 512, 513, 556, 557, 564, 580, 581, 582, HCDE 544, 545
Additional Breadth and/or 500-level graded credit in (2 courses from): AMATH, CSE, ECE, HCDE, GENOME, iSchool, LING, MATH, STAT
Additional 500-level CSE and/or supporting fields coursework to meet overall credit requirement
All options require 40 credits. See additional requirements below for option-specific requirements.
Total credits: 40