Overview and Registration

ECE 496 and ECE 499 are individual study courses for seniors majoring in electrical engineering or in computer engineering to undertake research projects.

Students with a GPA of 3.25 or higher are eligible to take ECE 496/499 to satisfy the capstone design requirements for EE’s (in place of ECE 445) and CE’s (in place of ECE 411 or ECE 445). Students with GPA’s lower than 3.25 can request to take ECE 496/499 as Technical Electives but not to satisfy the capstone design requirements for EE’s and CE’s.

In ECE 496, a student begins a project, performs preliminary research and writes a series of progress reports which are uploaded to a Box folder open to the student and the advisor.
In ECE 499, the student completes the project, finishes writing the thesis, and makes an oral presentation at the Undergraduate Research Symposium; see ECE Senior Thesis collection in IDEALS (Illinois Digital Environment for Access to Learning and Scholarship).
The completion of both ECE 496 and ECE 499 satisfies the campus Advanced Composition requirement and optionally the Senior Project requirement (ECE 445).

To register for ECE 496/499 and complete the course requirements:

Fill out the ECE 496/499 Application Form and email the form to Krysten Gardner (kwharto2@illinois.edu) with copy (cc) to Erhan Kudeki (erhan@illinois.edu).
Monitor your progress in your Box folder, which your advisor can edit and you can view. Work with your advisor to ensure that checklist items are recorded and evaluated in a timely manner.
Electrical Engineering students whose project does not involve the design and construction or testing of electronic devices or hardware are required to complete a Special Circuit Project in the ECE 445 lab during the semester they take ECE 499. Enrollment in ECE 445 Special Circuit Project is to be initiated by the student by contacting the head TA of ECE 445 or by signing up at the ECE445 website during the second week of the semester. Computer Engineering students taking 496/499 are not required to do the Special Circuit Project.
As part of ECE 499 give an oral presentation of your Senior Research results in the Undergraduate Research Symposium and submit your Senior Thesis following a timeline similar to one outlined in Timelines for Fall 2024.
The grades for ECE 496 and ECE 499 are assigned by the thesis advisor, the formal instructor of ECE 496/499 specified in ECE 496/499 Application Form, after the completion of ECE 499. Students receive a failing grade for ECE 496 if ECE 499 is not taken.

For more information contact:

The ECE Undergraduate Advising Office ece-advisor@illinois.edu