Electrical PE Exam – Computer

The Electrical PE Exam – Computer, is the Principles and Practice of Engineering Exam in the area of Electrical and Computer Engineering – With an emphasis on Computer Engineering.  The Electrical – Computer Exam is one of the three sub disciplines of Electrical Engineering (The three being Power, Electronics, and Computer).  You may pick any one of the three areas, which is usually your area of focus in your career or education.

What will be on The Electrical – Computer PE Exam?
The exam specifications are provided by the NCEES committee creating the exam, and this specification provides an outline of the exam topics.  The following outline is provided by the NCEES committee.  A few general notes are summarized, followed but the exam specifications for the breadth exams and then the depth exams.

NCEES Principles and Practice of Engineering Examination
Electrical and Computer – Computer Engineering Exam Specifications
As of April 2012

A few general points noted about the exam, which are followed by the detailed specifications.

The exam is an 8-hour open-book exam. It contains 40 multiple-choice questions in the 4-hour morning session, and 40 multiple-choice questions in the 4-hour afternoon session. Examinee works all questions.
The exam uses both the International System of units (SI) and the US Customary System (USCS).
The exam is developed with questions that will require a variety of approaches and methodologies, including design, analysis, and application. Some questions may require knowledge of engineering economics.
The knowledge areas specified as examples of kinds of knowledge are not exclusive or exhaustive categories.

I.    Computer Systems 40%
A.    Numeric and Nonnumeric Formats 5%
1.    Number representation
2.    Character representation
3.    Encoding schemes
4.    Error detection and correction
B.    Computer Architecture 35%
1.    Computer organization
2.    Processor-controlled systems
3.    Processor structures
4.    Memory systems
5.    Hardware fault tolerance
6.    System performance
II.    Hardware 25%
A.    Digital Devices 5%
1.    Memory devices
2.    Standard modular devices (e.g., multiplexers)
B.    Digital Electronics 7.5%
1.    Basic solid-state devices
2.    Operating parameters
3.    Tristate logic
4.    Data conversion and instrumentation
5.    VLSI circuits
6.    Timing design and analysis
C. Digital Circuits 7.5%
1.    Arithmetic hardware
2.    Synchronous
3.    Asynchronous
4.    Testability
5.    Programmable hardware
D. Hardware Description Languages 5%
1.    Testbench software
2.    Analysis and design
3.    Synthesis issues
4.    Assertions and verification
III. Software 25%
A.    System Software 7.5%
1.    Operating systems
2.    Real-time operating systems
3.    Computer security
4.    Device drivers
5.    Interrupts
B.    Development/Applications 12.5%
1.    Software design and documentation methods
2.    Quality assurance
3.    Fundamental constructs
4.    Programming language characteristics
5.    Development tools
C. Software Maintenance 5%
1.    Configuration management
2.    Software update
3.    Change control
IV. Networks 10%
A.    Computer Networks 5%
1.    Protocols
2.    OSI (layer) model
3.    Topology
4.    Hardware
5.    Security
B.    Physical Layer Implementation 2.5%
1.    Synchronization techniques
2.    Transmission media
3.    Asynchronous
4. Wireless
5. Optical
C. Information Theory 2.5%
1.    Data compression
2.    Channel capacity
3.    Sampling theory