Senior Project | CPE 461 and 462

What is Senior Project?

Senior project is a two-quarter class sequence (CPE 461 and 462) where you work on a large project and are advised by a professor. You have complete control over this process and there is a lot of flexibility in what you work on and how you organize it. You can work on a solo project or in a team. You can work on a project you come up with, a project for a professor, or one for an external sponsor. It can be design-oriented or more research-based. It can be entrepreneurial in nature. Again, lots of flexibility. SP is designed for you to pursue a project independently rather than in a faculty led team-based format. 

Decide on a Senior Project

You come up with your own idea for a senior project. You can also speak with a faculty member working in your interest area for ideas.  The CPE Department posts information about various senior project opportunities on their website. In addition, Computer Science and Software Engineering facilitates an activity each year where clients pitch senior project ideas to students. See below for links to both of these opportunities. 

CPE Senior Project Opportunities

CSSE Pitch to Programmers

How Do I Find a Faculty Advisor

It’s up to you to go talk to professors to find someone to advise you! How do I find someone? Consider what you like to do and talk to professors who work in that area. You might also be interested in working with your favorite professor. If you intend to start your senior project in Winter, start talking to professors soon. You can work with any faculty member in EE, CSC or CPE. It’s easiest to select a faculty member you already have a relationship with, but you can also select an advisor who works in your area of interest.

What Do I Say to my Potential Faculty Advisor?

Tell them you’re interested in having them advise you for your senior project. Then let them know if you have a project in mind or ask them if they are looking for someone to join one of their projects. If you want to work in a team, all of you should reach out to the professor together. Each professor coordinates advising senior project their own way. Find out how your advisor does it.

Register for Senior Project

You must register for senior project both quarters through the registration process. The senior project course sequence for CPE is CPE 461 and CPE 462. In order to register, you must have met the prerequisites and obtain a permission number from the CPE Office.

See Virtual Quarter FAQs for Permission Number Request Info

Register for Senior Project

You must register for senior project both quarters through the registration process. The senior project course sequence for CPE is CPE 461 and CPE 462. In order to register, you must have met the prerequisites and obtain a permission number from the CPE Office.

See Senior Project Enrollment for info about the permission number request process

Work on Your Project

You and your advisor select meeting times and frequency throughout the quarter. Please check with your advisor regarding overall project requirements.

Complete and File your Senior Project

Most senior project advisors require a report. The department provides an overall guideline for reference which you can use to help with writing your report.

In addition, you will need to complete a senior project analysis,  complete CPE graduate survey and (if your advisor requires it) file your Senior Project with digital commons.

See Completion & Filing for more details.