Are you ready to become a leader in the emerging quantum economy?

The quantum engineering minor provides a unique overview of one of the fastest-growing technological fields and will help to prepare you for the quantum workforce of today and tomorrow. It is part of a larger campus-wide effort to make quantum theory accessible to non-physics majors and build the state and national quantum workforce.

The quantum engineering minor is open to students from diverse STEM backgrounds, regardless of major or college. If you have completed a programming course, calculus 2 and linear algebra, this minor demystifies quantum physics and will teach you how to approach quantum science and engineering problems.

After taking three core courses, you can take electives from your home college or department to help supplement your quantum education.

Admissions Requirements

  • Cumulative GPA of 2.700 or higher
  • Programming: ASEN 1320, ECEN 1310, CSCI 1300, APPM 3050, PHYS 2600 or similar (C- or higher) 
  • Calculus 2 (C- or higher) 
  • Linear Algebra (C- or higher) 
    • APPM 2360 Linear Algebra & Differential Equations is approved 
  • Recommended: 
    • Calculus 3 
    • Probability 
    • PHYS 2130 Introduction to Quantum Mechanics and Its Applications

Students who meet admissions requirements can apply to the minor using the form on the right.

Course Requirements (18 credits)

Required Courses (9 credits)

  • ECEN 3915/5915 Foundations of Quantum Engineering (3 credits), offered in fall semesters only
  • ECEN 4925/5925* Foundations of Quantum Hardware (3 credits), offered in spring semesters only
  • CSCI/PHYS 3090 Introduction to Quantum Computing (3 credits), offered in spring semesters only

*For Spring 2023, the course was listed as ECEN 4005/5005-001

Students earning a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering or Electrical & Computer Engineering are eligible for this minor, but the three required courses (ECEN 3915, ECEN 4925, CSCI/PHYS 3090) may not apply toward your bachelor's degree.

Elective Courses (9 credits)

  • Aerospace Engineering: ASEN 3000+ excluding the following: 
    • ASEN 3036 Introduction to Human Spaceflight 
    • ASEN 3046 Introduction to Humans in Aviation 
  • Applied Math: APPM 3000+ 
  • Astrophysical and Planetary Sciences: ASTR 3000+ 
  • ATLAS: ATLS 3000+ 
  • Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences: ATOC 3000+ 
  • Biomedical Engineering: BMEN 3000+ 
  • Chemical Engineering: CHEN 3000+ 
  • Chemistry: CHEM 3000+ 
  • Civil Engineering: CVEN 3000+ 
  • Computer Science CSCI 3000+ excluding the following: 
    • CSCI 4250/5250 Computer Science: The Canon 
  • Electrical Engineering ECEN 3000+ excluding the following: 
    • ECEN 3070 Edges of Science 
  • Energy Engineering: ENEN 3000+ 
  • Engineering Plus: GEEN 3000+  
  • Environmental Engineering: EVEN 3000+ 
  • Geological Sciences: GEOL 3000+ 
  • Mathematics: MATH 3000+ 
  • Mechanical Engineering: MCEN 3000+ 
  • Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology: MCDB 3000+ 
  • Physics PHYS 3000+ excluding the following: 
    • PHYS 3000 Science and Public Policy 
    • PHYS 3050 Writing in Physics 
    • PHYS 3221 Tutorial Practicum for Quantum Mechanics 1 
  • Statistics: STAT 3000+ 

Students with questions about the minor can reach out to ecee-advising@colorado.edu.  

Full minor requirements

Questions? Please contact faculty co-directors Josh Combes and András Gyenis at quantumminor@colorado.edu.