Electrical Engineering Specializations

Each student must select an emphasis area. See the emphasis area descriptions below and refer to the Approved Technical Electives website for a listing of required and suggested elective courses. Each student must formally declare an emphasis area before graduation and complete the specified courses required by the respective emphasis area.

Bioengineering

The bioengineering area of emphasis applies electrical engineering domain expertise to challenges faced by the health care and life science communities. The area targets the development of (a) hardware and software for the acquisition, analysis and presentation of biomedical data, and (b) mathematical and computational tools for the simulation and analysis of biological systems. Some courses emphasize emerging consumer technologies whose mobile, wireless capabilities advance the use of telemedicine, intelligent wearable systems and home care tools as supplements to traditional hospital‐based health care. Others focus on applications of complex‐system and control theory to model, analyze and optimize biological systems at different time and space scales. Students in this area value the positive impact that engineering can make on quality of life for all individuals, including vulnerable elderly, disabled and rural populations.

Electronics and communications

Selecting the electronics and communications emphasis lets students focus on the technologies underlying a nearly limitless array of electronic devices used in daily life. From cellular phones, to computers, to the design of integrated circuit devices, this focus area prepares you for designing and building hardware to make new products of the future possible. The emphasis includes required courses in wireless systems and digital signal processing, plus a culminating design experience with project construction and laboratory work. Students in this area will be prepared for careers ranging from work in advanced government labs and national defense, to companies that design and build products for the next generation.

Power systems

The electric power industry is in the midst of exciting change. What was once a largely passive system is being redesigned to incorporate sensors, smart devices, advanced computer controls at many levels and efficient handling of large amounts of electrical energy. Courses focus on modeling of different components of the system, design and operation of large interconnected power systems, fault analysis and protection, power electronics technologies for control of power devices, and renewable energy technologies. Students are exposed to smart grid concepts and various computer tools needed for analysis and design of efficient power systems. Students engaged in this area expect to work on challenging problems related to the delivery of large amounts of electrical energy in a safe, reliable, economical, clean and sustainable manner.