Program Overview

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Electrical Engineering Bachelor of Science Degree

Electrical Engineering

Bachelor of Science Degree

Overview for Electrical Engineering BS

Why Study RIT’s Electrical Engineering BS Degree

• Gain Hands-On Experience: Four blocks of cooperative education offer opportunities to gain real-world experience through engineering co-ops.
• Five Highly-Focused Options: Choose from five electrical engineering options: artificial intelligence, clean and renewable energy, computer engineering, robotics, or microelectronics.
• Strong Career Paths: Companies hiring our students for co-ops and full-time employment include Advanced Micro Devices, Apple, Collins Aerospace, Corning Inc., IBM, Intel, Lockheed Martin, Texas Instruments, and more.
• Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s Available: Earn both your bachelor’s and your master’s in less time and with a cost savings, giving you a competitive advantage in your field.
• STEM-OPT Visa Eligible: The STEM Optional Practical Training (OPT) program allows full-time, on-campus international students on an F-1 student visa to stay and work in the U.S. for up to three years after graduation.

RIT’s Electrical Engineering BS Curriculum

The electrical engineering major is a five-year program designed to prepare you for exciting careers within the electrical engineering and allied disciplines. In addition to a comprehensive curriculum, you will spend nearly a year on co-op, where you will gain invaluable hands-on experience in industry. Your co-ops will begin after your second year of study.

• Years 1 and 2: Establish a foundation in mathematics and the physical sciences, which is essential to the study of electrical engineering. In other courses, you will learn about electrical engineering principles such as circuits and digital systems. Practicum courses introduce you to electrical engineering practice and computer-aided design (CAD) tools that are used throughout the program.
• Years 3 and 4: Focus on the subjects that form the core of electrical engineering. Courses in circuits, electronics, linear systems, electromagnetic fields, semiconductor devices, communication systems, control systems, and microelectromechanical systems are taught.
• Year 5: Specialize in an area of professional interest and complete a senior design project as part of the graduation requirements.

Electrical Engineering BS Options

You may select one of the following options, which provide in-depth study in a focused area of electrical engineering:

• Artificial Intelligence: The artificial intelligence option teaches you how agents work while understanding the ethical implications and societal impacts of their designs.
• Clean and Renewable Energy: The clean and renewable energy option provides an in-depth education into the development of clean electrical energy and the increased efficiency of existing electrical generation and distribution systems.
• Computer Engineering: The computer engineering option educates you in areas such as C programming, object-oriented programming, and logic design.
• Robotics: The robotics option provides you with the theoretical and practical skills required to design robots and robotic devices.
• Microelectronics: The microelectronics option combines specific courses focused on semiconductor processes and devices with a solid foundation in electronics, programming, and systems design, making it an excellent complement to RIT's bachelor's degree in electrical engineering.

Hands-On Experience in Electrical Engineering

• Multidisciplinary Senior Design: A highlight of the applied engineering experience is the senior project. You will work on a challenging project under the tutelage of an experienced faculty advisor. While experiencing the satisfaction of completing an interesting project and exploring the latest in technology, students develop engineering management and project organization skills, learn to communicate their ideas effectively within a multidisciplinary team, and present their project and ideas to a diverse audience of students, faculty, and industrial partners. Explore our students’ multidisciplinary design projects.

What’s The Difference Between Engineering and Engineering Technology?

It’s a question we’re asked all the time. While there are subtle differences in the course work between the two, choosing a major in engineering or engineering technology is more about identifying what you like to do and how you like to do it.

Furthering Your Education in Electrical Engineering

Today’s careers require advanced degrees grounded in real-world experience. RIT’s Combined Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s Degrees enable you to earn both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in as little as five years of study, all while gaining the valuable hands-on experience that comes from co-ops, internships, research, study abroad, and more.

• Electrical Engineering BS/MS: In the combined accelerated electrical engineering BS/MS, you'll synthesize science, mathematics, technology, and application-oriented designs into world-class consumer products, timely microprocessors, state-of-the-art computers, advanced electronic components, robotics, smart energy systems, and much more. As part of your studies in the electrical engineering master's degree, you may also engage in innovative research to investigate and explore solutions to industrial and business challenges.
• Electrical Engineering BS/Science, Technology and Public Policy MS: The synergy between the electrical engineering BS and the science, technology, and public policy MS can help produce engineers with a keen awareness of their role in society and develop policy experts and researchers ready to tackle some of society's most complex problems. With an emphasis on critical, informed, and data-driven research, the dual degree can help students become socially informed technologists with a full appreciation for the societal context of their work. The BS/MS degree will produce policy experts and researchers with a solid undergraduate grounding within their area of electrical engineering.

Careers and Cooperative Education

Typical Job Titles

• Electrical Engineer
• Robotics Engineer
• AI Engineer
• Controls Engineer
• Research Engineer
• Design Engineer
• Manufacturing Engineer
• Test Engineer
• Project Engineer
• Systems Engineer

Industries

• Aerospace
• Automotive
• Computer Networking
• Defense
• Electronic and Computer Hardware
• Medical Devices
• Telecommunications

Curriculum for Electrical Engineering BS

Electrical Engineering, BS degree, typical course sequence

• First Year
  • CHMG-131: General Chemistry for Engineers (General Education)
  • EEEE-105: Freshman Practicum
  • EEEE-120: Digital Systems I
  • MATH-181: Calculus I (General Education – Mathematical Perspective A)
  • MATH-182: Calculus II (General Education – Mathematical Perspective B)
  • PHYS-211: University Physics I (General Education – Scientific Principles Perspective)
  • YOPS-10: RIT 365: RIT Connections
  • General Education – First-Year Writing (WI)
  • General Education – Artistic Perspective
  • General Education – Global Perspective
  • General Education – Social Perspective
  • General Education – Elective
• Second Year
  • CMPR-271: Computational Problem Solving for Engineers (General Education)
  • EEEE-220: Digital Systems II
  • EEEE-260: Introduction to Semiconductor Devices
  • EEEE-281: Circuits I
  • EEEE-281R: Circuits I Recitation
  • EEEE-282: Circuits II
  • EEEE-346: Advanced Programming
  • EGEN-99: Engineering Co-op Preparation
  • MATH-221: Multivariable and Vector Calculus (General Education)
  • MATH-231: Differential Equations (General Education)
  • PHYS-212: University Physics II (General Education – Natural Science Inquiry Perspective)
  • General Education – Ethical Perspective
• Third Year
  • EEEE-353: Linear Systems
  • EEEE-374: EM Fields and Transmission Lines
  • EEEE-380: Digital Electronics
  • EEEE-499: Co-op (fall and summer)
  • MATH-381: Complex Variables (General Education)
  • General Education – Immersion 1
• Fourth Year
  • EEEE-414: Classical Control
  • EEEE-420: Embedded Systems Design
  • EEEE-480: Analog Electronics
  • EEEE-499: Co-op (summer)
  • MATH-251: Probability and Statistics (General Education)
  • Open Elective
• Fifth Year
  • EEEE-484: Communication Systems (WI-PR)
  • EEEE-497: Multidisciplinary Senior Design I
  • EEEE-498: Multidisciplinary Senior Design II
  • Professional Electives
  • General Education – Immersion 2, 3
  • Open Electives

Professional Options

Students who elect to pursue a Professional Option may use any combination of Open and Professional Electives to complete one of the options listed below:

Artificial Intelligence

• Required Courses
  • EEEE-447: Introduction to Artificial Intelligence
  • EEEE-547: Artificial Intelligence Explorations
  • EEEE-536: Biorobotics/Cybernetics

Clean and Renewable Energy

• Required Courses
  • EEEE-221: Clean & Renewable Energy Systems & Sources
  • EEEE-321: Energy Conversion
  • EEEE-522: Electric Power Transmission & Distribution
  • EEEE-546: Power Electronics

Computer Engineering

• Required Courses
  • EEEE-520: Design of Digital Systems
  • EEEE-521: Design of Computer Systems
  • EE/CE/CS Restricted Elective

Robotics

• Required Courses
  • EEEE-485: Robotic Systems
  • EEEE-585: Principles of Robotics
  • EEEE-784: Advanced Robotics

Microelectronics

• Required Courses
  • MCEE-201: IC Technology
  • MCEE-503: Thin Films
  • MCEE-732: Microelectronics Manufacturing

Combined Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s Degrees

The curriculum below outlines the typical course sequence(s) for combined accelerated degrees available with this bachelor's degree.

Electrical Engineering, BS/MS degree, typical course sequence

• First Year
  • CHMG-131: General Chemistry for Engineers (General Education)
  • EEEE-105: Freshman Practicum
  • EEEE-120: Digital Systems I
  • MATH-181: Calculus I (General Education – Mathematical Perspective A)
  • MATH-182: Calculus II (General Education – Mathematical Perspective B)
  • PHYS-211: University Physics I (General Education – Scientific Principles Perspective)
  • YOPS-10: RIT 365: RIT Connections
  • General Education – First-Year Writing (WI)
  • General Education – Artistic Perspective
  • General Education – Global Perspective
  • General Education – Social Perspective
  • General Education – Elective
• Second Year
  • CMPR-271: Computational Problem Solving for Engineers (General Education)
  • EEEE-220: Digital Systems II
  • EEEE-260: Introduction to Semiconductor Devices
  • EEEE-281: Circuits I
  • EEEE-281R: Circuits I Recitation
  • EEEE-282: Circuits II
  • EEEE-346: Advanced Programming
  • EGEN-99: Engineering Co-op Preparation
  • MATH-221: Multivariable and Vector Calculus (General Education)
  • MATH-231: Differential Equations (General Education)
  • PHYS-212: University Physics II (General Education – Natural Science Inquiry Perspective)
  • General Education – Ethical Perspective
• Third Year
  • EEEE-353: Linear Systems
  • EEEE-374: EM Fields and Transmission Lines
  • EEEE-380: Digital Electronics
  • EEEE-499: Co-op (fall and summer)
  • MATH-381: Complex Variables (General Education)
  • General Education – Immersion 1
• Fourth Year
  • EEEE-414: Classical Control
  • EEEE-420: Embedded Systems Design
  • EEEE-480: Analog Electronics
  • EEEE-499: Co-op (summer)
  • MATH-251: Probability and Statistics (General Education)
  • Open Elective
• Fifth Year
  • EEEE-498: Multidisciplinary Senior Design II
  • EEEE-709: Advanced Engineering Mathematics
  • Choose one of the following:
    • EEEE-790: Thesis
    • EEEE-792: Graduate Paper plus one (1) additional Graduate Elective
    • EEEE-785: Comprehensive Exam plus one (1) additional Graduate Elective
  • Open Electives
  • Graduate Focus Area
  • Graduate Electives
  • General Education – Immersion 3

Electrical Engineering, BS degree/Science, Technology and Public Policy, MS degree, typical course sequence

• First Year
  • CHMG-131: General Chemistry for Engineers (General Education)
  • EEEE-105: Freshman Practicum
  • EEEE-120: Digital Systems I
  • MATH-181: Calculus I (General Education – Mathematical Perspective A)
  • MATH-182: Calculus II (General Education – Mathematical Perspective B)
  • PHYS-211: University Physics I (General Education – Scientific Principles Perspective)
  • YOPS-10: RIT 365: RIT Connections
  • General Education – First-Year Writing (WI)
  • General Education – Artistic Perspective
  • General Education – Global Perspective
  • General Education – Social Perspective
  • General Education – Elective
• Second Year
  • CMPR-271: Computational Problem Solving for Engineers (General Education)
  • EEEE-220: Digital Systems II
  • EEEE-260: Introduction to Semiconductor Devices
  • EEEE-281: Circuits I
  • EEEE-281R: Circuits I Recitation
  • EEEE-282: Circuits II
  • EEEE-346: Advanced Programming
  • EGEN-99: Engineering Co-op Preparation
  • MATH-221: Multivariable and Vector Calculus (General Education)
  • MATH-231: Differential Equations (General Education)
  • PHYS-212: University Physics II (General Education – Natural Science Inquiry Perspective)
  • General Education – Ethical Perspective
• Third Year
  • EEEE-353: Linear Systems
  • EEEE-374: EM Fields and Transmission Lines
  • EEEE-380: Digital Electronics
  • EEEE-499: Co-op (fall, summer)
  • MATH-381: Complex Variables (General Education)
  • General Education - Immersion 1
• Fourth Year
  • EEEE-414: Classical Control
  • EEEE-420: Embedded Systems Design
  • EEEE-480: Analog Electronics
  • EEEE-499: Co-op (summer)
  • MATH-251: Probability and Statistics (General Education)
  • PUBL-701: Graduate Policy Analysis
  • PUBL-702: Graduate Decision Analysis
  • Public Policy Elective
  • Professional Elective
  • General Education - Immersion 2,3
• Fifth Year
  • EEEE-484: Communication Systems (WI-PR)
  • EEEE-497: Multidisciplinary Senior Design I
  • EEEE-498: Multidisciplinary Senior Design II
  • PUBL-700: Readings in Public Policy
  • PUBL-703: Evaluation and Research Design
  • Choose one of the following:
    • PUBL-610: Technological Innovation and Public Policy
    • STSO-710: Graduate Science and Technology Policy Seminar
  • Public Policy Electives
  • Open Electives
  • Choose one of the following:
    • PUBL-785: Capstone Experience
    • PUBL-790: Public Policy Thesis
    • PUBL-798: Comprehensive Exam plus two (2) additional Graduate Electives

Admissions and Financial Aid

This program is STEM designated when studying on campus and full time.

First-Year Admission

First-year applicants are expected to demonstrate a strong academic background that includes:

• 4 years of English
• 3 years of social studies and/or history
• 4 years of math is required and must include algebra, geometry, algebra 2/trigonometry, and pre-calculus. Calculus ispreferred.
• 2-3 years of science. Chemistry and physics are required.

Transfer Admission

Transfer applicants should meet these minimum degree-specific requirements:

• A minimum of pre-calculus is required. Calculus ispreferred.
• Chemistry or physics is required.

Accreditation

The BS in electrical engineering program is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET. Visit the college's accreditation page for information on enrollment and graduation data, program educational objectives, and student outcomes.

Faculty

• Edward Brown: Associate Professor
• Omar Abdul Latif: Coordinator of Computing Sciences programs, Assistant Professor of Computing Sciences
• Jing Zhang: Associate Professor

All Program Faculty

Research

The faculty and students in the electrical and microelectronic engineering department conduct research in a wide range of interdisciplinary fields including, but not limited to, digital and computer systems, signal processing, electromagnetics, power and energy systems, robotics, telecommunications, machine learning, analog and mixed-signal electronics, mechatronics, microelectromechanical systems, semiconductor devices, advanced integrated circuit manufacturing. Research is externally supported by an array of federal, state, and industry sponsors, such as the National Science Foundation, the U.S. Air Force, and the U.S. Navy. Learn more about electrical engineering research opportunities. Visit individual faculty profiles for a more complete list of research advisors in the program.