- Companies hiring our students for co-ops include Advanced Micro Devices, Apple, Collins Aerospace, Corning Inc., D3 Engineering, General Dynamics Mission Systems, General Motors, Honda, Honeywell, IBM, Intel, L3Harris Technologies, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman Corporation, Onsemi, Precision Castparts Corp, and Texas Instruments, to name a few.
- Four required blocks of co-op mean nearly a year of hands-on, full-time paid work experience in industry.
- Choose from four options: artificial intelligence, clean and renewable energy, computer engineering, or robotics.
Electrical engineers synthesize science, mathematics, technology, and application-oriented designs into world-class consumer products, timely microprocessors, state-of-the-art computers, advanced electronic components, and much more. From cutting-edge technology revolutions to real life applications, the innovations of electrical engineers continue to lead the future and elevate the standards in the marketplace. With a shortage of electrical engineering talent in the job market, the demand for graduates with an electrical engineering degree remains at an all-time high.
Electrical engineering addresses the high-technology needs of business and industry by offering a rich academic program that includes analog and digital integrated circuits, digital signal processing, radiation and propagation, power electronics, control systems, communications, circuit theory, computer architecture, computer-aided design, embedded systems, solid-state devices, microelectromechanical systems (MEMs), and robotics.
Electrical Engineering Curriculum
The BS in electrical engineering consists of an in depth curriculum, cooperative education, and facilities designed to prepare you for exciting careers within the varied electrical engineering and allied disciplines and for positions in business management. Since the ability to design is an essential part of electrical engineering, students are presented with challenging design problems in a number of courses, beginning in the first year with Freshman Practicum.
To strengthen students' applied knowledge, laboratories are an integral part of many courses. A number of classes are studio-style lecture labs, where the instructor presents the lecture in a fully instrumented room that allows immediate observation and implementation of important engineering ideas. Many of our alumni report that the college's facilities are comparable to the best in the industry.
The first two years of the curriculum are devoted to establishing a foundation in mathematics and the physical sciences, which is essential to the study of electrical engineering. In other courses, students learn about electrical engineering principles such as circuits and digital systems. Practicum courses introduce students to electrical engineering practice and computer-aided design (CAD) tools that are used throughout the five-year program.
In the third and fourth years, students 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.
During the fifth year, students specialize in an area of professional interest and complete a senior design project as part of the graduation requirements.
Learn more about the Student Learning Outcomes and Program Educational Objectives for the electrical engineering BS degree.
Options
Students may select an option area that provides in-depth study in an area of electrical engineering. Students complete all the required courses for the BS in electrical engineering and choose their free and professional electives from a specified set of courses in one of the following option areas.
Artificial Intelligence: The field of artificial intelligence (AI) has produced significant innovations that impact our everyday lives. From autonomous vehicles, smart assistants, automated financial investing, to smart cities, health care, and logistics; AI has laid the foundation to push human civilization forward. The AI option provides you with the theoretical and practical skills necessary to design ethical intelligent agents that continue to advance our society. The programming-focused curriculum allows you to study how agents can solve complex problems, make inferences and decisions, learn from data (classical and deep learning), and evolve over time while understanding the ethical implications and societal impacts of your designs. Learn more about the artificial intelligence option.
Clean and Renewable Energy: Because of the environmental impact, it has become critical that electrical energy be developed from sources that do not pollute the atmosphere, preferably from renewable sources like wind and solar energy. It is equally important that existing electrical generation and distribution systems become more efficient. In the future, research and development in clean and renewable energy will grow at a rate much faster than other areas. Both industry and the federal government are increasing their efforts and financial investment in this area. Learn more about the clean and renewable energy option.
Computer Engineering: The computer engineering option is ideal for students interested in designing modern computing systems. Students gain knowledge in areas ranging from C programming, object-oriented programming, assembly language, microprocessor interfacing, and logic design to data structures and computer operating systems. Learn more about the computer engineering option.
Robotics: The robotics option provides students with the theoretical and practical skills required to design robots and robotic devices. Students study advanced programming, robotic systems, principles of robotics, advanced robotics, kinematics and dynamics of robotics manipulators, mobile robots, locomotion types, and complete experiments using various arm and mobile robots. Advanced robotics courses include the dynamics of manipulators and the dynamics of mobile robots with advanced locomotion techniques and path planning. Learn more about the robotics option.
Multidisciplinary Senior Design
A highlight of the applied engineering experience is the senior project. Students 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.
Engineering vs. Engineering Technology
Two dynamic areas of study, both with outstanding outcomes rates. Which do you choose?
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 vs. engineering technology is more about identifying what you like to do and how you like to do it.
Combined Accelerated Bachelor's/Master's Degrees
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.
+1 MBA: Students who enroll in a qualifying undergraduate degree have the opportunity to add an MBA to their bachelor's degree after their first year of study, depending on their program. Learn how the +1 MBA can accelerate your learning and position you for success.
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