Electrical Engineering

The bachelor of science degree in electrical engineering is accredited by ABET, Inc. The recognized accreditor for college and university programs in applied science, computing, engineering and technology, ABET is a federation of 28 professional and technical societies representing these fields. Among the most respected accreditation organizations in the U.S., ABET has provided leadership and quality assurance in higher education for over 70 years.  

Electrical engineering is one of the broadest and largest engineering disciplines. Many electrical engineers work in the areas of design, analysis and application of electrical/electronic components, circuits, and systems. Many electrical engineers work in areas focused on the analysis, design, and application of information processing systems such as communication systems, medical imaging, military sensors, etc. The areas in which electrical engineers work span the spectrum from those focused on the atomic-level operation of micro-electronic devices to those focused on the design of integrated circuits using these micro-electronic devices, to those focused on the design of electronic circuits that use these integrated circuits, to those focused on the design of systems that use these electronic circuits, to process signals and information.

The electrical engineering curriculum builds upon the base of the one-year core provided by the Engineering Design Division of the Watson School. The one-year core, required of all engineering students in the school, provides students with a broad foundation in engineering fundamentals, natural sciences, mathematics, and laboratory experience. The second year of the program covers basic electrical and computer engineering topics. Breadth in the major areas of electrical engineering is obtained by a series of required courses in the third year; depth in a specialization area within electrical engineering is obtained by a series of technical electives in the fourth year.

Program Educational Objectives describe what graduates of the program are expected to accomplish within five years of graduation. Graduates of the Electrical Engineering program should demonstrate progress in three areas:

·         Engagement: Graduates will be engaged in a career that uses the skills and knowledge gained in their undergraduate engineering program.

·         Expertise: Graduates will pursue further professional credentials, such as advanced degrees and professional registration, and will assume increased responsibility in their organization.

·         Learning: Graduates will gain further knowledge relevant to their career through independent learning and continuing education.

Requirements

To receive the BSEE degree, students must complete a minimum of 128 credit hours in the courses outlined below, with a grade-point average of at least 2.0 in electrical engineering. In addition, all Binghamton University students must also meet the General Education requirements. For more details, refer to the General Education section of this publication or consult with the Watson School Advising Office or the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering Undergraduate Handbook.

Freshman Year/Fall Semester                                                                             credits

•	MATH 221. Calculus I	4
•	CHEM 111. Chemistry Principles	4
•	WTSN 111. Exploring Engineering I	2
•	WTSN 103. Technical Communications I	2
•	General Education Elective	4
•	PE/Wellness Elective	1
	TOTAL	17

Freshman Year/Spring Semester                                                                         credits

•	MATH 222. Calculus II	4
•	PHYS 131. General Physics I	4
•	WTSN 112. Exploring Engineering II	2
•	WTSN 104. Technical Communications II	2
•	General Education Elective	4
•	PE/Wellness Elective	1
	TOTAL	17

Sophomore Year/Fall Semester                                                                           credits

•	MATH 371. Ordinary Differential Equations	4
•	PHYS 132. General Physics II	4
•	CS 211. Programming I for Engineers	4
•	EECE 251. Digital Logic Design	4
•	EECE 281. EECE Seminar I	1
	TOTAL	17

Sophomore Year/Spring Semester                                                                       credits

•	ISE 261. Probabilistic Systems	4
•	EECE 252. Microprocessors	4
•	EECE 260. Electrical Circuits	4
•	CS 212. Programming II for Engineers	4
	TOTAL	16

Junior Year/Fall Semester                                                                                   credits

•	EECE 301. Signals and Systems	4
•	EECE 315. Electronics I	4
•	EECE 332. Semiconductor Devices	3
•	MATH 323. Calculus III	4
•	EECE 382. EECE Seminar II	1
	TOTAL	16

Junior Year/Spring Semester                                                                               credits

•	EECE 323. Electromagnetics	4
•	EECE 361. Control Systems	3
•	EECE 377. Communication Systems	3
•	EECE 387. Design Lab	3
•	General Education Elective	4
	TOTAL	17

Senior Year/Fall Semester                                                                                  credits

•	EECE 487. Senior Project I	4
•	Technical Elective 1	3
•	Professional Elective 1	3
•	General Education Elective	4
	TOTAL	14

Senior Year/Spring Semester                                                                              credits

•	EECE 488. Senior Project II	4
•	Technical Elective 2	3
•	Professional Elective 2	3
•	General Education Elective	4
	TOTAL	14

General Education electives must be selected to satisfy the Binghamton University General Education requirements.

Technical electives allow EE students to focus on a chosen specialization within electrical engineering and must be selected from a list of approved upper-level EECE courses.

Professional electives allows EE students to pursue areas that are relevant to the profession of electrical engineering; suggested choices include but are not limited to (i) additional technical elective courses, (ii) courses in business-related areas, (iii) additional math or science courses, (iv) engineering courses outside of EE (e.g., a mechanical engineering course to prepare for professional engineering license exams).

Accelerated Master’s Degree Programs for Students Pursuing the BS In Electrical Engineering or BS In Computer Engineering

A combined BS and MBA degree program provides Watson undergraduate students with the opportunity to complete their BS degree and MBA degree within five years. In order to complete this program, students will be required to take three core MBA courses during the junior and/or senior year. Upon completion of their senior year, students receive their BS degree. In the fifth year they are officially admitted to the MBA program. Information about this program is available in the School of Management section.

A combined BS and MSEE degree program is available for motivated students working toward the BS in electrical or computer engineering. To be eligible, undergraduate students must have a GPA of 3.5 or higher after five semesters (fall semester, junior year). Students apply for admission to the combined-degree program during their junior year by completing a short application available in the Watson School Advising Office. Once admitted to the program, students begin taking graduate courses during their senior year. Up to three graduate courses taken in the student’s senior year can count both toward their MS degree requirements and their senior elective requirements. By January 15 of the senior year, a formal application for Graduate School admission must be completed, which, assuming continued good performance, is only a formality.

After admission to the graduate program, students are encouraged to seek employment as a graduate research assistant in one of the department’s research projects. The research experience gained in the summer after finishing the BS degree provides an excellent experience and a start on an MS thesis project. Typically this start on the MS thesis allows the completion of the MS thesis option in one academic year beyond the BS degree. The expectation is that students in the program will complete the BS and MS degrees in five years. Students in the combined-degree program receive their BS degree after completing their undergraduate requirements. They must then continue as a full-time student in order for the graduate courses taken as an undergraduate to count toward the MS degree requirements. The MS degree is an excellent professional credential, which usually commands a substantially higher starting salary. Being employed as a research assistant or teaching assistant while a graduate student provides a stipend for living expenses and a tuition waiver. Thus, the combined program offers multiple advantages: less time to complete, full-time study while completing the program (as opposed to an employer-funded night school), your education totally paid for and the ability to start employment at the master’s level.