What is an Electrical Engineering Degree?

In recent years, electrical engineering has played a vital role in society as we look for new, more energy-efficient and environmentally friendly ways to power our world. Electrical engineering is at the forefront of consumers’ and legislators’ minds, with the world’s most powerful nations individually and collectively trying to find ways to meet the ever-increasing demand for energy.

Electrical engineering is the science of harnessing electrical power, designing and implementing safe and efficient ways to generate and transmit that power to its population and, if necessary, unpopulated areas. Electrical engineering also deals with electromagnetism, the study of the forces that travel between electrically charged particles.

Without electrical engineering, we would not have the inventions we take for granted every day. Without electrical engineering, the 19th and 20th centuries would not have been able to communicate via telegraph, we would not have electricity in our homes and public places and workplaces, and we would not know what a telephone is. These inventions are just a preview of the incredible field of electrical engineering and what electrical engineers can do.

Students who want to work with electricity, especially those interested in finding new ways to power our planet without harming it, can pursue a college degree in electrical engineering. This degree will prepare students to enter a very complex and methodical science. One thing, however, has proven over the centuries to be one of mankind’s greatest discoveries.

Electrical Engineering Job Opportunities
Students who successfully earn an electrical engineering degree are prepared to work as electrical engineers performing a variety of research and scientific functions.

Electrical engineers take an electrical system and figure out how it will operate safely, efficiently, cost-effectively and sustainably in the environment in which it will operate. These days, electrical engineers must consider more than just how an electrical system functions.

Electrical engineers must work with governments and organizations to ensure that the systems they design and maintain meet acceptable criteria for both public and environmental needs. As such, these engineers are an extension of the initial concept to the final product, with an emphasis on perfection the entire way through.

Electrical engineering graduates typically start their careers in the £20,000 to £25,000 range, depending on where they work.

Experienced engineers can earn more, typically taking home a salary of £28,000 to £38,000, again depending on where the engineer works, as well as how many years they have worked in the field.

Electrical Engineering Curriculum
Electrical engineering students will focus their studies on electrical theory and the various areas within the field. A good grasp of mathematics and physics is a must in this curriculum, as are analytical and technological skills. Students will study both in the classroom and in the laboratory, designing and building their own electrical engineering projects. This gives students the knowledge and confidence they need to enter this complex field.