Electrical Engineering Undergraduate Major
Electrical Engineering is one of the largest and most fundamental engineering disciplines, touching nearly every sector of society. The Bachelor of Science in Engineering in Electrical Engineering gives students a rigorous foundation in the analysis, design, testing, and development of electrical, electronic, optical, computational, and quantum systems, combining engineering science, laboratory experimentation, computational methods, and sustained hands-on design work to prepare graduates for professional practice, graduate study, and emerging technology fields.
What You'll Learn
You'll build core competencies in circuits, electronics, signals and systems, embedded systems, electromagnetics, communications, controls, photonics, and computer engineering, working hands-on with tools like circuit simulation software, embedded microcontrollers, PCB design platforms, and laboratory instrumentation. A year-long Electrical Engineering Design Studio sequence and a dedicated Engineering Quantum Mechanics course push you further, introducing foundations of quantum technologies alongside experimentation, prototyping, and systems integration skills.
Career Outlook
Electrical engineering underpins critical sectors including energy, communications, computing, semiconductors, microelectronics, healthcare, aerospace, robotics, sustainability, and climate-resilient infrastructure. The curriculum satisfies ABET accreditation requirements and prepares students for the FE exam and PE licensure, opening paths into electronics and hardware design, robotics and automation, embedded systems, semiconductors and photonics, communications, quantum technologies, or graduate study.
Meet Our Faculty
Electrical Engineering coursework is led by faculty with deep experience in engineering practice, bringing hands-on expertise across circuits, electronics, quantum systems, and design into the classroom and studio labs. Students work closely with a dedicated departmental advisor to build an individualized course plan suited to their interests within the program's requirements.
Curriculum Requirements
The major builds on a foundation in math and science — Calculus I–III, Applied Math, General Chemistry I with lab, General Physics I & II with labs, plus dedicated coursework in probability/data science/machine learning and waves and materials — before moving into required coursework spanning circuits, electronics, digital logic, signals and systems, robotics, and engineering quantum mechanics. Students then complete 15 credits of engineering electives across depth areas like controls and signal processing, quantum engineering, electronics and photonics, or computer engineering, plus 6 credits of broader technical electives, culminating in a two-semester capstone design experience.
Students pursuing this bachelor’s degree must earn a minimum of 30 credit hours in the Newcomb-Tulane College core curriculum, 120 credit hours in their degree and a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.000.
Research
Students can pursue focused study through technical elective pathways in Controls, Communications, Signals and Systems; Quantum Engineering; Electronics and Photonics; and Computer Engineering. The program emphasizes interdisciplinary collaboration, tying coursework and project work to research relevant to robotics, semiconductor technologies, quantum engineering, healthcare technologies, advanced manufacturing, and communications systems.
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FAQs
Electrical engineering is the discipline focused on analyzing, designing, testing, and developing electrical, electronic, optical, computational, and quantum systems. It underpins nearly every sector of modern life, from energy and communications to computing, semiconductors, healthcare, and aerospace.
Students who are interested in obtaining transfer credits should first obtain the transfer credit request form from their academic advisor. They should then attach a detailed course description and/or a syllabus to the form for departmental approval. Syllabi are preferred for most courses, and they are required for introductory physics courses (e.g. algebra-based or calculus-based Physics I and II).
The forms should be returned to April Sanchez in the Physics & Engineering Physics office in 2001 Percival Stern Hall. The office is open from 8:30 AM until 4:30 PM Monday through Friday, excluding all university holidays. Once forms are approved and signed by Dr. Jiang Wei, students will be contacted to retrieve their forms and return them to Academic Advising.
All forms must be submitted and receive approval prior to taking courses at another institution.
Special note for online coursework: A lecture course that was delivered online may be considered for transfer credit, but any laboratory component must be in-person to receive credit. For this purpose, a student may take the 1-credit lab section separately to complete the requirements for a laboratory science course that was taken elsewhere online.
1. The student fills out the Major/Minor declaration form (linked below) and contacts the appropriate faculty advisor to arrange a meeting:
- Physics major or minor: Prof. Wayne Reed
- Engineering Physics major (without a minor/certificate or if undecided about optional minor/certificate): Prof. Anoop Rajappan
- Engineering Physics major with Electrical Engineering minor or certificate: Prof. Ryan Gelfand
- Engineering Physics major with Mechanical Engineering minor or certificate: Prof. Matt Barrios
- Engineering Physics major with Materials Engineering minor or certificate: Prof. Doug Chrisey
- Engineering Physics major with Computational Engineering certificate: Prof. Jianwei Sun
Notes for filling out the form: The degree pursued is BS for a Physics major or BSE for the Engineering Physics major. Students declaring a certificate should enter "ENGP + ___ Certificate" in the "primary major" field.
2. After meeting the student, the faculty advisor signs the form and forwards to Prof. Jerry Shakov, Associate Chair, for his signature.
3. Prof. Shakov forwards the form to the student's NTC advisor or returns to the student (in those cases where additional signatures from another department are needed).