BS in Electrical Engineering
Florida Institute of Technology
Key Information
Campus location
Melbourne, USA
Languages
English
Study format
On-Campus
Duration
4 years
Pace
Full time
Tuition fees
USD 21,173 / per semester
Application deadline
Request info
Earliest start date
Sep 2024
Introduction
What is a BS in Electrical Engineering?
Electrical engineering is the study and application of electricity, electronics, and electromagnetism toward the design of new and better electronics and electronic systems. Students earning an electrical engineering degree may specialize in unique career-track subfields such as electromagnetics, physical electronics, systems and information processing, or wireless systems.
Whether you want to invent and patent new technologies, design laser scanning systems, or engineer electronic solutions to modern problems, an electrical engineering degree from Florida Tech develops a strong background in engineering with hands-on experience in software simulation and analysis.
Accreditation
The undergraduate electrical engineering program is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET.
Low Student-to-Faculty Ratio—Personalized Attention
Florida Tech students benefit from a close-knit, small-class environment, something you will not find at many top electrical engineering schools. Additionally, eligible students have an opportunity to work with well-established faculty on relevant research, including wireless systems, materials, fiber optics, speech and image processing, systems engineering, and machine learning.
PhD-level professors teach most of the classes at Florida Tech and offer personalized attention and regular availability for student advising. Our faculty is diverse, with specialties in a variety of areas and research interests that span the field. They are all active in teaching, involved in professional organizations, and some are recipients of Florida Tech teaching and research awards. The department’s faculty includes an IEEE Fellow, an IEEE Life Fellow, a recipient of the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers, and a member of the editorial board of the Journal of Signal and Imaging Systems Engineering.
Located in the Heart of Florida’s High-Tech Corridor
Florida Tech is the perfect place for an electrical engineering degree. The 130-acre campus is located on the Space Coast (so named because of the presence of NASA and the Kennedy Space Center on Cape Canaveral just north of us), minutes away from the Indian River Lagoon, the most diverse estuary in North America.
The area has the fifth-largest high-tech workforce in the country, with more than 5,000 high-tech corporations and government and military organizations located nearby. This workforce also provides an abundance of internship and employment opportunities.
Florida Tech is just over the causeway from the Atlantic Ocean with its 72 miles of beautiful beaches, and a short trip to the Florida Keys or the Orlando theme parks. We also have a rich campus life that includes a wide range of intramural and collegiate sports, clubs, and social activities.
Build Lasting Professional Relationships through Campus Organizations
Beyond the classroom, students earning an electrical engineering degree build leadership and professional experience through exciting internships and participation in academic organizations like Tau Beta Pi (the engineering honor society), student government, and over 100 other student organizations.
Members of Florida Tech’s student chapter of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (known as FIT-IEEE) take part in robotics competitions and professional conferences.
The Society of Women Engineers works to spark interest in math and science and promote the engineering field to all students. They participate in regular lectures, conferences, and gatherings to advance this cause.
Curriculum
Gain Practical Experience
The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering is the second largest in the College of Engineering. Electrical engineering degree students have access to more than 10,000 square feet of high-tech research lab space. Integrated lab experiences give students training and time with the latest fiber optics, microelectronics, analytical instrumentation, and design software.
Electrical engineering students may expect small classes and the opportunity to work closely with faculty in the classroom. The program’s reputation and proximity to a variety of high-tech companies mean you can also expect to find a great internship and build valuable on-the-job experience. As a senior, you’ll complete a design project in collaboration with a team of your peers on a complex engineering system.
Curriculum
The goal of the electrical engineering major is to provide the student with a total learning experience. It is designed to expose the entire spectrum of electrical engineering concepts from the basic building blocks of transistors and gates, through communications, control, electromagnetic, computer, and photonic systems. Electrical engineering majors develop an extensive knowledge of hardware, along with skills in software simulation and analysis. In the senior year, students design, build and test complete systems as part of their senior design course.
The educational objectives for electrical engineering are to produce graduates who will establish themselves as practicing professionals who will engage in advanced studies in engineering or a related field; display awareness of the importance of opportunities for lifelong learning; excel in the global marketplace, and demonstrate the ability to work successfully as members of professional teams and function effectively as responsible professionals.
A major component of the electrical engineering major at Florida Tech involves hands-on learning. The electrical engineering student begins taking electrical engineering courses during their freshman year. The freshman-level courses include programming and interfacing an embedded microcontroller. Laboratory experience and computer-based analysis are integrated into most classes and all laboratories.
In electrical engineering, a strong emphasis is on the mastery principle. It is assumed that electrical engineering students not only know the material critical to engineering but also can demonstrate mastery of the material, which is the goal of everyone in the program.
During the freshman and sophomore years, students learn the basics of electrical engineering along with college-level mathematics and physics. In addition, courses in computer design with hands-on lab experiences are taken during both terms of the freshman year.
Throughout the sophomore and junior years, students learn the basic analytical techniques of engineering ways in which the engineer views physical situations and uses mathematical techniques to design basic subsystems. Many of the courses taken by students at this level offer integrated lab experiences. In this way, students can visualize the practical aspects of various electronic theories they encounter.
During the senior year, students continue to build their knowledge base to develop a systems approach to engineering design. They gain deeper knowledge in at least two specializations through combination lecture/lab courses, followed by advanced courses in related areas. Through electives, students may explore various topics within electrical engineering for which they have developed specific interests.
Candidates for the degree must successfully complete the following curriculum.
Freshman Year
Fall (16 credit hours)
- CHM 1101 General Chemistry 1 or BIO 1010 Biological Discovery 1 and BIO 1030 Introduction to Biotechnology
- COM 1101 Composition and Rhetoric
- ECE 1551 Digital Logic
- FYE 1000 University Experience
- MTH 1001 Calculus 1 or MTH 1010 Honors Calculus 1
Spring (16 credit hours)
- COM 1102 Writing About Literature
- ECE 1552 Computer Design
- MTH 1002 Calculus 2 or MTH 1020 Honors Calculus 2
- PHY 1001 Physics 1
- PHY 2091 Physics Laboratory 1
Sophomore Year
Fall (15 credit hours)
- ECE 2111 Circuit Theory 1
- ECE 2551 Software/Hardware Design
- MTH 2201 Differential Equations/Linear Algebra or MTH 3200 Honors Differential Equations
- PHY 2002 Physics 2
Spring (17 credit hours)
- ECE 2112 Circuit Theory 2
- MTH 2001 Calculus 3 or MTH 2010 Honors Calculus 3
- MTH 2401 Probability and Statistics
- PHY 2003 Modern Physics
Select the first HUM Core Course:
- HUM 2051 Civilization 1: Ancient Through Medieval
- HUM 2141 World Art History 1: Pre-History to Early Global Awareness
- HUM 2211 British Literature and Culture
- HUM 2212 British and American Literature 1
- HUM 2331 American History: Pre-Columbian to Civil War Era
- HUM 2551 Survey of Ancient and Medieval Philosophy
Junior Year
Fall (17 credit hours)
- COM 2223 Scientific and Technical Communication
- ECE 3111 Electronics
- ECE 3222 Signals and Systems
- ECE 3441 Electromagnetic Fields
- ECE 3551 Microcomputer Systems 1
Spring (16 credit hours)
- ECE 3240 Junior Design
- ECE 3442 Electromagnetic Waves
- ECE 4112 Digital Electronics
- ECE 4221 Communication Systems
- Free Elective Credit Hours: 3
Select the second HUM Core Course:
- HUM 2052 Civilization 2: Renaissance Through Modern
- HUM 2142 World Art History 2: Early Modern to Post-Colonial
- HUM 2212 British and American Literature 1 (may not be repeated for credit)
- HUM 2213 British and American Literature 2
- HUM 2332 American History: From Reconstruction to the Present
- HUM 2552 Survey of Modern and Contemporary Philosophy
Senior Year
Fall (18 credit hours)
- ECE 4231 Control Systems
- ECE 4241 System Design 1 (Q)
- Restricted Electives (Electrical Engineering) Credit Hours: 6*
- Social Science Elective Credit Hours: 3
- Technical Elective Credit Hours: 3
Spring (15 credit hours)
- ECE 4242 System Design 2 (Q)
- ECE 4332 Electrooptic Devices and Systems
- Humanities/Social Science Elective Credit Hours: 3
- Humanities Elective (HU) 3000-level or higher recommended Credit Hours: 3
- Technical Elective Credit Hours: 3
Total Credits Required: 130
*A list of approved electives is available from the department.
Career Opportunities
Career Outlook
The Occupational Outlook Handbook, published by the United States Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics, provides detailed information about hundreds of occupations, including entry-level education, overall working environment, and employment prospects.
According to the Bureau, electrical engineering careers are projected to grow 6% through 2020 due to the versatility of electrical and electronics engineers in developing and applying emerging technologies. Jobs will mostly occur in engineering services firms and contract engineering services firms.
Facilities
English Language Requirements
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