What is an Electrical Engineering Degree?

Electrical Engineering is a branch of engineering that develops technology that is applied to all forms of electricity and magnetic forces. More specifically, electrical engineers design and apply technology to equipment and circuitry that controls with power generation and distribution. These electric systems can include light and power systems, wire and radio communications, radar systems, and other automated control systems. An electrical engineering degree is based upon the laws of electricity in a mathematical format. Due to the extensive field electrical engineer encompasses, this field is typically broken down into sub-disciples that a student can select to study. These sub-disciplines include:

• Power Engineering
• Control Engineering
• Electronics Engineering
• Microelectronics Engineering
• Signal Processing
• Telecommunications Engineering
• Instrumentation Engineering
• Computer Engineering

With one in five college students now taking at least one class online, the popularity of online courses continues to grow. In the past fifteen years, this concept has steadily increased in popularity and now many colleges and universities offer entire degrees online. This is popular for students who require flexibility with their schedule. The student can attend classes on their own schedule. Additionally, online courses allow for a student to obtain a degree from a school that may be located hundreds of miles away without having to consider relocating. The accessibility of the internet makes acquiring a degree online easier than ever.

What schools offer accredited online Electrical Engineering degrees?

Master of Electrical Engineering	Associate Degree in Industrial Electronics and Electrical Maintenance Technology
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What coursework is needed to acquire an Electrical Engineering Degree?

The academic coursework for an electrical engineering is designed to educate the student to a level where they can obtain a career in the electrical engineering field. The coursework that a student will begin with will include courses to teach the student the basics in mathematics, engineering and sciences that create the foundation to take more advance electrical engineering courses. These initial courses typically include:

• Fundamentals of Engineering, which is designed to teach the student a broad understanding of the principles and practices of engineering.
• Mathematical Courses, which may include calculus, vector geometry, statistics, and linear algebra
• Science Courses, which may include chemistry, physics and biology.

In addition to introductory classes, most students take a core engineering curriculum of classes that are basic and introductory into engineering. These courses aim to provide the student with fundamental skills, introduce the student to the field of electrical engineering, and prepare the student for more advance topics.

More advance engineering courses that the student will need to take to obtain an electrical engineering degree include photonics, solid-state devices, electromagnetics, circuits and electronics, signals and systems, and communications and networking. If a student decides to obtain a degree that focuses upon one of the sub-disciplines, they will take additional courses within the disciple.

What jobs opportunities are available with an Electrical Engineering degree and what income can one expect with this degree?

The career options for an individual with an electrical engineering degree are numerous and nearly infinite. Electrical Engineering is one degree where 95% of all individuals with this type of degree actually work in their degree field for much of their career. These individuals design, develop, test and supervise electrical equipment. There are many entry level jobs for electrical engineers who possess a bachelor’s degree. It has been said that to progress further in an electrical engineering career, a master degree is may be necessary.

Some jobs for an electrical engineering are those that include electric motors, lighting and wiring for buildings, radar and navigation systems, and power generators. Both the United States Government, in the defense department, and the aviation industry are major employers of individuals with electrical engineering degrees.

The current job market is hiring electrical engineers. Some of these fields and employers include:

• United States Government to work in the Defense Threat Reduction Agency
• Energizer Everready Battery
  
• Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory
  
• LAM Research
  
• National Semiconductor
  
• Many Defense Contractors for the United States Government such as Northrop Grumman IT
  
• Qualcomm

Electrical engineers are the fourth most hired specialty of engineering. The field of electrical engineering is expected to grow by roughly two percent over the next decade. The starting salary for electrical engineers with a bachelor’s degree is $60,125 (2009), making it the fifth highest starting salary for engineers holding a bachelor’s degree. The median income for electrical engineers is $82,160, making it one of the higher grossing forms of engineering.