Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering

Electrical Engineering Undergraduate Major

Program of Study

Electrical engineers develop and work with energy systems, fiber optic networks, circuits, electromagnetics, communications, controls, signal processing, the foundation of many electronic devices, the nation's power infrastructure, and more. As an electrical engineering major at Iowa State, you can specialize in one of the following six areas:

Communications & Signal Processing: Develop ways to transmit data reliably and securely. Investigate image and signal processing, computer vision, computational biology, and wireless and multi-user communications. These technologies are used in wireless communications, biomedical imaging, bioinformatics, and more.

Electromagnetics, Microwave & Nondestructive Evaluation: Design radio frequency/microwave circuits and antennas for wireless communication devices. Design and evaluate technologies to identify hidden flaws in aircraft engines, bridges, and other structures, as well as use remote sensing to observe environmental conditions. Engineers in this area can work in the wireless communications, integrate circuits (semiconductor), aerospace, and defense industries, among others.

Electric Power & Energy Systems: Keep the lights on in households worldwide by investigating power systems security, quality, reliability, and economic distribution. Plus, study the integration of solar, wind, and other types of alternate energy via power electronics technologies.

Microelectronics & Photonics: Discover and enhance the speed, materials, and flexibility of small electronic devices, including the parts that run everyday electronics. You can work with lasers, make computer chips smaller and faster, or even work with thin-film solar cells to improve solar energy technology. Engineers in this area can pursue careers in the aerospace, defense, consumer electronics, and wireless communications industries.

Systems & Controls: Develop and solve problems in electronic control systems for robotics, flight controls for airplanes, electronic car safety systems, large-scale power systems, and more. You could work in the automobile, avionics, computer, and manufacturing industries.

VLSI Design: Create Very Large Scale Integrated (VLSI) circuits—the foundation for the brains of all electronic devices—including high-speed computer processors, cell phones, and wireless network access points. This area could lead to careers in high-speed communications and the integrated circuits (semiconductor) industry.

Courses and Planning

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For More Information

For more information about the computer engineering undergraduate major or other questions, contact Student Services, 515-294-6092, ecpeadst@iastate.edu.