Electrical Engineering: What Do You Really Study?
Circuits, signals and chips - the physics and mathematics behind the technology.
What Do You Study in Electrical Engineering? Core Subjects, Year by Year
What do the degree courses cover?
Open a course to learn about its main topics and see what the work looks like in practice.
What do you learn in the course?Hadova for electrical engineering?
Learn derivatives, integrals, series, and differential equations to describe time-varying signals and systems. The tools are a basis for circuits, electromagnetic fields, control and communication.
Main topics
- Limits and derivatives
- Integrals and series
- functions in several variables
- Differential equations
What does it look like in practice?
For example, solve an equation that describes how the voltage on a capacitor changes from the moment the circuit is connected.
What do you learn in the course?Physics for electrical engineering?
The course focuses on electricity, magnetism and waves along with a foundation in mechanics. Fields, potential, induction and wave propagation are studied to understand the physics behind circuits, antennas and components.
Main topics
- forces and energy
- electric field and potential
- current and magnetic field
- Inspiration and waves
What does it look like in practice?
For example, calculate the field around a conductor and the voltage induced in a coil when the magnetic flux changes.
What do you learn in the course?Linear algebra for electrical engineering?
Learn to represent and solve systems using vectors and matrices. Eigenvalues, spaces and decompositions are further used in signal processing, control, communication and machine learning.
Main topics
- Vectors and matrices
- linear systems
- spaces and copies
- Eigenvalues and decompositions
What does it look like in practice?
For example, represent a multi-input system in a matrix and check using the eigenvalues if its response is stable.
What do you learn in the course?Introduction to programming for electrical engineers?
Learn to think algorithmically and write programs for calculation, simulation and data processing. Conditions, loops, functions, arrays and numerical representation are practiced, usually in Python, C or MATLAB.
Main topics
- variables and flow control
- functions and data structures
- Arrays and numerical calculation
- Testing and troubleshooting
What does it look like in practice?
For example, a periodic signal is simulated, noise is added to it and metrics are calculated to help evaluate the reception quality.
What do you learn in the course?Electric circuits?
Learn to analyze networks of resistors, capacitors, coils and sources. Kirchhoff's laws, equivalences, and time and frequency response solutions are used to calculate voltages, currents, and power.
Main topics
- Ohm's and Kirchhoff's laws
- Methods of nodes and circles
- RC and RL circuits
- Alternating current, frequency and power
What does it look like in practice?
For example, calculate the output voltage of an RC filter and check which frequencies will pass and which will be dropped.
Frequently Asked Questions About Electrical Engineering
Is a degree in Electrical Engineering difficult?
There is no single answer — difficulty depends on your background, the institution, and your chosen study pace. According to this site's estimate, The degree is highly quantitative — mathematics and formal reasoning appear in nearly every course, and this is the part most students describe as challenging, and a large share of the reading material is in English. A good way to assess fit is to review the course map on this page: if most of the subjects interest you, the effort will usually feel worthwhile.
How long does a degree in Electrical Engineering take?
usually 4 years; 3–5 according to the system (Engineering program with laboratories and a project). Exact duration varies by institution and depends on course load and the track you choose.
Electrical Engineering or Biomedical Engineering — which is right for me?
The degrees most closely related to Electrical Engineering are Biomedical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and Civil Engineering. Their differences are usually in emphasis rather than the overall subject, so the fastest way to decide is to compare their course maps — what you actually study in each program, year by year. You can also open the degree comparison tool to view the differences side by side.