University Catalog

Electrical Engineering - Undergraduate Programs

Accreditation

Accreditation is an assurance that the professionals that serve us have a solid educational foundation and are capable of leading the way in innovation, emerging technologies, and in anticipating the welfare and safety needs of the public. The Electrical Engineering Department at the University of Texas at Arlington has been continuously accredited since 1965 by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, http://www.abet.org.

Overview of Electrical Engineering

Electrical Engineering is a cross-cutting field that includes power systems, control systems, microelectronics and nanoelectronics, embedded systems and computer networks, communications (wireless, including cellular and satellite, and wired/fiber optic), remote sensing, signal and data processing, optics (electro-optics, optoelectronics and photonics) and other emerging technologies. Modern applications include renewable energy sources and microgrids, 4G and 5G cellular phones and base stations, Internet of Things (IoT), machine learning, deep learning (such as neural networks), medical devices and instruments, electric vehicles, vehicular networking, and assisted/autonomous vehicles (including drones and robots), and many others.

Electrical engineers must be prepared to apply fundamental concepts in the applications of new technologies and to contribute to the growth of these technologies. They must also have the skills to communicate their ideas and to manage projects within a schedule and budget. Because of the broad nature of the field, electrical engineers are involved in a wide range of engineering design projects and they must be able to employ knowledge from other disciplines in electrical engineering designs. They must also be prepared to support engineers in other disciplines.

Engineering designs are a team effort and require good communication skills, both oral and written. Therefore it is important that each student develops these necessary communication skills.

The benefit of having an education in electrical engineering is that the student is prepared for a career not only in technical areas but also for further training in other disciplines that require strong organizational and analytical skills such as medicine, law, public policy, business, economics, management, and teaching.

UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAM EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVES 

The Program Educational Objectives are to produce graduates who: 

  • Advance the mission of their organization by Innovative solutions to any of the following disciplines: component and/or system design, R&D, manufacturing, application engineering, technical training, sales and marketing, quality control and testing.
  • Demonstrate leadership in one or more significant roles since graduation, as evidenced for example by successful entrepreneurship in a start-up, significant promotions, and awards in a company or engineering firm.
  • Successfully build on the BSEE degree from UTA to enhance career development or in pursuit of academic roles: this may be via completing a graduate degree; or taking professional course(s); or earning professional certificate(s).

Student Outcomes of the Undergraduate Program

From these Program Educational Objectives, the department designed its baccalaureate program to offer its graduates the following student learning outcomes:

  • an ability to identify, formulate, and solve complex engineering problems by applying principles of engineering, science, and mathematics

  • an ability to apply engineering design to produce solutions that meet specified needs with consideration of public health, safety, and welfare, as well as global, cultural, social, environmental, and economic factors

  • an ability to communicate effectively with a range of audiences

  • an ability to recognize ethical and professional responsibilities in engineering situations and make informed judgments, which must consider the impact of engineering solutions in global, economic, environmental, and societal contexts

  • an ability to function effectively on a team whose members together provide leadership, create a collaborative and inclusive environment, establish goals, plan tasks, and meet objectives

  • an ability to develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze and interpret data, and use engineering judgment to draw conclusions

  • an ability to acquire and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies

The program has been continuously accredited since 1965 by the Engineering Accreditation Commission (EAC) of ABET, http://www.abet.org.

Admission Requirements

Requirements for admission as an EE major are governed by the requirements as stated in the College of Engineering section of this catalog. EE majors are only allowed to enroll in pre-professional courses until they meet the requirements for the professional program as outlined below.

Undergraduate Advising

General academic advising for new students (excluding transfer course evaluation) is done during the scheduled orientation period prior to registration. Academic advising for continuing students will be done during each semester prior to registration. The dates for advising new and continuing students will be listed in the appropriate schedule of classes. Personal academic advising is available in the office of the Undergraduate Advisor during the semester by appointment. To graduate, the student must have an approved degree plan on file in the Registrar's Office.

The students can use the course sequences described above to plan their studies. Recommended electives are listed in the advising office and on the Web site at https://www.uta.edu/academics/schools-colleges/engineering/academics/departments/electrical. A supplemental EE Undergraduate Program Guide is available in the Advising Office; it provides more details of the different areas of specialization in Electrical Engineering as well as on other matters relevant to completing the BSEE degree.

Admission to the Professional Program

Requirements for admission to the professional program in Electrical Engineering are in accordance with those of the College of Engineering with the following added stipulations:

  • Application to the professional program is to be made to the Undergraduate Advisor during the semester that the advancement requirements are being completed.
  • No professional electrical engineering courses may be taken until the student is admitted into the professional program or obtains the written consent of the Undergraduate Advisor.
  • Each student must have a total of no more than four unsuccessful attempts in engineering courses and complete all pre-professional courses stipulated under "Requirements for a Bachelor of Science Degree in Electrical Engineering" with a minimum grade of C in each course and a minimum GPA of 2.50 in:
    1. all courses,
    2. in all math, science, and engineering courses, and
    3. in all EE courses.

To graduate, the student must be admitted to the professional program and have an approved degree plan on file in the Registrar's office. The degree plan is generated upon entry to the professional program. Graduating seniors should apply to graduate during the next-to-last semester. Each student must complete all professional level electrical engineering courses stipulated under "Requirements for a Bachelor of Science Degree in Electrical Engineering" with a minimum grade of C in each course. All engineering courses used on the BSEE degree plan must be C or better.

Program Features

The pre-professional program reflects a concentration of preliminary science, mathematics, and engineering courses to prepare the student for the professional engineering program. EE students are admitted to the professional program as described above. The pre-professional program consists of core courses in electronics; digital systems, microprocessors, and computer programming. The professional program consists of core courses in electromagnetics; power systems and energy conversion; continuous and discrete time systems; controls; and communications. The core curriculum provides the needed foundation for a variety of technical areas in electrical engineering. The design experience is emphasized throughout the program, with particular emphasis on the team concept in the engineering design courses. Through careful selection of technical electives, the student may specialize in certain fields of electrical engineering. Information on these areas is available in the Electrical Engineering Department Advising Office. In addition, there are opportunities to participate in ongoing research projects of the faculty in Electrical Engineering. Independent study credit can be obtained through EE 4391 ADVANCED PROBLEMS IN ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING.

Cooperative Education Program

Cooperative education opportunities are plentiful for EE students. Interested students should contact the Cooperative Education Office in the College of Engineering.

Master's Degree Path

The electrical engineering field is continually evolving in all areas. To stay current in technical areas requires a commitment to lifelong learning. Completing a master's degree certainly gives the student a head start on this.

Students graduating with a GPA of 3.0 or higher and GRE scores of 146 verbal or higher, 156 quantitative or higher, and 3.0 writing can be admitted to the EE master's program upon application. Interested students should contact the graduate advisor. Students can take a project course, EE 4391, as one of their technical electives to begin their studies on a topic that they may use for their MS research and thesis. Also, students that require less than 12 hours to graduate can dual enroll in the graduate program in the last semester of their BS program.

Fast Track Program for Master of Science in Electrical Engineering

Students within 30 credit hours of completing their bachelor's degree with a GPA of at least 3.5 may be eligible for admission into the Fast Track Program for Master of Science in Electrical Engineering. Once admitted, students will be allowed to take select graduate courses that may be used to satisfy both bachelor's and master's degree requirements. Interested students should contact the graduate advisor.

Competence in Oral Communication and Computer Use Certificate

Electrical Engineering students will satisfy the University Competence in Oral Presentations requirement by completing the course COMS 2302. They will satisfy the University Competence in Computer Use requirement by completing EE 1311 and EE1201