Electrical Engineering

The field of Electrical Engineering has revolutionized how humans live and continues to change our lives at an even faster pace, e.g., electrification, electric vehicles/trains, autonomous vehicles, electric devices and gadgets, cell phones, Internet, integrated chips, computers, TVs, and the list goes on. After waking up, the first thing we do is to turn off an alarm or turn on lights, the last thing is to set an alarm or turn lights off, and in between, we use all kinds of electric gadgets.

One hundred years ago, access to electricity was more of a novelty than an expectation. Today, electricity is ubiquitous, and we are highly dependent on being able to have power for all of our devices. As the world is undergoing an energy transition, electrification usually provides both higher efficiency and cleaner, quieter operation. Electrical engineering will provide a foundation both to guide this transition and to operate the new energy systems as they are built.

Electrical engineers require foundational knowledge in mathematics, physics, and system integration. In today’s world, most electrical systems use some form of computer control to guide both analog and digital circuits. Students will learn the foundational science as well as engineering approaches to designing, implementing, and troubleshooting electrical systems.

UC Merced emphasizes sustainability across the Electrical Engineering Curriculum, taking a highly interdisciplinary approach that combines strong theoretical foundation with field studies, laboratory experiments, and computational simulations. Core courses within the major provide students with a firm foundation in the physical and life sciences and the ways that they apply to top-notch technology, green electronics, renewable energy, and sustainable infrastructure. UC Merced also emphasizes opportunities for undergraduates to participate in research with opportunities ranging from electric vehicles to solar energy to remotely controlled drones.

Electrical engineers need to understand not only the technical but also the social and political contexts of their work. They must be able to communicate as well as plan, finance, and market their products and ideas. Social sciences, business, humanities, and arts courses are an important part of the curriculum. The result is a major that is hands-on and creative, engaging and adaptable.

Electrical Engineering Program Learning Outcomes

Electrical Engineering graduates are expected to achieve a set of student outcomes by demonstrating:

1. An ability to identify, formulate, and solve complex engineering problems by applying principles of engineering, science, and mathematics.
2. 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.
3. An ability to communicate effectively with a range of audiences.
4. An ability to recognize ethical and professional responsibilities in engineering situations and make informed judgements, which must consider the impact of engineering solutions in global, economic, environmental, and societal contexts.
5. 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.
6. An ability to develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze and interpret data, and use engineering judgment to draw conclusions.
7. An ability to acquire and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies.

Programs

• Electrical Engineering, B.S.
• Electrical Engineering, Electric Vehicle Emphasis, B.S.
• Electrical Engineering, Ground and Aerial Robotics Emphasis, B.S.
• Electrical Engineering, Sustainable Energy Emphasis, B.S.