Electrical/Electronic Engineering BS

Total Units Required: 127

An engineering student works on a project.

Graduates of the Bachelor of Science in Electrical/Electronic Engineering are qualified for professional practice or graduate work in several areas of specialization including autonomous control system design, power systems, machine learning, and wired, wireless, and optical communication systems. In addition to fundamentals of science and mathematics, the program provides a solid background in analog and digital electronics, microprocessors, and digital signal. The curriculum offers flexibility for electrical/electronic engineering students to select whether they would like to delve deeper into 

  • the design of advanced analog electronics or control systems;
  • communication systems or electromagnetics and antenna design;
  • applications of machine learning in bioimaging systems or image processing;
  • advanced digital electronics with field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) or the design and fabrication of very large-scale integration (VLSI) digital circuits; and
  • the design and control electric generators and motors or to design systems to distribute electricity from power plants to the home.

The job outlook for electrical/electronic engineers is very bright and there is a growing demand for electrical/electronic engineers by both industry and government. However, the number of students enrolled in electrical/electronic engineering degree programs in the US has not kept up, resulting in the current shortage of electrical/electronic engineers. The need for electrical/electronic engineers is expected to continue for decades as the US strives to maintain its lead in high-tech innovations, takes actions to address climate change, and invests in improvements in the quality of life of its residents and people across the globe. Hence, there is a critical need for electrical/electronic engineers who can design alternative energy systems, advanced communication systems such as 6G (and beyond), electric vehicles, advanced biomedical imaging systems and biosensors, and intelligent robotic systems for use in industrial and consumer products. Our California State University, Chico electrical/electronic engineering students will be able to address this need.

​With their technical electives, students can explore these fields further, investigate other areas of electrical/electronic engineering, or receive credit for internships in the field.

The electrical/electronic engineering program is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, http://www.abet.org, under the General Criteria and the Electrical, Computer, Communications, Telecommunication(s) and Similarly Named Engineering Program Criteria. 

Electrical/Electronic Engineering Program Mission

The Electrical and Computer Engineering Department educates each student to be a responsible and productive electrical/electronic engineer who can effectively respond to future challenges.

Electrical/Electronic Engineering Program Objectives

Program educational objectives describe the career and professional accomplishments that the program strives to prepare its graduates to achieve within five years. The electrical/electronic engineering program prepares its graduates to

  • Contribute to solutions of engineering problems by applying their technical knowledge, their experience with modern industry tools, and their understanding of the impact that engineering can have on global, societal, and environmental issues.
  • Assume project/product management and team leadership roles in their organizations.
  • Engage in activities that sustain and promote their careers by securing professional licenses, completing graduate courses and/or degree programs, and/or pursuing informal learning opportunities.
  • Contribute to society through involvement in professional and/or service activities.

Electrical/Electronic Engineering Student Outcomes

Electrical/Electronic engineering graduates should have the ability to

  1. Identify, formulate, and solve complex engineering problems by applying principles of engineering, science, and mathematics.
  2. 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. Communicate effectively with a range of audiences.
  4. 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.
  5. Function effectively on a team whose members together provide leadership, create a collaborative and inclusive environment, establish goals, plan tasks, and meet objectives.
  6. Develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze and interpret data, and use engineering judgment to draw conclusions.
  7. Acquire and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies.

Electrical/Electronic Engineering Design Experience

Design and innovation are fundamental aspects of the electrical/electronic engineering curriculum, and they are integrated into the curriculum beginning in the freshman year where students are introduced to both hardware and software design. As students expand their knowledge and analysis skills through the sophomore and junior years, they design increasingly complex projects and gain experience through developing their own unique solutions to design challenges in all of the major areas of electrical/electronic engineering.

The design experience culminates in the senior year when each student proposes their own capstone project, creates target specifications for the project using industry-standard procedures, models and simulates the operation of their project, and then constructs and characterizes their project to prove the envisioned design functions. Descriptions of recent student capstone projects can be found on the Electrical Engineering and Computer Engineering Department website.