BS in Electrical Engineering

Electrical Engineering is one of two BS programs offered by the Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering. Electrical engineering draws on many disciplines. All of them, however, are linked by a common thread: the use and control of electromagnetic energy. Almost all information is captured using electromagnetic, electro-optical, bio-electrical, electro-chemical, or electro-mechanical transducers. The first step of developing a cellphone, a car’s parking assistance system, or a space probe is designing transducers, related electronics, and algorithms to process the captured information. With a degree in Electrical Engineering, you’ll learn these skills and be prepared to begin a career in a wide range of fields, from robotics to medical imaging.

As a student in this program, you will begin by learning the fundamentals of physical sciences, mathematics, and basic engineering skills. These foundations will then allow you to acquire discipline-specific knowledge and skills in electronics, electro-physics, electromagnetics, signals and systems, digital systems, and computer systems. You will also enroll in technical electives to help you gain a broader understanding of the subfields of electrical engineering, such as communications, signal processing, control systems, solid-state devices, materials, photonics, circuit design, computer systems, and software. Additionally, you will have the opportunity to explore areas of data science and machine learning through a sequence of available courses.

Design is integrated throughout the curriculum, providing an important infrastructure to the program. During your senior year as an electrical engineering student, you will join computer engineering students in a year-long, department-wide capstone design project that draws upon the skills learned in all your previous years of study. Structured to resemble a real engineering company, the capstone project class requires students to design a product to meet customer needs and specifications. Design teams are responsible for product conception, development, testing, and construction, as well as budget management, oral presentations, and documentation.

The BS program in Electrical Engineering is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET (www.abet.org).

Learning Outcomes

Graduates of the Electrical Engineering BS program will have:

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 judgments, 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.

Degree Requirements

A total of 131 units is required for graduation. In addition to satisfying all BS requirements as listed below, a minimum of 48 units of coursework must be taken at Boston University in the upper-division program. The upper-division program consists of the program requirements and program electives as listed below for the junior and senior years. BU Hub electives and writing courses (CAS WR 120 & WR 15X) cannot be counted toward this requirement.

All BU undergraduate students, including both entering first-year and transfer students, will pursue coursework in the BU Hub, the University’s general education program that is integrated into the entire undergraduate experience. BU Hub requirements can be satisfied in a number of ways, including coursework in and beyond the major as well as through cocurricular activities. Students majoring in Electrical Engineering will ordinarily, through required coursework in the major, satisfy BU Hub requirements in the areas of Quantitative Reasoning and Scientific Inquiry, as well as most of the requirements in the areas of Communication and the Intellectual Toolkit. The remaining eight BU Hub requirements will be satisfied by selecting from a wide range of electives outside the major or, in some cases, cocurricular experiences.

Required Courses (typical sequence)

Freshman

First Term (16 units)

• CAS MA 123 Calculus I (4 units)
• CAS WR 120 Writing Seminar (4 units)
• ENG EK 100 Freshman Advising Seminar (0 units)
• ENG EK 121 Introduction to Programming and Data Science (2 units)
• ENG EK 122 Programming for Engineers (2 units)
• Natural science elective (4 units)

Second Term (17 units)

• CAS MA 124 Calculus II (4 units)
• CAS PY 211 Physics I (4 units)
• CAS WR 151, WR 152, or WR 153 Writing and Research Seminar (4 units)
• ENG EK 103 Computational Linear Algebra (3 units)
• ENG EK 131 Introduction to Engineering (2 units)

Sophomore

First Term (18 units)

• CAS MA 225 Multivariate Calculus (4 units)
• CAS PY 212 Physics II (4 units)
• ENG EK 210 Introduction to Engineering Design (2 units)
• ENG EK 307 Electric Circuits (4 units)
• ENG EK 381 Probability, Statistics, and Data Science for Engineers (4 units)

Second Term (16 units)

• CAS MA 226 Differential Equations (4 units)
• CAS PY 313 Waves & Modern Physics (4 units)
• ENG EK 301 Engineering Mechanics I (4 units)
• Hub elective (4 units)

Junior

First Term (16 units)

• ENG EC 311 Introduction to Logic Design (4 units)
• ENG EC 401 Signals and Systems (4 units)
• ENG EC 410 Introduction to Electronics (4 units)
• ENG EC 455 Electromagnetic Systems I (4 units)

Second Term (16 units)

• Hub elective (4 units)
• EE Core elective (4 units)
• EE Core elective (4 units)
• EE Core elective (4 units)

Senior

First Term (16 units)

• ENG EC 463 Senior Design Project I (4 units)
• Computer elective (4 units)
• Technical elective (4 units)
• Hub elective (4 units)

Second Term (16 units)

• ENG EC 464 Senior Design Project II (4 units)
• Technical elective (4 units)
• Technical elective (4 units)
• Hub elective (4 units)