About Us
Department of Electrical Engineering
Electrical Engineering is a branch of engineering which uses science, mathematics, and technology coupled with problem-solving skills to analyze, design, construct, and maintain products and provide services related to electrical and electronic devices and systems. The bachelor's degree in electrical engineering is an important qualification for those seeking employment in industry, and it provides a solid foundation for graduate study.
Some areas in which an electrical engineer may specialize are electrical circuit design, analog and digital electronics, microelectronics, computers, communications, digital signal processing, control systems, power systems, and energy conversion. Whether designing large electric power systems to provide energy to homes and industries or developing tiny electronic devices to save lives, an electrical engineer is afforded many opportunities for a challenging and rewarding career.
The electrical engineering faculty comes from diverse industrial backgrounds. Each faculty member holds an advanced terminal degree, and most have actively practiced engineering before joining the university faculty.
Curriculum
The Electrical Engineering curriculum is designed to prepare the undergraduate student for work in the engineering profession and for graduate study. A solid foundation in mathematics, physics, and chemistry is required. The use of computers is integrated into all courses. The required courses in electric circuits, electronics, digital logic, electromagnetics, signals and systems, and other engineering program requirements, such as technical communications, engineering analysis, and economics, support a program of specialized electives in the senior year. Electives may be chosen from electrical power engineering, control systems, electromagnetics, computer and microchip design, or from technical areas outside electrical engineering. The laboratory program is designed to familiarize the students with basic principles taught in the lectures and, then, to show the students how to apply those principles to engineering problems and designs. The required senior design is a "capstone" design project that utilizes the concepts, principles, and practices, learned in earlier courses, in the completion of an "industrial-type" engineering design project in the student's last year.
Mission Statement
The Department of Electrical Engineering supports the mission of the College of Engineering and Computer Science through its teaching, research, and community service activities. The Department is committed to excellence in undergraduate electrical engineering education and provides its students with a strong theoretical foundation, practical engineering skills, experience in communication and teamwork, and training in ethics and professional conduct. Graduates are prepared for successful engagement in industrial enterprises, research and development, graduate study, and practice as professional engineers. The Department also provides advanced studies in support of the graduate programs of the College of Engineering and Computer Science.
Program Educational Objectives
Graduates of the electrical engineering program, i.e., alumni who have earned a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering (BSEE) from the University of Texas at Tyler, will:
- be involved in professional practice through the application of problem solving skills, using relevant technology in their field;
- demonstrate professional leadership skills through effective communication, critical thought, creativity and teamwork;
- be able to integrate engineering principles and social, business, and ethical issues in modern society in the process of decision making;
- be professionally engaged in serving the needs of business, industry, government, and academic organizations;
- grow professionally through activities such as graduate study, continuing education, professional licensure, and participation in technical societies.
Program Outcomes
At the time a student completes the degree requirements and graduates with a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering at the University of Texas at Tyler, the student will:
- have the ability to apply knowledge of the fundamentals of mathematics, science, and engineering;
Fundamentals of mathematics include algebra, trigonometry, differential and integral calculus, and differential equations. Fundamentals of science include general chemistry (atomic structure, chemical formulas and composition, compounds, chemical reactions, gas laws, and kinetics) and physics (kinematics, electrostatics, magnetism, conservation laws for mass and energy, heat, wave phenomena, and quantum physics). Fundamentals of engineering denote engineering design and problem-solving processes.
- have the ability to use modern engineering tools and techniques in the practice of electrical engineering;
Modern engineering tools and techniques include equipment (e.g., oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, digital computers); computer programs (e.g., PSpice); and programming languages (e.g., C++).
- have the ability to analyze electrical circuits, devices, and systems;
Circuits, devices, and systems encompass electrical networks and electronic networks from small-scale (e.g., electronic components) to large-scale (e.g, power systems). Analyze means to determine the electrical behavior of an electrical or electronic network by experimental methods (measurements of actual circuits), simulation methods (model-building, numerical simulation methods, use of simulation software), or theoretical methods (involving Kirchhoff's laws; linear superposition; phasor, Laplace, Fourier, and z-transforms).
- have the ability to design electrical circuits, devices, and systems to meet application requirements;
Design includes all phases of the creation of circuits, devices, and systems to satisfy needs. Included within the scope of design are identifying and choosing solutions; modeling and simulation; detailed definition; and test and validation. Application requirements include basic functionality, environmental specifications (e.g., operating temperature range, operating supply-voltage range, ability to withstand shock and vibration), packaging constraints (e.g., size, weight), manufacturability, reliability, and cost.
- have the ability to design and conduct experiments, and analyze and interpret experimental results;
Experiments are controlled trials to study effects, establish hypotheses, or verify that equipment meets stated specifications. To design experiments encompasses the selection of control variables, variables to measure, measurement instruments, and procedures. To conduct experiments is to carry out their procedures. To analyze and interpret experiments involves data reduction using appropriate graphical methods and/or numerical methods (e.g., regression, statistical techniques) to draw conclusions.
- have the ability to identify, formulate, and solve problems in the practice of electrical engineering using appropriate theoretical and experimental methods;
Problems are engineering tasks requiring design, investigation, analysis, or experimentation. To identify a problem is to define the task (what needs to be done, and why must it be done). To formulate a problem means to put it in a form for solution; to solve a problem is to carry out the task and verify the results.
- have effective written, visual, and oral communication skills;
Written communication skills involve the drafting of documents (technical and non-technical) commonly encountered in engineering (e.g., lab reports; business letters; project proposals; peer-reviewed articles; specifications; test procedures; users' manuals). Visual communication skills involve conveying information by use of graphics, images, and video. Oral communication skills involve the ability to communicate clearly through hearing and speaking in standard English.
- possess an educational background to understand the global context in which engineering is practiced, including:
a. knowledge of contemporary issues related to science and engineering;
b. the impact of engineering on society;
c. the role of ethics in the practice of engineering;
Contemporary issues related to science and engineering are evolving technical, social, and legal developments and market trends that affect the direction of technological development (e.g., federal research and development funding decisions; laws regulating the practice of engineering; environmental policy decisions; de facto technical standards established by market forces). The impact of engineering on society includes the ways in which technological developments affect individuals, corporations, organizations, and governments (e.g., the effects of computer technology on the lives of individuals; changes in employment patterns as new technologies emerge). The role of ethics is the application of moral reasoning in engineering decision-making (e.g., acting in accordance with the protection of public health, safety, and well-being).
- have the ability to contribute effectively as members of multi-disciplinary engineering teams;
Multi-disciplinary engineering teams are groups of persons engaged in engineering who represent a spectrum of engineering and technical specialties (e.g., mechanical engineering, physics, chemistry, computer-aided design, manufacturing engineering, prototyping). To contribute effectively is to take an active and participatory role in the accomplishment of the tasks of a team
- have a recognition of the need for and ability to pursue continued learning throughout their professional careers.
Electrical engineering is a rapidly-changing field and the ability of an engineer to continue to practice in this field depends upon continued learning. This is the ongoing acquisition of new knowledge, skills, and competencies whether by formal methods (e.g., graduate study, short courses and seminars, professional licensure) or informal methods (e.g., self-study, reading journal and magazine articles, learning from colleagues).
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