Electrical and computer engineers are key
players in every industry – they help save
lives by designing advanced medical devices,
help preserve the environment by developing
hybrid electric vehicles and sustainable energy
sources, contribute to advances in artificial
intelligence and the Internet of Things, design
and build quantum computing devices, and much
more.
Electrical Engineering is all about information
and energy.
Many of the things we rely on in our daily
lives – microwaves, cell phones, computers
-- have an electrical component.
Electrical engineers find innovative ways
to use electricity, electronics, and electromagnetism
to make people’s lives better.
Computer Engineering goes deeper into the
study of computers and their hardware and
software.
It involves researching, designing, developing
and testing computer systems and components.
Computer engineers make computers faster and
smaller and are improving the ability of computers
to "see" and "think” like the human brain.
ECE coursework will ensure that you’re ready
for success after graduation.
ECE students require physics,, statistics,
chemistry, digital electronics, linear circuits,
and introduction to computer programming.
During sophomore year, students are introduced
to the fundamentals of all areas of ECE.
Then junior and senior year, you pick electives
to match your personal interests to complete
your bachelors degree.
ECE offers plenty of chances for hands-on
learning.
EPICS courses offer the chance to work in
multi-disciplinary teams as engineering consultants
to solve real-world problems for community
partners.
Sophomores, juniors, and seniors can take
part in VIP – or Vertically Integrated Projects
– where they have the opportunity to work
in small teams on research projects with a
faculty member or graduate student mentor.
A Senior Design project is an important part
of senior year, where teams of students use
all they’ve learned in their coursework
to complete a project – identifying a problem
that needs to be solved, brainstorming solutions,
developing and testing a prototype, and delivering
a final product.
Students can also participate in a number
of student organizations – professional
groups such as the Institute of Electrical
and Electronics Engineers, Purdue Solar Racing,
which got its start in ECE, and the Electrical
and Computer Engineering Student Society whose
biannual Spark competition allows students
to showcase their microcontroller-based projects
to members of industry.
Whether you get your bachelor’s degree in
Electrical Engineering or Computer Engineering,
you’ll be prepared to enter some of the
most cutting-edge fields out there.
Many ECE students get started on their careers
while they’re still in school!
Internships and co-ops with companies such
as Tesla, Microsoft, Google, Amazon, and many
more prepare you to make a seamless transition
to the working world after graduation.
If you choose to move on to graduate school,
the undergraduate curriculum will more than
prepare you to succeed in grad school in virtually
any area of study.
Electrical and Computer Engineering, of course,
but also anything from medical school to an
MBA to advanced degrees in biomedical or mechanical
engineering.
What will the world be like in the future?
Well, with a degree from Purdue ECE, you can
help decide!
