Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering
George Mason University
Key Information
Campus location
Fairfax, USA
Languages
English
Study format
On-Campus
Duration
4 years
Pace
Full time
Tuition fees
USD 4,897 / per semester *
Application deadline
01 Jun 2024
Earliest start date
Aug 2024
* in-state tuition full-time (12-15 credits); USD 16,980 - out-of-state tuition full-time (12-15 credits); USD 1,803 - mandatory student fee
Introduction
Electrical engineering is a major field of modern technology. Electrical engineers research, develop, design, produce, and operate a wide variety of devices and systems. From small integrated circuits and microwave and laser devices to large communication systems electrical engineers work with radar, robots, large telecommunication networks, and power networks. The curriculum provides a strong background in the fundamentals of electrical engineering and senior-level courses in the important areas of electronics, networks, communications and signal processing, computer engineering, and controls and robotics.
Classes in the department are taught by experienced faculty who have been recognized locally, nationally, and internationally for their research and teaching excellence. They have been awarded more than 35 patents and have $7M in active research grants. Many of them have also won prestigious research and teaching awards and a number of them are elected as fellows of professional organizations such as the IEEE.
Students gain hands-on experience in the virtual and physical space in the numerous laboratories in the school’s building. The dual semester-long senior design project effort is one of the highlights of the electrical engineering program. Some recent projects included a fire extinguisher that uses sound to put out fires, a remote-controlled robot that is small and agile enough to go places too small or dangerous for humans, and an unmanned aerial system that can perform search and rescue operations.
A senior design lab is available for students to design and build a working prototype of an electronic device or system. Some equipment found in that lab includes machines used for PCB prototyping, 3-D printing, and laser-based cutting tools.
Career Opportunities
Students who earn a degree in electrical engineering may work in research, development, design, production, and operation of a wide variety of devices and systems, including integrated circuits and microwave and laser devices, communication systems, control systems, radar, robotics, telecommunications and computer networking and power networks.
Career opportunities exist in engineering research and development, system design, system integration, engineering management, engineering consultancy, and technical sales among others.
Some may choose to pursue patent law and become patent attorneys/agents or become entrepreneurs and start their own businesses. The proximity of the department to the USPTO and to local venture capital firms opens up a rich range of alternative prospects to students. The department has strong ties to local businesses and representatives from companies are regularly invited to the department as guest speakers. An active industrial advisory board provides input in setting future directions for the department. Whatever field they choose, employment prospects for graduates of the electrical engineering program are excellent.
Curriculum
Degree Requirements
Total credits: minimum 121
Electrical and Computer Engineering
- ECE 101 Introduction to Electrical and Computer Engineering 3
- ECE 201 Introduction to Signals and Systems 3
- ECE 231 Digital System Design 3
- ECE 232 Digital System Design Lab 1
- ECE 240 C Programming for Engineers 3
- ECE 285 Electric Circuit Analysis I 3
- ECE 286 Electric Circuit Analysis II 3
- ECE 305 Electromagnetic Theory 3
- ECE 321 Continuous-Time Signals and Systems 3
- ECE 333 Linear Electronics I 3
- ECE 334 Linear Electronics Lab I 1
- ECE 350 Embedded Systems and Hardware Interfaces 3
- ECE 421 Classical Systems and Control Theory 3
- ECE 433 Linear Electronics II 3
- ECE 445 Computer Organization 3
- ECE 460 Communication and Information Theory 3
- ECE 491 Engineering Seminar 1
- ECE 492 Senior Advanced Design Project I (Mason Core) 1
- ECE 493 RS: Senior Advanced Design Project II (Mason Core) 2
Total Credits 48
Technical Electives
Three technical elective courses totaling 9 credit hours must be selected from the list below. ECE 447 Microcontrollers and ECE 448 FPGA Design with VHDL, which are 4-credit courses with built-in labs, can be used to fulfill one technical elective and one advanced lab requirement. The graduate courses listed below and courses outside the ECE department may be taken to fulfill the technical elective requirement with the permission of the department. The decision to approve non-ECE courses as well as graduate courses as technical electives is at the discretion of the department based on a review of the course content and the student's academic record.
Select 9 credit hours from the following: 9
- ECE 340 Data Structures and Embedded Systems Programming in C/C++
- ECE 370 Robot Design
- ECE 410 Applications of Discrete-Time Signal Processing
- ECE 411 Electricity Sector Engineering, Economics, and Regulation
- ECE 414 Grid Digitization and Automation or ECE 514 Grid Digitization and Automation
- ECE 415 Power System Analysis
- ECE 416 Electric Machinery and Modern Applications
- ECE 417 Smart Grid and Cyber Security or ECE 517 Cyber Infrastructure of the Smart Grid
- ECE 418 Power System Protection and Control or ECE 518 Power System Protection and Control
- ECE 419 Power Electronics for Modern Power Systems or ECE 519 Power Electronics for Modern Power Systems
- ECE 424 Modern Control Systems Design
- ECE 425 Secure RF Communications
- ECE 430 Principles of Semiconductor Devices
- ECE 431 Digital Circuit Design
- ECE 446 Device Driver Development
- ECE 447 Microcontrollers
- ECE 448 FPGA Design with VHDL
- ECE 450 Mobile Robots
- ECE 455 GPU Architecture and Programming or ECE 555 GPU Architecture and Programming
- ECE 462 Data and Computer Communications
- ECE 463 Digital Communications Systems
- ECE 465 Computer Networking Protocols
- ECE 470 Introduction to Humanoid Robotics
- ECE 476 Cryptography Fundamentals
- ECE 480 Small Spacecraft Engineering or ECE 580 Small Spacecraft Engineering
- ECE 499 Special Topics in Electrical and Computer Engineering
The following 500-level courses may also be taken (with prior approval of the department):
- ECE 505 Hardware Security
- ECE 508 Internet of Things
- ECE 511 Computer Architecture
- ECE 512 Computer Architecture Security
- ECE 513 Applied Electromagnetic Theory
- ECE 516 Mobile Systems and Applications
- ECE 521 Linear Systems and Control
- ECE 527 Learning From Data
- ECE 528 Introduction to Random Processes in Electrical and Computer Engineering
- ECE 530 Sensor Engineering
- ECE 531 Introduction to Wireless Communications and Networks
- ECE 532 Secure Wireless Communications and Networks
- ECE 535 Digital Signal Processing
- ECE 538 Medical Imaging
- ECE 539 Neural Engineering
- ECE 542 Computer Network Architectures and Protocols
- ECE 550 System Engineering Design
- ECE 552 Big Data Technologies
- ECE 554 Machine Learning for Embedded Systems
- ECE 556 Neuromorphic Computing
- ECE 565 Introduction to Optical Electronics
- ECE 567 Optical Fiber Communications
- ECE 584 Semiconductor Device Fundamentals
- ECE 586 Digital Integrated Circuits
- ECE 587 Design of Analog Integrated Circuits
- ECE 590 Selected Topics in Engineering
Total Credits 9
Advanced Engineering Labs
Select two advanced labs from the following: 2
- ECE 429 Modern Control Systems Lab
- ECE 434 Linear Electronics II Laboratory
- ECE 436 Printed Circuit Board Design Lab
- ECE 447 Microcontrollers 2
- ECE 448 FPGA Design with VHDL 2
- ECE 461 Communication Engineering Laboratory
- ECE 467 Computer Networking Laboratory
Total Credits 2
Computer Science
- CS 112 Introduction to Computer Programming (Mason Core) 4
Total Credits 4
Mathematics and Statistics
- MATH 113 Analytic Geometry and Calculus I (Mason Core) 4
- MATH 114 Analytic Geometry and Calculus II 4
- MATH 203 Linear Algebra 3
- MATH 213 Analytic Geometry and Calculus III 3
- MATH 214 Elementary Differential Equations 3
- STAT 346 Probability for Engineers 3
Total Credits 20
Physics
- PHYS 160 University Physics I (Mason Core) 3
- PHYS 161 University Physics I Laboratory (Mason Core) 1
- PHYS 260 University Physics II (Mason Core) 3
- PHYS 261 University Physics II Laboratory (Mason Core) 1
- PHYS 262 University Physics III (Mason Core) 3
- PHYS 263 University Physics III Laboratory (Mason Core) 1
Total Credits 12
Engineering
- ENGR 107 Introduction to Engineering (Mason Core) 2
Total Credits 2
English, Communication, and Economics
- ENGH 302 Advanced Composition (Mason Core) (Natural Sciences and Technology or Multidisciplinary section) 3
- COMM 100 Public Speaking (Mason Core) 3 or COMM 101 Fundamentals of Communication (Mason Core)
- ECON 103 Contemporary Microeconomic Principles (Mason Core) 3
Total Credits 9
Additional Mason Core
Students must complete all Mason Core requirements not fulfilled by major requirements. Mason Core courses should be selected from the department's list of approved courses. Honors college students meet the written and oral communication requirements through completion of the honors college curriculum. The Synthesis Mason Core requirement is satisfied by ECE 492 Senior Advanced Design Project I (Mason Core) and ECE 493 RS: Senior Advanced Design Project II (Mason Core).
- Written Communication 3
- Literature 3
- Arts 3
- Western Civilization/World History 3
- Global Understanding 3
Total Credits 15
Concentrations
Concentrations are available in the electrical engineering baccalaureate program. Completion of specific science courses and senior-level courses leads to one of these designations on the student's transcript on graduation. Concentration requirements may also meet some or all of the Advanced Engineering Lab and Technical Elective requirements.
- Concentration in Controls and Robotics (CARB)
- Concentration in Communications and Signal Processing (CSP)
- Concentration in Electronics (ELE)
- Concentration in Embedded Systems (EMSY)
- Concentration in the Internet of Things (IoT)
- Concentration in Power and Energy Systems (PES)
- Concentration in Space-Based Systems (SBSY)
Concentration in Controls and Robotics (CARB)
Required Courses: 7
- ECE 350 Embedded Systems and Hardware Interfaces
- ECE 424 Modern Control Systems Design
- ECE 429 Modern Control Systems Lab
Select two from the following: 6-7
- ECE 370 Robot Design
- ECE 447 Microcontrollers
- ECE 450 Mobile Robots
- ECE 470 Introduction to Humanoid Robotics
- ECE 480 Small Spacecraft Engineering or ECE 580 Small Spacecraft Engineering
- ECE 521 Linear Systems and Control
- ECE 527 Learning From Data
Total Credits 13-14