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Sponsored by the Office of the Provost
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2018-2019

Electrical engineering

College of Engineering

 
Program description

The profession of electrical engineering touches all aspects of our lives in that electrical engineers design and fabricate devices and systems critical in applications such as computing, communications, health care, manufacturing and automation, power generation and utilization, transportation, and entertainment. An element very important to these and many other applications is the microelectronic device or system.

Electrical engineers play an ever increasing role in the design and building of major facets of today’s and tomorrow’s health care systems and medical research through the application of microelectronic instrumentation and diagnostic tools such as MRI and CAT scan systems. The field of electrical engineering truly permeates every facet of our lives and thus provides excellent employment opportunities to the general practitioner or specialist in more than 35 different subspecialties.

Career opportunities

Electrical engineers design, develop, test, and supervise the manufacture of electrical equipment. Some of this equipment includes electric motors; machinery controls, lighting, and wiring in buildings; radar and navigation systems; communications systems; and power generation, control, and transmission devices used by electric utilities. Electrical engineers specialize in areas such as communications, signal processing, and control systems or have a specialty within one of these areas—control systems or aviation electronics, for example.

Change of major requirements

VCU GPA of 3.0 or greater, with a minimum of 12 VCU credit hours earned. Completion of MATH 200, MATH 201, and any of PHYS 207, EGRE 101, or ENGR 101, all with grades of "B" or higher. If attempted, MATH 200, MATH 201, MATH 211, MATH 301, MATH 307, PHYS 207, PHYS 208, CHEM 101, and/or CHEM 102 must be completed with a GPA of 3.0 or greater. GPA for all attempted engineering and computer science courses must be 3.0 or greater. The historical repeat course option does not apply to these averages.

Bachelor-level job titles
  • Automation engineer
  • Automotive engineer
  • Control systems engineer
  • Design engineer
  • Electrical engineer
  • Mechatronics engineer
  • Photonics engineer
  • Power systems engineer
  • Robotics engineer
  • Solar energy systems engineer
Professional associations and resources
Degree requirements in Bulletin
Plan of study in Bulletin
Requirements
Highest level of math required
  • MATH 201 or higher
Science required
  • 5+ additional science courses
Foreign language requirements
  • No
Additional tuition/fees
  • Yes
GPA requirements (to progress/graduate in the major)
  • 2.0

Contact information

Department name:
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Building/room location:
601 West Main Street, Room 203
Phone:
(804) 828-0181
Email:
electricalengr@vcu.edu
https://egr.vcu.edu/departments/electrical/
Campus (where 75% of courses are taken):
Monroe Park
Major map compass icon
Major map

Explore
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
  • Schedule an appointment with your academic advisor each semester to discuss tutoring, course electives, and degree progression.
  • Register for EGRE 101 and 245.
  • Register for highest level math for which you are eligible.
  • Attend all available SI sessions and tutoring as needed.
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
  • Attend the Annual Welcome Week Cookout and make new friends and study buddies.
  • Register to vote in Virginia and explore Richmond’s museums, parks, and festivals!
  • Apply to live in the ASPiRE, Globe, INNOVATE, or LEAD Living & Learning Programs.
  • Get involved with VCU Student Government or one of over 450 clubs and organizations.
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
  • Explore the engineering faculty webpages to learn about the types of research in the College of Engineering.
  • Learn about research opportunities through V.I.P Teams, UROP and DURI.
  • Volunteer to do research with a professor.
  • Join an Engineering student org like IEEE or VINE.
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE

Experience
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
  • Meet with your advisor to discuss forthcoming enrollment and scheduling.
  • Continue progression in engineering and mathematics coursework.
  • Learn about double-majors or minors that pair easily with your major, such as ELE doubling with Physics, or CPE with a minor in CS.
  • Go to your professors’ “Office Hours” to discuss research interests, picking classes in your major, and strategies for success in your degree program.
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
  • Consider leadership roles in a student organization.
  • Participate in RamHacks or other VCU Hackathons.
  • Consider working for the College of Engineering as a tutor in your strongest subjects.
  • Take service-learning classes, volunteer to address a social issue (ConnectVA & HandsOnRVA), or complete a service project.
  • Explore peer leadership opportunities or apply for I-LEAD Connect, Alternative Spring Break.
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
  • Attend Diversity Scholars in Research Week.
  • Consider short-term, semester, and year-long study abroad opportunities.
  • Join a culturally-focused organization.
  • Identify ways in which you are culturally uninformed. Begin to learn the historical and current events that have shaped cultures to which you have been underexposed.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
  • Take ENGR 395 Professional Development and gain key skills for finding internships, co-op’s, or research opportunities.
  • Conduct an informational interview or shadow someone in a field of career interest.
  • Obtain a student organization leadership position.
  • Attend employer info sessions and events.
  • Apply for internships, co-ops, and VIP Teams.
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
  • Mock Interview with an employer through Engineering Career Services.
  • Mock Interview with an employer through Engineering Career Services.
  • Consider attending a national career fair (SWE, SHPE, NSBE) to gain exposure to more employers.
  • Consider who you would like to have serve as professional and academic references.

Experience
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
  • See your advisor to discuss degree progression and upcoming coursework, including track selection.
  • Conduct independent undergraduate research.
  • Begin selecting Technical Electives, being aware of the prerequisites to fourth-year Technical Electives.
  • In consultation with your advisor, identify which third-year courses are prereqs to entering the three different Senior Capstone tracks for Electrical Engineers.
  • Investigate the accelerated Master’s degree in ECE and try to take some courses during your fourth year.
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
  • Create and complete a science related community-engaged research project.
  • Attend civic meetings, such as school board, neighborhood associations, city council, or state legislative sessions.
  • Work as a tutor in your strongest subjects.
  • Joining VINE or another in-major mentoring network.
  • Attend lectures, meetings, and conferences. Consider applying to present a poster.
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
  • Apply for a Fulbright or other post-graduate international fellowship through VCU’s National Scholarship office.
  • Participate in culturally diverse events both at VCU and beyond. Art, music, film, and food festivals and exhibitions are plentiful.
  • Practice professional communication and interpersonal skills that embrace cultural differences.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
  • Participate in an internship, co-op or research experience. Assess your professional experiences to date (research, internships, co-op). Decide if you value continuity with an employer or breadth of experience.
  • Work on developing your professional online presence (LinkedIn, Handshake, Github).
  • Attend the Senior Capstone Expo in April.
  • Apply for summer research funding through UROP.
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
  • Talk to your academic advisor, faculty, and/or career services about whether graduate school or a job will be the best step for you after graduation.
  • Research graduate programs to determine the competitive applicant profile, including GPA, prerequisite coursework, and entrance exam scores.
  • Attend the Engineering Internship & Career Fair.

Excel
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
  • Schedule an appointment with your academic advisor a semester before your anticipated graduation to ensure all graduation requirements will be met.
  • Choose courses teaching content and skills most relevant to your preferred post-graduation opportunities.
  • Declare any possible outstanding minors for which you may already have credit (Math, Physics, Computer Science, others).
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
  • Consider applying for a year-long service opportunity after graduation through programs like VCU AmeriCorps, Literacy Lab, Peace Corps, Fulbright Student Scholars, Teach for America and City Year.
  • Participate in any civic organizations related to your interests, or volunteer at an organization devoted to the arts, environment, education, or policy; tutoring and engineering outreach with local schools is one great example.
  • Work as a tutor in your strongest subjects.
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
  • Continue to explore cultures beyond your own through scholarly and recreational avenues.
  • Visit the Museum District’s many offerings, such as the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (VMFA) and the Virginia Museum of History and Culture (formerly the Virginia Historical Society).
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
  • Continue to engage in research to create more content for your resume and online presence.
  • Present your research at conferences such as UROP Undergraduate Research Symposium or other discipline- specific conference.
  • Gain practical experience related to your career goal through internships and skill building.
  • Complete necessary exams, applications, or self-marketing activities for steps beyond graduation.
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
  • Attend the Engineering Internship & Career Fair in both the Fall and Spring. These are the best opportunities to secure employment post-graduation.
  • Research prospective employers and create a job or graduate school search strategy in the fall.
  • Before graduation, attend the graduation meeting and complete the post-graduation survey.
Visit majormaps.vcu.edu for the online version with links.
Sponsored by the Office of the Provost
Major map compass icon
2018-2019

Electrical engineering

College of Engineering

Concentration(s):
No concentration
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
Explore Year 1
  • Schedule an appointment with your academic advisor each semester to discuss tutoring, course electives, and degree progression.
  • Register for EGRE 101 and 245.
  • Register for highest level math for which you are eligible.
  • Attend all available SI sessions and tutoring as needed.
  • Attend the Annual Welcome Week Cookout and make new friends and study buddies.
  • Register to vote in Virginia and explore Richmond’s museums, parks, and festivals!
  • Apply to live in the ASPiRE, Globe, INNOVATE, or LEAD Living & Learning Programs.
  • Get involved with VCU Student Government or one of over 450 clubs and organizations.
  • Explore the engineering faculty webpages to learn about the types of research in the College of Engineering.
  • Learn about research opportunities through V.I.P Teams, UROP and DURI.
  • Volunteer to do research with a professor.
  • Join an Engineering student org like IEEE or VINE.
Experience Year 2
  • Meet with your advisor to discuss forthcoming enrollment and scheduling.
  • Continue progression in engineering and mathematics coursework.
  • Learn about double-majors or minors that pair easily with your major, such as ELE doubling with Physics, or CPE with a minor in CS.
  • Go to your professors’ “Office Hours” to discuss research interests, picking classes in your major, and strategies for success in your degree program.
  • Consider leadership roles in a student organization.
  • Participate in RamHacks or other VCU Hackathons.
  • Consider working for the College of Engineering as a tutor in your strongest subjects.
  • Take service-learning classes, volunteer to address a social issue (ConnectVA & HandsOnRVA), or complete a service project.
  • Explore peer leadership opportunities or apply for I-LEAD Connect, Alternative Spring Break.
  • Attend Diversity Scholars in Research Week.
  • Consider short-term, semester, and year-long study abroad opportunities.
  • Join a culturally-focused organization.
  • Identify ways in which you are culturally uninformed. Begin to learn the historical and current events that have shaped cultures to which you have been underexposed.
  • Take ENGR 395 Professional Development and gain key skills for finding internships, co-op’s, or research opportunities.
  • Conduct an informational interview or shadow someone in a field of career interest.
  • Obtain a student organization leadership position.
  • Attend employer info sessions and events.
  • Apply for internships, co-ops, and VIP Teams.
  • Mock Interview with an employer through Engineering Career Services.
  • Mock Interview with an employer through Engineering Career Services.
  • Consider attending a national career fair (SWE, SHPE, NSBE) to gain exposure to more employers.
  • Consider who you would like to have serve as professional and academic references.
Year 3
  • See your advisor to discuss degree progression and upcoming coursework, including track selection.
  • Conduct independent undergraduate research.
  • Begin selecting Technical Electives, being aware of the prerequisites to fourth-year Technical Electives.
  • In consultation with your advisor, identify which third-year courses are prereqs to entering the three different Senior Capstone tracks for Electrical Engineers.
  • Investigate the accelerated Master’s degree in ECE and try to take some courses during your fourth year.
  • Create and complete a science related community-engaged research project.
  • Attend civic meetings, such as school board, neighborhood associations, city council, or state legislative sessions.
  • Work as a tutor in your strongest subjects.
  • Joining VINE or another in-major mentoring network.
  • Attend lectures, meetings, and conferences. Consider applying to present a poster.
  • Apply for a Fulbright or other post-graduate international fellowship through VCU’s National Scholarship office.
  • Participate in culturally diverse events both at VCU and beyond. Art, music, film, and food festivals and exhibitions are plentiful.
  • Practice professional communication and interpersonal skills that embrace cultural differences.
  • Participate in an internship, co-op or research experience. Assess your professional experiences to date (research, internships, co-op). Decide if you value continuity with an employer or breadth of experience.
  • Work on developing your professional online presence (LinkedIn, Handshake, Github).
  • Attend the Senior Capstone Expo in April.
  • Apply for summer research funding through UROP.
  • Talk to your academic advisor, faculty, and/or career services about whether graduate school or a job will be the best step for you after graduation.
  • Research graduate programs to determine the competitive applicant profile, including GPA, prerequisite coursework, and entrance exam scores.
  • Attend the Engineering Internship & Career Fair.
Excel Year 4
  • Schedule an appointment with your academic advisor a semester before your anticipated graduation to ensure all graduation requirements will be met.
  • Choose courses teaching content and skills most relevant to your preferred post-graduation opportunities.
  • Declare any possible outstanding minors for which you may already have credit (Math, Physics, Computer Science, others).
  • Consider applying for a year-long service opportunity after graduation through programs like VCU AmeriCorps, Literacy Lab, Peace Corps, Fulbright Student Scholars, Teach for America and City Year.
  • Participate in any civic organizations related to your interests, or volunteer at an organization devoted to the arts, environment, education, or policy; tutoring and engineering outreach with local schools is one great example.
  • Work as a tutor in your strongest subjects.
  • Continue to explore cultures beyond your own through scholarly and recreational avenues.
  • Visit the Museum District’s many offerings, such as the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (VMFA) and the Virginia Museum of History and Culture (formerly the Virginia Historical Society).
  • Continue to engage in research to create more content for your resume and online presence.
  • Present your research at conferences such as UROP Undergraduate Research Symposium or other discipline- specific conference.
  • Gain practical experience related to your career goal through internships and skill building.
  • Complete necessary exams, applications, or self-marketing activities for steps beyond graduation.
  • Attend the Engineering Internship & Career Fair in both the Fall and Spring. These are the best opportunities to secure employment post-graduation.
  • Research prospective employers and create a job or graduate school search strategy in the fall.
  • Before graduation, attend the graduation meeting and complete the post-graduation survey.