Electrical Engineering

Program Description

The Electrical Engineering program builds an understanding of theoretical concepts early in the program and then gives students the tools to develop more in-depth knowledge in their fields of interest. Introductory courses explore the fundamentals of electricity and magnetism, the laws governing analog electric circuits, and introduce digital circuitry. In the third and fourth years of study, students are able to investigate specific areas of electrical engineering, while maintaining a broad outlook. Practical experience is integral to the program. Laboratory experiments form a required element of many courses while in the final year of study students must complete a capstone design project.

Common Work Term Tasks

On their work terms, electrical engineering co-op students can contribute to / perform the following tasks:

• Equipment design and specifications
• Assembly, wiring and testing
• Computer applications
• Network design and installation
• Instrumentation and controls
• Digital/analog circuit design
• Quality assurance testing
• Power transmission/distribution
• Feasibility studies
• Energy audits
• Regulatory reviews
• Cost and data analysis
• Project management
• Commissioning/troubleshooting
• Schematics and wiring diagrams

Nanoengineering Option

This option provides an introduction to the principles of electronics, electromagnetics and photonics as they apply at the nanoscale level. By selecting this option, students will learn about the processes involved in the fabrication of nanoscale structures and become familiar with the computer aided design (CAD) tools necessary for analyzing phenomena at these very high levels of miniaturization.

The option retains most of the core elements of the traditional electrical engineering program and contains a number of offerings in the form of program electives. Changes from the traditional electrical engineering program occur only after second year.

In addition to the common tasks listed above, co-op students specializing in the nanoengineering option can contribute to / perform the following tasks:

• Electronic device testing
• Characterization of nanoscale phenomena
• Fabrication technologies
• Micro-electromechanical systems design
• Photonic devices
• Electromagnetic systems design
• Finite element methods
• Biomedical applications
• Equipment design and specifications
• Fibre optic systems
• Radio frequency technology
• Quality assurance testing

^{Last update: August 2, 2018}