your adventure in

Electrical Engineering

View PDF

For the undergraduate curriculum in Electrical Engineering leading to the degree Bachelor of Science. The Electrical Engineering Program is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, https://www.abet.org, under the commission’s General Criteria and Program Criteria for Electrical, Computer, Communications, Telecommunication(s) and Similarly Named Engineering Programs.

The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECPE) at Iowa State University provides undergraduate students with the opportunity to learn electrical and computer engineering fundamentals, study applications of the most recent advances in state-of-the-art technologies and prepare for the practice of electrical engineering. The student-faculty interaction necessary to realize this opportunity occurs within an environment that is motivated by the principle that excellence in undergraduate education is enhanced by an integrated commitment to successful, long-term research and outreach programs.

The electrical engineering curriculum offers a number of emphasis areas at the undergraduate level, including control systems, electromagnetics and nondestructive evaluation, microelectronics and photonics, VLSI, electric power and energy systems, and communications and signal processing. Students are required to choose at least one course sequence that focuses on one of these areas; therefore, graduates have substantial depth in specific areas to complement the breadth obtained in the required curriculum. Students also may take elective courses in computer networking, security, computer architecture, digital systems, and software.

Student Learning Outcomes: Graduates of the Electrical Engineering curriculum should have at the time of graduation:

  1. An ability to identify, formulate, and solve complex engineering problems by applying principles of engineering, science, and mathematics.
  2. An ability to apply engineering design to produce solutions that meet specified needs with consideration of public health, safety, and welfare, as well as global, cultural, social, environmental, and economic factors.
  3. An ability to communicate effectively with a range of audiences.
  4. An ability to recognize ethical and professional responsibilities in engineering situations and make informed judgments, which must consider the impact of engineering solutions in global, economic, environmental, and societal contexts.
  5. An ability to function effectively on a team whose members together provide leadership, create a collaborative and inclusive environment, establish goals, plan tasks, and meet objectives.
  6. An ability to develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze and interpret data, and use engineering judgment to draw conclusions.
  7. An ability to acquire and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies.

Program Educational Objectives: The program objectives for the electrical engineering program describe accomplishments that graduates are expected to attain within five years after graduation. Graduates will have applied their expertise to contemporary problem solving, be engaged professionally, have continued to learn and adapt, and have contributed to their organizations through leadership and teamwork. More specifically, the objectives for expertise, engagement, learning, leadership and teamwork are defined below for each program.

The objectives of the electrical engineering program at ISU are:

  • Graduates, within five years of graduation, should demonstrate peer-recognized expertise together with the ability to articulate that expertise and use it for contemporary problem solving in the analysis, design, and evaluation of electrical and electronic devices and systems.
  • Graduates, within five years of graduation, should demonstrate engagement in the engineering profession, locally and globally, by contributing to the ethical, competent, and creative practice of engineering or other professional careers.
  • Graduates, within five years of graduation, should demonstrate sustained learning and adapting to a constantly changing field through graduate work, professional development, and self-study.
  • Graduates, within five years of graduation, should demonstrate leadership and initiative to ethically advance professional and organizational goals, facilitate the achievements of others, and obtain substantive results.
  • Graduates, within five years of graduation, should demonstrate a commitment to teamwork while working with others of diverse cultural and interdisciplinary backgrounds.

As a complement to the instructional activity, the ECPE department provides opportunities for each student to have experience with broadening activities. Through the cooperative education and internship program, students have the opportunity to gain practical industry experience.

Students have the opportunity to participate in advanced research activities, and through international exchange programs, students learn about engineering practices in other parts of the world. Well-qualified juniors and seniors in electrical engineering who are interested in graduate study may apply for concurrent enrollment in the Graduate College to simultaneously pursue both the Bachelor of Science and Master of Science, the Bachelor of Science and Master of Business Administration, or the Bachelor of Science and Master of Engineering degrees.

Courses for students who are not in the electrical engineering program: EE 4420 Introduction to Circuits and Instruments, EE 4480 Introduction to AC Circuits and Motors. Credit in these courses may not be counted toward a degree in either electrical engineering or computer engineering.

Curriculum in Electrical Engineering

Administered by the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering.

Leading to the degree Bachelor of Science.

Total credits required: 128.

Any transfer credit courses applied to the degree program require a grade of C or better (but will not be calculated into the ISU cumulative GPA, Basic Program GPA or Core GPA). See also Basic Program and Special Programs. 

Note: Department does not allow Pass/Not Pass credits to be used to meet graduation requirements.

International Perspectives: 3 cr.1
U.S. Diversity: 3 cr.1
Communication Proficiency/Library requirement:
ENGL 1500Critical Thinking and Communication (Must have a C or better in this course)3
ENGL 2500Written, Oral, Visual, and Electronic Composition (Must have a C or better in this course)3
LIB 1600Introduction to College Level Research1
One of the following:3
Technical Communication (C or better in this course)
Proposal and Report Writing (C or better in this course)
General Education Electives: 18 cr.
ENGL 2500Written, Oral, Visual, and Electronic Composition (Must have a C or better in this course.)3
ENGL 3140Technical Communication (Must have a C or better in this course.)3
or ENGL 3090 Proposal and Report Writing
Complete minimum of 3 cr. from Approved General Education Component 3000 level and above. 23
Complete additional 9cr. from Approved General Education Component. 29
Total Credits18
Basic Program: 24 cr.
A minimum GPA of 2.00 required for this set of courses (please note that transfer course grades will not be calculated into the Basic Program GPA). See Requirement for Entry into Professional Program in College of Engineering Overview section.
CHEM 1670General Chemistry for Engineering Students4
or CHEM 1770 General Chemistry I
ENGL 1500Critical Thinking and Communication (Must have a C or better in this course)3
Engineering Orientation
EE 1850Introduction to Electrical Engineering and Problem-Solving I 33
LIB 1600Introduction to College Level Research1
MATH 1650Calculus I4
MATH 1660Calculus II4
PHYS 2310Introduction to Classical Physics I4
PHYS 2310LIntroduction to Classical Physics I Laboratory1
Total Credits24
Math and Physical Science: 16 cr.
MATH 2070Matrices and Linear Algebra3
MATH 2650Calculus III4
MATH 2670Elementary Differential Equations and Laplace Transforms4
PHYS 2320Introduction to Classical Physics II4
Total Credits15
Electrical Engineering Core: 44 cr.
(A minimum GPA of 2.00 required for this set of courses, including any transfer courses; please note that transfer course grades will not be calculated into the Core GPA).
CPRE 2810Digital Logic4
CPRE 2880Embedded Systems I: Introduction4
EE 2010Electric Circuits4
EE 2240Signals and Systems I4
EE 2300Electronic Circuits and Systems4
EE 2320Professional and Ethical Issues in Electrical and Computer Engineering3
EE 2850Problem Solving Methods and Tools for Electrical Engineering4
EE 3030Energy Systems and Power Electronics3
EE 3110Electromagnetic Fields and Waves4
EE 3220Probabilistic Methods for Electrical Engineers3
Core Elective: one of the following:7
Communication Systems I
Signals and Systems II
Core Elective: one of the following:
Integrated Electronics
Semiconductor Materials and Devices
Total Credits44

Note: EE 3210 and EE 3320 are 3-credit courses, whereas EE 3240 and EE 3300 are 4-credit courses. The core credit requirement (44 credits) assumes 7 credits taken for these options. Any core credit surplus or deficiency can be used as credits for EE technical electives.  

Other Remaining Courses: 26 cr.
EE 4910Senior Design Project I and Professionalism3
EE 4920Senior Design Project II2
Econ Elective (ECON 1010, 1020 or IE 3050)3
EE/CPRE Technical Electives including one approved sequence 213
Technical Electives 26
Total Credits27
Seminar/Co-op/Internships:
Professional Programs Orientation
Portfolio Assessment
Co-op or internship is optional

Outcomes Assessment - Students are required to prepare and to maintain a portfolio of their technical and non-technical skills. This portfolio is evaluated for student preparation during the student's curriculum planning process. Results of the evaluation are used to advise students of core strengths and weaknesses.

Transfer Credit Requirements

The degree program must include a minimum of 30 credits at the 3000-level or above in professional and technical courses earned at ISU in order to receive a B.S. in electrical engineering. These 30 credits must include EE 4910 Senior Design Project I and Professionalism, EE 4920 Senior Design Project II, and credits in the core professional curriculum and/or in technical electives. The Electrical and Computer Engineering Department requires a grade of C or better for any transfer credit course that is applied to the degree program.

  1. These university requirements will add to the minimum credits of the program unless the university-approved courses are also approved by the department to meet other course requirements within the degree program. U.S. diversity and international perspectives courses may not be taken Pass/Not Pass.
  2. From department approved lists
  3. See Basic Program for Professional Engineering Curricula for accepted substitutions for curriculum designated courses in the Basic Program.

See also: A 4-year plan of study grid showing course template by semester.

Note: International perspectives and U.S. diversity courses are used to meet the general education electives.

Electrical Engineering, B.S.

First Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits
ENGR 1010RMATH 16604
EE 18503EE 28504
MATH 16504PHYS 23104
CHEM 16704PHYS 2310L1
ENGL 15003EE 1660R
LIB 16001General Education Elective3
 15 16
Second Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits
EE 20104CPRE 28104
PHYS 23204EE 23004
MATH 26704EE 22404
ENGL 25003MATH 26504
 15 16
Third Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits
CPRE 28804EE 3300 or EE 33203-4
EE 23203EE 3210 or EE 32403-4
EE 30303EE 32203
EE 31104ENGL 3140 or ENGL 30903
MATH 20703General Education Elective3
 17 15-17
Fourth Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits
EE 49103EE 49202
EE 4940RTechnical Electives10
Technical Electives9General Education Electives6
Econ Elective (ECON 1010, 1020 or IE 3050)3 
 15 18

Actual Total Credits: 128

Electrical Engineering students have the opportunity to become a concurrent undergraduate/graduate student in a few programs.

CONCURRENT B.S./M.ENG OR M.S. IN COMPUTER ENGINEERING

CONCURRENT B.S./M.ENG OR M.S. IN CYBER SECURITY

CONCURRENT B.S./M.ENG OR M.S. IN ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING

Electrical engineering students have the opportunity to begin their coursework towards their master's degree in computer, cyber security or electrical engineering during their final semester(s) of undergraduate coursework. In order to be eligible, student must have a 3.0 cumulative GPA or higher to begin a Master of Engineering ("M.ENG") degree or a 3.3 cumulative GPA to begin a Master of Science ("M.S.") degree.  Students should meet with their academic advisor to discuss this option.

CONCURRENT B.S./MBA

Juniors and Seniors have the opportunity to continue their undergraduate coursework while also pursuing a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree. For additional information please visit the concurrent MBA website www.ivybusiness.iastate.edu/full-time-concurrent-mba.

Graduate Study

The department offers work for the degrees Master of Engineering, Master of Science, and Doctor of Philosophy with a major in electrical engineering and minor work to students with other majors. Minor work for electrical engineering majors is usually selected from a wide range of courses outside electrical engineering.

Master of Engineering degree is coursework only. It is recommended for off-campus students.

The degree Master of Science with thesis is recommended for students who intend to continue toward the Doctor of Philosophy degree or to undertake a career in research and development. The non-thesis Master of Science degree requires a creative component.

The department also offers a graduate certificate program in power systems engineering. 

The normal prerequisite to major in graduate work in electrical engineering is the completion of undergraduate work substantially equivalent to that required of electrical engineering students at this university. Because of the diversification in the electrical engineering graduate program, however, it is possible for a student to qualify for graduate study in certain areas of electrical engineering even though the student’s undergraduate or prior graduate training has been in a discipline other than electrical engineering. Supporting work, if required, will depend on the student’s background and area of research interest. Prospective students from a discipline other than electrical engineering are required to submit, with the application for admission, a statement of the proposed area of graduate study.

The department requires submission of GRE General test scores by applicants. All students whose first language is not English and who have no U.S. degree must submit TOEFL examination scores. Students pursuing the Doctor of Philosophy must complete the department qualifying process.

The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering is a participating department in the interdepartmental Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy degree programs in bioinformatics and computational biology. Students interested in these programs may earn their degrees while working under an advisor in electrical and computer engineering.

Well-qualified juniors or seniors in electrical engineering who are interested in graduate study may apply for concurrent enrollment in the Graduate College to simultaneously pursue both the Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees, the Bachelor of Science and Master of Business Administration, or the Bachelor of Science and Master of Engineering degrees. Under concurrent enrollment, students are eligible for assistantships and simultaneously take undergraduate and graduate courses. Details are available in the Student Services Office and on the department’s website.