Electrical Engineering, BS

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Contact Info

Electrical and Computer Engineering Department

Nguyen Engineering Building, 3100
4400 University Drive, MS 1G5
Fairfax, VA 22030

Phone: 703-993-1569

Email: ece@gmu.edu

Electrical engineering is a major field of modern technology. Electrical engineers research, develop, design, produce, and operate of 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.

The department offers a BS in Electrical Engineering and a BS in Computer Engineering. For either degree, prospective students should be proficient in mathematics and physics, prepared to use their knowledge to solve real-world problems, and excited about continuously learning in and out of the classroom.

Find degree requirements in the university catalog.

Highlights from the university catalog.

Total credits minimum: 121

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 Bioengineering (BIOE)
Concentration in Communications and Signal Processing (CSP)
Concentration in Computer Engineering (CPE)
Concentration in Control Systems (CON)
Concentration in Electronics (ELE)

 

Program Requirements

Electrical Engineering, BS

Please see the University Catalog for complete program requirements and policies, and discuss all program plans with an academic advisor.  Certain courses may fulfill multiple requirements across the Mason Core general education program, the college or school, and/or the specific program.
 

Degree Requirements (120-131 credits total)

Mason Core General education program required for all undergraduate students.

College Requirement(s) n/a

Major Requirements 
 

Electrical and Computer Engineering (56 credits)

*Note that ECE 285/ECE 286 courses taken at Mason prior to fall 2013 or transferred to Mason prior to fall 2014 do NOT meet the circuit analysis requirement.  Students who fit in either category need to contact the department as soon as possible to discuss their options.

**Students who would like to complete a more challenging senior design project have the option of enrolling in ECE 392 to gain a semester head start in the design process.

Computer Science (7 credits)

Mathematics and Statistics (20 credits)

Physics (12 credits)

Engineering (2 credits)

English, Communication, and Economics (9 credits)

Additional Mason Core (15 credits)

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.  The Synthesis Mason Core requirement is satisfied by ECE 492 and ECE 493. 

  • Written Communication (lower) (3 credits)
  • Literature (3 credits)
  • Arts (3 credits)
  • Western Civilization/World History (3 credits)
  • Global Understanding (3 credits)

Note:

All students must submit at least 24 credits of social science and humanities course work, which is normally satisfied by the 24 credits of Mason Core social science and humanities courses listed above.

Concentrations

Concentrations are available within 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 Bioengineering (BIOE)

Students must complete:

Concentration in Communications and Signal Processing (CSP)

Students must complete:

Concentration in Computer Engineering (CPE)

Students must complete:

Concentration in Control Systems (CON)

Students must complete:

Concentration in Electronics (ELE)

Students must complete:

Total: minimum 121 credits

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.

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.

This information is being provided here for your planning purposes only. For official catalog information, please refer instead to the official George Mason University Catalog Website at http://catalog.gmu.edu.