Electrical engineering is concerned with the understanding and utilization of electricity and with providing society useful, efficient, and economic products and services. It encompasses everything from batteries and power supplies to crystal fabrication, autonomous robots, and devices that can recognize human speech. Electrical engineers design, produce, study, and operate all manner of devices and systems that use electric and electromagnetic energy. They also work on systems at the macro scale of electric power grids and at the micro scale of nanotechnology. Contemporary society is in the midst of an information revolution, created in large part from the fruits of electrical engineering. Rapid improvements in communication technologies, computer visualization, and information access continue to have a significant impact on manufacturing, medicine, transportation, and environmental monitoring.
Program of Study: Major: Electrical and Computer Engineering
Program Overview
Electrical and Computer Engineering students study the design, production, operation and application of devices and systems that use electricity, electronics, and electromagnetism. These devices and systems are used for sensing, processing, communicating, and visualizing information, as well as generating, transmitting, distributing, and making use of electrical energy. Subjects of study include circuits; electromagnetics; electronic devices and photonics; signal and image processing; analog and digital communications; analog and digital electronics; computers; energy systems; control systems and robotics.
This program of study leads to the following credential:
Bachelor of Science in Electrical and Computer Engineering degree
Admission Requirements
Engineering Undeclared Students
See section on College of Engineering Admission for additional details on Direct-to-College admission and placement process for Engineering Undeclared students. The deadline to submit a request for placement in an engineering major occurs annually on July 1.
If the number of Engineering Undeclared students requesting the major exceeds the department capacity for such students, a matching process is implemented. Factors considered include performance in prerequisite courses, quality of overall academic record, content of personal statement, applicable work or extracurricular activities, and other special circumstances as disclosed by the applicant.
Engineering Undeclared students in good standing with respect to the continuation criteria described below may request placement into an engineering major after completion of minimum requirements as specified below:
ENGR 101
English composition
MATH 124, MATH 125, MATH 126 (or MATH 134, MATH 135, MATH 136)
CHEM 142 (or CHEM 143 or CHEM 145)
PHYS 121 (or PHYS 141)
One course from list of approved courses on the College of Engineering website. Students are encouraged to choose a course required for graduation in the majors they are considering.
Minimum 2.0 grade in each course used to satisfy a placement requirement.
Minimum 12 credits as a matriculated UW student. Some departments require more credits. See department website for details.
Students in good standing who do not meet the placement requirements by July 1 will be placed into a major on a conditional basis pending the completion of all placement requirements. Additional advising resources will be available to these students. See section on College of Engineering Continuation Policy for Engineering Undeclared Students for additional details.
Other Current UW Students and Transfer Students
Current UW students without Engineering Undeclared status and transfer students may apply. Admission is competitive.
Admission is for autumn quarter only. Application deadline: April 5.
Course requirements: CSE 122 (or CSE 123 or CSE 142); MATH 124, MATH 125, MATH 126 (or MATH 134, MATH 135, MATH 136); PHYS 121, PHYS 122 (or PHYS 141, PHYS 142); and 5 credits English composition; all completed prior to application deadline.
Additional course requirements: CSE 123 (or CSE 143); MATH 207 (unless MATH 135 was completed); and two courses from the following list: BIOL 130, BIOL 220, CHEM 142 (or CHEM 143 or CHEM 145), MATH 208 (or AMATH 352) (unless MATH 136 was completed), MATH 224, PHYS 123; all completed prior to the start of autumn quarter
Grade requirements: Minimum 2.0 grade for each course required for application. Minimum 2.50 cumulative GPA across all courses required for application.
Factors considered for admission include performance in prerequisite courses, quality of overall academic record, demonstrated ability to handle rigorous course load, record of honors, content of personal statement, applicable work or extracurricular activities, and other special circumstances as disclosed by the applicant.
Continuation Policy
All students must make satisfactory academic progress in the major. Failure to do so results in probation, which can lead to dismissal from the major. For the complete continuation policy, contact the departmental adviser or refer to the department website.
Bachelor of Science in Electrical and Computer Engineering degree
Credential Overview
Electrical and Computer Engineering students study the design, production, operation and application of devices and systems that use electricity, electronics, and electromagnetism. These devices and systems are used for sensing, processing, communicating, and visualizing information, as well as generating, transmitting, distributing, and making use of electrical energy. Subjects of study include circuits; electromagnetics; electronic devices and photonics; signal and image processing; analog and digital communications; analog and digital electronics; computers; energy systems; control systems and robotics.
Completion Requirements
General Education Requirements
Basic Skills
Written and Oral Communication (12 credits)
English Composition: 5 credits from the University list
Writing: 4 credits met by coursework in the major; remaining credits from the University list
Reasoning (RSN) (5 credits): met by program requirements
Diversity (DIV) (5 credits): courses may also apply to an Areas of Inquiry requirement. Of Special Note: For students admitted to the University prior to autumn quarter 2023, the DIV requirement is 3 credits
Areas of Inquiry
Arts and Humanities (A&H) and Social Sciences (SSc) (24 credits)
A&H (10 credits)
SSc (10 credits)
Additional credits in A&H or SSc to bring total to 24 credits
Natural Sciences (NSc) (45 credits)
Mathematics (15-21 credits) complete one of the following:
MATH 124, MATH 125, MATH 126, MATH 207 (or AMATH 351), MATH 208 (or AMATH 352)
Two courses from BIOL 130, BIOL 220, CHEM 142 (or CHEM 143 or CHEM 145), MATH 224, PHYS 123 (or PHYS 143)
Statistics (3-4 credits): IND E 315 or STAT 390
Additional NSc courses from approved list to reach 45 credits: See adviser for list of approved courses
Major Requirements (65-68 credits)
Computer Programming (4-5 credits): Minimum 2.0 grade in either CSE 123 or CSE 143
Electrical and Computer Engineering Core (21-23 credits): E E 201, E E 215; either E E 241 or CSE 163; E E 242, E E 271, E E 280. Minimum 2.0 grade in each course
Advanced Technical Communication (4 credits): E E 393 (or department-approved alternative)
Advanced Electrical and Computer Engineering Electives (36 credits):
Professional issues (1-5 credits) See adviser for lists of approved courses
Capstone (4-8 credits) See adviser for lists of approved courses
Additional 300- and 400-level E E courses to reach 36 credits. Maximum 2 credits of seminar courses (see adviser for list of approved seminar courses). Maximum 6 credits combined of E E 499 and ENGR 321 (maximum 4 credits of ENGR 321). E E 233, CSE 373, and CSE 374 may also apply.
Minimum 20 credits of E E courses at the 400-level
Grade Requirements: Minimum 2.00 cumulative GPA in all courses applied to the major, with no grade below 1.0 in these courses
As of winter quarter 2024, the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering no longer offers the Electrical Engineering degree program with two option credentials: (1) General Core and (2) Nanoscience and Molecular Engineering. Please refer to the UW Seattle General Catalog Archive for information about this degree program and option credentials.
Learning Objectives and Expected Outcomes
Professional Opportunities: Graduates with a degree in electrical engineering find employment in industries such as aerospace, communications, computer manufacturing, power distribution, consumer electronics, and biomedical engineering. Positions can be found focusing on the research, design, and testing of new products; technical sales and marketing; business consulting; and even growing areas such as intellectual property.
The BSEE program is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, www.abet.org.
Program Educational Objectives: The program educational objectives (PEOs) of the BSEE degree program are to serve the needs of our students, faculty, and regional industry by producing graduates who have acquired foundational knowledge and skills through a comprehensive curriculum and immersive educational and developmental experience. After a few years following graduation, we expect our graduates to:
Contribute: To have successfully and smoothly transitioned into a contributing member of the professional workforce
Master: To have developed the skills, habits, and professional expertise which will carry them through their life and career
Evolve: To rapidly grow and adapt to their fast changing world
Innovate: To embrace change, challenge, growth, inquiry, creativity, and diversity
Lead: To rise to levels of leadership and impact in their chosen specialties
Steward: To responsibly apply their problem solving, critical thinking, communication, and management skills to the benefit of themselves, their communities, their region, and the world at large
Student Outcomes: By graduation, we expect our graduates to have demonstrated abilities in:
Problems: An ability to identify, formulate, and solve complex engineering problems by applying principles of engineering, science, and mathematics
Design: 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
Communication: An ability to communicate effectively with a range of audiences
Responsibility: 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
Teams: 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
Experiment: An ability to develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze and interpret data, and use engineering judgment to draw conclusions
Learning: An ability to acquire and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies
Instructional and Research Facilities: The department maintains a number of instructional and research laboratories to support courses and independent study activities. There are three general-purpose computing laboratories. Instructional laboratories include a large instrumentation laboratory supporting numerous electronics courses; individual laboratories for digital design courses; a power laboratory to support the power/energy systems classes; an RF laboratory to support electromagnetics and communication systems; and laboratories that support capstone design classes. Students participating in undergraduate research and independent study generally have access to the research laboratories of their supervising faculty member.
Honors Options Available: With College Honors (Completion of Honors Core Curriculum and Departmental Honors); With Honors (Completion of Departmental Honors requirements in the major). See adviser for requirements.
Research, Internships, and Service Learning: Many electrical engineering students participate every year in internship and co-op (cooperative education) programs. Career Center @ Engineering is one source for companies recruiting for internship and co-op students. The UW Career & Internship Centers also lists a variety of internship opportunities.
Department Scholarships: Many scholarships specifically for electrical engineering majors and based on merit and financial need are awarded each year. Students interested in applying for these and other College of Engineering scholarships may obtain information from the Director of Academic Services.
Student Organizations/Associations: The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), UW student chapter organizes social activities, workshops, field trips and other professional development opportunities. Eta Kappa Nu (HKN) is an invitation-only honor society for electrical engineering students. HKN organizes tutoring services, tutorial workshops, social activities, and community services projects.