Electrical engineering

What's the focus of this major?

Electrical engineers deal with the application of electricity, from small circuitry to high-voltage power generation and supply networks. With traditional power generation at the centre of the global warming problem, electrical engineers are now at the forefront of developing renewable energy systems and super-efficient electrical devices which will reduce our energy demands.

You will learn about circuits, electronic design, microprocessors, power generation, analogue and digital intelligent control (such as on-board computers in cars, aircraft or trains), 'fuzzy logic' systems and instrumentation (such as digital temperature and pressure gauges).

You'll graduate with the practical skills in hardware and software to enable you to design and build electronics systems, and the knowledge to work effectively with mechanical, computer systems and software engineers.

Where will I work?

You can work in any of the areas suggested for the General Major, but will be most likely to find opportunities with:

• Car, aircraft and train manufacturers
• Defence agencies and military hardware manufacturers
• Energy companies, including sustainable energy providers
• Biomedical and health engineering companies
• Electronic component manufacturers for consumer products such as mobiles, PDAs or household appliances

Electronics also has overlaps with Mechanical and Mechatronics and ICT, and you'll also be able to work in many of the areas suggested for those majors.