In an electronics engineering degree, you are likely to develop an expert understanding of the circuits used in computers and other modern technologies, and for this reason electronics engineering is often taught alongside computer science. An electrical or electronics engineering degree will also overlap with mechanical and civil engineering.
If you’re interested in how electrical devices work, are inquisitive, and have a strong interest in mathematics and science, then you probably already have some essential engineering skills and an electrical or electronics engineering degree may well be for you. Although technical knowledge is essential, electrical engineers are also involved in designing and building a range of devices, often within teams.
At bachelor level, an electrical engineering degree will aim to give students grounding in the underlying principles of electronic and electrical engineering, before allowing specialization in an area of interest later on in the course. Students will also be involved in projects working within groups.
Like most engineering subjects, it is best to imagine that you will be committed to your course every day of the working week. Although you almost certainly won’t be sitting in lectures for eight hours a day, your study timetable will be busy and will feature a range of learning methods, including laboratory work, tutorials, lectures, project work, group work and individual research.
Outside of scheduled lessons, you will also be required to develop your knowledge by working your way through your course’s reading list.
You may also be set engineering problems to solve, as well as coursework assignments and laboratory reports to hand in. More hands-on sessions may also include physically dismantling electronic devices to see how they work, and then putting them back together again. This helps students learn how to develop and apply their engineering skills, rather than simply memorizing it from a textbook.