Degree Offered
- Associate of Science
Nature of the Program
Electrical engineering is the largest branch of engineering. Electrical engineers design, develop, test, and oversee the manufacture and maintenance of equipment that uses electricity. Electrical equipment includes power generating and transmission equipment, motors, machinery controls, instrumentation in cars and aircraft, robots, computers, communications equipment, and health-care equipment.
Electrical engineers study and apply the physics and mathematics of electricity, electronics, and electromagnetism to both large and small scale systems to process information and transmit energy. To do this, electrical engineers design computers, electronic devices, communication systems, test equipment, electric power networks, and improve systems through problem-solving techniques.
The associate degree program provides a foundation in the physics and mathematics of electricity, electronics, and electromagnetism that can be applied in a bachelor program. The curriculum is designed to transfer into the bachelor program in electrical engineering at West Virginia University. Students planning to enter a bachelor program at another institution should determine the transfer equivalencies for the courses offered at WVU Potomac State College and the institution they plan to attend following completion of the associate degree program.
Career Opportunities
Electrical engineers predominately work in firms that manufacture computers, communication equipment, electrical and electronic equipment, business machines, professional and scientific equipment, and aircraft and aircraft parts. Electrical engineers are often employed by oil and gas, movie and video, and mining and mining support industries.
Faculty
Chair
- Erin Cunningham - M.S. Biology
Year @ PSC 2007
Professors
- Mohammad Saifi - M.S. Electrical Engineering
Year @ PSC 1983 - Joan Vogtman - M.S. Applied Physics
Year @ PSC 2008
General Education Foundations
Please use this link to view a list of courses that meet each GEF requirement.
NOTE: Some major requirements will fulfill specific GEF requirements. Please see the curriculum requirements listed below for details on which GEFs you will need to select.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| General Education Foundations | ||
| F1 - Composition & Rhetoric | 3-6 | |
| Introduction to Composition and Rhetoric and Composition, Rhetoric, and Research | ||
or ENGL 103 | Accelerated Academic Writing | |
| F2A/F2B - Science & Technology | 4-6 | |
| F3 - Math & Quantitative Reasoning | 3-4 | |
| F4 - Society & Connections | 3 | |
| F5 - Human Inquiry & the Past | 3 | |
| F6 - The Arts & Creativity | 3 | |
| F7 - Global Studies & Diversity | 3 | |
| F8 - Focus (may be satisfied by completion of a minor, double major, or dual degree) | 9 | |
| Total Hours | 31-37 | |
Please note that not all of the GEF courses are offered at all campuses. Students should consult with their advisor or academic department regarding the GEF course offerings available at their campus.
Curriculum Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| GEF Elective Requirements (5, 6, or 7) | 3 | |
| ENGL 101 & ENGL 102 | Introduction to Composition and Rhetoric and Composition, Rhetoric, and Research (GEF 1) | 6 |
| MATH 155 | Calculus 1 (GEF 3 - minimum grade of C-) | 4 |
| MATH 156 | Calculus 2 (GEF 8- minimum grade of C-) | 4 |
| MATH 251 | Multivariable Calculus (minimum grade of C-) | 4 |
| MATH 261 | Elementary Differential Equations | 4 |
| CHEM 115 & 115L | Fundamentals of Chemistry 1 and Fundamentals of Chemistry 1 Laboratory (GEF 2) | 4 |
| PHYS 111 & 111L | General Physics 1 and General Physics 1 Laboratory (GEF 8) | 4 |
| PHYS 112 & 112L | General Physics 2 and General Physics 2 Laboratory (GEF 8) | 4 |
| ECON 201 | Principles of Microeconomics (GEF 5) | 3 |
| ENGR 101 | Engineering Problem Solving 1 | 2 |
| ENGR 102 | Engineering Problem Solving 2 | 3 |
| MAE 241 | Statics | 3 |
| ENGR 191 | First-Year Seminar | 1 |
| A minimum GPA of 2.0 is required in the following courses: | ||
| CPE 271 | Introduction to Digital Logic Design | 3 |
| EE 221 | Introduction to Electrical Engineering | 3 |
| EE 221L | Introduction to Electrical Engineering Laboratory | 1 |
| EE 223 | Electrical Circuits | 3 |
| EE 223L | Electrical Circuits Laboratory | 1 |
| Total Hours | 60 | |
Suggested Plan of Study
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| ENGR 101 | 2 | ENGR 102 | 3 |
| MATH 155 (GEF 3) | 4 | MATH 156 (GEF 8) | 4 |
| CHEM 115 & 115L (GEF 2) | 4 | PHYS 111 & 111L (GEF 8) | 4 |
| ENGR 191 | 1 | ENGL 101 (GEF 1) | 3 |
| ECON 201 (GEF 4) | 3 | ||
| 14 | 14 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| MATH 251 | 4 | ENGL 102 (GEF 1) | 3 |
| PHYS 112 & 112L (GEF 8) | 4 | MATH 261 | 4 |
| CPE 271 | 3 | EE 223 | 3 |
| EE 221 | 3 | EE 223L | 1 |
| EE 221L | 1 | GEF Elective (GEF 5, 6, or 7) | 3 |
| MAE 241 | 3 | ||
| 18 | 14 | ||
| Total credit hours: 60 | |||
Major Learning Outcomes
Electrical Engineering
Upon completion of the associates in electrical engineering program, students will be able to:
- Explain the basics concepts of electrical engineering, statics, dynamics, mechanics or materials and thermodynamics.
- Use mathematical, chemical and physical concepts to solve engineering-related problems.
- Transfer into a bachelor degree program in electrical engineering.