Electrical Engineering

Advance your industry knowledge, improve your professional credentials, engage in leading electrical engineering research, and enhance your career opportunities with a graduate degree in electrical engineering from the University of Idaho.

Available programs include:

• Master of Science (M.S.E.E.) – 30-credit thesis option
• Master of Engineering (M.E.E.E) – 30 credit nonthesis option
• Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

Here, you have the flexibility to focus on an area of electrical engineering that fits your personal career goals and research interests.

Areas of emphasis include:

• Very large scale integrated (VLSI) circuits
• Supercomputing
• Microwaves
• Communication systems
• Integrated circuit design
• Electromagnetics
• Control systems
• Signal analysis
• Network synthesis
• Digital systems design
• Electric power systems

The master’s and doctorate degrees are available at both the Moscow campus and the Idaho Falls campus. Or, pursue your graduate studies from a distance through interactive video classes and online learning available through our comprehensive engineering outreach program.

For practicing engineers seeking professional development opportunities, the outreach program also offers 12-credit certificates in:

• Power systems protection and relaying
• Semiconductor theory and devices
• Analog integrated circuit design
• Electrical machines and drives
• Communication systems

Our faculty members are internationally recognized for excellence in teaching and research, and they are widely respected for their significant scientific contributions to the electrical engineering industry. As a graduate student, you have ample opportunities to work alongside these distinguished researchers on practical projects vital to industry, including engineering prototypes.

You may also have the chance to participate in collaborative research projects with industry and governmental partners such as NASA, the U.S. Department of Defense, Micron, Hewlett-Packard Company and top energy and power firms.

Prepare for Success

The ideal candidate for the master’s program in electrical engineering will hold a bachelor’s in electrical engineering from an accredited institution and demonstrate a strong background in electrical engineering with proficiencies in chemistry, physics and mathematics.

If your undergraduate degree is not in electrical engineering, you will be required to complete background courses to remove deficiencies before beginning the graduate program.

Your First Year

During the first semester, a faculty member is appointed to serve as your major professor/mentor. You work closely with your major professor to prepare and submit a study plan for approval as early in the semester as possible.

The study plan is generally organized around the following areas:

• Electronics
• Power
• Electromagnetics
• Digital systems

Both a nonthesis option and a thesis option are available for master’s students. Usually, off-campus students pursue the master of engineering, the nonthesis option, and on-campus students pursue the master of science, the thesis option.

What You Can Do

Whether you are a seasoned professional returning to college to continue your education or a student fresh from an undergraduate program, you will find that a master’s degree in electrical engineering greatly enhances your career opportunities.

Potential job titles include:

• Design engineer
• Project engineer
• Engineering specialist
• Chief engineer
• Quality control engineer
• Hardware engineer
• Development engineer
• Reliability engineer
• Research engineer
• Systems design engineer
• Field engineer
• Test engineer
• Sales engineer

The M.S. in electrical engineering is excellent preparation for the Ph.D. program, which positions you for a career in academia as a professor or researcher.

Opportunities

The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering has a longstanding reputation for producing exceptional electrical engineering professionals.

Our graduates are highly sought after by top firms in the region and nation, and hold important positions at leading industry companies such as:

• Idaho Power
• Avista Utilities
• Schweitzer Engineering
• Hewlett-Packard Company 
• Intel
• Micron
• Boeing
• NASA
• Zilog

The department’s research and expertise in power and energy systems uniquely positions graduates for careers in the utility industry. Many of our students go on to rewarding careers for utility companies, utility equipment suppliers, and engineering consulting firms.

Current Research

The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Idaho is a leader in electrical engineering research, drawing more than $4.5 million in research funding over the last three years.

Our distinguished faculty members are widely known for their research and expertise in such areas as power/energy systems, electromagnetic radiowave propagation, electronic packaging and microelectronics. In fact, two of our faculty members – Jeffrey Young and Aicha Elshabini – have been named distinguished Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Fellows for their contributions toward the advancement of the field.

Research Institutes and Programs


The National Institute for Advanced Transportation Technologies (NIATT): Develops technologies to improve the design and operation of transportation vehicles and systems. Projects include traffic control, electric and hybrid vehicles, clean vehicle technology, and construction materials for highway infrastructure.

The Power Applications Research Group (PARG): Explores new applications in the fields of power and power-electronics.

The Laboratory for Advanced Communications Research (LACR): Focuses on communications theory, neural networks, and magnetic recording.

Center for Intelligent Systems Research (CISR): Dedicated to the advancement of intelligent control of autonomous systems. Recent projects funded by NASA, NSF, and USDA include active structural noise control, passive vibration suppression, an autonomous log-skidder, and intelligent vision-based navigation for Mars Rover-type vehicles.

Laser Electrophotography Lab (LEL): Researches electrophotographic processes and signal processing related to image quality of laser printers.

Hands-On Experience

Industry partnerships: At Idaho, you can play a critical part at one of the nation’s premier centers for power engineering research, education and collaboration between industry and academia. You have opportunities to engage in projects for NASA, the U.S. Navy and top firms in the energy and power industry. Industry partners include Hewlett-Packard Company, Tektronix, Intel, Idaho Power Company, Avista Utilities, The Boeing Company, EG & G Idaho, Inc. and many others.

Teaching assistantships: The department offers six to 10 teaching assistantships to cover our undergraduate laboratory courses. These assistantships are available in both electrical and computer engineering. NIATT also offers teaching assistantships based on qualifications and available funding.

Research assistantships: The Microelectronics Research and Communications Institute typically supports approximately 18 graduate research assistants affiliated through various research contracts. NIATT also offers graduate research assistantships based on qualifications and available funding. Some contracts are budgeted to allow for the payment of graduate course fees.

Facilities

Students have access to our 13,000 square feet of laboratory space equipped with the most modern equipment.

Online & Outreach

The University of Idaho offers one of the best video outreach programs in the country, making it possible to earn a master of science or master of engineering in electrical engineering or computer engineering through interactive video courses and online learning. Certificate programs are also available.

Learn more about the Engineering Outreach program at the University of Idaho.