Study Electrical Engineering - the Definitive Guide

Subject modules & entry requirements

Electrical Engineering is usually offered in combination with Electronics and Communication Engineering in most universities in India. Even as a postgraduate study option abroad, the number of universities offering an MS or an MEng in pure Electrical Engineering is limited. Most universities offer a combination of Electrical Engineering and subjects like Computer Systems, Mechatronics, Electronics, Communication and Systems or Robotics.

Postgraduate programme options

Students can choose from the MS in Electrical Engineering, M.Tech in Electrical Engineering, MSc in Electrical Engineering and the MEng in Electrical Engineering. Some institutions offer an integrated Electrical Engineering programme that clubs together an undergraduate and postgraduate degree within five years. View all postgraduate programmes in Electrical Engineering.

How long will you study?

The MS in Electrical Engineering is usually offered as a two-year programme. In the UK, the MSc in Electrical Engineering is offered as a one-year programme.

As per the QS World University Rankings 2015, the top five places to study Electrical Engineering are:

• Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
• Stanford University
• University of California, Berkeley (UCB)
• Harvard University
• ETH Zurich (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology)

As per the Complete University Guide, the top five universities in the UK to study Electrical Engineering are:

• University of Cambridge
• Imperial College London
• University of Southampton
• University of Glasgow
• University of Strathclyde

What will you study?

A postgraduate programme in Electrical Engineering will include modules on:

• Fundamentals of Electrical Engineering
• Electrical Engineering Systems
• Mathematical Models in Electrical Engineering
• Electromagnetic Fields and Waves
• Numerical Methods in Electrical Engineering
• Electronics
• Calculus

At the end of the programme, students would be able to apply their learning to design electrical systems and solve complex electrical engineering problems.

Typical entry requirements

Applicants should have a relevant undergraduate degree in electrical, electronic, systems and control or communication engineering. Some universities accept students with an undergraduate degree in other subjects based on academic merit and additional modules of study.

English language proficiency

A score of 6.5 on the IELTS or 79 on the TOEFL is usually considered to be fair enough for admission into a postgraduate Electrical Engineering programme. Some institutions may require a higher score of 7.0 on the IELTS.

GRE scores

To get into the top-ranked universities to study electrical engineering a score of 1370 to 1390 on the GRE is essential. The next tier of universities would require a score of 1340 to 1360 on the GRE.   

Fees

The average cost of completing a postgraduate degree in Electrical Engineering ranges between INR 20 lakhs to INR 45 lakhs based on the total duration of the programme. Students would have to earmark INR 8 lakhs a year for accommodation and living costs. The costs will vary dependent on the university and country of study. Prospective students are advised to explore all options regarding scholarships when they apply. 

Subject specialisations

The most popular subject specialisations in postgraduate Electrical Engineering programmes are listed below.

• Electromechanical Engineering
• Communications
• VLSI
• Embedded Systems
• Electromagnetics
• Control Systems & Engineering

View all postgraduate programmes in Electrical Engineering.

Programmes in Focus

The Graduate School at Florida International University offers a combined full-time five-year degree; the BS in Electrical Engineering and MS in Telecommunications and Networking. This is an intensive programme and students on completion of this programme can opt for a career in telecommunications or core electrical engineering.

Charles Darwin University offers a Master of Engineering in Electrical and Electronics Engineering. This programme is accredited internationally through EUR-ACE - Second Cycle and ASIIN.

The University of Kansas offers a popular MS in Electrical Engineering programme that offers specialisation options in areas like – RF Systems Engineering, Network Engineering and Signal Processing.

The University of Bristol offers the MSc by Research degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering. This is a full-time one-year programme.

Career prospects

In India, the starting average annual salary of an electrical engineer is in the range of INR 2 laks to INR 3 lakhs. A similarly placed electrical engineer in the USA earns a starting average annual salary of US$ 40,000. These are just basic average salaries and as companies and job roles change the variance in pay could be much higher. Hence it definitely makes better sense to secure a world-class degree abroad and then find a job there.

Luminaries

Sudhir R. Ahuja who holds a premier position at Alcatel-Lucent studied at IIT Bombay and then went on to complete his PhD in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from Rice University in Houston.

Professional associations

IEEE

The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) is the flagship professional association of electrical and electronics engineers. Based out of the USA, the IEEE has chapter offices around the world. With over 400,000 members around the world, the IEEE is on of the most reputed organisations of its kind.

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