<p>I'm a new user and this question has probably been asked before, but what are some typical minimum requirements of electrical engineering coursework that graduate schools want to see completed? I understand that different universities have different policies regarding this topic. My question stems more toward, will i have adequate preparation for most EE grad schools in general and not have to take more undergrad classes? If not, where am i lacking? Thanks!</p>
<p>About me: I'm a physics major at WKU and have one year to go. </p>
<p>EE coursework i'll have when i graduate (assuming i pass them all):</p>
<p>circuits and networks I (completed)
Design II (Completed);involved design and fabrication of digital clock as well as Matlab
circuits and networks II (enrolled)
electrical machines and drives (enrolled)
Analog signal processing
Electronics
digital circuits</p>
<p>There are usually about 5-6 courses you need to take, which are pretty much the same at different schools. To be sure, you can take a look at the websites of EE departments. (admission to grad school section - requirements). Here’s one for example:<br>
[Leveling</a> Courses | Graduate | Advising | Academics | College of Engineering](<a href=“http://engineering.tamu.edu/electrical/academics/advising/graduate/leveling-courses]Leveling”>http://engineering.tamu.edu/electrical/academics/advising/graduate/leveling-courses)
In addition to ‘electronics’ and ‘digital circuits’, there’s usually a course in statistics/probability and stochastic processes as well. Also, I don’t think you’ll need a signal processing course, but you have to take a ‘signals and systems’ course. </p>
<p>I did this. About 5 to 6 course is about the usual requirements… It is usually about a semester to 1 1/2 semesters worth of courses including</p>
<p>-basic electronics
-Sophomore level electronics
-Some type of digital electronics course
-1 or 2 signal processing courses
-maybe a solid state electronics course
-A small lab</p>
<p>You can usually test out of one or maybe two of these from your physics background.</p>
<p>Cramming all of these course into a semester or two is not usually fun. Usually they’d be taken over 2 years be a regular EE major.</p>
<p>From what you say you will have taken and the typical requirements that the other posters have identified, it seems that you will have only a couple of courses to take.</p>
<p>Thanks for the great responses.
‘Shrouded’, to answer your question, i’m looking to go into either signal processing, electromagnetics, or optoelectronics. I’m deciding the particulars as I progress through my curriculum. Currently signal processing is my number 1 choice. The applications are numerous and it would be cool to work with radar, video processing, or noise control. I know this sounds like indecision, but I view it as opportunity ;).</p>
<p>As ‘xraymancs’ mentioned, i’ll probably have a couple courses to take in grad school. I’ve already had statistics and stochastic processes, so that can be ruled out. </p>
<p>It appears that according to the Texas a&m page provided, they require two elective courses. Electrical machines and drives may cross with EE 441:electronic motor drives.</p>
<p>These results are similar to everything else i’ve found since this thread started. I would like to graduate in 1.5-2.0 years and hopefully this won’t be much of a barrier. It looks to be one semester of make up classes unless the university i’m enrolled in allows me to take them along with my graduate classes.</p>
<p>“i’m looking to go into either signal processing, electromagnetics, or optoelectronics. I’m deciding the particulars as I progress through my curriculum.”</p>
<p>Those are very different from each other. You can’t be sure until you’ve taken related courses and done their coursework/projects. I thought I might be interested in signal processing. I even took its graduate course, after its undergrad course. The prof. was good as well and I thought I might be able to do my thesis with him and maybe publish something. I ended up being in the top 10% of the class, but I thought ‘This is not what I’d want to do for the rest of my life’. I wasn’t passionate. I figured out I’m more interested in physics, and even took modern and quantum physics courses; and now I’m going to apply to 2 physics master’s programs as well as some in EE that are physics-based (like device physics and nano-electronics/photonics) So I’m doing the reverse of what you’re doing in a way! (unfortunately, going from EE to physics is not as easy as the reverse though! In most EE websites, there’s a short list of requirements for those with undergrad’s other than EE, and you “can” take the courses when you’re in grad school, but I haven’t seen an analogous list in any Physics Dept website for those from eng.)
Anyway, I suggest you definitely take a DSP class or two before applying for it. Optoelectronics, however, is again physics-based. Maybe even half of the EE prof’s in device research have PhD’s in physics/applied physics. For example, in this lab [Optics</a> Group](<a href=“http://cumsl.msl.columbia.edu/index.php/optics-group]Optics”>http://cumsl.msl.columbia.edu/index.php/optics-group) I remember it was mentioned that half of the students are from EE, other half from pure & applied physics. If you enjoy physics, you might be more interested in such fields, and you already have a good background too.
The requirements of the EE grad schools for those with bachelor’s other than EE might not be more than 5-6 courses, but if you want to apply for a field you know little of, you’d better take more courses (maybe ‘signal & systems’ & 2 DSP courses) and do a little bit of reading to make sure that’s what you want to do in grad school.
Btw, you can check out other universities’ websites for the list of the required courses. I don’t think you have more than 3 courses left to fulfill the basic requirements.</p>
<p>If you’re looking to go to physics graduate school from EE, the classes i’d recommend to take are classical mechanics as well as modern physics and quantum mechanics. This will give an adequate preparation combined with your backround in EE. It sounds like you’ve taken these and you should be good. I’ve even heard of some physics grad schools who really like engineers applying due to their practical knowledge.</p>
<p>I’ll be able to take a signals and systems class, but since DSP requires this as a pre-req, i probably won’t be able to take it. In order to prepare i’ll do some reading.</p>
<p>Universities usually require more than the courses you mentioned. I’ve had modern and quantum physics, electrodynamics, 2 general physics and a bit more; but it seems they’re insufficient for some programs.
Also, US universities mostly need a GRE Subject test, which I haven’t taken. And since I don’t have a degree, or even a minor, in physics, US universities might not be an option. I did however email a few programs in Europe and the two physics programs I mentioned are in Europe.</p>
<p>Since you still have 1.5-2 years left, you have time to take 1-2 DSP courses after the S&S. I don’t recommend applying for signal processing without first taking 1-2 DSP courses.</p>
<p>@shrouded: we have had a number of EEs come into our physics program at Illinois Tech. They usually need to work on quantum mechanics and statistical physics but on the whole do fine. If you apply for a masters program first you might have to self-fund but the physics subject test is probably not as necessary. For a PhD application, it would be best to demonstrate competence with a strong subject test score.</p>
<p>@xraymancs, thank you. I’ve already had a QM course.(and it was great) I’ll take another next semester, but I missed the statistical physics course this semester. I didn’t know it was offered until it was a bit late. I’ll apply for master’s first. But the self-fund thing doesn’t seem quite feasible. For EE master’s programs, I have a chance for assistantships; For physics programs, I don’t think so. About those two programs in EU, the university has a number of scholarships and I’m counting on that.</p>