Undergraduate Academics Overview

Innovations. Breakthroughs. Discoveries.

Electrical engineers are in the forefront of technology that continually transforms our rapidly changing world. From developing advanced navigation systems and self-piloted vehicles to designing “smart” homes and cyber security systems, electrical and computer engineers have a profound impact on how we live and how society will continue to progress for generations to come.

Why Rutgers?

Rutgers offers a dynamic electrical and computer engineering program with world-class labs in innovative fields including cloud computing, wireless/mobile communications, virtual reality, signal processing, and nanotechnology. We offer two curriculum options for undergraduate students: electrical engineering and computer engineering,  allowing students to focus on a specific area by the appropriate selection of elective courses. 

  • The electrical engineering option is designed to provide expertise in a wide range of areas, including wireless communication systems and networks, signal and information processing, information privacy and security, cyberphysical systems, electronic materials, devices and circuits, biosensors, bio-electrical engineering, computer vision, and robotics. 
  • The computer engineering option, while building upon a broad background in electrical engineering, prepares students for careers in the area of computer hardware and software engineering, software verification, embedded systems, FPGA, human computer interaction, cloud computing and virtual reality.

In addition, the electrical and computer engineering curriculum has developed into emerging technology fields such as energy (power electronics, solar cells, smart grid), environment (sensors and sensor networks for environmental protection), and bioelectronics and biophotonics. A background in ECE fundamentals is provided by course work in linear systems, electronic devices and circuits, digital signal processing, and communications engineering, logic design, computer architecture, computer graphics and vision, robotics, and virtual reality technology, etc. In addition, students have considerable freedom to choose elective courses in the other sciences, engineering and humanity areas.

Our award-winning faculty includes members of the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Engineering. Our advisory board includes leaders at companies including Siemens, L3Harris, Russelectric (a Siemens Business), IBM Research, Qualcomm, CDW, Two Sigma Investments, Protiviti, AT&T, and Verizon Wireless ensuring the department’s strong ties to industry and cutting-edge research.

Students may also pursue a 5-year dual degree with a second major, a 5-year combined BS/MS, or a 5-year BS/MBA.

Hands-on Experience

Seniors work in teams on Capstone Design projects in a wide range of areas including sensor, control, and DSP systems; communications, including wireless communication systems, communication system design and computer networks; software engineering; robotics; virtual reality and circuit and microelectronic systems.

Students also have the opportunity to do research with faculty in areas such as wireless information networks, computer vision, digital signal processing, and digital logic design, microelectronics, and computer architecture.

Students who participate in the Co-op Program earn academic credit and a salary but, more importantly, gain valuable technical and business experience and make valuable networking connections at companies that have included Blackrock, among others. Many students also do summer internships at leading technology companies including Siemens, L3Harris, Johnson & Johnson, and Verizon Wireless. Many of these students are offered full-time positions after graduation.