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Electrical Engineering

Major Information

The broad field of electrical engineering involves working with all manners of electronic devices from pocket calculators to supercomputers.  Often overlapping with computer engineering, a college degree in electrical engineering can open up the door to a career in almost any industry.  Through an understanding of the ways electricity is generated and controlled electrical engineers specifically design, develop, and test electrical equipment.  Like any other kind of scientist, they must also know how to communicate their ideas to others in their field.  A successful electrical engineer possesses not only an understanding of his or her area of concentration, but also a broad grasp of engineering in general.  This is why most degree programs offering electrical engineering begin with the fundamentals of engineering itself.  Electrical engineering students learn through a combination of design and lab work.  This mix of theoretical and practical application allows students to think things through and then apply their ideas in a variety of real life situations.  

General Information

Degree(s) Offered:

  • Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering
  • Master of Science in Electrical Engineering

Sample Occupations

  • Electrical Engineer
  • Plant Manager
  • Production Control Specialist
  • Operations Supervisor
  • Design Engineer
  • Project Manager
  • System Engineer
  • Measurement Engineer
  • Test Engineer
  • Customer Service Engineer
  • Computer Support Specialist
  • Power Distribution Engineer
  • Industrial Machinery Mechanics
  • Electrical Appliance Repairer 
  • Line Installers
  • Communications Equipment Mechanic
  • Commercial/Industrial
  • Electronics Repairer
  • Semiconductor Processing Operator

Sample Work Settings

  • Government Agencies
  • Consulting Engineering Firms
  • Utility Companies
  • Private Laboratories
  • Industrial Firms
  • Manufacturing Firms
  • Telecommunications Firms
  • Computer Firms

Sample Employers

  • Georgia Power Company
  • Southern Company
  • Gulfstream Aerospace
  • Lockheed Martin
  • AT&T
  • Burns & McDonnell
  • Hargrove Engineers + Constructors
  • Georgia-Pacific LLC
  • Southern Nuclear
  • Acuity Brands
  • Jordan and Skala Engineering Inc.
  • Atronix Engineering Inc.
  • US Navy
  • SEL
  • Technical Associates
  • Electrical Design Consultants
  • WestRock Company

Connecting Majors, Skills, and Occupations

  • View learning outcomes associated with your major in the Georgia Southern Academic Catalog:

Georgia Southern Academic Catalog

  • Explore the connection between occupations and skills in O*Net:

www.onetonline.org

  • Use Handshake to upload your résumé and explore internships and jobs. For more information:

www.georgiasouthern.edu/ocpd

Internet Resources

To explore values, interests, and skills:

FOCUS 2 bit.ly/focuscareer

Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) – $15

Self Directed Search – $15

http://students.georgiasouthern.edu/career/s tudents/assessments/

To explore occupational outlooks and salaries:

National Compensation Survey

www.bls.gov/ncs/

National Association of College and Employers  (NACE) 

http://www.naceweb.org/salary resources/index.aspx 

Professional Organizations

Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers

www.ieee.org


Association of Energy Engineers

www.aeecenter.org

American Solar Energy Society 

www.ases.org

American Nuclear Society 

www.new.ans.org

Georgia Southern Student Organizations

SAE Eagle Motorsports

Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE)

Society of Women Engineers (SWE)

Professional Tips

  • Complete an Electrical Engineering  internship/co-op. 
  • Join a student organization.
  • Seek out research opportunities.

Résumé Tips

  • Include ABET accreditation in the Education section if you are obtaining an undergraduate degree.
  • Include project experiences such as senior capstone project.
  • Include technical skills such as Python, C++, & Java.
  • Include professional associations such as IEEE.

Last updated: 5/31/2013