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Degrees and Schools

While bachelor's degree programs in engineering are offered by many colleges and universities, electronics engineering programs are less common. Traditional 4-year degree programs provide a general liberal arts foundation and an introduction to engineering during the first 2 years of school, focusing on electronics engineering in the remaining 2-3 years.

There are a variety of alternative degree programs for engineering students, including:

• Bachelor's degree partnership programs - In these 4-year programs, students take engineering and general courses for two years at a community college or vocational school, then start classes in an engineering program at a partner college or university.
• General engineering degree programs - Rather than offering courses for areas of engineering specialty, such as electronics engineering, these programs provide 4 years of general engineering and liberal arts courses. Students develop a specialty area in graduate school or on the job.
• Double bachelor's degree programs - In these programs, students first attend a liberal arts school, taking 3 years of foundation and pre-engineering courses. Then they complete two years of core subjects at an engineering school, graduating with a bachelor's degree from each college.
• Cooperative bachelor's programs - These programs combine combining classroom study with formal practical work experience over 5-6 years, allowing students to finance some of their education.
• Five-year master's degree programs - Applying for these programs happens just once for both bachelor's and master's degrees. After they've earned their 4-year bachelor's degree, students continue straight on to complete a master's program in the fifth year.

Students in electronics engineering who wish to focus more on readiness for employment may choose a program in engineering technology. Unlike traditional engineering programs, which emphasize theory and scientific principles, engineering technology degree programs are designed for in-depth hands-on learning and preparation for certification, and can be completed in 2-4 years.

Most states require licensure of electronics engineers, especially if they will be providing direct services to the public. To qualify for licensure, applicants must be graduates of programs accredited through the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET).

Coursework

Engineering students in traditional programs start out by learning introductory engineering, math, science, and humanities. After two years, they take core engineering courses. (See above for alternative program types.) Engineering technology degree programs have curricula heavy in hands-on learning and certification readiness.

Online Classes and Programs

Many campus-based colleges and universities offer online degrees in engineering as part of their standard curricula. The advantage to these programs is that most are accredited by ABET and by agencies recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) or United States Department of Education (USDE).

Web-based schools should be accredited by an agency recognized by CHEA or the USDE or by the Accreditation Commission of the Distance Education and Training Council (DETC). Note that programs offered by DETC accredited schools may not meet the requirements for state licensure.

Employment Requirements

In order to get into undergraduate engineering programs, applicants must be able to show a solid foundation of math, science, English, humanities, and social studies.

A bachelor's degree in an engineering technology or engineering from an ABET-accredited program is the minimum requirement for most entry-level jobs for electronics engineers. It is not necessary to have a degree or concentration in electronics engineering, because most employers are aware that engineers who specialize in any area of engineering can easily apply the same principles to other areas.

Electronics engineers who provide direct services to the public are required by most states to be licensed professional engineers (PEs). The qualifications for a license include:

• Being a graduate of an engineering bachelor's degree program that is ABET-accredited
• Providing proof of a minimum of 4 years of relevant work experience
• Achieving a passing score on a licensing exam

State licensing exams are divided into two parts. The first part, Fundamentals of Engineering (FE), is taken by recent graduates. With a passing score, graduates are qualified to work as engineers in training (EITs) or engineering interns (EIs). After enough work experience is accrued, interns take the second part, Principles and Practice of Engineering, to obtain their license.

Degree-holders in both engineering technology and engineering are eligible for the same kinds of jobs, however engineering technology graduates do not qualify for the PE license. They usually are hired in roles that are determined to be between technician and engineer.

Competitive advantage is frequently sought by electronics engineers through IEEE-USA professional certification.

How to Evaluate Schools

It is recommended that prospective electronics engineering students ask the questions below when comparing bachelor's degree programs:

• Type of degree - Does a traditional engineering degree best suit the student's goals, or is an engineering technology degree more appropriate?
• Accreditation - Has the program been accredited by ABET?
• Program type - Considering the various bachelor's degree program structures available, which best matches the student's goals? Are there geographical areas where lots of electronics engineering jobs are frequently in demand, and what schools have desirable programs in these areas?
• Practical experience - Are research projects being conducted of interest? Do computer labs offer enough leading technology to handle demand? Are a variety of desirable internships coordinated by the program?
• Financial assistance - What financial aid opportunities such as scholarships, grants, loans, and work study are available?
• Career search - Does the career center at a given school offer substantial opportunities for electronics engineers to find employment? What are graduates from the past couple years doing now?

Electronics Engineer Job Description

Electronics engineers design everything from cool gadgets like iPhones to global positioning systems. They most frequently design and develop devices that are used in communications, aviation or medical electronics, specializing in control systems and signal processing. This makes them different from electrical engineers, who focus on products for power generation and distribution. Many devices that electronics engineers make are computerized, but computers themselves are created by computer hardware engineers.

Whether they're inventing new products or implementing solutions to problems, electronics engineers test prototypes of their designs and then supervise the manufacturing process. They often oversee the work of project teams, and make sure products are within government safety guidelines.