Have you ever wondered about the difference between electrical and electronics engineering? If so, you’re not alone, as this question pops up quite often. The fact is that while these two fields are closely related, there are apparent differences between them which are very important to understand if you wish to pursue one of them as a career option or elective in college or university.
Electrical and electronics engineering both deal with the development and application of technology related to electricity and related fields like telecommunications, computer science, and physics. However, these two engineering disciplines are not the same; they have distinct differences in their principles and objectives. If you are interested in seeking a career in either field or are curious about how these two types of engineers apply their knowledge differently to solve different problems, read on to learn about the difference between electrical and electronics engineering.
Electrical and Electronics Engineering Comparison in Brief
Electrical engineering involves studying and applying electricity, magnetism, and electronics. On the other hand, electronics engineering consists of the application of circuit theory to create digital and analog devices like radios, televisions, and computers. Electrical engineers tend to focus more on the theoretical aspects of electricity, like electromagnetism and circuit design. In contrast, electronics engineers focus more on the practical applications of electrical currents, like circuits and controls technology. In general terms, electrical engineers create devices that control the flow of electricity, while electronics engineers create devices that use electricity to send information.
Let’s elaborate on the difference between Electrical and Electronics Engineering.
What is Electrical Engineering?
Electrical engineering focuses on designing, constructing, and operating devices that produce, transform, transmit, distribute or use electrical energy. Electrical engineers may specialize in one of many fields of electrical engineerings, such as power systems or signal processing circuits.
The traditional undergraduate degree in electrical engineering is a Bachelor of Science. It requires a four-year program where students take physics, math, and general engineering courses to learn about circuits, electronics theory, control systems, and other topics. Many colleges offer a Bachelor of Engineering with an Electrical Engineering specialization so students can get more specialized training.
Courses in Electrical Engineering
Electrical Engineering is a discipline that fundamentally deals with the application and study of electronics, electricity, and electromagnetism. This field became an identifiable occupation in the late 19th century after commercializing the electric telegraph, telephone, and electric power supply. Typically, electrical engineers hold a degree in Electrical Engineering (EE) which is a four years course.
The fields of electrical engineering can be divided into sub-disciplines: power systems, control systems, communications systems, signal processing, telecommunications, etc. These subdisciplines are related to other fields, such as physics or software development. Most electrical engineers specialize in one of these areas or work on a team that combines various sub-disciplines to meet design goals. For example, someone who works on medical devices might know software and circuitry; they might also know something about medicine.
Where are Electrical engineers employed?
Electrical engineers are employed in various industries, including power generation, telecommunications, computers, transportation, aerospace, and defense. Electrical engineers design technologies that solve electrical problems.
Electrical engineering is one of the broadest engineering disciplines and can be broken down into three main categories: power systems, electronics systems, and computer systems. Power systems involve controlling the flow of electricity to generate or distribute power; the electronics system designs electronic circuits, while computer systems deal with digital data storage and processing.
With an advanced degree, electrical engineers can specialize in semiconductors, materials, electro-optics, solid-state devices, electromagnetics, or electronic circuits. Focusing on just one type of technology typically narrows your job prospects but allows you to hone your expertise.
How To Succeed In Electrical Engineering?
- Get a Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree
The first and most important of the eight tips to make a career as an electrical engineer is to have a bachelor’s degree that includes differential equations, digital systems design, and circuit theory in electricity and electronics. It also includes subfields such as lighting design, power engineering, energy and measurement, smart electrical grids and systems, electronics, etc.
Principles from physics, mathematics, computer science, electromagnetism, and electronics are introduced, as well as the fundamental concepts of electrical and electronic engineering. The Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) is the top institution for engineering.
Classroom instruction is beneficial to get ahead in real life. In addition, students can also participate in field studies and laboratory work. Many students opt for bachelor’s and master’s degree programs. After that, they can work in multinational companies or teach at a university. They can also join the research and development team of an existing company.
Some well-known companies looking for electrical engineers are Lockheed Martin, Texas Instruments, Intel, Boeing, Tesla, Google, Apple, and many others.
- Take the required entrance exam.
After graduating with a degree in electrical engineering, one can take the FE exam on the fundamentals of engineering. After passing this exam, the candidate is designated as an Engineer in Training or Engineer Intern. The next goal is to give the Professional Engineer exam. However, in India, exams like the IIT-JEE, AIEEE, GATE, and many more play a crucial role in enrolling in the prestigious institutes of India.
- Getting an entry-level job
Achievements and experience while studying electrical engineering helps a candidate to progress smoothly. It is optional to acquire a college degree. However, employers prefer candidates who keep up to date with the latest technologies. And with a college degree, you can advance quickly in your career. To make a difference, you need to start at the entry-level and try to learn the basics to move up to a higher level.
- Finding an entry-level job
The accomplishments and experience gained while studying electrical engineering will help a candidate advance smoothly. It is optional to have a college degree. However, employers prefer candidates who keep up to date with the latest technologies. And with a college degree, you can advance quickly in your career.
- Prepare for and take the professional exam.
After the preliminary exam, candidates must sit for the Professional Engineering (PE) exam. Many states require the candidate to have a current engineering license. In addition, they expect the candidate to be up to date on any changes in their field.
- Choose the right path.
Almost all engineering degree programs focus only on science and math. But as the degree progresses, you have to choose some specializations—for example, small-scale electronics or large-scale electrical networks. Many universities also offer online degree programs in electrical engineering. So, it is up to the candidates to choose the right path.
Moreover, electrical engineering has become the most popular among young people as the technology for a digitized India is increasing.
- Get practical experience
Not always what we study that matters, but what we use efficiently. So even after graduating in electrical engineering, you need to prove yourself. And for that, a job is a must. A good company gives practical experience to the applicant so that he can prove his actual worth in the industry. Individuals don’t hire newbies, so it’s better to get hands-on experience before applying to big companies. You may have worked in smaller companies, but experience counts. So feel free to fill your resume with work experience.
What is Electronics Engineering?
Electronics Engineering is a engineering branch deals with electricity, electronics, control systems, and electromagnetism. It can be used in diverse fields, such as electric power generation and mechanical engineering. Electronics engineers are also involved in designing or analyzing systems containing both electrical and electronic components. They may specialize in one area, such as analog electronics or digital electronics. Electronic engineers focus on semiconductor devices, circuit design, discrete math-based logic circuits, electromagnetic compatibility, and shielding design.
Subjects of Electronics Engineering
Electronics engineering is a branch that deals with the design, development, testing and manufacturing of electronic devices such as a computer or cell phones. It is an interdisciplinary field that draws heavily on knowledge from physics, mathematics, chemistry, communications, and computing. Subjects of Electronics Engineering include Computer Engineering (CE), Telecommunications Engineering (TE), and Microelectronics Engineering (ME).
Where are Electronics engineers employed?
Electronics engineers are employed in all industry sectors, from development to manufacturing. Though they are most common in the industrial and consumer markets, there is a growing demand for them in areas such as medicine. Electronics engineers are well-equipped to deal with complex problems because their training covers electrical engineering and computer science.
There is also an emphasis on math during their degree program. In addition, electronics engineers must have detailed knowledge of physics to work with electromagnetism and electrochemistry. It takes years of study to become qualified as an electronics engineer, but it is a rewarding career choice if you are up for the challenge!
The skills learned by studying electronics engineering can be applied to other fields like software design or law. When looking at schools that offer an education in this area, remember that specialization is key. You will want to find a school where your interests can be addressed through coursework, project assignments, and research opportunities. If possible, arrange to visit the campus to see what life as an electronics engineer would look like!
How To Succeed In Electronic Engineering?
1. Get a good education
To become an electronics engineer, you must complete a course in electrical engineering at a university. However, before you are admitted to these courses, you must prove that you have a Secondary Certificate of Education. You will also need prior knowledge of English, Chemistry, Mathematics, and Physics. However, it is worth noting that universities have different prerequisites for the electronics engineering program, and others offer flexible entry requirements, while some provide the option for external study.
To become a successful electronics engineer, you must have a passion for engineering and an aptitude for mathematics. Some of the most successful electronics engineers have excellent problem-solving skills. They can prioritize and complete work within strict deadlines. While studying electronics engineering, you will gain specialized skills such as designing and testing circuits, computer-aided design (CAD), and computer programming.
2. Get to know the values of an engineer
As in any other profession, engineers have values that they must uphold. These values determine how they make decisions and respond to situations. Moreover, these values are the guiding beliefs and principles that influence an engineer’s behavior at work.
To become a sound electronics engineer, you must motivate yourself and learn, whether you are new to the profession or have a few years of experience. When you start working in company, you will have an unfamiliar code base. But once you learn the fundamentals, you’ll be tasked with solving complex problems.
Engineering has a direct and crucial impact on people’s overall quality of life. They must perform their duties with a high degree of professional conduct while adhering to the highest principles of ethical behavior. In performing their respective duties, they must maintain the public’s health, safety, and welfare. They should also conduct themselves in a responsible, honorable, ethical, and lawful manner to promote the reputation and honor of the engineering profession.
3. Be innovative
The electronics industry is undergoing profound change. All over the world, research and development teams have been working hard to find better ways to manufacture, store and use electrical resources. If you want to succeed in your engineering career, you need to keep up with the latest trends in electrical engineering and be as innovative as possible.
One of the biggest challenges with innovation is time. When busy with your daily duties, it can take time to innovate. Therefore, give yourself some autonomy at work to allow more time for innovation. A good innovator carefully observes and absorbs things around them. They then go a step further to connect things, and that’s when innovation happens the most.
Brainstorming is usually the first step to innovation, often leading to endless “what if” scenarios. The best innovators can quickly sort through these “what if” methods and reject most. Innovators realize that they can only go so far by doing things independently. At some point, they will find that they need resources and help from others. However, they are good at selling their vision and gaining support for their big dreams and ideas.
4. Work on their core competencies.
In addition to an interest in problem-solving and an affinity for circuits, there are other essential skills you must possess to succeed in your electronics engineering career. As you go through these skills, you should identify the areas you need to work hard on to improve the skills required for a successful career in electronics.
An aspiring electronics engineer needs to know the software and be good at programming. They should be proficient in the commands of various computer languages, such as computer-aided design tools, C++, etc.
Conclusion
I hope this article provides information about electrical and electronics engineering. In brief: Electrical engineering is a branch of engineering where you study how to generate, transmit, distribute, control, and use electricity. You will be focusing on how devices work with electromagnetism. Electronic engineering is a branch of electrical engineering that deals with electronics. It focuses on electronic equipment design. Electronics are generally included as part of an electrical system.
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