At which campus can I study this program?
Program Description
The Bachelor of Science graduate with a major in Electrical Engineering Technology (EET) is an engineering technologist who can bridge the gap between scientific advancement and practical electrical devices and systems. Research in all fields of electrical engineering has produced an abundance of new knowledge in recent years. Many of these advanced scientific achievements have been unused due to the shortage of engineering technologists specifically educated to convert scientific information into practical devices and systems.
The EET major helps equip students with the various skills necessary to adapt new scientific knowledge to new products. Technical selections are offered in the senior year to provide some degree of specialization, but all graduates receive a well-rounded basic education in electrical and electronic design principles. The strengths of the program include: an applied hands-on program; extensive laboratory experience; promising job placement; and accreditation by the Engineering Technology Accreditation Commission of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology, 111 Market Place, Suite 1050, Baltimore, MD 21202-4012, telephone 410-347-7700, Web at https://www.abet.org.
EET graduates who wish to continue their professional development can take the Fundamentals of Engineering examination in Pennsylvania, a prerequisite for taking the Professional Engineering examination.
What is Electrical Engineering Technology?
Electrical engineering technology (EET) is an engineering technology field that implements and applies the principles of electrical engineering. Like electrical engineering, EET deals with the design, application, installation, manufacturing, operation or maintenance of electrical/electronic systems. However, EET is a specialized discipline that has more focus on application, theory, and applied design, and implementation, while electrical engineering may have more of a generalized emphasis on theory and conceptual design.
You Might Like This Program If...
- You enjoy problem-solving and math.
- You prefer practical rather than theoretical solutions, and application and implementation over conceptual modeling.
- You enjoy working on multidisciplinary teams on complex problems.
- You want to acquire knowledge to get a good job in industry.
- You want to pursue a career as a technologist in sectors such as manufacturing, product design, testing, or technical services and sales.
Entrance to Major
Entry to the Electrical Engineering Technology major requires a 2.00 or higher cumulative grade-point average.
Re-enrollment
Associate degree students should file a re-enrollment form during the final semester of their associate degree. Students re-enrolling from an associate's degree into the bachelor's degree should run a degree audit from LionPATH, using the EET major code, to determine their curriculum requirements. Similar considerations apply to students changing majors from programs in science or engineering.
Admission Requirements for Transfer Students
Applicants must have earned a high school diploma or equivalent and have attempted at least 18 semester credits at a regionally accredited college or university with at least a 2.0 cumulative grade-point average (4.0 scale). The evaluation of prior college work is done on an individual basis by the Office of Enrollment Services.
Degree Requirements
For the Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering Technology, a minimum of 128 credits is required:
| Requirement | Credits |
|---|---|
| General Education | 45 |
| Electives | 5-18 |
| Requirements for the Major | 86-96 |
18-21 of the 45 credits for General Education are included in the Requirements for the Major. For the General Electrical Engineering Technology Option, this includes: 3 credits of GWS courses; 9 credits of GN courses; 6 credits of GQ courses; 3 credits of GS. For the Power and Automation Option, this includes: 3 credits of GWS coures; 9 credits of GN courses; 6 credits of GQ courses.
Requirements for the Major
To graduate, a student enrolled in the major must earn a grade of C or better in each course designated by the major as a C-required course, as specified by Senate Policy 82-44.
Common Requirements for the Major (All Options)
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Prescribed Courses | ||
| CHEM 110 | Chemical Principles I  | 3 |
| CHEM 111 | Experimental Chemistry I | 1 |
| EET 419 | Capstone Proposal Preparation | 1 |
| Prescribed Courses: Require a grade of C or better | ||
| EET 312 | Electric Transients | 4 |
| EET 331 | Electronic Design | 4 |
| EET 420W | Electrical Engineering Technology Capstone Design | 3 |
| ENGL 202C | Effective Writing: Technical Writing | 3 |
| MATH 140 | Calculus With Analytic Geometry I | 4 |
| MATH 141 | Calculus with Analytic Geometry II | 4 |
| Additional Courses | ||
| CMPEH 472 | Microprocessors | 3-4 |
| or CMPET 211 | Embedded Processors and DSP | |
| EE 310 | Electronic Circuit Design I | 4 |
| or EET 212W | Op Amp and Integrated Circuit Electronics | |
| Select 2-3 credits from the following: | 2-3 | |
| Cornerstone Engineering Design | ||
| Introduction to Engineering Design | ||
| Introduction to CAD for Electrical and Computer Engineering | ||
| Select 3 credits from the following: | 3 | |
| Introduction to Programming | ||
| Introduction to Programming Techniques | ||
| Programming and Computation I: Fundamentals | ||
| Programming for Engineers with C++ | ||
| Select 3-4 credits from the following: | 3-4 | |
| Technical Physics I | ||
| General Physics: Mechanics | ||
| Introductory Physics I | ||
| Select 3-4 credits from the following: | 3-4 | |
| Technical Physics II | ||
| General Physics: Electricity and Magnetism | ||
| Introductory Physics II | ||
| Select 3-4 credits from the following: | 3-4 | |
| Process Quality Engineering | ||
| Matrices | ||
| Calculus and Vector Analysis | ||
| Ordinary Differential Equations | ||
| Introduction to Probability Theory | ||
| Introduction to Probability and Stochastic Processes for Engineering | ||
| Elementary Statistics | ||
| Experimental Methods | ||
| Select 4 credits from the following: | 4 | |
| Digital Design: Theory and Practice | ||
| Introduction to Digital Systems and Digital Design Laboratory | ||
| Digital Electronics and Digital Electronics Laboratory | ||
| Select 3-5 credits from the following: | 3-5 | |
| Energy Systems and Conversion | ||
| Fundamentals of Electrical Machines Using Writing Skills | ||
| Electric Machines and Energy Conversion and Electric Machines and Energy Conversion Laboratory | ||
| Additional Courses: Require a grade of C or better | ||
| Select 5-8 credits from the following: | 5-8 | |
| Circuits and Devices and Circuits II and Data Acquisition | ||
| Direct and Alternating Current Circuits | ||
| Alternating Current Circuits and Electrical Circuits II 1 | ||
| Requirements for the Option | ||
| Select an option | 26 | |
- 1
EET 114 does not require a grade of C or better.
Requirements for the Option
General Electrical Engineering Technology Option (26 credits)
Available at the following campuses: Harrisburg, Wilkes-Barre
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Prescribed Courses | ||
| ENGR 320Y | Design for Global Society | 3 |
| Additional Courses | ||
| System Elective | ||
| Select 8 credits of technical electives from the following: | 8 | |
| Communication System Design | ||
| Power System Analysis I | ||
| Control System Analysis and Design | ||
| Electronics Elective | ||
| Select 4 credits from the following: | 4 | |
| Power Electronics | ||
| High-Frequency Circuit Design | ||
| Advanced Electronic Design | ||
| Power Electronics | ||
| Independent Studies | ||
| GEET Technical Electives | ||
| Select 8 credits of GEET technical electives from the following: | 8 | |
| Introduction to Computer Architecture | ||
| Data Communication and Networking | ||
| Data Communication and Networking Laboratory | ||
| Switching Circuit Design | ||
| Microcomputers | ||
| Power Electronics | ||
| Solid State Devices | ||
| Fundamentals of Digital Signal Processing | ||
| Introduction to Neural Networks | ||
| Digital Image Processing and Computer Vision | ||
| High-Frequency Circuit Design | ||
| Communication System Design | ||
| Power System Analysis I | ||
| Power System Analysis II | ||
| Optoelectronics | ||
| Biomedical Instrumentation | ||
| Advanced Electronic Design | ||
| Control System Analysis and Design | ||
| Automation and Robotics | ||
| Power Electronics | ||
| Digital Communication Systems | ||
| Independent Studies | ||
| Science, Engineering, and Technology (SET Electives) | ||
| Select 3 credits from the following: | 3 | |
| Introduction to Human Physiology | ||
| Chemical Principles II | ||
| Experimental Chemistry II | ||
| Intermediate Programming | ||
| Programming and Computation II: Data Structures | ||
| Programming for Engineers with MATLAB | ||
| Programming for Engineers with C++ | ||
| Computer Organization and Architecture | ||
| Engineering Electromagnetics | ||
| Semiconductor Device Principles | ||
| Statics | ||
| Dynamics | ||
| Strength of Materials | ||
| Matrices | ||
| Calculus and Vector Analysis | ||
| Calculus of Several Variables | ||
| Integral Vector Calculus | ||
| Ordinary Differential Equations | ||
| Ordinary and Partial Differential Equations | ||
| Partial Differential Equations | ||
| Linear Algebra and Discrete Models I | ||
| Introduction to Thermal Science | ||
| Engineering Thermodynamics I | ||
| General Physics: Fluids and Thermal Physics | ||
| General Physics: Wave Motion and Quantum Physics | ||
| Introduction to Modern Physics | ||
| Applications of Physics in Medicine | ||
| Internship | ||
| Elementary Statistics | ||
Power and Automation Option (26 credits)
Available at the following campuses: Harrisburg, Wilkes-Barre
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Additional Courses | ||
| System Electives | ||
| Select 12 credits from the following: | 12 | |
| Power System Analysis I | ||
| Power System Analysis II | ||
| Control System Analysis and Design | ||
| Power Electronics | ||
| Intermediate Programmable Logic Controllers | ||
| Additional Electives | ||
| Select 14 credits from the following: | 14 | |
| Data Communication and Networking | ||
| Data Communication and Networking Laboratory | ||
| Switching Circuit Design | ||
| Measurements and Instrumentation | ||
| High-Frequency Circuit Design | ||
| Communication System Design | ||
| Power System Analysis I | ||
| Power System Analysis II | ||
| Optoelectronics | ||
| Biomedical Instrumentation | ||
| Advanced Electronic Design | ||
| Control System Analysis and Design | ||
| Automation and Robotics | ||
| Power Electronics | ||
| Intermediate Programmable Logic Controllers | ||
| Digital Communication Systems | ||
| Internship | ||
| Independent Studies | ||
| Special Topics | ||
| Statics | ||
| Dynamics | ||
| Introduction to Thermal Science | ||
General Education
Connecting career and curiosity, the General Education curriculum provides the opportunity for students to acquire transferable skills necessary to be successful in the future and to thrive while living in interconnected contexts. General Education aids students in developing intellectual curiosity, a strengthened ability to think, and a deeper sense of aesthetic appreciation. These are requirements for all baccalaureate students and are often partially incorporated into the requirements of a program. For additional information, see the General Education Requirements section of the Bulletin and consult your academic adviser.
The keystone symbol appears next to the title of any course that is designated as a General Education course. Program requirements may also satisfy General Education requirements and vary for each program.
Foundations (grade of C or better is required and Inter-Domain courses do not meet this requirement.)
- Quantification (GQ): 6 credits
- Writing and Speaking (GWS): 9 credits
Breadth in the Knowledge Domains (Inter-Domain courses do not meet this requirement.)
- Arts (GA): 3 credits
- Health and Wellness (GHW): 3 credits
- Humanities (GH): 3 credits
- Social and Behavioral Sciences (GS): 3 credits
- Natural Sciences (GN): 3 credits
Integrative Studies
- Inter-Domain Courses (Inter-Domain): 6 credits
Exploration
- GN, may be completed with Inter-Domain courses: 3 credits
- GA, GH, GN, GS, Inter-Domain courses. This may include 3 credits of World Language course work beyond the 12th credit level or the requirements for the student’s degree program, whichever is higher: 6 credits
University Degree Requirements
First Year Engagement
All students enrolled in a college or the Division of Undergraduate Studies at University Park, and the World Campus are required to take 1 to 3 credits of the First-Year Seminar, as specified by their college First-Year Engagement Plan.
Other Penn State colleges and campuses may require the First-Year Seminar; colleges and campuses that do not require a First-Year Seminar provide students with a first-year engagement experience.
First-year baccalaureate students entering Penn State should consult their academic adviser for these requirements.
Cultures Requirement
6 credits are required and may satisfy other requirements
- United States Cultures: 3 credits
- International Cultures: 3 credits
Writing Across the Curriculum
3 credits required from the college of graduation and likely prescribed as part of major requirements.
Total Minimum Credits
A minimum of 120 degree credits must be earned for a baccalaureate degree. The requirements for some programs may exceed 120 credits. Students should consult with their college or department adviser for information on specific credit requirements.
Quality of Work
Candidates must complete the degree requirements for their major and earn at least a 2.00 grade-point average for all courses completed within their degree program.
Limitations on Source and Time for Credit Acquisition
The college dean or campus chancellor and program faculty may require up to 24 credits of course work in the major to be taken at the location or in the college or program where the degree is earned. Credit used toward degree programs may need to be earned from a particular source or within time constraints (see Senate Policy 83-80). For more information, check the Suggested Academic Plan for your intended program.
Academic Advising
The objectives of the university's academic advising program are to help advisees identify and achieve their academic goals, to promote their intellectual discovery, and to encourage students to take advantage of both in-and out-of class educational opportunities in order that they become self-directed learners and decision makers.
Both advisers and advisees share responsibility for making the advising relationship succeed. By encouraging their advisees to become engaged in their education, to meet their educational goals, and to develop the habit of learning, advisers assume a significant educational role. The advisee's unit of enrollment will provide each advisee with a primary academic adviser, the information needed to plan the chosen program of study, and referrals to other specialized resources.
READ SENATE POLICY 32-00: ADVISING POLICY
Harrisburg
AB Shafaye, M.S.
Program Chair
Olmsted Building, W256a
Middletown, PA 17057
717-948-6349
mes121@psu.edu
Wilkes-Barre
Timothy Sichler
Assistant Teaching Professor
44 University Drive
Dallas, PA 18612
570-675-9135
tjs37@psu.edu
Suggested Academic Plan
The suggested academic plan(s) listed on this page are the plan(s) that are in effect during the 2023-24 academic year. To access previous years' suggested academic plans, please visit the archive to view the appropriate Undergraduate Bulletin edition (Note: the archive only contains suggested academic plans beginning with the 2018-19 edition of the Undergraduate Bulletin).
General Option: Electrical Engineering Technology, B.S. at Harrisburg Campus
The course series listed below provides only one of the many possible ways to move through this curriculum. The University may make changes in policies, procedures, educational offerings, and requirements at any time. This plan should be used in conjunction with your degree audit (accessible in LionPATH as either an Academic Requirements or What If report). Please consult with a Penn State academic adviser on a regular basis to develop and refine an academic plan that is appropriate for you.
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| ENGL 15, 15S, 30T, or ESL 15‡1 | 3 | CMPSC 121, 131, or 2013 | 3 |
| MATH 140‡† | 4 | MATH 141†‡ | 4 |
| CHEM 110† | 3 | EDSGN 100, 100S, or EGT 1191 | 3 |
| CHEM 111† | 1 | PHYS 251, 212, or 151†2 | 3-4 |
| PHYS 250, 211, or 150†2 | 3-4 | General Education Course (GA)4 | 3 |
| General Education Course (GHW) | 1.5 | ||
| 15.5-16.5 | 16-17 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| CAS 100A or 100S‡1 | 3 | CMPEH 472 | 4 |
| CMPEN 271 | 3 | ENGL 202C‡† | 3 |
| CMPEN 275 | 1 | SET Elective | 3 |
| General Education Course (GH)4 | 3 | General Education Course (Inter-Domain)4 | 3 |
| Electives | 6 | Electives | 3 |
| 16 | 16 | ||
| Third Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| EET 310*5 | 5 | EE 310 | 4 |
| MATH 230, 250, 414, STAT 200, STAT 401, or STAT 418 | 3 | EET 312*6 | 4 |
| General Education Course (Inter-Domain)4 | 3 | EET 331*6 | 4 |
| General Education Course (GHW) | 1.5 | EE 4856 | 3 |
| Electives | 4 | ||
| 16.5 | 15 | ||
| Fourth Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| EET 419 | 1 | EET 420W*† | 3 |
| Electronics Elective | 4 | ENGR 320Y† | 3 |
| System Elective | 4 | System Elective | 4 |
| Technical Elective | 4 | Technical Elective | 4 |
| General Education Course (Exploration: GH, GA, or GS)4 | 3 | Electives7 | 0-3 |
| 16 | 14-17 | ||
| Total Credits 125-130 | |||
- *
Course requires a grade of C or better for the major
- ‡
Course requires a grade of C or better for General Education
- #
Course is an Entrance to Major requirement
- †
Course satisfies General Education and degree requirement
- 1
First-year students at Penn State Harrisburg must take 1 to 3 credits of a First-Year Seminar course, as indicated by the "S" designation at the end of the course number. The program recommends students complete this during their first semester with one of the following courses: ENGL 15S, EDSGN 100S, or CAS 100S.
- 2
PHYS 250 and PHYS 251 is the recommended physics course sequence for the program.
- 3
CMPSC 131 recommended.
- 4
One of the General Education courses must satisfy the US or IL requirement (ENGR 320Y satisfies the other). The knowledge domains that must be satisfied are indicated in parentheses, but these courses may be taken in any order.
- 5
EET 310 is only offered during Fall semesters.
- 6
EET 312, EET 331, and EE 485 are only offered during Spring semesters.
- 7
Up to 3 additional credits of electives may be needed to meet the 128-credit graduation requirement if students select courses other than the ones recommended in this suggested academic plan (for example, PHYS 150/PHYS 151 instead of PHYS 250/PHYS 251).
University Requirements and General Education Notes:
US and IL are abbreviations used to designate courses that satisfy Cultural Diversity Requirements (United States and International Cultures).
W, M, X, and Y are the suffixes at the end of a course number used to designate courses that satisfy University Writing Across the Curriculum requirement.
General Education includes Foundations (GWS and GQ), Knowledge Domains (GHW, GN, GA, GH, GS) and Integrative Studies (Inter-domain) requirements. N or Q (Honors) is the suffix at the end of a course number used to help identify an Inter-domain course, but the inter-domain attribute is used to fill audit requirements. Foundations courses (GWS and GQ) require a grade of 'C' or better.
A.S. to B.S. General Option: Electrical Engineering Technology, B.S. at Harrisburg Campus
The course series listed below provides only one of the many possible ways to move through this curriculum. The University may make changes in policies, procedures, educational offerings, and requirements at any time. This plan should be used in conjunction with your degree audit (accessible in LionPATH as either an Academic Requirements or What If report). Please consult with a Penn State academic adviser on a regular basis to develop and refine an academic plan that is appropriate for you.
| Third Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| CHEM 110† | 3 | EET 312*2 | 4 |
| CHEM 111† | 1 | EET 331*2 | 4 |
| EET 311*1 | 4 | CMPSC 101, 121, 131, or 2013 | 3 |
| ENGL 202C†‡ | 3 | MATH 141‡† | 4 |
| MATH 140‡† | 4 | General Education Course (Inter-Domain)4 | 3 |
| General Education Course (GHW) | 1.5 | ||
| 16.5 | 18 | ||
| Fourth Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| EET 419 | 1 | EET 420W*† | 3 |
| Electronics Elective | 4 | ENGR 320Y† | 3 |
| System Elective | 4 | System Elective | 4 |
| MATH 230, 250, 414, STAT 200, STAT 401, or STAT 418 | 3 | Technical Elective | 4 |
| Technical Elective | 4 | General Education Course (Inter-Domain)4 | 3 |
| General Education Course (GHW) | 1.5 | ||
| 17.5 | 17 | ||
| Total Credits 69 | |||
- *
Course requires a grade of C or better for the major
- ‡
Course requires a grade of C or better for General Education
- #
Course is an Entrance to Major requirement
- †
Course satisfies General Education and degree requirement
- 1
EET 311 is only offered during Fall semesters
- 2
EET 312 and EET 331 are only offered during Spring semesters.
- 3
CMPSC 131 recommended.
- 4
One of the General Education courses must satisfy the US or IL requirement (ENGR 320Y satisfies the other). The knowledge domains that must be satisfied are indicated in parentheses, but these courses may be taken in any order.
University Requirements and General Education Notes:
US and IL are abbreviations used to designate courses that satisfy Cultural Diversity Requirements (United States and International Cultures).
W, M, X, and Y are the suffixes at the end of a course number used to designate courses that satisfy University Writing Across the Curriculum requirement.
General Education includes Foundations (GWS and GQ), Knowledge Domains (GHW, GN, GA, GH, GS) and Integrative Studies (Inter-domain) requirements. N or Q (Honors) is the suffix at the end of a course number used to help identify an Inter-domain course, but the inter-domain attribute is used to fill audit requirements. Foundations courses (GWS and GQ) require a grade of 'C' or better.
Program Notes:
- This suggested academic plan assumes the associate degree contains at least 59 credits of course work. If it contains fewer credits, additional elective credits will be required to meet the total of 128 credits required to complete the B.S. degree.
Career Paths
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, electrical engineering technologists work closely with electrical and electronics engineers and computer hardware engineers in the computer systems design services industry. Opportunities can be found in a variety of firms engaged in electronic manufacturing, industrial control, applications engineering, and in power utilities. EET graduates are encouraged to continue their professional development by taking the Fundamentals of Engineering Examination at the end of their senior year; the FE exam is a prerequisite for taking the Professional Engineering Examination.
Careers
- Design, maintain, troubleshoot electronic circuits and systems. These range from power electronics, fiber optics, control systems, networking technologies, electronic systems, etc.
- Strong focus on power generation and distribution.
- Strong introduction to embedded systems.
- Automation of facilities: From distribution centers to manufacturing plants.
- Experience in the use of hardware used in instrumentation laboratories.
- This program trains students in the same software as currently used by industry.
Opportunities for Graduate Studies
Graduates of the EET program are eligible to pursue graduate studies in a variety of programs such as Electrical Engineering, Systems Engineering, Engineering Management, etc. In some cases prior to being accepted to these programs, graduates of the EET program may be required to take additional math courses.
Accreditation
The Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering Technology at Penn State Harrisburg is accredited by the Engineering Technology Accreditation Commission of ABET, https://www.abet.org, under the General Criteria and the Electrical and Electronics Engineering Technology Program Criteria.
Professional Licensure/Certification
Many U.S. states and territories require professional licensure/certification to be employed. If you plan to pursue employment in a licensed profession after completing this program, please visit the Professional Licensure/Certification Disclosures by State interactive map.
Contact
Harrisburg
SCHOOL OF SCIENCE, ENGINEERING, AND TECHNOLOGY
Olmsted Building W256
Middletown, PA 17057
717-948-4349
klb68@psu.edu
https://harrisburg.psu.edu/science-engineering-technology/electrical-engineering-technology-bs
Wilkes-Barre
ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY AND COMMONWEALTH ENGINEERING
44 University Drive
Dallas, PA 18612
570-675-9135
tjs37@psu.edu