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The undergraduate program
at KFUPM offers two discipline,
Electrical Engineering Science and Applied Electrical Engineering.
Electrical
Engineering Background
Electrical engineering is the
study of all phenomena and theories related to electricity and its
applications. It is one of the commonest engineering professions in the
world. The fundamentals of electrical engineering were established after the
work done by pioneers such as C. Coulomb (1736-1806). J. Maxwell
(1831-1879), and N. Tesla (1856-1943). Electrical Engineering two centuries
ago was considered a subdivision of physics. However, after the work
of physicists in the field of electricity, electrical engineering started to
evolve as a
separate field of study. Until the 1940’s, electrical engineering was
confined exclusively to the study of communications and the generation and
distribution of electrical energy. Today, electrical engineering includes
several fields such as communications, electronics, control, digital
systems, energy distribution and
transmission, Electromagnetics and microwaves.
Electrical
Engineering in Today’s World
No one can imagine living today
without electricity. It dominates all our daily activities starting from
very simple to very complicated ones. The need for electrical engineers
appears clearly in the field of electrical energy generation and
transmission. The participation of electrical engineers can also be seen in
the manufacturing of TV’s, radios, stationary and mobile telephones,
computers, electric ovens, refrigerators, cars, and so on. Indeed, it is
very rare today to see a device or a piece of equipment that is not entirely
or at least partially designed by electrical engineers.
Many of the products and services utilized all over the world are based on
the work of electrical engineers. The availability of electric power for
domestic and industrial use, the extensive, fast and reliable communications
between countries, and the large computational capacity achieved with modern
computers are just some examples of the contributions of electrical
engineers to human advancement. In addition, contributions by electrical
engineers to the development of concepts in communications, simulation,
analysis and control are applied in areas such as economics, management,
psychology, and physiology.
Electrical engineers do not only play an important role in the manufacturing
of electrical equipment, but also in the design, operation and maintenance
of electronic and electrical systems. Examples are the design of more
efficient electric cars, high-efficiency homes, enhancement of the
performance of mobile telecommunication systems, and reduction of the noise
in TV reception.
Career
Opportunities for Electrical Engineers
The graduates of electrical
engineering have great opportunities in the job market. Special
opportunities for electrical engineers include their employment in
electricity generation and distribution plants, telecommunication equipment,
manufacturing companies, telecommunication services, satellite communication
stations, and electronic companies.
One of the best opportunities available to an electrical engineer after
graduating is the possibility of continuing his graduate studies either as a
full-time or part-time graduate student. The demand for highly educated
electrical engineering students is steadily increasing.
In the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, electrical engineering professionals are
among the most eagerly sought in both industry and services. Some of the
companies offering career opportunities to electrical engineers include
Saudi Aramco, Saudi Electric Co. (SEC), Saudi Telecommunication Co. (STC),
as well as many other private companies and governmental agencies.
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