Electrical Engineering

Bachelor of Science

Delivery Options

Campus

Fall 2027 Deadline

Priority: November 1
Regular: January 15
Late: April 1

Apply Now Contact Admissions Team

Department

Electrical Engineering

Why Electrical Engineering?

In our digital and highly networked world, electrical engineers connect people to places, data to systems and imagine the technologies that continually redefine modern life. As an electrical engineer, you may develop renewable energy grids that make power accessible, biomedical devices that monitor and heal the human body and communication networks that link communities worldwide. From neural and bioelectronic systems that restore sight, hearing and movement through brain-computer interfaces to quantum and photonic computing that redefine speed, energy use and the boundaries of information, your work will put meaningful progress within reach of people.

Program Overview

The Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from Mines covers traditional EE fundamentals like power flow, control and system modeling while offering exposure to emerging AI and machine learning, optimization and data-driven tools.

You will gain confidence with algorithmic and data-centric tools, track the profession’s ongoing shift toward systems thinking and graduate capable of embedding intelligence into the infrastructure of both the digital and physical worlds.

Rigorous engineering coursework, industry exposure, labs, competitions and other hands-on experiences will prepare you to advance the field of electrical engineering across various industries and applications, including telecommunications, aerospace, automotive, defense, satellite systems, electric utilities, power equipment manufacturers and renewable energy.

Program Focus

In a world pivoting toward renewable energy, smart grids, and advanced automation, electrical engineers are the architects of our electrified future. As global industries seek to decarbonize and enhance connectivity, the demand for experts who can design resilient power systems and sophisticated electronic devices has never been higher. At Mines, you will learn to navigate these complexities, preparing to lead in a technology-driven landscape where efficiency and innovation are paramount.

Our curriculum provides deep technical mastery in circuits, signals, and electromagnetics through rigorous laboratory and design work. You will learn to develop high-performance power electronics, master control systems for robotics, and apply digital signal processing to modern communications. By mastering these quantitative and experimental skills, you will graduate ready to engineer innovative solutions for everything from sustainable energy infrastructure to the next generation of space systems.

Program Design/Options

As an electrical engineering major, you complete a set of core mathematics, physics and chemistry courses that enable you to analyze and model the physical world. You’ll then build upon those insights with engineering courses that shift your focus to applications.

Engineering design coursework introduces design methodology and emphasizes the creative aspects of engineering. The first two years lay the groundwork for systems-oriented courses that connect human behavior and the environment with engineered devices.

In your final two years, an advanced core of circuit analysis, electronics, electromagnetic fields and waves and digital systems leads to areas of emphasis. Technical electives allow you to gain expertise in one of these focus areas:

Power and Energy Systems

Encompasses a broad spectrum of electrical energy applications, including investor-owned utilities, rural electric associations, manufacturing facilities, regulatory agencies, national laboratories, government agencies and consulting engineering firms.

Information Systems and Sciences

An interdisciplinary area encompassing the fields of control systems, signal and image processing, compressive sensing and optimization.

Antennas and Wireless Communications

Covering the design of antennas, antenna arrays and microwave and RF devices for communications and sensing applications.

Integrated Circuits and Electronics

Analysis and design of analog and digital circuits to solve practical problems in communications, robotics and control.

Computer Engineering Minor

Electrical engineering majors often pursue the Computer Engineering minor, which explores computer hardware and software systems, with an emphasis on the design and integration of computing technologies. Your senior year culminates with opportunities for interdisciplinary research involving artificial intelligence, distributed computing and intelligent systems. You also work with a team in a Capstone Design course that focuses on an in-depth engineering project. Projects emerge from industry needs and include experiential verification to ensure a realistic design experience.

Combined 4+1 BS/MS Program

As a Mines undergraduate student, you have the opportunity to earn a master’s degree while completing a bachelor’s degree. This five-year pathway is designed to reduce time and cost and give you the tools and capabilities needed to solve hard problems in the world.

Learn more about combined BS/MS programs >

Program Opportunities

A Mines student focused on assembling a small circuit board component in the laboratory

Experiential Learning

At Mines, we believe engineering is best learned by doing. From your first year, you’ll be learning in the Electronics Discovery Center, where you’ll mill your own PCBs and prototype custom circuits. Our electrical engineering curriculum emphasizes "systems thinking," culminating in a year-long Senior Capstone Design project. You’ll collaborate with interdisciplinary teams to solve real-world challenges sourced directly from industry partners, ensuring you graduate with a portfolio of verified, functional designs.

Mines students collaborating on a robotics engineering project

Research Opportunities

Take advantage of opportunities to participate in faculty-led projects in our world-class facilities, such as the PIC Lab or the Phal Lab, working on NASA-funded spaceflight instrumentation, AI-driven power grids or quantum electromagnetic sensors. You will have the chance to contribute to peer-reviewed publications and pioneer technologies in distributed computing and bioelectronic systems.

Mines researcher using a visible laser to align a microwave photonic chip as part of a quantum engineering progra

Industry Opportunities

Through the IEEE Student Chapter, you will engage in "Evenings with Executives" and "Lunch and Learn" sessions with leaders from companies like Texas Instruments, Microchip Technology and Burns & McDonnell. Our location and reputation provide a direct pipeline to internships and full-time roles in aerospace, renewable energy and defense.

Salaries and Career Outlook

$77,000 Median starting salary for recent program graduates

#1 Mines ranks #1 for return on investment (ROI) among Colorado public universities

97% Graduates with positive career outcomes

#3 In the nation among public universities at all measured intervals (10, 15, 20, 30 and 40 years)

Program Curriculum

View Academic Catalog

Faculty Expertise

Meet three faculty experts whose research insight and industry experience in smart grid technology, wireless communications and autonomous systems who provide the mentorship and practical design experience you need to launch a dynamic engineering career

Qiuhua Huang

Associate Professor

Yamuna Phal

Asst Professor

Katie Johnson

Professor

World-Class Labs, Centers and Facilities

A room filled with lots of blue acoustic panels.

Antennas, RFID and Computational Electromagnetics Group

The Antenna, RFID, & Computational Electromagnetics (ARC) Lab is equipped with advanced antenna test equipment, RFID development kits and computers with GPUs that can handle fast electromagnetic simulations and designs. Research in this lab, which also includes an antenna chamber that can perform far-field and near-field measurements, is led by Professor Atef Elsherbeni.

A man sitting at a desk in front of a computer.

Power, Intelligence and Computing Lab

The Power, Intelligence and Computing (PIC) Lab works to enable and accelerate electricity-centric energy system digitalization and decarbonization through convergence of physics, AI, computing and control. Led by Associate Professor Qiuhua Huang, the research group focuses on power system modeling and simulation, AI for power and energy systems, and electrification.

A large building with a lot of windows at night.

Electronics Discovery Center

The Electronics Discovery Center is a state-of-the-art electronics laboratory open to electrical engineering students of all levels. Located in the heart of the Electrical Engineering Department in Brown Hall, this newly renovated, student-centered space is designed for hands-on learning, collaboration and innovation. Use the lab to complete coursework, pursue independent research, prototype new ideas and bring Capstone Design projects to life. With roughly half of all Capstone Design projects each year involving electrical engineering students, the Electronics Discovery Center serves as a hub where classroom concepts become real-world solutions.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the value of a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering?

A bachelor's degree in electrical engineering prepares you to design, build and improve the electrical and electronic systems that power the modern world. At Colorado School of Mines, you'll build a strong foundation in mathematics, physics and computing while applying what you learn through hands-on design projects, laboratory experiences and real-world problem solving. You'll graduate ready to develop innovative solutions across industries including energy, robotics, communications, computing, aerospace, semiconductor manufacturing and advanced technologies, with the technical skills and practical experience employers value from day one.

What advances are shaping the field of electrical engineering?

Electrical engineering is advancing rapidly as new technologies reshape how systems are designed, controlled and integrated. Key advances include:

Power electronics and electric energy systems for electrification and grid modernization
Semiconductor devices and integrated circuits for advanced computing and sensing
Signal processing and machine learning for communications imaging and data-driven systems
Embedded systems and cyber-physical systems for autonomous and intelligent technologies
Robotics control and mechatronic systems
Hardware and software co-design for high-performance and reliable systems

What career options will I have with a degree in electrical engineering?

Graduates pursue technical and leadership roles focused on system design development and performance including:

Electrical or electronics engineer
Power systems or energy systems engineer
Controls or robotics engineer
Embedded systems or firmware engineer
Signal processing or communications engineer
Hardware or systems engineer

These roles emphasize building reliable scalable and intelligent electrical systems.

What industries hire electrical engineering graduates?

Electrical engineering graduates are employed across industries that depend on advanced electrical and electronic technologies including:

Energy and power systems
Aerospace and defense
Semiconductor and electronics industries
Robotics and autonomous systems
Telecommunications and networking
Advanced manufacturing and industrial systems

Mines’ strong applied engineering focus enables graduates to contribute immediately in technically demanding environments.

What are the current research and applied directions in electrical engineering?

Today’s electrical engineering research focuses on addressing complex technological challenges through integrated theoretical experimental and computational approaches. Key areas include:

Power electronics grid integration and energy conversion
Microelectronics and nano-scale devices
Intelligent control sensing and autonomous systems
Signal processing machine learning and data analytics
Hardware systems for extreme and remote environments
Energy sustainability and resilient infrastructure

At Mines these efforts align closely with national priorities in energy transition advanced manufacturing critical infrastructure resilience and next-generation electrical technologies.

Featured Alumni

Meet Zoe Kaminsky ’25, Electrical Engineering

I love the community of people just interested in how the world works and it’s something I’ve enjoyed most. I feel like I can talk to anyone on campus and ask them why they think a door knob is made that way and they would enjoy coming up with creative reasons.

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Electrical Engineering

Bachelor of Science

Delivery Options

Fall 2027 Deadline

Department