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DEGREE Electrical Engineering, BS

Major in electrical engineering

As an electrical engineering major, you can learn to design, develop, analyze, research and create systems for a wide variety of fields, including power generation, communication, healthcare and instrumentation. You’ll also learn about the devices and components that make up these systems—from the smallest transistors (of which there can be hundreds of billions on a single chip!) to antennas, lasers, electric engines and even fusion devices that could provide power for the world.

Electrical engineering majors learn the tools for analyzing and operating systems, including signal processing, control and machine learning. You can even focus on the mathematics, tools and practices associated with machine learning and data science in engineering with our new machine learning and data science named degree option—a formal “sub-major” that’s also reflected on your educational transcript. In the UW-Madison ECE department, our program will match your ambition.

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At a glance

Electrical and computer engineering department

27
faculty in our department who are women
12
undergraduate ranking among public universities in computer engineering
14
undergraduate ranking among public universities in electrical engineering
Facts & stats

Program and degree information

View the Undergraduate Guide for information on requirements, four-year plans and more.

Determine what kind of student you will be and learn more about what information you need to apply.

Freshman A freshman includes anyone who is currently a student in high school or who has not taken college coursework since graduating from high school.
Transfer Student A transfer student is anyone who has attended another college or university after graduating from high school and wishes to enroll in an undergraduate degree program at UW–Madison.
Cross-campus Student Cross-campus transfer students are students who are currently enrolled in another school or college at UW-Madison who wish to transfer into the College of Engineering.
Reentry Student Students who previously attended the University of Wisconsin–Madison as an undergraduate and would like to complete their first undergraduate degree will need to apply for reentry admission. Reentry students are those who have not been enrolled in courses for a semester or more.

Tuition and segregated fee rates are always listed per semester (not for Fall and Spring combined).

 

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The College of Engineering is committed to recognizing the potential and accomplishments of incoming and enrolled students by supporting their education through a variety of scholarships at the college and departmental level.

 

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Educational Objectives
We recognize that our graduates will choose to use the knowledge and skills that they have acquired during their undergraduate years to pursue a wide variety of career and life goals, and we encourage this diversity of paths. Whatever path our graduates may choose, we expect them to be meeting the following objectives at least three to five years after graduation.

  1. Employment in industry, government, academia, or nonprofit using their degree knowledge or skills for professional functions such as teaching, research and development, quality control, technical marketing, intellectual property management, or sales. Graduates may eventually reach a leadership position supervising others.
  2. Continuing education through self-study or short courses and workshops through their employer, local or online educational institutions, or attendance at professional events such as conferences.
  3. Taking a principal role in starting a new business or product line.
  4. Pursuing a postgraduate degree.

Learning Outcomes

  1. an ability to identify, formulate, and solve complex engineering problems by applying principles of engineering, science, and mathematics
  2. an ability to apply engineering design to produce solutions that meet specified needs with consideration of public health, safety, and welfare, as well as global, cultural, social, environmental, and economic factors
  3. an ability to communicate effectively with a range of audiences
  4. an ability to recognize ethical and professional responsibilities in engineering situations and make informed judgments, which must consider the impact of engineering solutions in global, economic, environmental, and societal contexts
  5. an ability to function effectively on a team whose members together provide leadership, create a collaborative and inclusive environment, establish goals, plan tasks, and meet objectives
  6. an ability to develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze and interpret data, and use engineering judgment to draw conclusions
  7. an ability to acquire and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies.

Degrees

The B.S. in Electrical Engineering is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, https://www.abet.org, under the commission’s General Criteria and Program Criteria for Electrical, Computer, Communication, Telecommunication(s), and Similarly Named Engineering Programs. 

View the UW-Madison Guide for information on all electrical and computer engineering courses.

 

View all ECE courses

Certificate programs

In addition to our engineering majors, you also can choose from nine certificate programs that are designed to enhance your education, expand your skillset, and make you a more versatile, marketable engineer. When you successfully complete a certificate program, you’ll also see it reflected on your transcript.
Close up of putting liquid into tray of vials

Certificate for Biology in Engineering for Engineering Majors

People looking at drafting table

Certificate in Architecture

Data center with AR screens

Certificate in Engineering Data Analytics

Solar panel on blue sky background

Certificate in Engineering for Energy Sustainability

Green field, wind turbines and blue sky.

Certificate in Engineering Thermal Energy Systems

Global map with push pins in various locations

Certificate in International Engineering

CNC Laser cutting metal

Certificate in Manufacturing Engineering

atom orbit in space

Certificate in Nuclear Engineering Materials

Close up typing on Laptop

Certificate in Technical Communication

Fast track to a master’s degree

An accelerated engineering master’s program is a great choice if you’d like to earn your master’s degree by adding as little as a single year of study at UW-Madison. Here are two that are popular with other undergrads who are majoring in electrical engineering. If one of these isn’t what you’re looking for, be sure to check out everything we offer!
View all accelerated programs
Machine Learning - green and red data points on black background

Electrical and Computer Engineering: Machine Learning and Signal Processing, MS

As a master’s student in our accelerated machine learning and signal processing program, you can learn quantitative thinking, practical problem-solving and coding – and how to apply those skills in a variety of fields.

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Close up of computer circuit board

Electrical and Computer Engineering: Professional, MS

As a master’s student in our accelerated electrical and computer engineering program, you can choose specializations such as networking and security, computer architecture, electric machines and drives, semiconductor device and fabrication technology, and more, or a custom curriculum path that you design yourself.

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Research opportunities

You’re an undergrad at a university known for its world-changing research. As an undergrad, you can be part of that—whether in a lab in our department, elsewhere in engineering, or even in other schools or colleges across UW-Madison! And if you discover a passion for research, want to further specialize in your field, or simply enjoy the process of learning in an academic setting, you can get any of those through our advanced master’s and PhD degree programs, too!

Research experience

As an undergrad, you can help pioneer new knowledge or technologies on your own or as a researcher in a professor’s lab.  It’s a great opportunity to apply what you’re learning in class, explore a field or topic that interests you, and gain insight into what it’s like to be a graduate student.

Undergraduate research
person from ECE Laboratories August 2022 holding computer wafer

Electrical and Computer Engineering: Research, MS

As an electrical and computer engineering master’s student, you can work with our outstanding faculty members on research in areas such as energy systems, computer systems and architecture, solid state and quantum technologies, machine learning, signal processing and information theory, and more.
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Electrical and computer engineering news

Our department is a proud part of UW-Madison’s reputation for research excellence—boasting award-winning faculty, advanced facilities and laboratories, and a culture of creativity, inclusion and innovation.
All department news
Students discuss a low-frequency magnetic beacon
April 15, 2024

There’s no substitute for real engineering: In underwater localization class, design students aim for new technology

Diamond-embedded nanocoil Hai lab
April 10, 2024

Diamond-embedded nanocoils improve magnetic field detection

Kangwook Lee talking with students
April 9, 2024

Data ethics course teaches undergrads how to reduce bias in AI

Become a Badger Engineer