Electrical and Electronic Engineering

Electrical and electronic engineering is the discipline that designs and builds the systems that generate, transmit, and use electrical energy and the electronic circuits and devices that process signals and information. It encompasses power engineering, which deals with the large-scale generation and distribution of electricity; electronics, which works with transistors, integrated circuits, and the tiny signals that modern computing and communications depend on; and the growing overlap between the two in areas such as power electronics, renewable energy systems, and electric vehicles. Few disciplines have done more to shape the modern world, and few offer more varied and significant technical challenges for the future.

At Edinburgh Napier University, this four-year programme gives you a grounding in the core principles of electrical and electronic engineering, including circuit analysis, electromagnetism, signal processing, control systems, digital electronics, and power systems. The programme includes a year abroad, giving you the opportunity to study engineering in an international context, which is valuable both academically and professionally in a field where major employers operate globally. Laboratory and project work are central to the programme throughout, developing the experimental and design skills that employers expect alongside the theoretical understanding that underpins them.

Electrical and electronic engineers are employed across a remarkable range of sectors. Power generation and distribution companies, including those developing renewable energy systems, need engineers with expertise in power electronics and grid technology. The telecommunications industry requires specialists in signal processing, wireless systems, and network hardware.

The defence and aerospace sectors employ engineers on radar, avionics, and weapons systems. Automotive and manufacturing industries are investing heavily in electrification and automation. Consumer electronics, healthcare technology, and semiconductor manufacturing are further fields.

Many graduates pursue chartered engineer status through bodies such as the Institution of Engineering and Technology, and postgraduate study in a specialist area is a natural step for those aiming at research or senior technical roles.