Electrical and Electronic Engineering

Electrical and electronic engineering underpins much of the infrastructure that modern life depends on. From the power grids that distribute electricity across cities and regions to the microprocessors at the heart of every smartphone, from the sensors that make cars safer to the communications systems that connect the world, this discipline is central to the technologies that shape daily experience. Engineers in this field design, develop and maintain the systems and devices that generate, transmit, process and use electrical energy and electronic signals.

At the University of Derby this programme, which includes a foundation year, covers the core principles of electrical and electronic engineering over three years of degree study after the foundation. You will study circuit analysis, electromagnetism, digital and analogue electronics, control systems, signal processing and power engineering, building the theoretical understanding and practical laboratory skills that the discipline requires. A sandwich year gives you a substantial period of professional experience in an engineering role, and work placements and a year abroad are also embedded in the programme, providing opportunities to develop your professional capability in real contexts.

The foundation year provides an accessible and supportive route into degree-level engineering study for those who need a structured preparation before beginning the main programme.

Graduates work across a wide range of industries. Power generation and distribution, telecommunications, consumer electronics, automotive engineering, aerospace, medical devices and defence all employ electrical and electronic engineers. Graduate engineering roles in these sectors often lead to professional development towards chartered engineer status through bodies such as the Institution of Engineering and Technology.

Some graduates choose to specialise through postgraduate study in areas such as power systems, embedded systems, renewable energy, communications engineering or robotics, while others build careers in project management, technical consultancy or product development within the technology sector.