Electrical Engineering

Program
Duration
Location
Application
OP Score
Entry Requirements
International Availability
Accreditation
Fees

Bachelor of Engineering (Electrical)
4 Years full-time
St Lucia
QTAC code 717001
Qld OP 6 / Rank 90; ATAR 89.00 (2011 entry)
Qld Yr 12 or equivalent; English; Mathematics B; Chemistry or Physics
UQ International
Engineers Australia
What it costs

Electrical Engineers are concerned with electrical and electronic devices and systems, and work with equipment ranging from heavy power generators to tiny computer chips. They contribute to almost every sector that involved electricity and electrical systems, from mobile phones to medical imagining systems. They design, develop and supervise the manufacture, installation, operation and maintenance of electronics and electrical energy infrastructure across all industries.

The electrical engineering program at UQ provides you both a broad-based education in all aspects of electrical engineering and you can choose a specialist capability in one of the major areas.

What are the applications?

Because electrical engineers contribute to a wide range of sectors, they can be involved in project that save people’s lives, like medical imaging systems for improved healthcare or scientific instruments for laboratories. Or they can work on projects that enhance our lifestyles, such as home theatre entertainment systems, digital cameras, electrical appliances for homes and television to enhance our lifestyle.

Electrical engineers also develop lasers for reliable high speed communication, and design mobile phones and handheld multimedia devices to provide information on the move. They contribute to satellite systems for remote sensing of the environment.

Of course electrical engineers also design, develop and maintain reliable mobile and fixed energy systems to power all of these things, and also work on electrical installations in major building and mining projects, aerospace and defence systems.

What does the future hold?

Electrical engineers contribute to a diverse range of industries, and with rapid advancements in technology and subsequently electronic devices, it is anticipated that the field will continue to expand with new job opportunities developing in coming years.

The following areas are available to study with the Electrical Engineering major.

Software Engineering

Software engineering is the systematic approach to the development, operation, maintenance and retirement of software; the controlling element of computer-based systems. As society has become even more dependent on computers, one of the biggest challenges is the creation of new software necessary to make computers useful. Software engineers work in large multinational companies, state and federal government departments and agencies, as well as small, specialised consulting companies. Defence, transport, games and security are just a few of the areas where software engineers.

Telecommunications

The Telecommunications minor aims to provide students with the technological skills needed to design RF/Microwave communications systems, including wireless and optical technologies and deals principally with design and manufacturing techniques. The continuing demand for specialist telecommunications engineers is effectively guaranteed for the future as existing infrastructure requires constant updating due to advancements in technology. Telecommunications engineers are typically employed with telecommunications companies in network operation, product design, and specialist areas such as wireless communications and defence.

Employment opportunities

Electrical engineers can work in a wide range of areas including:

automatic control systems
biomedical engineering and imaging
communication systems
computer and digital hardware
computer systems engineering
electric power generation, transmission and distribution,
electronics;
instrumentation and measurement;
robotics and intelligent systems
signal and image processing
telecommunications

Electrical engineers are employed in a wide range of organisations. Career opportunities are found in the telecommunications industry, mining and transport sector, computer industry, or in power generation and transmission industries.

They are employed by electronics companies, both large and small and an increasing number of graduates are forming their own companies early in their careers. Many of UQ graduates also work overseas as the degree is widely accredited and respected.

Visit our Careers in Electrical Engineering page for further information.

UQ Bonus Rank Scheme

The UQ Bonus Rank Scheme offers students who complete Year 12 in Australia a chance to improve their rank to gain entry to their preferred program. For more information please click here.

Full program details and entry requirements

Credit for Previous Studies

Non-Award Enrolment

If you have the skills and background to enrol in individual courses, but you are not qualified to enter an award program, you may be eligible to enrol as a domestic non-award student on a fee-paying basis, for training purposes. This option is not available to international students.

The University's Enhanced Studies program allows students in selected high schools to enrol in first year level university courses, while completing their Year 12 studies.

Full list of BE courses

Electrical Engineering Major - Course List

ITEE Electrical Engineering Website