Electrical Engineering Program | University of the Pacific

Discover Electrical Engineering

Electrical engineering is a broad field that encompasses a wide range of topics such as communication systems, automatic control systems, energy conversion, digital signal processing and integrated circuits. Students pursuing an electrical engineering degree are taught fundamentals that allow them to understand their area of concentration as well as grasp general engineering concepts. This broad understanding of engineering allows electrical engineers to communicate their ideas to others in their field and adapt to rapidly changing technology.

Throughout their time at Pacific, students work with a faculty mentor to develop a curriculum plan based around their interests and skills. Whether it’s renewable energy systems or motor control, electrical engineering electives provide avenues for exploration within this broad, dynamic field.

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

Outstanding Student

Monica Castillo '21

Monica transferred to Pacific from a local community college as a math major but decided to take up electrical engineering. She believed it would help her have a bigger impact on people’s lives. As a student in the SOECS Co-Op program, she interned with the medical device company, Abbott Laboratories, where she got to work on an update to a heart pump for a client in Korea.

Learn more about Monica

Turning theory into practice

Students in our engineering programs have the opportunity to participate in undergraduate research, student competitions and projects. All electrical engineering students complete a team-oriented, multidisciplinary senior design project, which provides students an opportunity to apply engineering fundamentals and design methods to the solution of a real-life problem. Pacific’s electrical engineering laboratories provide hands-on experience with circuits, test equipment, microcontrollers, robots, control systems, energy conversion, power electronics and the latest software.

Earn while you learn

Pacific is the only West Coast university where Cooperative (CO-OP) Education is required and built into the electrical engineering curriculum. As part of the electrical engineering program, students complete a two academic term, paid CO-OP working in industry and earn an average of $3,700 a month. These professional experiences are crucial in giving students a competitive edge in the engineering job market after graduation.

DISCOVER THE COOPERATIVE EDUCATION PROGRAM

Blended MSE option

Students enrolled in the electrical engineering program can work with their academic advisors to start taking graduate courses as they complete undergraduate degree requirements. Please contact D r. Vivek Pallipuram for more information about the blended program and for an application.

Degrees Offered

Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering

Master of Science in Engineering

Electrical Engineering Major Requirements

Curriculum Overview

Electrical Engineering Program Educational Objectives

Through their careers in electrical engineering or related profession, Pacific graduates are expected to demonstrate the following within a few years of earning their Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering:

Competency in the electrical engineering profession via promotion to positions of increasing responsibility, publications, and/or conference presentations
Adaptability to new developments in science and technology by successfully completing or pursuing graduate education in engineering or related fields, participating in professional development and/or industrial training courses, or pursuing professional licensure.

Electrical Engineering Student Outcomes

Upon graduation, graduates will have:

an ability to identify, formulate, and solve complex engineering problems by applying principles of engineering, science, and mathematics
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
an ability to communicate effectively with a range of audiences
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
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
an ability to develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze and interpret data, and use engineering judgment to draw conclusions
an ability to acquire and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies

Electrical Engineering Undergraduate Enrollment and Degrees Awarded

Academic Year	Enrollment (fall census)	Awarded Degrees
2023-2024	29	5
2022-2023	32	10
2021-2022	42	12
2020-2021	40	7
2019-2020	40	7
2018-2019	39	8

Engineering and Computer Science Scholarship Application Instructions

How to Apply

Visit https://pacific.academicworks.com
Sign in using your Pacific Net ID and Password
Complete the General Application
Complete the Conditional SOECS Application
Choose "Apply" for any recommended scholarship opportunities based on your responses and academic profile. Please read the scholarship criteria carefully to confirm that you are qualified BEFORE you apply.
You will need to upload an unofficial transcript.

Any Engineering or Computer Science Major

Name of Scholarship	Qualification Criteria
Maryam H. Dashti Endowed Scholarship	Merit-Based; first preference for a student from Kuwait; second preference for a student from Gulf States Region; third preference for international student
B.G. Glenn A Goddard Veteran's Endowed Scholarship	Merit-Based, currently serving in a military reserve program, honorably discharged veteran or participant in ROTC program.
Robert L. Heyborne Endowed Scholarship	Merit-Based, full-time undergraduate student, minimum 3.0 GPA, Junior/Senior standing preferred
George and Sue Schroeder Endowed Scholarship	Undergraduate School of Engineering & Computer Science student, Minimum 3.2 GPA
Paul M. Sensibaugh Engineering Endowed Scholarship	Merit-Based, preference for students who have graduated or transferred from San Joaquin County Schools
Louise Stark Endowed Scholarship for Women Engineers	Need-Based, Undergraduate Female, Good Academic Standing, minimum 2.5 GPA

Any Engineering Major

Name of Scholarship	Qualification Criteria
Hamma Fund Scholar (administered by Dean's Office)	Merit-Based, last two semesters of Undergrad Program with the goal of enrolling in Master's Program at Pacific, Member of Tau Beta Pi (Award covers 1 fiscal year of graduate school, including books)
Minority Engineering Endowed Scholarship	Need-Based, Preference for African American or other underrepresented ethnicities
Edward E. Whitacre, Jr. Endowed Scholarship	Need-Based, full-time Engineering major, minimum of 3.0 GPA