<p>I was thinking about the depth of engineering at the undergraduate level and how I have no idea how deep an electrical engineering undergraduate degree is. My question is, quite simply, after I get a degree in EE in 4 years, will I be able to take apart a wireless router and understand the ins and outs of each component in it and how it works?</p>
<p>Hopefully you’ll be able to do more than that…</p>
<p>Are you saying a router is simple for a person with a BS in EE to understand? I really would like to know what level of knowledge an EE BS degree has. Could you be more specific?</p>
<p>By the time you get your EE degree, you’ll know more theory than you probably want to know about the major electrical components. You’ll also learn how to design and analyze useful circuits and systems using these components.</p>
<p>The only way that I think of that will give you a deeper understanding of electrical components is taking some Physics classes as well about Semiconductor devices and such, which you’ll study the inner workings of these devices on a less macroscopic level.</p>
<p>Archrival, understanding means different things to different people, but yes if you take the right classes you will be able to understand most of any electronic equipment. Not everyone studies EE to do that though. For example, I’ve specialized in fabrication of microelectronics.</p>
<p>I was googling around for EE or CS courses a while ago and one of the projects in an undergrad course (Stanford or Berkeley) was to build a router.</p>
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<p>Agreed.</p>
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<p>Yes, you will be familiar with the components and will understand the device physics of these components. That doesn’t mean you’ll be able to open up a router and understand why things are placed where they are per say.</p>
<p>To make a device with the most basic functions is not too hard. It’s the performance enhancing parts that get added on after the barebone design that makes things complicated.</p>
<p>if you are like me, concentrating in electrical power systems, then you will be able to take it apart and understand what is going on for the most part, but of course not to the extent of the guy who concentrate in electronics and computer hardware, who of course will have a better understanding. but the general required courses for all EE’s enable them to have a fair idea of what is going on in most applications</p>
<p>major topics that are covered in most EE programs. these would be the courses that every EE, regardless of concentration, would have to take. after this they can choose to concentrate in one area, or keep taking a wide range of classes, or do something that spans multiple areas. </p>
<p>signal processing
circuit analysis
electronics
power circuits/systems
electromagnetic fields
probability
computer programming
logic and computer architecture
digital systems</p>
<p>hey just a quick question (yeah, I’m new to this) I’m wondering how hard the EE is overall. I’m going to Tech next year and considering changing my major</p>
<p>Georgia Tech? If you’re good at math/science it’s not that bad. It’s a lot of work though. Typically it’s one of the hardest engineering majors at any school.</p>
<p>What kind of classes would I want to take if I want to specialize in computer hardware?</p>
<p>Is computer engineering similar in the amount of this sort of electronics you understand? Obviously you understand other types way better in EE, but is there enough overlap between the two that you would know things like routers and other computing equipment?</p>
<p>Thanks for the input…I have always wondered, do you need a solid background in electrochemistry considering the number of times I have heard about electrons and EE?</p>
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<p>Cmpe and EE majors seem to vary at some schools. At Georgia Tech Cmpe has 3 more required classes than EE ([ECE</a> Undergraduate Degree Requirements and Schedule of Courses](<a href=“http://www.ece.gatech.edu/academics/undergrad/degree_require.html]ECE”>http://www.ece.gatech.edu/academics/undergrad/degree_require.html)). So I disagree with the statement “Obviously you understand other types way better in EE.” I would expect Cmpe and EE GT grads to have virtually the same understanding aside from the ECE electives. Also you don’t learn about specific equipments such as routers or modems etc. You learn about the physics of the components that make up these devices.</p>