Electrical Engineering - choosing a focus

AI Thread Summary
Choosing technical electives in electrical engineering can significantly impact career opportunities. Electrodynamics is a popular focus, with applications in fields like astronomy, plasma physics, and radio engineering. However, the job market for related roles can vary, with some areas, like RF engineering, becoming saturated. Signal processing emerges as a highly versatile field applicable across various industries, including military, telecommunications, and image processing. Mastery of signal processing involves strong mathematical skills and proficiency in tools like Matlab. While some believe military jobs dominate this sector, others argue that commercial companies, such as Qualcomm and Trimble, also hire extensively for signal processing roles. Students are encouraged to build a solid foundation in mathematics and physics to succeed in these areas, and seeking guidance from experienced professionals is advisable for navigating academic and career paths.
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I am a junior in electrical engineering, and I'm at the point where I need to start choosing my technical electives (my focus courses). I took my first Electrodynamics course this semester. I friggen' loved the material. I thought it was VERY interesting although quite hard. I'm thinking about choosing this as my focus, and am curious to know what type of jobs would be applicable in this field. What type of job market would there be? I would like to know how these answers if I do grad school and if I don't do grad school.
 
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Electrodynamics is a fundation in many domains such as astronomy,plasma,radio engineering.If you want to a find job in market,optic and mobile phone may suit.But the special relativity in the back of the book may lost it usage.
I love it too,but when you study further ,you will find it really need much more maths you cann't afford.So I advise you to insure your mathematical ability at first.
 
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Mostly military in the US.
 
My dad chose RF engineering, and as of now, he tells me it's a really saturated job market that's decreasing in size every day.
 
Any thoughts on signal processing?
 
Signal processing is a pretty awesome field that can be applied to almost anything. Taking a few DSP courses would be very beneficial for any EE.
 
Signal processing is probably the most widely applicable sort of electrical engineering. Everything requires signal processing. I personally am an IC designer (in the signal processing group, no less) at a major semiconductor manufacturer. I'm happy as a clam.

- Warren
 
I want to be happy as a clam ;)

Well I'll have my first signal processing class next semester. Hopefully I'll enjoy it. I have a great professor for the course, so that is good... although I hear the book is utter rubbish.
 
Im an ME, and I want to do Aerospace Signals, it's great stuff.

Signals will make you master Matlab, Math, and Physics all at the same time. It's very cross-disciplined, which is why it's so damn attractive to me.
 
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  • #10
Signal Processing is also heavily military in the US. There is some in commercial such as cell phones and some in image processing, but the bulk of the jobs are military. It is fun though...
 
  • #11
Don't double post.
 
  • #12
interested_learner said:
Signal Processing is also heavily military in the US. There is some in commercial such as cell phones and some in image processing, but the bulk of the jobs are military. It is fun though...

I don't agree at all.

- Warren
 
  • #13
interested_learner said:
Signal Processing is also heavily military in the US. There is some in commercial such as cell phones and some in image processing, but the bulk of the jobs are military. It is fun though...

Not really, man. Every EE company needs signal processing guys. Every company. It's just so versatile.
 
  • #14
interested_learner said:
Signal Processing is also heavily military in the US. There is some in commercial such as cell phones and some in image processing, but the bulk of the jobs are military. It is fun though...

Qualcomm. Trimble. Creative. I would not be surprised if such companies hired twice as many signal processing people as the defense industry.
 
  • #15
in my university we study 3 years as electrical engineers then we specifc for 2 years in communication or power ... i will choose communication and i want to study signal processing in michigan university this year if hopefully i will go to usa ... so can anyone tell me from where i begin to make a good base for the major i want ... i have a bad guidance in my university ...
 
  • #16
Magnetic Field Shaping, definitely.
 
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