Quality Courses

Besides deciding which type of course would suit you best, it is important to choose the right university. Each university sets its own curriculum, decides the teaching methods that will be used, and the qualifications required for entry. The facilities available within each university, the qualifications of the staff, and the specialisations available will also differ. It can be difficult to know which universities will offer the best education, especially as each institution wishes to promote its own courses. Although the reputation of a university may give an indication of the quality of education, the fact that they have a good reputation does not necessarily mean that the Electronic Engineering course will be equally good. Similarly, some of the best universities for the study of electronics are not generally recognised.

In order to help choose a suitable course, there are a number of sources of independent information. The British Government established the Quality Assurance Agency to assess the quality of education provided by each university in particular subjects. In order to make these assessments, a panel of experts visit the university to observe teaching, talk to students, graduates and their employers. They then award a grade out of 24 points. The panel also produce a report covering each of the six areas of the assessment. The assessments for Electronic Engineering, involving 76 institutions, were carried out between 1996 and 1998. The reports on each institution are publicly available on the QAA Website: www.qaa.ac.uk.

A total of ten universities gained the maximum possible grade (24 out of 24), but it is important to look at the individual reports, since these specify what the courses aim to achieve. The assessment is a judgement of how well these aims are achieved.

A second factor to consider in quality of courses is accreditation by professional bodies. In the case of Electronic Engineering, this is the Institution of Electrical Engineers (IEE). The IEE looks at both the subject matter and the way it is taught, and can award accreditation for three different levels of course. Accredited Master of Engineering (MEng) and Bachelor of Engineering (BEng) honours courses lead eventually to chartered engineer status, while other degree courses can lead to Incorporated Engineer status. Although accreditation of a course means that it has met the required standard, if a course is not accredited this does not necessarily mean that it is not a good course. A course can only be fully accredited once students have graduated, and so it may take four to five years before a new course can be accredited. Courses that address new technologies may be very relevant to industry, but because they are new, they may not be accredited. Courses that combine electronics with other disciplines may also not be accredited because they do not contain sufficient core Electronic Engineering material, but this does not mean they are not worth considering if the subject is what you want to study.

The choice of whether to study an MEng or BEng (honours) course can be a difficult one. MEng courses tend to last four years, while BEng's are generally one year shorter. This does save money on fees and living expenses, but if your eventual aim is to gain chartered status, a further year of academic study is required following graduation from a BEng.

Your choice of university may also take account of the cost of living. This can vary a great deal depending on the location of the university. Although London, for example, has many attractions for students, the costs of accommodation, transport and food all tend to be higher than in other parts of the country. Worrying about money and the need to work can be a big distraction from your academic work.

With the choice of different subjects, course structures and universities open to students of Electronic Engineering, it can seem overwhelming. You should try to decide what you really want to get out of your course. Then look for independent information, try to talk to someone who has studied at the universities you are interested in and, if you are unsure about what a particular course involves, or whether a particular university would suit you, then contact the Department with your questions. You will be able to learn a lot from the way they answer, both about the courses and the way that they treat students.

Author: Dr Jim Gilbert, School of Engineering, University of Hull

Why Electrical Engineering?

Take a minute to imagine life without electricity. A lot of things that we take for granted would change out of all recognition. The basics of light, heat and transport would be provided by other sources of power, but would they be as user-friendly?

Imagine what life could be like in fifty years time if we were able to capitalise on the full potential of electricity in all of its guises. Control over the environment, instantaneous communications, more friendly computers able to provide information on and solutions for our everyday problems. If you can imagine life without electricity, electronic devices and computers, you will quickly appreciate the importance of electricity to virtually everybody.

The electrical engineering industry of the United Kingdom, which includes all aspects of electrical power systems, electrical drives, electronics, computer systems, communications, etc. has always taken an international viewpoint. In part, this can be traced to the colonial era, but in the main, it is an acceptance that the United Kingdom is in itself a small market and that there is greater satisfaction and reward to be had through servicing the wider global market.

Historically, UK engineering can demonstrate its application in almost every part of the world. As new geographical areas of engineering expertise have developed, these have often been in collaboration with British engineers, as the UK provides one of the largest concentrations of consulting engineers operating anywhere and everywhere. One of the roles of the engineering community is to provide the facilities to educate those choosing the profession. These young engineers can then provide the systems that society wants, be it to make life easier, more productive, more satisfying or simply more enjoyable.

 Worldwide Recognition

In the United Kingdom, these facilities have been developed over several centuries, and have lead to both a wide spectrum of professional bodies and a powerful education system designed to satisfy the ever-changing and ever-demanding needs of the engineering community. The excellence of UK universities and their technical prowess are recognised worldwide, providing the full spectrum of education required for those needing to run and maintain the systems of today, and for those who must undertake the research and development to provide the understanding and systems for tomorrow.

The need to develop people able to work beyond the limits of current knowledge and to cultivate a medium and long-term perspective has led to well-established research education programmes leading to Masters and Doctorate degrees. The premise for UK universities is that the most effective method of research learning is achieved by working in the field, and that the best educators are experts practising their subject. The academic staff in electrical engineering departments of UK universities are invariably engineers, and most are heavily engaged in state-of-the-art research.

Students are given access to this work at a variety of points in the educational process. Taught degrees will invariably include a project, many of which consist of elements of the supervisor's research work. Research degrees, either at Masters or Doctorate level, will be based on exploring a new area of study, allowing students the opportunity to learn the disciplines of the research world as well as making a personal contribution to the field. For their Doctorate, the student is expected to make a unique contribution.

Electrical engineering in all its guises is both essential for the future and rewarding for those involved. Opportunities abound for those interested in getting involved, and the spectrum of activities ensures that personal satisfaction is guaranteed.

Author: Dr Miles A. Redfurn, Universty of Bath