Electronic and Electrical Engineering MEng, BEng

Program Overview

This Electronic and Electrical Engineering MEng, BEng program at the University of Leeds provides students with the fundamental concepts and skills for a career in the field. Accredited by the Institution of Engineering and Technology, the program features a practical approach, industrial work placements, and study abroad opportunities. Students gain expertise in key areas such as circuit analysis, digital electronics, power systems, and communications, preparing them for high-demand careers in various industries.

Program Outline

Degree Overview:

This program, Electronic and Electrical Engineering MEng, BEng, is designed to equip students with the fundamental concepts and skills used by modern engineers in the field of electronic and electrical engineering. The program aims to provide students with the knowledge and experience necessary to pursue a career in this challenging and rewarding field. The program highlights the crucial role of electronic and electrical products in modern society, emphasizing the need for engineers to address global challenges and innovate for the future. It emphasizes the program's relevance and high demand in various industries such as healthcare, energy, and construction.

Key program features:

• Accredited by the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET).
• Taught by academics who are leaders in their fields and whose research activity has been responsible for engineering new technologies and creating pioneering industry-driven developments.
• Offers a practical approach to learning with access to specialist facilities, including lecture theatres and labs featuring industry-standard equipment and the latest technology.
• Provides industrial work placement opportunities to enhance career prospects and give students a competitive edge.
• Offers study abroad programs to gain invaluable life experience and advance personal development.
• Encourages student engagement through the ShockSoc student society, which provides opportunities for networking, technical visits, social events, and practical application of knowledge through the Robot Fighting League (RFL).

Outline:

The program offers a comprehensive curriculum covering core fundamentals across electronic and electrical engineering, with a range of optional pathways allowing students to tailor their degree to their interests.

Year 1 and 2:

• Focus: Laying the foundations of studies and providing a thorough understanding of key topics.
• Modules:
• Circuit Analysis and Design:
Introduces key electronic components, basic concepts of electronic circuit analysis and design, and principles of electronic circuit test and measurement.
• Physics of Electronic Devices: Covers fundamental physical concepts underpinning the design and operation of electronic devices and electrical systems.
• Introduction to Communication Systems: Introduces fundamentals of communication systems, the internet, building blocks, protocols, and programming tools (MATLAB) for modeling communication signals and systems.
• Digital Electronics and Microcontrollers: Covers fundamentals of digital electronics, logic circuits, C++, microcontrollers, development, simplification, and simulation of combinational and sequential logic circuits, and interfacing with electronic components.
• Algorithms and Numerical Mathematics: Explores concepts of logical algorithm design, numerical mathematics, and application of logical algorithms to solve numerical mathematics problems in engineering.
• Electronic Design Project: Develops essential skills in interpreting circuit diagrams, building prototypes, using laboratory instruments, and engaging in team design projects.
• Electronic Circuit and Systems design: Covers design and building of electronic circuits and systems, including signal conditioning, amplifiers, filters, signal detectors, operational amplifiers, high-frequency behavior, analogue to digital conversion, digital interfacing, serial communication protocols, interference, power supplies, thermal management, modularity, fail-safe design approaches, and ethical considerations around obsolescence in product design.
• Transistors and Optoelectronic Devices: Covers properties of semiconductor materials and devices used for transistors and optoelectronic devices, principles of semiconductor physics, quantum mechanics, and design and analysis of representative devices.
• Communications Theory: Covers fundamental concepts, models, and principles related to communication, using analytical tools for designing modern communications systems, including Fourier analysis, signal processing, and statistical treatment of signals.
• Embedded Systems Project: Challenges students to design a prototype product within constrained software tools and hardware components, implementing diverse embedded software techniques on microcontrollers, emphasizing project skills in embedded systems design.
• Microprocessors and Programmable Logic: Covers implementation of digital designs onto programmable hardware using industry-standard tools, simulation and verification of designs, study of microprocessors and FPGAs, computer architectures, design of computers, programming in assembly language and binary machine code, and hands-on experience with industry-standard FPGA tools.
• Power Electronics: Develops analytical skills and knowledge to design electrical power converters, covering power electronic conversion techniques, basic converters (DC-DC, AC-DC, and DC-AC), circuit analysis methods applicable to switched mode circuits, and properties of relevant semiconductor devices.

Year 3:

• Focus: More specialized modules focusing on topics such as digital communications, power systems, RF and microwave systems and circuits.
• Control Systems: Covers theory and practice of control systems, including linear systems analysis using Laplace transforms and transfer functions, transient response of feedback systems, and stability criteria.
• Professional Studies: Explores key aspects of working in a professional engineering environment, managing engineering activity, importance of engineering to society, ethical, societal, and environmental issues accompanying new technologies, quality management, risk management, innovation management, finance, intellectual property, and data protection.
• Optional Modules:
• Digital Media Engineering:
Covers principles of digital audio, images, video, and digital content transmission systems.
• Digital Communications: Introduces key principles of advanced digital communications systems, including pulse shaping, channel characteristics, and multiple-access techniques in cellular mobile and optical communications systems.
• Electric Power Systems: Covers fundamentals of power system modeling, analysis, and operation, providing an understanding of the various layers and components in modern power networks and how power systems are operated.

Year 4:

• Focus: Further specialization through optional modules in topics such as medical electronics, renewable energy sources, and wireless communications systems, and a substantial research project.
• Modules:
• Modern Industry Practice:
Covers knowledge of the engineering industry, different roles within companies, operation of supply chains, legal and contractual issues, personal development, CV writing, recruitment process, research, innovation, entrepreneurship in engineering, ethical considerations, professionalism, sustainability, and ethics of AI.
• Team Engineering Project: Students work in groups to investigate and define a problem, utilizing technical knowledge to identify a solution, presenting findings through verbal and written communication.
• Optional Modules through Pathways:
• Electronic Engineering Pathway:
• Integrated Circuit Design:
Explores VLSI design, covering principles, combinational and sequential logic representations, circuit implementation, electrical properties of silicon logic, MOSFETs, switch-level elements, mathematical models for design decisions, physical design, layout, modularisation, CAD tools for VLSI system analysis, memory devices and circuits, architectural and system-level design involving interconnects, data flow, and synchronisation.
• Control Systems Design: Covers analysis and design of control systems, linear systems, analytical investigation of control systems, simulation using computer tools, design and evaluation of PID and compensator-based controllers, principles of digital control systems, and methods for their implementation.
• Embedded Microprocessor System Design: Explores use of microprocessors in a System on Chip (SoC) environment, C-language, industry-standard software tools for implementation on an advanced Arm A9 Processor, contemporary design tools for optimizing embedded processor architectures, hardware platform for exploring and testing concepts, and mini project work.
• Medical Electronics and E-Health: Covers electronics technology in medical applications and healthcare, and likely future developments in this field.
• Communications Engineering Pathway:
• Wireless Communications Systems Design:
Explores principles governing the physical layer of modern wireless communications systems, including software tools for designing and evaluating systems and sub-systems.
• Cellular Mobile Communication Systems: Covers operating principles of cellular mobile systems and challenges and direction of future developments.
• Digital Signal Processing: Covers fundamental principles of digital signal processing, applying DSP techniques to signal processing problems, mathematical theories of DSP for analysis and design, advantages and disadvantages of various DSP implementations, and optimization of cellular mobile radio systems.
• Optical Communications Networks: Covers essential elements of modern optical networks, optimization methods used in optical network design, and performance of optical fibre communication systems.
• High Speed Internet Architecture: Covers design, analysis, and performance evaluation of network architectures, switches, and Internet routers, architectural evolution of routers and switches, analysis of their performance and hardware cost, and insights into their limitations.
• Data Communications and Network Security: Covers data communications networks, their use in applications, and the need for network security and appropriate security measures.
• Electrical Engineering Pathway:
• Smart Grid Analysis:
Introduces concepts behind future sustainable electricity systems, issues relating to integration of distributed generators, control and protection methods, and tools to analyze their impact on the grid.
• Power Electronics and Drives: Explores applications of power electronics for machines and other electrical systems, skills in analyzing, designing, simulating, and evaluating power converters for various applications.
• Electric Power Generation by Renewable Sources: Covers sustainable electrical power generation using renewable energy harvesting technologies, with emphasis on electrical solar and wind power generation.
• Electric Power Generation and Distribution: Covers various layers and components in modern electric power networks, operation of power systems in technical and economic terms, and technological changes power systems will be facing.

Assessment:

• Methods:
• Written examinations held at the end of each year.
• In-class and online tests.
• Example sheets.
• Assignments.
• Coursework in the form of reports, projects, presentations, and posters.
• Criteria:
• Specific criteria for each module are provided in the course catalogue.

Teaching:

• Methods:
• Lectures.
• Workshops.
• Small group tutorials.
• Practical lab work.
• Faculty:
• Expert academics, including lecturers, professors, industry professionals with years of experience, and trained postgraduate researchers.
• Unique Approaches:
• Close links with industry provide direct contact with industry and potential employers from an early stage.
• Academic personal tutors guide students through their studies.
• Peer mentoring scheme provides support from fellow students in years 2 and 3.

Careers:

• Potential Career Paths:
• EMC Design Engineer
• Electrical Power Engineer
• Software Engineer
• Senior Smart Grid Development Engineer
• Systems Engineer
• Research Engineer
• Engineer
• Principal Engineer
• Technologist
• Senior Radio Optimisation Engineer
• Senior Software Developer
• Senior IT Project Manager
• Validation Engineer
• Opportunities:
• High demand for electronic and electrical engineering graduates in various industries, including energy, pharmaceuticals, healthcare, transport, construction, utilities, automotive, gaming, telecommunications, electronics and technology, manufacturing.
• University of Leeds students are among the top 5 most targeted by top employers.
• Outcomes:
• Graduates are highly sought after by reputable companies in the field.
• Rankings and Awards:
• Top 10 in the UK for Electrical and Electronic Engineering (Guardian University Guide 2024).
• Top 100 in the world for Engineering and Technology (QS World University Rankings by Subject 2024).
• Data:
• 82% of students say staff value their views and opinions about the course.
• 90% of students say teaching staff have supported their learning well.
• 100% of students are in work or doing further study 15 months after the course.