Electrical Engineering, BSE
Electrical engineering connects the physical world with the information world. Electrical engineers apply physics and chemistry in modern nanotechnology devices, encode and manipulate information in circuits and networks, and mathematically understand and reason with large amounts of data in real time. This makes electrical engineering one of the broadest forms of engineering, resulting in a multitude of possible careers. The societal impact of electrical engineering can be found in numerous domains, from smartphones, 5G wireless, and medical imaging to electric/driverless cars and the Internet of Things. Electrical engineering includes the engineering of electrons, magnets, photons, electro-magnetic waves, quantum states, and electro-mechanical structures. Electrically engineering systems provide communication, sensing, actuation, display, storage, conversion, control, and computation. The electrical engineering discipline includes both the design and implementation of physical realizations (devices, circuits, antennas) and the mathematical tools for optimizing the exploitation of these systems (control theory, information theory, digital logic, signal processing).
For more information: https://www.seas.upenn.edu/prospective-students/undergrad/majors/electrical-engineering/
The degree and major requirements displayed are intended as a guide for students entering in the Fall of 2026 and later. Students should consult with their academic program regarding final certifications and requirements for graduation.
Curriculum
Electrical Engineering (EE) Major Requirements
| Code | Title | Course Units |
|---|---|---|
| Engineering | ||
| ESE 1110 | Atoms, Bits, Circuits and Systems 1 | 1 |
| ESE 2150 | Electrical Circuits and Systems | 1.5 |
| ESE 2180 | Electronic, Photonic, and Electromechanical Devices | 1.5 |
| ESE 2240 | Signal and Information Processing | 1.5 |
| Computing | ||
| Select 2 CUs from the following list: | 2 | |
| Introduction to Computer Programming 2 | ||
| Programming Languages and Techniques I | ||
| Programming Languages and Techniques II | ||
| Introduction to Computer Systems | ||
| Intermediate or Advanced ESE Elective | 1 | |
Intermediate ESE Electives are 2000+ level with an EUNG course attribute (exclude attribute EUMA) | ||
| Artificial Intelligence Lab: Data, Systems, and Decisions | ||
| Introduction to Dynamic Systems | ||
| Advanced ESE courses | ||
| Advanced ESE Electives are 3000+ level with an EUNG course attribute | ||
| Choose four advanced electives from the following lists: | 4-4.5 | |
| Circuits and Computer Engineering: | ||
| Fundamentals of Solid-State Circuits | ||
| Medical Devices Laboratory | ||
| Embedded Systems/Microcontroller Laboratory | ||
| TinyML: Tiny Machine Learning for Embedded Systems | ||
| Circuit-Level Modeling, Design, and Optimization for Digital Systems | ||
| Analog Integrated Circuits | ||
| Chips-design | ||
| Chips-measurements | ||
| Power Electronics | ||
| Internet of Things Sensors and Systems | ||
| IoT Edge Computing | ||
| IoT Wireless, Security, & Scaling | ||
| Smart Devices | ||
| System-on-a-Chip Architecture | ||
| Hardware Security | ||
| Hardware/Software Co-Design for Machine Learning | ||
| Digital Integrated Circuits and VLSI-Fundamentals | ||
| Semiconductor Memory Devices and Circuit Design | ||
| RFIC (Radio Frequency Integrated Circuit) Design | ||
| Datacenter Architecture | ||
| Mixed Signal Circuit Design and Modeling | ||
| High Frequency Power Electronics | ||
| Integrated Communication Systems | ||
| Nanodevices and Nanosystems: | ||
| Qubit Lab – A Hands on Introduction to Quantum Devices | ||
| Principles of Optics and Photonics | ||
| Nanofabrication of Electrical Devices | ||
| Quantum Circuits and Systems | ||
| Electromagnetic and Optics | ||
| The Physics of Solid State Energy Devices | ||
| Quantum Engineering | ||
| Introduction to Micro- and Nano-electromechanical Technologies | ||
| Nanofabrication and Nanocharacterization | ||
| Nanoelectronics | ||
| Nanorobotics | ||
| Integrated Photonic Systems | ||
| Information and Decision Systems: | ||
| Stochastic Systems Analysis and Simulation | ||
| Introduction to Optimization | ||
| Foundations of Data Science | ||
| Deep Learning: A Hands-on Introduction | ||
| Fourier Analysis and Applications in Engineering, Mathematics, and the Sciences | ||
| Engineering Markets | ||
| Introduction to Networks and Protocols | ||
| Machine Learning for Time-Series Data | ||
| Linear Systems Theory | ||
| Feedback Control Design and Analysis | ||
| Introduction to Optimization Theory | ||
| Dynamical Systems for Engineering and Biological Applications | ||
| Graph Neural Networks | ||
| Estimation and Detection Theory | ||
| Digital Signal Processing | ||
| Human Systems Engineering | ||
| Principles of Deep Learning | ||
| Transportation Planning Methods | ||
| Advanced Transportation Seminar | ||
| Modern Convex Optimization | ||
| Combinatorial Optimization | ||
| RoboRacer Autonomous Racing Cars | ||
| Learning for Dynamics and Control | ||
| Model Predictive Control | ||
| Deep Generative Models | ||
| Learning in Robotics | ||
| Physical Intelligence: Science and Systems | ||
| Information Theory | ||
| One of the Advanced Electives may be an Advanced ESE elective, BE 5210 or CIS 4710 or CIS 5200 | ||
| Design and Project Courses 3 | ||
| ESE 2900 & ESE 2910 | Introduction to Electrical and Systems Engineering Research Methodology and Introduction to Electrical and Systems Engineering Research and Design | 1.5 |
| or ESE 3190 | Fundamentals of Solid-State Circuits | |
| or ESE 3360 | Nanofabrication of Electrical Devices | |
| or ESE 3500 | Embedded Systems/Microcontroller Laboratory | |
| or ESE 4210 | Control For Autonomous Robots | |
| or BE 4700 | Medical Devices | |
| ESE 4500 | Senior Design Project I - EE and SSE | 1 |
| ESE 4510 | Senior Design Project II - EE and SSE | 1 |
| Math and Natural Science | ||
| MATH 1400 | Calculus, Part I | 1 |
| MATH 1410 | Calculus, Part II | 1 |
| ESE/ENM 2030 | Linear Algebra with Applications to Engineering and AI 4 | 1 |
| ESE 3010 | Engineering Probability 5 | 1 |
| MEAM 1100 | Introduction to Mechanics 6 | 1 |
| or PHYS 0140 | Principles of Physics I (without laboratory) | |
| or PHYS 0150 | Principles of Physics I: Mechanics and Wave Motion | |
| or PHYS 0170 | Honors Physics I: Mechanics and Wave Motion | |
| ESE 1120 | Engineering Electromagnetics (students passing the ESE E&M review module may substitute an ESE approved E&M course) | 1.5 |
| CHEM 1012 | General Chemistry I | 1 |
| or EAS 0091 | Chemistry Advanced Placement/International Baccalaureate Credit (Engineering Students Only) | |
| or BIOL 1101 | Introduction to Biology A | |
| or BIOL 1121 | Introduction to Biology - The Molecular Biology of Life | |
| SEAS Math (EUMA) | 1 | |
| SEAS Math (EUMA) or SEAS Natural Science (EUNS) | 1 | |
| Natural Science Lab (if applicable) 7 | 0.5 | |
| Professional Electives 8 | ||
| SEAS Math (EUMA), SEAS Natural Science (EUNS) or SEAS Engineering (EUNG) | 3 | |
| Professional Elective - Select from the following: | 1 | |
SEAS Math (EUMA), SEAS Natural Science (EUNS) or SEAS Engineering (EUNG) | ||
| Engineering Economics | ||
| Engineering Entrepreneurship I | ||
| Foundations of Leadership | ||
| Management of Technology | ||
| Scaling Operations in Technology Ventures: Linking Strategy and Execution | ||
| General Electives 9 | ||
| LAWM 5060 | ML: Technology Law 10 | 1 |
| or EAS 2030 | Engineering Ethics | |
| Select 4 Social Science or Humanities courses 11 | 4 | |
| Select 2 Social Science or Humanities or Technology in Business & Society courses | 2 | |
| Total Course Units | 37 | |
- 1
If not taken freshman year, it must be replaced by another department-approved engineering course.
- 2
Only the Python section of CIS 1100 will count for the degree.
- 3
If BE 4700 is taken, an additional .5 CU engineering credit is required.
- 4
ESE 2030 and MATH 2400 are mutually exclusive. If MATH 2400 is taken, it will not count towards the degree.
- 5
ESE 3010 is a requirement of the program. STAT 4300 cannot be taken in its place or in addition to ESE 3010.
- 6
If MEAM 1100 & MEAM 1470 are taken, PHYS 0150 credit cannot be used for any degree requirement.
- 7
If BIOL 1121, CHEM 1012, EAS 0091, MEAM 1100 or PHYS 0140 are taken, choose one natural science lab from the list: BIOL 1124 Introductory Organismal Biology Lab, PHYS 0050 Physics Laboratory I, MEAM 1470 Introduction to Mechanics Lab, CHEM 1101 General Chemistry Laboratory I or another department approved Natural Science lab.
- 8
At most, two freshman-level (1000-level) engineering courses may be used as a Professional Elective.
- 9
-
Penn Engineering undergraduates may not use courses on this list toward their degree:
- ASTR 0001
- CHEM 1011
- CIS (CSE)
- EAS 5030 (SEAS UG students may register for EAS 4030 for TBS credit)
- EAS 5050 (SEAS UG students may register for EAS 3010 for TBS credit)
- Education (inter-session courses)
- MATH 1300, MATH 1700
- MCIT courses
- Military Science
- Naval Science (except NSCI 1020, NSCI 2010 , NSCI 2020, NSCI 3010, NSCI 4010, NSCI 4020)
- Organizational Dynamics (DYNM) courses
- PHYS 1100, below PHYS 0140 (except PHYS 0050, PHYS 0051)
- Statistics below 4300 (Note: effective Fall 2021 STAT 4050 and STAT 4220 can only be used as free electives)
- Perelman School of Medicine (MED courses)
- Wharton Global Youth Pre-Baccalaureate courses
- The Green Program (TGP) study abroad
- 10
Only the "Technology Law and Ethics" section satisfies the Engineering Ethics requirement.
- 11
Must include a Writing Seminar from the list below:
WRIT 0020 (H), WRIT 0021 (SS), WRIT 0100 (H),WRIT 0110 (H), WRIT 0120 (H), WRIT 0130 (H), WRIT 0140 (H), WRIT 0150 (H), WRIT 0160 (SS), WRIT 0170 (SS), WRIT 0220 (TBS), WRIT 0230 (H), WRIT 0250 (H), WRIT 0260 (H), WRIT 0270 (H), WRIT 0280 (SS),WRIT 0300 (H), WRIT 0310 (TBS), WRIT 0320 (-), WRIT 0330 (H), WRIT 0340 (SS), WRIT 0370 (SS), WRIT 0380 (SS), WRIT 0390 (H), WRIT 0400 (TBS), WRIT 0410 (H), WRIT 0480 (SS), WRIT 0490 (H), WRIT 0500 (SS), WRIT 0550 (SS), WRIT 0570 (H), WRIT 0580 (H), WRIT 0590 (SS),WRIT 0650 (TBS), WRIT 0670 (H), WRIT 0680 (H), WRIT 0730 (H), WRIT 0740 (TBS)
Concentrations
Data Science
| Code | Title | Course Units |
|---|---|---|
| ESE 3060 | Deep Learning: A Hands-on Introduction | 1 |
| ESE 4020/5420 | Statistics for Data Science | 1 |
| Select 2 approved electives: | 2 | |
| Theory of Networks | ||
| Graph Neural Networks | ||
| Machine Learning | ||
| Big Data Analytics | ||
| Principles of Deep Learning | ||
| Learning in Robotics | ||
| Total Course Units | 4 | |
Internet of Things
| Code | Title | Course Units |
|---|---|---|
| ESE 3500 | Embedded Systems/Microcontroller Laboratory | 1.5 |
| Select 3 approved electives: | 3 | |
| TinyML: Tiny Machine Learning for Embedded Systems | ||
| Internet of Things Sensors and Systems | ||
| IoT Edge Computing | ||
| IoT Wireless, Security, & Scaling | ||
| Chips-design and Chips-measurements | ||
| Total Course Units | 4.5 | |
Microsystems and Nanotechnology
| Code | Title | Course Units |
|---|---|---|
| ESE 5250 | Nanoscale Science and Engineering | 1 |
| Select 3 from the following: | 3 | |
| Principles of Optics and Photonics | ||
| Electromagnetic and Optics | ||
| The Physics of Solid State Energy Devices | ||
| Introduction to Micro- and Nano-electromechanical Technologies | ||
| Nanofabrication and Nanocharacterization | ||
| Nanoelectronics | ||
| Nanorobotics | ||
| Total Course Units | 4 | |
Mixed-Signal and RF Integrated Circuits
| Code | Title | Course Units |
|---|---|---|
| ESE 3190 | Fundamentals of Solid-State Circuits | 1.5 |
| ESE 3700 | Circuit-Level Modeling, Design, and Optimization for Digital Systems | 1 |
| Select 2 approved electives: | 2 | |
| Analog Integrated Circuits | ||
| Chips-design and Chips-measurements | ||
| RFIC (Radio Frequency Integrated Circuit) Design | ||
| Power Electronics | ||
| Mixed Signal Circuit Design and Modeling | ||
| High Frequency Power Electronics | ||
| Integrated Communication Systems | ||
| Total Course Units | 4.5 | |
Photonics and Quantum
| Code | Title | Course Units |
|---|---|---|
| ESE 3200 | Qubit Lab – A Hands on Introduction to Quantum Devices | 1.5 |
| ESE 3300 | Principles of Optics and Photonics | 1 |
| Select 2 approved electives: | 2 | |
| Special Topics | ||
| Quantum Circuits and Systems | ||
| Electromagnetic and Optics | ||
| Prin of Quantum Tech | ||
| Quantum Engineering | ||
| Nanofabrication and Nanocharacterization | ||
| Integrated Photonic Systems | ||
| Total Course Units | 4.5 | |
Robotics
| Code | Title | Course Units |
|---|---|---|
| ESE 4210 | Control For Autonomous Robots | 1.5 |
| Select 3 approved electives: | 3 | |
| Linear Systems Theory | ||
| Feedback Control Design and Analysis | ||
| Introduction to Robotics | ||
| RoboRacer Autonomous Racing Cars | ||
| Model Predictive Control | ||
| Nanorobotics | ||
| Learning in Robotics | ||
| Advanced Robotics | ||
| Total Course Units | 4.5 | |
System-on-A-Chip Design
| Code | Title | Course Units |
|---|---|---|
| ESE 3700 | Circuit-Level Modeling, Design, and Optimization for Digital Systems | 1 |
| Select 3 approved electives: | 3 | |
| Computer Organization and Design | ||
| System-on-a-Chip Architecture | ||
| Hardware/Software Co-Design for Machine Learning | ||
| Chips-design and Chips-measurements | ||
| Total Course Units | 4 | |
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Course Units | |
| MATH 1400 | Calculus, Part I | 1 |
| PHYS 0140 | Principles of Physics I (without laboratory) or Principles of Physics I: Mechanics and Wave Motion or Honors Physics I: Mechanics and Wave Motion | 1 |
| ESE 1110 | Atoms, Bits, Circuits and Systems | 1 |
| CIS 1100 | Introduction to Computer Programming | 1 |
| General Elective: WRIT 0001-0091 with SS (EUSS), H (EUHS), or TBS (EUTB) | 1 | |
| Course Units | 5.00 | |
| Spring | ||
| MATH 1410 | Calculus, Part II | 1 |
| ESE 1120 | Engineering Electromagnetics | 1.5 |
| CIS 1200 or CIS 2400 | Programming Languages and Techniques I or Introduction to Computer Systems | 1 |
| Chem or Bio Course | 1 | |
| Course Units | 4.50 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| ESE/ENM 2030 | Linear Algebra with Applications to Engineering and AI | 1 |
| ESE 2150 | Electrical Circuits and Systems | 1.5 |
| ESE 2180 | Electronic, Photonic, and Electromechanical Devices | 1.5 |
| General Elective: Engineering Ethics Course | 1 | |
| Course Units | 5.00 | |
| Spring | ||
| ESE 2240 | Signal and Information Processing | 1.5 |
| ESE 3010 | Engineering Probability | 1 |
| ESE Intermediate Elective | 1 | |
| General Elective: SS or H | 1 | |
| Course Units | 4.50 | |
| Third Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| Math Elective | 1 | |
| Advanced ESE Elective 1 | 1 | |
| Advanced ESE Elective 2 | 1 | |
| General Elective: SS or H | 1 | |
| General Elective: SS or H | 1 | |
| Course Units | 5.00 | |
| Spring | ||
| Math or Natural Sci Elective | 1 | |
| Natural Sci Lab (if needed) | 0.5 | |
| ESE Design Lab | 1.5 | |
| Advanced ESE Elective 3 | 1 | |
| Technology Management Elective | 1 | |
| Course Units | 5.00 | |
| Fourth Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| Senior Design 1 | 1 | |
| Advanced ESE Elective 4 | 1 | |
| Professional Elective 1 | 1 | |
| General Elective: SS or H | 1 | |
| Course Units | 4.00 | |
| Spring | ||
| Senior Design 2 | 1 | |
| Professional Elective 2 | 1 | |
| General Elective: SS or H | 1 | |
| Professional Elective 3 | 1 | |
| Course Units | 4.00 | |
| Total Course Units | 37.00 | |