Studies & Degrees in Electronic Engineering
Electronic Engineering Study Programs
Electronic engineering deals with the design of circuits, components and systems that process signals and information: from the chips and boards inside a phone to medical instruments, industrial controllers and communication equipment. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) puts it briefly: electronics engineers design and develop the components and circuitry of electronic products. It is closely related to electrical engineering, which concentrates on generating and distributing power, and many universities teach the two together.
The first years are heavy on mathematics and physics. Students then move on to circuit theory, analogue and digital electronics, microprocessors, power electronics, electronic instrumentation, control and programming, with a large share of laboratory and project work. Specialisations include robotics and automation, communications, embedded systems and energy.
Qualifications and levels
- Spain. An official bachelor's degree (grado) has 240 ECTS credits, and master's degrees have 60, 90 or 120 ECTS credits. The most common degree in the field is the Grado en Ingeniería Electrónica Industrial y Automática. It qualifies for the regulated profession of Ingeniero Técnico Industrial, so its content is fixed by ministerial order: 60 credits of basic subjects, 60 credits common to the industrial branch, 48 credits of specific technology and a final project of 12 credits. At the Universidad de Oviedo, for example, this degree takes 4 years at the Escuela Politécnica de Ingeniería de Gijón, has specialisations in process control, electronics for energy efficiency and robotics, and is taught in Spanish and English with a bilingual track.
- United Kingdom. Students choose between a bachelor's degree (BEng) and an integrated master's (MEng). The MEng in Electronic Engineering of the University of Southampton lasts 4 years, and its typical offer is A*AA at A-level, including mathematics. Degrees are accredited by professional institutions on behalf of the Engineering Council. The Southampton MEng is accredited by the Institution of Engineering and Technology and fully meets the academic requirement for registration as a Chartered Engineer.
- United States. According to the BLS, electrical and electronics engineers typically need at least a bachelor's degree in a related engineering field. Programmes may be accredited by ABET. This accreditation is voluntary, applies to individual programmes and not to institutions, and is not a ranking.
- Latin America. Engineering degrees are usually longer. At the Instituto Tecnológico de Buenos Aires (ITBA), Ingeniería Electrónica lasts 5 years and leads to the title of Ingeniero/a Electrónico, with accreditation by the Argentine agency CONEAU.
- Vocational training. Technician qualifications prepare for installation and maintenance work, not design. In Spain, the higher-level qualification Técnico Superior en Mantenimiento Electrónico has 2,000 hours.
Where to study
The directory lists 162 schools for electronic engineering. Spain has the most with 35, followed by the United Kingdom (21), the United States (17), Colombia (8), China (7), Bangladesh and Argentina (6 each), Canada and Ireland (4 each), Chile and Italy (3 each), and Venezuela (2).
In Spain the degree is taught at public and private universities across the country, among them the Universidad de Oviedo, the Universidad de Cádiz and the Universidad de Navarra. Teaching is mainly in Spanish, with some bilingual tracks. In the United Kingdom, Ireland, the United States and Canada teaching is in English; examples in the directory are the University of Southampton and the University of Westminster. In Latin America the directory includes the ITBA in Buenos Aires, the Universidad Técnica Federico Santa María in Chile and the Escuela Superior Politécnica del Litoral in Ecuador.
When comparing programmes, check three things: whether the degree is officially recognised or accredited for professional practice in the country where you want to work, how much laboratory and project work it includes, and whether it offers work placements. Students who plan to work in Spain with a foreign degree should ask about recognition (homologación) before they start, because industrial technical engineering is a regulated profession there.
Careers
Electronic engineers work in the design and testing of electronic products, in automation and robotics, telecommunications, energy and power electronics, the automotive and aerospace industries and medical technology, as well as in research and teaching. The BLS notes that employers value practical experience such as internships.
For the United States, the BLS projects that employment of electrical and electronics engineers will grow 8 percent from 2025 to 2035, much faster than the average for all occupations, with about 16,300 openings a year on average.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between electronic and electrical engineering?
Electronic engineering focuses on circuits, components and devices that process signals and information. Electrical engineering focuses on generating, transmitting and using electric power. The two share their first years, and many universities combine them.
How long does a degree in electronic engineering take?
In Spain a bachelor's degree has 240 ECTS credits and takes 4 years. An MEng in the United Kingdom, such as the one at the University of Southampton, takes 4 years, and Ingeniería Electrónica at the ITBA in Argentina takes 5 years.
Does accreditation matter?
Yes, if you want to practise as a professional engineer. In Spain the degree must meet the official requirements for the profession of Ingeniero Técnico Industrial. In the United Kingdom an accredited degree counts towards registration as a Chartered Engineer, and in the United States programmes may hold ABET accreditation.
How much mathematics is involved?
A lot, especially in the first two years. The University of Southampton, for example, asks for a grade A in A-level mathematics, and the BLS lists calculus and circuit theory among the typical courses.