Subject Overview

A rigorous introduction to electrical engineering covering circuit theory, electromagnetism, energy conversion, electronics, measurement, power systems, control and contemporary professional practice. The subject connects mathematical models with laboratory work, engineering decisions, safety, sustainability and employability.

Learning Goal

Students will be able to analyze electrical circuits and systems, explain energy conversion and electronic technologies, select and evaluate engineering solutions, use modern measurement and simulation tools, and make safe, ethical, economical and sustainable decisions in contemporary electrical engineering practice.

Syllabus

1. Electrical Engineering Foundations, Units and Safety

Learning Objective: Explain the electrical engineering profession; apply SI units, dimensional analysis, engineering notation and uncertainty; distinguish electrical hazards; and follow grounding, isolation, protection, laboratory safety and applicable standards.

Category: foundation

2. Electrical Quantities, Components and Circuit Models

Learning Objective: Define charge, current, voltage, resistance, conductance, capacitance, inductance, power and energy; distinguish AC and DC; and model ideal and practical sources, loads and passive components using characteristic curves and ratings.

Category: foundation

3. DC Circuit Laws and Systematic Analysis

Learning Objective: Apply Ohm’s law, Kirchhoff’s laws, series-parallel reduction, voltage and current division, node-voltage and mesh-current methods to solve linear DC circuits and verify power conservation.

Category: core

4. Network Theorems and Engineering Decisions

Learning Objective: Use linearity, superposition, source transformation, Thévenin, Norton and maximum-power-transfer theorems; compare analytical and simulation methods; and select efficient solution approaches for practical networks.

Category: core

5. Transient and Dynamic Circuit Behavior

Learning Objective: Analyze first- and second-order RC, RL and RLC circuits; determine initial and final conditions, time constants, natural and forced responses, damping and switching behavior; and interpret energy storage and transient protection.

Category: core

6. Sinusoidal Steady-State AC Circuits

Learning Objective: Represent sinusoidal signals using RMS values, phase and phasors; calculate impedance, admittance and complex power; analyze resonance and frequency response; and assess real, reactive and apparent power and power factor.

Category: core

7. Three-Phase Circuits and Power Quality

Learning Objective: Analyze balanced star and delta systems, line and phase quantities, three-phase power and power-factor correction; introduce unbalanced loads, harmonics, distortion, metering and power-quality mitigation.

Category: core

8. Electromagnetic Fields and Magnetic Circuits

Learning Objective: Apply Coulomb’s, Gauss’s, Ampère’s and Faraday’s laws conceptually and quantitatively; explain electric and magnetic fields, flux, reluctance, induction, force, torque, hysteresis, eddy currents and magnetic-material selection.

Category: core

9. Transformers and Electrical Machines

Learning Objective: Explain electromechanical energy conversion; model practical transformers; calculate regulation, efficiency and losses; and describe the construction, operating principles, characteristics, starting, speed control and applications of DC, induction and synchronous machines.

Category: core

10. Semiconductor, Analog and Digital Electronics

Learning Objective: Explain semiconductor behavior and analyze diodes, rectifiers, transistors, operational-amplifier circuits and basic filters; interpret logic gates, Boolean functions, combinational and sequential circuits; and interface analog and digital subsystems.

Category: core

11. Power Electronics and Electric Drives

Learning Objective: Describe switching devices and analyze rectifiers, choppers, inverters and converters; apply PWM concepts; select converters and motor drives based on ratings, efficiency, thermal limits, harmonics, protection and application requirements.

Category: application

12. Measurements, Sensors and Instrumentation

Learning Objective: Use analog and digital instruments safely; evaluate accuracy, precision, calibration, loading, uncertainty and error propagation; apply bridges, sensors, transducers, signal conditioning, data acquisition and basic statistical analysis to experimental data.

Category: application

13. Electric Power Systems and Sustainable Energy

Learning Objective: Explain generation, transmission, distribution, per-unit modeling, load flow concepts, faults, protection, grounding and reliability; compare conventional, renewable and storage technologies using efficiency, cost, lifecycle and environmental criteria.

Category: application

14. Control, Automation and Embedded Electrical Systems

Learning Objective: Model basic systems using block diagrams and transfer functions; assess stability, transient and steady-state performance; explain feedback, PID control, PLCs, microcontrollers, communication interfaces and industrial automation; and implement elementary monitoring and control solutions.

Category: application

15. Smart, Ethical and Future Electrical Engineering Practice

Learning Objective: Integrate engineering economics, lifecycle asset management, standards, cybersecurity, quality, sustainability and project risk into decisions; evaluate smart grids, IoT, digital twins, AI-assisted diagnostics and predictive maintenance; and address data governance, professional ethics, public safety and emerging technologies.

Category: contemporary