Beginning a career in electrical engineering begins with getting the right education. There are 16 schools in Georgia that offer electrical engineering programs. There are 12 schools with Associate’s degree programs and 12 with Bachelor’s degree programs. Six schools offer Master’s degree programs and three have PhD programs.
Each type of degree gives you a different type of education in engineering. An Associate’s degree, which takes approximately two years to complete, gives you a basic education in engineering. Some of your credits from this degree may transfer to a Bachelor’s degree if you decide to continue your education. Earning a Bachelor’s degree requires the completion of 120 credits in courses like Electromagnetic Fields, Digital Logic Design, and Electric Power Engineering. Depending on your school’s requirements, you may graduate in four to five years.
If you want to continue your education after your Bachelor’s degree, you can go on to earn a Master’s degree or Ph.D. To earn your Master’s degree, you must complete 30 credits by taking classes like Advanced Integrated Circuits Technology and Electromagnetic Field Theory. A Master’s degree can be completed in as little as two years, while a Ph.D. usually takes at least five years.
The overall average cost of tuition in Georgia is $12,000. You may have to pay less if you are a Georgia resident or if you attend a public college. You can also lower your out-of-pocket expenses by applying for scholarships.
The Georgia Society of Professional Engineers is an excellent source of local engineering scholarships since they award thousands of dollars to local students every year. If you apply for the Georgia Engineering Foundation Scholarship, you may be able to win up to $5000 per year.
After you graduate from your engineering program of choice, the next step is getting your license from the Georgia Board of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors. The board requires you to pass the NCEES-administered Fundamentals of Engineering Exam. You can apply for your license after passing this exam. The board requires several different forms; after they approve your application, you can look forward to receiving your license in the mail.