Bachelor Of Engineering (honours) In Electrical And Electronic Engineering in University of Malta, Malta

Bachelor Of Engineering (honours) In Electrical And Electronic Engineering in University of Malta

Electrical and Electronic Engineering (EEE) is at the root of both the 2nd (Technological) and 3rd (Digital) industrial revolutions that have completely reshaped the lives of most people on the planet. It is a global phenomenon, currently worth some €10 trillion of the world‘s gross economic activity and is deeply intertwined with essentially all other sectors of human activity. EEE progress is still very much alive and there is no end in sight to what has been an exponential growth trajectory.

As with all engineering, EEE is a creative field – often times called an art – the art of applying scientific knowledge in order to address humanity’s various challenges: energy production, transport, space technology, bio-medical technology, automation, computers, communications, and even the progress of science itself are the result of teams of engineers applying EEE daily to solve problems ranging from the most mundane to the most challenging and sophisticated. 

By way of example, a computer hard drive incorporates efficient power electronics to spin the disks using brushless motors, it needs sensitive electro-magnetic sensors to read the signals off the surface of the spinning disks, it uses fast analogue electronic hardware to amplify weak signals read by the heads, digital electronic hardware, embedded software and digital signal processing to make sense of the data, and it finally needs precision control engineering to ensure that the heads seek and track the data that is to be acquired. 

The electrical and electronic engineer is the professional who incorporates the combination of skills required to conceive and design and implements all of the above, and similarly: computer motherboards, CPUs, modems, mobile phones, TVs, cameras, robots, smart home appliances, self-driving vehicles, wind energy conversion systems, photovoltaic systems, power-line transformers, variable speed drives, satellites, ship navigation, aircraft avionics and autonomous drones. The list is endless and it explains the reason why the demand for EEE engineers in Malta and worldwide is high and perpetually increasing.

Learning outcomes

This EEE programme is designed to provide comprehensive undergraduate training in a broad range of disciplines required to practice as a professional engineer. Hence, the curriculum is built on several technology pillars, namely mathematics, electrical engineering, electronics engineering, software, control, communications and computer systems, with additional subjects in management and professional issues. The programme provides substantial opportunity for practical work that is well balanced with theoretical instruction and lecturing. The student is able to demonstrate subject knowledge and understanding through standard methods of assessment, namely an end-of-study-unit examination and continuous assessment (coursework). Furthermore, a team project and final year project will also contribute to direct hands-on learning of engineering design skills, project management, subject knowledge, integration and understanding. Management and other soft skills, as well as personal development are an integral part of the course. 
The course is optimally designed for the student’s intellectual development and is based on the well proven 4-year degree programme in engineering. Broadly, the first year introduces the student to new engineering concepts whilst also building on post-secondary curriculum. The second year continues to build on the first year, further broadening the knowledge base. The third year is a key formation year in which the student matures significantly and accommodates a broad choice of subject matters. The fourth year culminates in a final year project (dissertation) through which the student can learn how to apply the knowledge he or she has assimilated over the years in a substantial piece of work. 
The course features a range of assessment methods, including written examinations; laboratory and design assignments; presentations and oral examinations; group and individual projects.

The Faculty of Engineering ensures that the course content maintains relevance towards meeting classical and modern engineering requirements through an Industrial Advisory Board consisting of members representing the local Engineering Board and International Institutions together with major national and international employers that give advice on current and future engineering demands and needs. 

By graduation the students will have acquired the following learning outcomes:

Knowledge and understanding of:
• The concepts, fundamental theories and scientific principles of EEE
• Mathematical principles necessary for the application of engineering science
• The integration of engineering disciplines with other multidisciplinary engineering fields 
• The social, legal, economic and environmental context
• The use of analytical, computational and design methods used in engineering
• Management techniques necessary for the integration of professional engineering in society
• The underlying principles of the use of information technology and literature 

Intellectual abilities in:
• Using EEE science, mathematics and computational methods to analyse engineering problems
• Using creativity and innovative solutions in problem solving and solution development
• Formulating design methodologies to produce engineering products, processes or solutions
• Exercising independent thought and judgement
• Conducting a technical investigation through appropriate level of detail and interpretation

Practical skills in:
• Adopting a systematic approach towards experimental investigation and analysis of results
• Developing technical engineering drawings using hand or computer methods
• Using computational tools to design, analyse, simulate, test and build engineering solutions
• Engineering technical know-how of the use of equipment, processes and tools

General transferable skills in:
• Communicating and working effectively within a team by taking various roles
• Retrieval of information from literature and other resources 
• Self-development through continuous lifelong learning
• Monitoring and adjustment a programme of work
• Working with technical uncertainty 
• Exercise initiative and personal responsibility by taking ownership of tasks and projects
• Adapting to current and future emerging technologies

Course intended for

The EEE degree is intended for students with a flair for both hardware and software design, and particularly when these are combined into complete systems. The course is a spring board for the student who wishes to gain the broadest prospects of entry into the realm of technology. EEE provides a practical route for people wishing to venture into consumer electronics, computing, automation, alternative energy, transport, communications, or even computational finance. This four year degree typically lends itself for further study in a wide range of disciplines.

Career opportunites and access to further studies

Today’s world is a friendly place to the EEE graduate, who quickly finds employment in extremely diverse fields as allowed by one of the most versatile professions. The course is designed to provide broad based fundamental knowledge to facilitate job mobility.

The National Employability Index Report issued by the Ministry for Education and Employment has found that for graduation years 2012 and 2013, between 80 and 90% of University of Malta Engineering graduates quickly found employment in fields directly related to their studies. Salaries are very good and potential for personal growth is limited only by your imagination and motivation. If money is any indication of success, it may suffice to say that the most common profession (by far) among the world’s billionaires is engineering.

Local sectors of employment include: building services, entrepreneurship, self-employment, consultancies, manufacturing industries, government agencies, pharmaceutical plants, hotels and hospitality, power generation and distribution, mobile and fixed telecommunication companies, software development, hospitals, online gaming, ICT infrastructure, multimedia related companies, embedded systems design studios, education and research institutions and many others.

This four-year degree typically leads to Master and Doctoral studies at the Faculty of Engineering in the areas of Electronic Product Development, Integrated Circuit Design, Control Engineering, Automation, Robotics, Signal and Image Processing, Computer Vision, Pattern Recognition, Machine Learning, Computational Intelligence, Renewable Energy, Smart Grids, Transport, Control of Electrical Machines, Power Electronics and Space and Aerospace Engineering. Such study is usually conducted through research. The Faculty also offers a limited number of taught postgraduate courses, with new courses planned to be launched in the very near future. 

Roughly half of EEE graduates further their studies either locally or in the world’s top educational institutions overseas. The rate of acceptance by foreign universities is practically 100%.