Hey everyone! Ironically enough, “simply” choosing your major can be the most painstaking part of your college application process. It was for me and I remember applying to a few different schools with different, science and math related majors because of my indecisiveness. I am just extremely glad I applied to Viterbi with the intent to study Electrical Engineering. I find it hard to believe that any other major would be so intellectually engaging for me and make my brain cells dance, the way EE does. I have only taken 3 EE courses thus far but they have all been unbelievably interesting.
Electrical Engineering here allows you to focus on Signal Processing & Communication, Computer Engineering, Electronic Circuits, or Electromagnetics & Solid State; and there are even more specializations within those four regions. It is great that we get to choose two specializations because I would be torn otherwise. Personally, I am interested in specializing in Signal Processing and Hardware/Software. The strange combination is due to the interest in Software Development for Radar that I developed during my internship at Northrop Grumman this past summer.
I have really enjoyed the curriculum and the professors here at USC. They have only further inspired me to learn about Electrical Engineering because of the passion they teach with. Professors such as Armand Tanguay and Mark Redekopp have shown me the awesome applications of EE in Encryption/Decryption, Signal Modulation, Computing/Computing Architecture, Digital Imaging, Linear Circuits, and Digital Logic. These professors are very personable and enjoy answering your questions when you visit their office hours. I am grateful to have had such inspirational professors so early in my undergraduate studies and hope to continue building a relationship with them.
Digital Logic behind a Crosswalk System
Next semester I will be taking Linear Circuits and though it will be challenging, I am going to enjoy circuit building in the lab. I grew an interest in circuit building when I did research in Electrophysics the summer before my freshman year. We created an Audio Spectrum LED Display and implemented audio filters in the circuit to light up an LED light corresponding to the range of frequency in the sound tested.
Audio Spectrum LED Display
The discipline of Electrical Engineering a bit more math intensive than the others. That is something I found appealing because like most, if not all, engineering majors, I enjoy math. I am excited to learn about Mathematics for Signal Processing and check out upper level courses in EE like Electricity and Magnetism in my years to come.
EE gives you no restrictions as far as careers go. You can go into medical imaging or work in communications, networks, and security for companies. There is also the opportunity to go into computer science or computer architecture if you specialize in that. Electrical Engineering is a fascinating field of study that gives you countless opportunities to solve key engineering problems. We are within the digital age and its time to hop on board the digital train! There is no promise that you will not begin talking in 1’s and 0’s and have conversations with your electronic devices though.
If you have any questions about my major or courses I have taken feel free to contact me!
Also, we are going to destroy UCLA today.
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Translation: Fight On!
