Electrical and Systems Engineering

Electrical Engineering Sample Curriculum

Freshman Year

Fall Spring
  • Calculus I (MATH 1400)
  • Principles of Physics I, no lab (PHYS 0140)
  • Circuits, Signals, Networks and Systems (ESE 1110)
  • Programming in Java (CIS 1100)
  • Freshman writing seminar (SSH elective)
  • Calculus II (MATH 1410)
  • Electromagnetics w/Lab (ESE 1120)
  • ESE 1500 (ESE Elective)
  • SSH Elective

Sophomore Year

Fall Spring
  • Calculus III (MATH 2400)
  • Electrical Circuits and Systems (ESE 2150)
  • Physics and Models of Semiconductor Devices (ESE 2180)
  • Engineering Ethics (EAS 2030)
  • Signal and Information Processing (ESE 2240)
  • Computing (CIS 1200 or CIS 2400)
  • SSH Elective
  • Engineering Probability (ESE 3010)

Junior Year

Fall Spring
  • Math (e.g. 3120, 3600)
  • 2 Advanced ESE Area Electives (4 req’d)
  • CHEM 1011, BIOL 1101, or BIOL 1102
  • SSH Elective
  • Math or NS Elective (M/NS)
  • ESE Lab
  • Advanced ESE course (3rd of 4 req’d)
  • Technology Management Elective (ESE 4000, EAS 5450 of EAS 5950, Mgmt 235, Mgmt 2370)
  • Free Elective

Senior Year

Fall Spring
  • Senior Design Project I (ESE 4500)
  • Advanced ESE course (4th of 4 req’d)
  • Professional Elective (E)
  • SSH Elective
  • Free Elective
  • Senior Design Project II (ESE 4510)
  • 2 Professional Elective (E/M/NS)
  • SSH Elective
  • Free Elective

For students entering Fall 2017 and beyond: 40 CU EE CPG

Degree Requirements:

Entered Fall 2020 or Later

Please see the following details regarding the ESE 1120 requirement for your degree:

EE students entering Fall 2023 or earlier:

  • If you have taken ESE 1120, it satisfies the prereq for ESE 2150 and ESE 2180 and counts towards your degree.
  • If you have taken (or have Penn approved credit for) other previously assumed equivalent physics courses (e.g. PHYS 151 or 171) and review the ESE1120 module and pass the module exam, the course will count towards your degree as a natural science requirement. It also will satisfy the prereq for ESE 2150 and ESE 2180.

EE students entering Fall 2024 or later:

  • ESE 1120 is mandatory for EE and CMPE students entering Fall 2024 and later.
  • Students transferring into EE or CMPE after their first year can use PHYS 151 or PHYS 171 in place of ESE 1120 once the module is completed and the diagnostics exam is passed. The module and diagnostic exam is only for transfer students. No AP credit will count towards the ESE 1120 requirement.
  • ESE 1120 is a natural science course in place of Phys 151 (or Phys 171).