Electronic and Electrical Engineering

Electronic and electrical engineering is concerned with harnessing the behaviour of electrons to create systems that power, communicate, sense, and compute. From the national electricity grid to the microchips inside a smartphone, from medical imaging equipment to the satellites tracking global logistics, almost every piece of modern infrastructure depends on the knowledge and skills this discipline produces. It combines fundamental physics with applied mathematics and hands-on design, demanding both rigorous theory and practical creativity.

At Nottingham Trent University you will study this four-year full-time programme, building from first principles in circuit theory, electromagnetism, and semiconductor physics before progressing to more advanced areas such as power electronics, signal processing, control systems, digital communications, and embedded systems. You will spend significant time in laboratories and design studios, using industry-standard tools and equipment to prototype, test, and refine engineering solutions. The curriculum develops your ability to model complex systems mathematically and to translate that understanding into real hardware and software.

The programme is designed to produce engineers who can think at multiple levels simultaneously, understanding both the physical behaviour of components and the system-level requirements of the products they are working within. You will learn to work within engineering constraints, to manage projects systematically, and to communicate technical ideas clearly to both specialist and non-specialist audiences. Problem-solving under uncertainty is a skill you will practise continuously, and it becomes second nature by the time you graduate.

Electronic and electrical engineers are in sustained demand across sectors that underpin the modern economy. Graduates go on to roles in telecommunications, defence and aerospace, renewable energy and power systems, automotive engineering, consumer electronics, and semiconductors. Many work in research and development, where the pace of change in areas such as electrification, wireless communications, and intelligent sensing creates a constant need for new engineering talent.

Further study options include taught masters programmes in specialist areas of engineering and doctoral research in both universities and industry settings.