Sub-fields and Related Engineering Professions

Sub-field and related field in Electrical Engineering

The engineering field is a very broad one as it encompasses and plays a role in almost every aspect of our lives. Its products and services can be vividly seen affecting almost every part of our lives ranging from health, transportation, business, security, clothing, shelter, food production et cetera, but most obvious is the improvement of our basic needs.

The engineering field is divided into four major parts from which all other subdivisions are drawn.

The four major parts of engineering are;

• Mechanical Engineering
• Electrical Engineering
• Civil Engineering and 
• Chemical Engineering

Other subdivisions drew from these major parts of engineering include:

• Computer engineering
• Aeronautic engineering
• Bio-medical engineering
• Petroleum engineering
• Industrial engineering
• Geotechnical engineering
• Aerospace engineering
• Robotics engineering
• Agricultural engineering
• Nuclear engineering

All engineering fields are co-related.  Though unique, broad, and diverse, these different fields all have basic foundational knowledge on which they disperse furthering specialization. Therefore as an engineering student, this foundational knowledge must be solid to excel in any field of engineering.

Electrical engineering is one of the major and broad fields of engineering. It is also closely related to computer engineering which due to advancement in technology is also beginning to broaden.

As a student studying electrical engineering, you can major in the following sub-fields

• Signal processing: this field focuses on the method of how to send, receive, analyze, modify, synchronize, and separate signals. It also focuses on the types and properties of signals, how to reduce and increase these properties. In this field, you will learn about the components and the instruments used in carrying out these different functions relating to signals. As a graduate in this field of signal processing, career opportunities available include space scientist, digital signal processing engineer, computer vision engineer, and machine learning engineer.

• Instrumentation and control engineering: This field of electrical engineering focuses on instruments, equipment, tools, and devices used in the measurement of the process variable (properties) in the field of electrical engineering. It focuses on how to operate these instruments, the types of instruments and the properties that are usually measured in the field of electrical engineering, and how they can be regulated and controlled. Though control engineering is also another broad part on its own as there are a lot of devices and other processes in engineering which can be regulated, modified or controlled. Career opportunities available in this field include industrial, electrical, and quality control instrumentation technician, robotics, automation, aeronautic and biomedical Companies. 

• Energy and Power engineering: this field focuses on the effective generation, transmission, distribution of electrical energy and the various machinery required to carry out this task. It deals with the different sources from which energy can be generated and how best to utilize these sources. Places where a power engineer can work include industries and manufacturing plants, power plants, telecom stations, airports, refineries, and mines.

• Telecommunication: this is concerned with the study of effectively transferring and receiving information through wires, air, or using various technologies such as optical and electromagnetic systems. Over the years, with the effect of advancement, this sector has evolved, so also has the device and instruments used for communication evolved. This sector deals not only with finding a better way of transmitting and receiving information but also designing and inventing better instruments and devices to meet this purpose. Career opportunities in this field include; telecommunication system manager, line installers, telecom technician, telecom specialist, network and computer system administrator.

• Microelectronics:  this field of electrical engineering deals with the study and manufacturing of very small electronic components, their use in the design and production of equipment, and how other larger components can be reduced or replaced with better, faster, and more compactable ones. And electronics or microelectronics engineering can work in the automotive industry, telecom industry, gaming, and utility Industry.

Other related sub-field includes Wireless Communication and Design engineering.

Electrical Engineering is also related to the following engineering field: 

• Computer Engineering: this part of engineering deals with the hardware and software of a computer but mainly focuses on the hardware. Computer scientists mainly focus on the software of computers and electronics engineering deals majority of the components used in building a computer. Computer engineering integrates both computer science and electronics engineering together.

• Aerospace engineering:  this field focuses on the development, building, and repairs of space and aircraft. Aerospace engineering is divided into two; aeronautical which deals with aircraft, and any other flying machine within the earth’s atmosphere, and astronautic which deals with flying machines outside the earth’s atmosphere. It is sometimes referred to as rocket science. This field is related to electrical and electronics Engineering because the understanding of the design of some sensors, and automation of this machinery are found in electrical engineering. Also, every machine has two parts, the electrical and mechanical parts.

• Nuclear Engineering: this field of engineering, though specifically broad on its own is closely related to electrical engineering, since the sub-field, energy, and power engineering is a scope of it. In nuclear engineering, the energy and power discussed are that which is derived from a nuclear source. It deals with safety means of generation, transmission, and distribution of electricity generated from a nuclear source, and also machinery used are powered by electricity attained from nuclear power.