Industry survey for the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) 2005 electrical engineering curriculum study

Abstract

The objective of this study was the creation of a BS degree program which is ideally matched to the needs of industry in 2005. In 1992, the Faculty of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering of UAB requested that an in-depth study of major employers of graduates of the Electrical Engineering Program be accomplished for use in curriculum development. The Industry Survey consisted of the results of 47 interviews in five major companies in the Birmingham Metro Area and three major firms in Huntsville. Three specific recommendations were made as a result of the survey: (1) software selected for use in academic courses should be current industry-used software to ensure maximum transfer from student life to professional life; (2) the curriculum should contain English/Personal Communication/Teamwork course material; and (3) engineering economy and corporate finance should be incorporated into the curriculum.