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Major: Bachelor of Science
MajorOverview
The mission of the undergraduate program of the Department of Electrical Engineering is to augment the liberal education expected of all Stanford undergraduates, to impart a basic understanding of electrical engineering, and to develop skills in the design and building of systems that directly impact societal needs.
The program includes a balanced foundation in the physical sciences, mathematics, and computing; core courses in electronics, information systems, and digital systems; and develops specific skills in the analysis and design of systems. Students in the major have broad flexibility to select from disciplinary areas beyond the core, including hardware and software, information systems and science, physical technology and science, and electives in multidisciplinary areas, including bio-electronics and bio-imaging, energy and environment, and music.
The program prepares students for a broad range of careers—both industrial and government—as well as for professional and academic graduate education.
Requirements
School Requirements
Mathematics
Minimum 40 units Math and Science combined, plus three units of TIS, for a total of 43 units.
Mathematics Sequence
CME 100 and CME 102 can be substituted for MATH 51 and MATH 53. MATH 52 can be substituted for MATH 51. MATH 51 and MATH 53 are recommended, in part, for providing substantial early exposure to linear algebra.
CME 100 is same as ENGR 154. CME 102 is same as ENGR 155A.
MATH 51 may be replaced by MATH 52. MATH 53 may be replaced by CME 102.
Science
3 courses, minimum 12 units
Physics
EE 65
Modern Physics for Engineers
PHYSICS 41
Mechanics
PHYSICS 61
Mechanics and Special Relativity
PHYSICS 71
Quantum and Thermal Physics
Science Elective
Students must complete at least one course from the School of Engineering's approved Science course list for 2026-27. The list is available in the Science subsection within the Engineering-BS School Requirements.
Technology in Society
Students must complete at least one course from the School of Engineering's approved Technology in Society list for 2026-27. The list is available in the Technology in Society subsection within the Engineering-BS School Requirements.
The course taken must be on the School of Engineering Approved TiS Courses list the year it is taken.
Engineering Fundamentals
Minimum 57 units comprised of Engineering Fundamentals (minimum eight units), Core Electrical Engineering Courses (minimum 18 units), and EE Discipline and Electives (minimum 31 units).
Engineering Fundamentals Required Course
CS 106B
Programming Abstractions
Students may take CS 106B OR CS 106B + CS 106M to fulfill the requirement.
Engineering Fundamentals Elective Course
Students must complete at least one course from the School of Engineering's approved Engineering Fundamentals list for 2026-27. The list is available in the Engineering Fundamentals subsection within the Engineering-BS School Requirements.
Core Program Requirements
Core Electrical Engineering Courses
EE 42
Introduction to Electromagnetics and Its Applications
EE 142
Engineering Electromagnetics
PHYSICS 43
Electricity and Magnetism
PHYSICS 81
Electricity and Magnetism Using Special Relativity and Vector Calculus
EE 100
The Electrical Engineering Profession
EE 101A
Circuits I
EE 102A
Signals and Systems I
EE 108
Digital System Design
Minimum 18 units. Students are strongly encouraged to take EE 42 or EE 142 to learn key EE topics, including transmission lines, waveguides, and antennas. Students specializing in Physical Technology and Science must take EE 42 or EE 142.
Students may petition an upper-level seminar in place of EE 100.
Required Course
One course must be completed for a minimum of 4 units.
Additional required courses may be taken for elective units.
Electives
Electives
A minimum of 24 units must be completed.
EE 101B
Circuits II
EE 102B
Signals and Systems II
EE 104
Introduction to Machine Learning
EE 109
Digital Systems Design Lab
EE 114
Fundamentals of Analog Integrated Circuit Design
EE 116
Semiconductor Devices for Energy and Electronics
EE 117
Understanding the Sensors in your Smartphone
EE 118
Introduction to Mechatronics
EE 124
Introduction to Neuroelectrical Engineering
EE 133
Analog Communications Design Laboratory
EE 134
Introduction to Photonics
EE 142
Engineering Electromagnetics
EE 153
Power Electronics
EE 160A
Principles of Robot Autonomy I
EE 156
Board Level Design
EE 165
Ice Penetrating Radar
EE 168
Introduction to Digital Image Processing
EE 179
Analog and Digital Communication Systems
EE 180
Digital Systems Architecture
EE 184
Internet Principles and Protocols
EE 212
Integrated Circuit Fabrication Processes
EE 214B
Advanced Integrated Circuit Design
EE 216
Principles and Models of Semiconductor Devices
EE 222
Applied Quantum Mechanics I
EE 223
Applied Quantum Mechanics II
EE 228
Basic Physics for Solid State Electronics
EE 235
Molecular and Cellular Engineering Lab
EE 236A
Modern Optics
EE 236B
Guided Waves
EE 242
Electromagnetic Waves
EE 247
Introduction to Optical Fiber Communications
EE 259
Principles of Sensing for Autonomy
EE 260A
Principles of Robot Autonomy I
EE 260B
Principles of Robot Autonomy II
EE 261
The Fourier Transform and Its Applications
EE 263
Matrix Methods: Singular Value Decomposition
EE 264
Digital Signal Processing
EE 267
Virtual Reality
EE 269
Quantization and Signal Processing for AI
EE 271
Introduction to VLSI Systems
EE 272
Design Projects in VLSI Systems I
EE 273
Digital Systems Engineering
EE 274
Data Compression: Theory and Applications
EE 276
Information Theory
EE 278
Probability and Statistical Inference
EE 279
Introduction to Digital Communication
EE 282
Computer Systems Architecture
EE 285
Embedded Systems Workshop
EE 372D
Design Projects in VLSI Systems II
BIOE 131
Ethics in Bioengineering
CEE 107A
Understand Energy
CEE 155
Introduction to Sensing Networks for CEE
CEE 176A
Energy Efficient Buildings
CEE 176B
100% Clean, Renewable Energy and Storage for Everything
CS 107
Computer Organization and Systems
CS 107E
Computer Systems from the Ground Up
CS 108
Object-Oriented Systems Design
CS 111
Operating Systems Principles
CS 112
Operating systems kernel implementation project
CS 131
Computer Vision: Foundations and Applications
CS 140
Operating Systems and Systems Programming
CS 143
Compilers
CS 144
Introduction to Computer Networking
CS 145
Intro to Modern Data Systems
CS 148
Introduction to Computer Graphics and Imaging
CS 149
Parallel Computing
CS 155
Computer and Network Security
CS 161
Design and Analysis of Algorithms
CS 221
Artificial Intelligence: Principles and Techniques
CS 223A
Introduction to Robotics
CS 224N
Natural Language Processing with Deep Learning
CS 225A
Experimental Robotics
CS 229
Machine Learning
CS 231A
Computer Vision: From 3D Perception to 3D Reconstruction and Beyond
CS 231N
Deep Learning for Computer Vision
CS 241
Embedded Systems Workshop
CS 244
Advanced Topics in Networking
ENGR 105
Feedback Control Design
ENGR 205
Introduction to Control Design Techniques
ENERGY 201B
Fundamentals of Energy Processes
MATSCI 142
Quantum Mechanics of Nanoscale Materials
MATSCI 152
Electronic Materials Engineering
MATSCI 156
Solar Cells, Fuel Cells, and Batteries: Materials for the Energy Solution
MATSCI 164
Electronic and Photonic Materials and Devices Laboratory
ME 220
Introduction to Sensors
MED 275B
Biodesign Fundamentals
MUSIC 250A
Physical Interaction Design for Music
MUSIC 253
Symbolic Musical Information
MUSIC 254
Computational Music Analysis
MUSIC 256A
Music, Computing, Design: The Art of Design
MUSIC 257
You Are What You Use: Designing Technology for Neural Change
MUSIC 356
Music and AI
MUSIC 422
Perceptual Audio Coding
RAD 206
Mixed-Reality in Medicine
RAD 220
Introduction to Imaging and Image-based Human Anatomy
31 units must be completed between the Required Course, WIM/Design/Capstone, and Electives.
Engineering Fundamentals, EE Core, one Required Course, WIM/Design/Capstone, and Electives must total a minimum of 57 units, over and above the 43 units of Math and Science.
Students may select any combination of electives from the Electives list. Electives may include up to two additional Engineering Fundamentals and any letter-graded lecture/lab EE courses (minus any previously noted restrictions).
Frosh and Sophomore seminars and EE 191 do not count toward the 57 units. Students may have fewer elective units if they have more than seven units in the Required Course and WIM/Design/Capstone course areas. EE 191W may only be used towards the 57 units if being used for WIM.
A course may only be counted toward one requirement, not double-counted. All courses taken for the major must be taken for a letter grade if the instructor offers that option.
Writing in the Major (WIM)
WIM
All courses below can satisfy the WIM/Design/Capstone requirements, with the exception of EE 191W which only satisfies WIM.
CS 194W
Software Project (WIM)
EE 109
Digital Systems Design Lab
EE 133
Analog Communications Design Laboratory
EE 134
Introduction to Photonics
EE 153
Power Electronics
EE 191W
Special Studies and Reports in Electrical Engineering (WIM)
EE 264W
Digital Signal Processing (WIM)
EE 267W
Virtual Reality (WIM)
EE 191W may satisfy WIM only if it is a follow-up to an REU or independent study project or as part of an honors thesis project and a faculty member agrees to supervise the writing of a technical paper, with proper support from the Writing Center.
Capstone
Design/Capstone
All courses below can satisfy the WIM/Design/Capstone requirements, with the exception of EE 264 and EE 267 which only meet the Design/Capstone requirement and do not meet the WIM requirement.
CS 194W
Software Project (WIM)
EE 109
Digital Systems Design Lab
EE 133
Analog Communications Design Laboratory
EE 134
Introduction to Photonics
EE 153
Power Electronics
EE 264
Digital Signal Processing
EE 264W
Digital Signal Processing (WIM)
EE 267
Virtual Reality
EE 267W
Virtual Reality (WIM)
Honors
OptionalHonors
Honors Overview
The Department of Electrical Engineering offers a program leading to a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering with Honors. This program provides a unique opportunity for qualified undergraduate majors to conduct independent study and research at an advanced level with a faculty mentor, graduate students, and fellow undergraduates.
Admission to the honors program is by application. Declared EE majors with a grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.5 in Electrical Engineering are eligible to apply. Applications must be submitted by autumn quarter of the senior year, be signed by the thesis advisor and second reader (the primary thesis advisor must be a full or joint EE Faculty opens in a new tab member), and include an honors proposal. Students need to declare the EE Honors major on Axess.
Honors Requirements
To receive departmental honors, students admitted to the honors program must:
Submit an Undergraduate Honors Program Application opens in a new tab, including the thesis proposal, to the Degree Progress Officer via email by autumn quarter of the senior year, signed by the thesis advisor and second reader (one must be an Electrical Engineering faculty member).
Declare the EE Honors major in Axess opens in a new tabbefore the end of autumn quarter of the senior year.
Maintain a grade point average of at least 3.5 in Electrical Engineering courses.
Complete at least ten units of EE 191 or EE 191W with the thesis advisor for a letter grade. EE 191 units do not count toward the required 57 units, except EE 191W, which is approved to satisfy WIM. A minimum grade of B+ is required for EE 191 or EE 191W to receive honors.
Submit one final copy of the honors thesis approved by the advisor and second reader to the Degree Progress Officer by May 15th.
Attend poster and oral presentation at the end of spring quarter or present in another appropriate forum approved by the faculty advisor.