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Electrical Engineering: Sensing, Powering and Controlling

Get a taste of an electrical engineering degree. Build your confidence in communicating ideas and using technical vocabulary.

17,916 enrolled on this course

A satellite in orbit generates power from solar panels and communicates with people on Earth.

Electrical Engineering: Sensing, Powering and Controlling

17,916 enrolled on this course

  • 3 weeks

  • 3 hours per week

  • Digital certificate when eligible

  • Introductory level

Find out more about how to join this course

Improve your knowledge of key concepts in electrical engineering.

This online course provides an introduction to electronic, electrical and systems engineering.

You’ll examine everyday electrical circuits, such as pick-ups for musical instruments, and out of this world circuits, such as devices used in space.

You’ll develop skills in analysing and designing digital and analogue circuits and systems, and get familiar with using English technical vocabulary. You’ll understand how electric engineering systems are used in specific contexts, and gain confidence in communicating engineering ideas.

The Educators won’t be able to join the discussions in this course run or respond to individual comments, but the course encourages a strong learning community. Discussion is an important part of this course – supporting other learners, sharing your own experience and knowledge, and listening to new perspectives. We hope that you will enjoy interacting with and learning from each other in this way. Don’t forget to comment, reply to other learners and ‘like’ comments.

The course is provided in English with Mandarin transcripts.

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Skip to 0 minutes and 1 second [Music]

Skip to 0 minutes and 11 seconds Electronic and electrical systems are at the heart of almost everything that we do. You could be traveling on a train and you might be listening to music or watching an on-demand video or you could be talking to friends or you could be studying on an online course. In all of these examples you, as the user, are at the centre of an electronic and electrical system. My name’s Tim Jackson from the School of Engineering at the University of Birmingham. I work in the department of Electronic Electrical and Systems Engineering. During this course you’ll find out what we mean by electronic engineering, by electrical engineering and by systems engineering.

Skip to 0 minutes and 51 seconds And you’ll do that through examples drawn from the research that we do here in the department and from the material that we teach on our first-year courses. Our three examples illustrate the diversity and importance of electronic electrical and systems engineering. We’ll begin with looking at the context behind each example because understanding context is important to designing a system that meets our needs. We’ll also look at some of the underlying principles behind the methods that we’ll use in our design and in our analysis. You will do some exercises that will help you develop your understanding as well as your confidence in communicating your ideas. We look forward to welcoming you to our course. [Music]

What topics will you cover?

  • Overview of Electrical, Electronic and Systems Engineering
  • Introduction to systems and systems terminology
  • Transducers and their purpose
  • Electronic systems in context
  • Issues relating to solar power / batteries in space
  • Introduction to the Space Weather research group
  • Electrical circuits
  • The differences between analogue and digital Electrical Engineering
  • Introduction to digital electronics
  • Overview of control systems for rail platform shield walls

When would you like to start?

Start straight away and join a global classroom of learners. If the course hasn’t started yet you’ll see the future date listed below.

  • Available now

Learning on this course

On every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.

What will you achieve?

By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...

  • Investigate what is meant by Electronic, Electrical and Systems Engineering.
  • Develop your skills in analysing and designing circuits and systems.
  • Improve your confidence in communicating Engineering ideas using English technical vocabulary.
  • Assess how different Electronic and Electrical Engineering systems are used in specific contexts.

Who is the course for?

This course is designed for anyone with an interest in the role and uses of Electrical Engineering. It may be particularly useful for students who are thinking about taking an electrical engineering degree in the UK, including those for whom English is a second language.

Who will you learn with?

I am a Reader in Electrical Engineering, teaching electronics and electrical machines and supervising student projects. I also work in the planning and design of engineering education.

Who developed the course?

University of Birmingham

The University of Birmingham is a public research university, consistently listed as a leading UK university and ranked among the top 100 in the world.

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Ways to learn

Choose the best way to learn for you!

Subscribe & save

$39.99

For your first month. Automatically renews

Develop skills to further your career

  • Access to this course
  • Access to 1,000+ courses
  • Learn at your own pace
  • Discuss your learning in comments
  • Tests to boost your learning
  • Digital certificate when you're eligible

Cancel for free anytime

Buy this course

$54/one-off payment

Fulfill your current learning need

  • Access to this course
  • Learn at your own pace
  • Discuss your learning in comments
  • Tests to boost your learning
  • Printed and digital certificate when you’re eligible

Limited access

Free

Sample the course materials

  • Access expires 26 Dec 2024

Find out more about certificates, Unlimited or buying a course (Upgrades)

Sale price available until 29 December 2024 at 23:59 (UTC). T&Cs apply.

Find out more about certificates, Unlimited or buying a course (Upgrades)

Sale price available until 29 December 2024 at 23:59 (UTC). T&Cs apply.

Learning on FutureLearn

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  • Courses are split into weeks, activities, and steps to help you keep track of your learning
  • Learn through a mix of bite-sized videos, long- and short-form articles, audio, and practical activities
  • Stay motivated by using the Progress page to keep track of your step completion and assessment scores

Join a global classroom

  • Experience the power of social learning, and get inspired by an international network of learners
  • Share ideas with your peers and course educators on every step of the course
  • Join the conversation by reading, @ing, liking, bookmarking, and replying to comments from others

Map your progress

  • As you work through the course, use notifications and the Progress page to guide your learning
  • Whenever you’re ready, mark each step as complete, you’re in control
  • Complete 90% of course steps and all of the assessments to earn your certificate

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