2025-2026
Electrical Engineering, Bachelor of Science (NEXT STEP Pathway)
VCU
Community college:
Associate of Science in Engineering, Electrical/Computer Major (Reynolds Community College)
Associate degree
Associate of Science in Engineering, Electrical/Computer Major
Completing the associate degree will waive VCU's general education requirements.
Program description
The profession of electrical engineering touches all aspects of our lives in that electrical engineers design and fabricate devices and systems critical in applications such as computing, communications, health care, manufacturing and automation, power generation and utilization, transportation, and entertainment. An element very important to these and many other applications is the microelectronic device or system.
Electrical engineers play an ever increasing role in the design and building of major facets of today’s and tomorrow’s health care systems and medical research through the application of microelectronic instrumentation and diagnostic tools such as MRI and CAT scan systems. The field of electrical engineering truly permeates every facet of our lives and thus provides excellent employment opportunities to the general practitioner or specialist in more than 35 different subspecialties.
Career opportunities
Electrical engineers design, develop, test, and supervise the manufacture of electrical equipment. Some of this equipment includes electric motors; machinery controls, lighting, and wiring in buildings; radar and navigation systems; communications systems; and power generation, control, and transmission devices used by electric utilities. Electrical engineers specialize in areas such as communications, signal processing, and control systems or have a specialty within one of these areas—control systems or aviation electronics, for example.
Bachelor-level job titles
- Automation Engineer
- Automotive Engineer
- Control Systems Engineer
- Design Engineer
- Electrical Engineer
- Mechatronics Engineer
- Photonics Engineer
- Power Systems Engineer
- Robotics Engineer
- Solar Energy Systems Engineer
Graduate and professional level job titles
- College Professor
- Firmware Engineer
- Research & Development Engineer
- Systems Engineer/Manager
Contact information
Telephone: (804) 827-1349
Email: transferinfo@vcu.edu
VCCS Transfer Planning Checklist
Telephone: (804) 828-1222 or (800) 841-3638
Email: ugrad@vcu.edu
Apply Here.
Guaranteed transfer admission requirements
Students are guaranteed admission to this degree program with:
- Completion of associate degree (A.S. in Engineering)
- Minimum GPA of 3.0
- All courses must be completed with a grade of "C" or better
- Earn a minimum grade of "B" in all your math, science and engineering classes
Degree requirements in Bulletin
Plan of study in Bulletin
Requirements
Highest level of math required
- MATH 307
- STAT 212
Science required
- 5+ additional science courses
Foreign language requirements
- No
Additional tuition/fees
- Yes
GPA requirements (to progress/graduate in the major)
- 2.0+ cumulative GPA, 2.0+ major GPA
VCU Major Maps
Transfer major map
2025-2026
Electrical Engineering, Bachelor of Science (NEXT STEP Pathway)
Reynolds Community College (Associate of Science in Engineering, Electrical/Computer Major)
| MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING | GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY | DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY | EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS | PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE | ||
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| Explore | Year 1 |
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| Experience | Year 2 |
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Explore
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
- Register for SDV 100 or SDV 101.
- Schedule an advising appointment with your Reynolds advisor and review your Reynolds advising workbook.
- Be prepared for academic challenges in your classes and use tutoring resources to get ahead.
- Cultivate relationships with your professors.
- Explore financial aid resources and submit the FAFSA on time.
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
- Explore the College of Engineering and Electrical and Computer Engineering department websites.
- Get involved with student clubs and organizations.
- Volunteer for service learning or community service projects.
- Find out if you are eligible for the NEXT STEP VCU program.
- Learn about the transfer admission process for VCU.
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
- Attend cultural events at community college and VCU to celebrate diversity.
- Attend VCU’s annual Intercultural Festival or another community intercultural event.
- Make friends with people with diverse perspectives and join a cultural or identity-related student organization.
- Consider learning a foreign language to open doors to international organizations and future study.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
- Familiarize yourself with Handshake and explore Career Pathways on the VCU Career Services’ Website.
- Browse careers and occupations related to electrical engineering.
- Explore iGrad to look into building a career and financial future.
- Build a LinkedIn profile.
- Take a career assessment to explore job options.
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
- Develop personal and career goals and create SMART steps for 2-3 "dream jobs."
- Practice independent living skills (such as money management, self-care, time management, and personal responsibility).
- Create a weekly and monthly budget.
- Prepare for a career after college by creating a brand for yourself.
Experience
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
- Schedule an advising appointment with your Reynolds advisor.
- Meet with your NEXT STEP advisor or submit a transfer advising request to the VCU Transfer Center.
- Research scholarship opportunities and explore your eligibility for the Two-Year College Transfer Grant.
- Be prepared for academic challenges. Use tutoring resources to get ahead.
- Submit the FAFSA on time.
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
- Visit the VCU campus and attend a transfer admission session.
- Research housing options for next year.
- Attend a talk or other event sponsored by the VCU College of Engineering, consider joining a VCU club, or meeting with VCU students to make professional and personal connections.
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
- Learn about short-term, semester and year-long study abroad options.
- Check out the VCU Office of Multicultural Student Affairs (OMSA) and follow @vcuomsa.
- Attend VCU cultural events, including the monthly Global Café, VCU Diversity Scholars in Research week, or department-related events.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
- Find out about VCU REAL and learn about VCU's REAL graduation requirement.
- Use Handshake to explore jobs and internships that match your interests and skills.
- If your GPA is 3.5 or higher, consider applying for the VCU Honors College.
- Conduct informational interviews or shadow someone in a field of career interest.
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
- Using LinkedIn, connect to at least 10 people. Check out the VCU alumni page in My Network.
- Use the cost calculator to estimate your tuition/fees as an upperclassman at VCU.
- Explore the types of aid available at VCU.
- Consider who you would like to have serve as professional and academic references for future letters of recommendation.
Recommended courses
2025-2026
Electrical Engineering, Bachelor of Science (NEXT STEP Pathway)
Reynolds Community College (Associate of Science in Engineering, Electrical/Computer Major)
| Course | Title | Equivalent course | Credits | Requirements |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | ||||
| SDV 101 (or SDV 100) | Orientation to STEM Disciplines | UNIV 101 | 1 | Elective |
| ENG 111 | College Composition I | UNIV 111 | 3 | General education |
| MTH 263 | Calculus I (consult with your Reynolds advisor about prerequisites for this class) | MATH 200 | 4 | Major |
| CHM 111 | General Chemistry I | CHEM/Z 101 | 4 | Major |
| EGR 121 + EGR 122 | Foundations of Engineering and Engineering Design (both EGR 121 and EGR 122 must be completed to receive credit for VCU equivalents) | EGRE 101 | 5 | Major |
| EGR 125 | Introduction to Computer Programming for Engineers (programming language must be C++ to receive credit for VCU equivalent) | EGRE 245 | 3 | Major |
| ENG 112 | College Composition II | UNIV 200 | 3 | General education |
| MTH 264 | Calculus II | MATH 201 | 4 | Major |
| PHI 220 | Ethics | PHIL 201 | 3 | Major |
| EGR 270 | Fundamentals of Computer Engineering | EGRE 254 | 4 | Major |
| Year 2 | ||||
| MTH 267 | Differential Equations | MATH 301 | 3 | Major |
| PHY 241 | University Physics I | PHYS 207 | 4 | Major |
| UCGS Fine Arts or Literature Elective | VCU equivalent | 3 | General education | |
| EGR 271 | Electric Circuits I | EGRE 206 | 4 | Major |
| MTH 265 | Calculus III | MATH 307 | 4 | Major |
| PHY 242 | University Physics II | PHYS 208 | 4 | Major |
| EGR 272 | Electric Circuits II | EGRE 207 | 4 | Major |
| ECO 202 | UCGS Social/Behavioral Sciences Elective: ECO 202 Note: ECO 202 will substitute for the ECON 205 requirement at VCU. | ECON 210 | 3 | Major |
| History | UCGS History elective | HIST | 3 | General education |
| Reynolds credits transferred to VCU | 66 | |||
| Course | Title | Credits | Requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 3 | |||
| ENGR 395 | Professional Development(consider taking this class over the summer prior to your enrollment at VCU) | 1 | Major |
| EGRE 201 | Fundamentals of Electrical and Computer Engineering | 3 | Major |
| EGRE 246 | Advanced Engineering Programming | 3 | Major |
| EGRE 335 | Signals and Systems | 4 | Major |
| EGRE 337 | Statistical Information Processing | 3 | Major |
| MATH 310 | Linear Algebra | 3 | Major |
| EGRE 306 | Introduction to Microelectronics | 4 | Major |
| EGRE 336 | Introduction to Communication Systems | 3 | Major |
| EGRE 364 | Microcomputer Systems | 4 | Major |
| Technical electives | 3 | Major | |
| Year 4 | |||
| EGRE 309 | Introduction to Electromagnetic Fields | 3 | Major |
| EGRE 399 | Fundamentals of Design and Analysis | 3 | Major |
| EGRE 303 | Electronic Devices | 3 | Major |
| EGRE 310 | Electromagnetic Fields and Waves | 3 | Major |
| EGRE 404 or EGRE 405 | Senior Design Studio I (Laboratory/Project Time) or Senior Design Studio I - VIP (Laboratory/Project Time) | 2 | Major |
| Technical electives | 11 | Major | |
| Math/science elective | 3 | Major | |
| EGRE 405 or EGRE 407 | Senior Design Studio II (Laboratory/Project Time) or Senior Design Studio II - VIP (Laboratory/Project Time) | 2 | Major |
| Credits completed at VCU | 61 | ||
| Minimum credits required for bachelor's degree | 127 | ||
| VCU offers students four options for accelerated B.S. and M.S. programs: B.S. and M.S. in Biomedical Engineering, B.S. and M.S. in Computer Science, B.S. and M.S. in Engineering, and B.S. and M.S. in Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering. These accelerated programs allow academically talented students to earn both the B.S. in Electrical Engineering and M.S. degree in a minimum of five and a half years by completing approved graduate courses during the senior year of their undergraduate program. Please consult with a VCU advisor for information about minimum qualifications for entrance to the accelerated programs. | |||