Electrical vs Electronics Engineering:- Whats The Difference?

Electrical engineering (EE) and electrical and electronics engineering (EEE) are two popular fields of engineering, and though both seem very similar, there are clear cut differences between them. Electrical engineering deals with the generation of electricity by various means like thermal, tidal, solar or hydro, which can be used by electrical motors, vacuum cleaners, lamps, submersible motors or pulverising machines. It deals with the methodology of producing electricity, the different means of production, the production or manufacturing machine that uses electricity, electric measuring instruments like ammeters, voltmeters, and frequency meters.

Electronics deals with the development and application of devices that use the flow of electrons in gaseous and vacuum form in semiconductor media. In fact, electronics engineering evolved from electrical engineering, where the latter deals with the study of electricity, power generation and electromagnetism and the former deals with the study of electrons. Electrons act as the crucial part in the manufacture of transistors, circuit boards and integrated chips. Electronics engineering is a broader field that deals with analog electronics, consumer electronics, embedded systems, digital electronics and power electronics.

EE students may learn about electrical machines, power systems, controls and instrumentation, power electronics and power systems operation and control.

EEE students may learn basic electronics subjects like semiconductor devices, solid state physics, linear electronics, embedded systems, digital electronics, advanced electronics and maybe a subject related to integrated circuits as well. Studies on devices with voltages higher than fifty volts are part of the electrical engineering course. If the device under consideration has voltage requirements less than fifty volts, it is said to be a part of the course of electronics engineering. Power electronics is the study of how semiconductors can be used for high voltage engineering, and it aims to bridge the gap between the two streams.

When the course of electrical engineering is merged with a few core subjects of electronics engineering, it results in a branch known as electrical and electronics engineering. This is done so as to increase the knowledge of electrical engineers in areas like digital and analog electronics, microprocessors, embedded systems, communication and in signal processing. The base branch is electrical, but the difference is that the electrical and electronics engineering course is not purely electrical, but has a few subjects from the electronic engineering course. Some companies specifically request electrical engineers, but most will take in electrical and electronics engineering graduates as well. Some exams like the Engineering Services Examination (ESE) only have an option of electrical engineering, and not electrical and electronics engineering. They have almost the same curriculum. Today, both these streams need to go hand in hand because of future technology.

Sources

“B.Tech Degree Course Syllabus Electrical & Electronics Engineering Branch,” Federal Institute of Science And Technology,
http://fisat.ac.in/documents/3to8ee.pdf
“Electrical Engineering – List of Courses (Semester Wise),” National Programme on Technology Enhanced Learning, http://122.168.192.235/nptel/pdf/ElectricalEngineering.pdf
“What is the difference between Electrical and Electronics Engineering,” Degree Directory, http://degreedirectory.org/articles/What_is_the_Difference_Between_Electrical_Engineering_and_Electronics_Engineering.html