Students interested in a Electrical Engineering career need a strong foundation in physics and mathematics, and should definitely major in physics, if not both.  Extensive work in computer science is also useful for those aiming more at computer engineering applications than electrical. 

As part of their physics major, students will be required to take these courses, which particularly are helpful for those pursuing electrical engineering:

PHYS 281 Modern Physics I [REQUIRED]-- An introduction to special relativity and elementary topics in quantum physics. The history and development of experimental and theoretical work in the physics of the 20th century are strongly emphasized.

PHYS 282 Modern Physics II [REQUIRED]-- A continuation of PHYS 281 with applications of quantum physics to nuclear, atomic, solid state, elementary particle physics and astrophysics.

PHYS 311 Electronics [REQUIRED]-- An introduction to linear circuits, including transistors and other solid state devices, techniques of electrical measurement, and application of electrical measurement techniques in experiments in modern physics.

PHYS 312 Advanced Laboratory [REQUIRED]-- The emphasis of this course is the laboratory study of the principles of experimental design, procedures and analysis. Students design and perform experiments from various branches of physics.

In addition, students should be sure to take the following course as part of their physics major:

PHYS 364: Electricity and Magnetism-- [HIGHLY RECOMMENDED]-- A study of electric and magnetic fields leading up to Maxwell's equations and their applications. The topics include the electrostatic and magnetostatic fields in vacuum and in matter, scaler potentials, vector potentials, electrodynamics and electromagnetic waves.

As part of their physics major, students will be required to take these mathematics courses, which particularly are helpful for those pursuing electrical engineering:

MATH 240: Linear algebra [REQUIRED]-- Many physical systems are linear. Linear algebra gives you tools to deal with multiple linear equations at the same time and fine solutions in efficient ways.

MATH 351: Ordinary Differential Equations [REQUIRED]-- Differential equations is an area of theoretical and applied mathematics with a large number of important problems associated with the physical, biological, and social sciences. Analytic (separation, integration factors, and Laplace transforms), qualitative (phase and bifurcation diagrams), and numerical (Runge-Kutta) methods are developed for linear and nonlinear first- and higher-order single equations as well as linear and nonlinear systems of first-order equations. Emphasis is given to applications and extensive use of a computer algebra system.

In addition, students should be sure to take the following courses:

MATH 253: Multivariable Calculus [HIGHLY RECOMMENDED]-- Sometimes called Calculus 3, Multivariable calculus helps us understand how more complex functions can depend on more than one variable.

MATH 321/322/327: Statistics courses [RECOMMENDED]-- Statistics help us understand complicated systems where there are not clear identifiable relationships between variables. Biological and human systems often can be better understood through use of statistics, but statistics also applies to physical and chemical principles as well.

MATH 351: Ordinary Differential Equations [RECOMMENDED]-- Differential equations is an area of theoretical and applied mathematics with a large number of important problems associated with the physical, biological, and social sciences. Analytic (separation, integration factors, and Laplace transforms), qualitative (phase and bifurcation diagrams), and numerical (Runge-Kutta) methods are developed for linear and nonlinear first- and higher-order single equations as well as linear and nonlinear systems of first-order equations. Emphasis is given to applications and extensive use of a computer algebra system.

MATH 452: Partial Differential Equations [RECOMMENDED]-- An introduction to initial and boundary value problems associated with certain linear partial differential equations (Laplace, heat and wave equations). Fourier series methods, including the study of best approximation in the mean and convergence, will be a focus. Sturm-Liouville problems and associated eigenfunctions will be included. Numerical methods, such as finite difference, finite element and finite analytic, may be introduced, including the topics of stability and convergence of numerical algorithms. Extensive use of a computer algebra system.

MATH 456: Functions of a Complex Variable [HIGHLY RECOMMENDED]-- Knowledge of how to use complex numbers (numbers involving the imaginary number i) is useful for many fields of engineering, but used most commonly by electrical engineers. Students interested in electrical engineering are highly recommended to take this course.