Electrical Systems

Course Description

EGN3373C – Electrical Systems is a 3- or 4-credit (varies by institution), upper-division integrated lecture-and-laboratory course providing a foundational survey of electrical engineering for non-electrical engineering majors — primarily mechanical, civil, aerospace, biomedical, environmental, and industrial engineering students who require breadth in electrical systems for their professional practice. The course covers DC circuits and circuit-analysis techniques (Ohm's law, Kirchhoff's laws, network theorems); AC circuits and steady-state analysis using phasors; capacitors and inductors with transient response; introductory three-phase power; transformers and their applications; introductory electric machines (DC and AC motors, generators); semiconductor devices and basic electronics; operational amplifiers; introduction to digital electronics; and a survey of measurement and instrumentation. The integrated "C" format combines lecture instruction with laboratory experience using oscilloscopes, function generators, multimeters, and breadboards.

The course sits within the Florida Statewide Course Numbering System (SCNS) under Engineering: General > Engineering Foundations and is offered at approximately 4 Florida public institutions, primarily as a service course for non-EE engineering majors. EGN3373C is distinct from the EE-major sequence at SUS institutions: electrical engineering majors typically take a more rigorous and longer sequence (typically EEL3003C/EEL3004C Circuits I/II, EEL3111C/EEL3112C Network Analysis, EEL3705C Digital Logic, etc.), while non-EE majors take EGN3373C as a single comprehensive survey. Students intending to major in electrical or computer engineering should not take EGN3373C as their primary EE preparation.

EGN3373C is an upper-division (3xxx-level) course, typically taken in the junior year of non-EE engineering programs after completion of the calculus-based physics sequence. The course is calculation-intensive — expect substantial problem-solving with complex numbers and phasor analysis in the AC-circuits portion, and significant time spent on quantitative laboratory work. Many students find AC-circuit analysis with phasors among the most conceptually challenging content in the course.

Learning Outcomes

Required Outcomes

Upon successful completion of EGN3373C, students will be able to:

• Apply the fundamental circuit laws: Ohm's law (V=IR); Kirchhoff's voltage law (loop rule); Kirchhoff's current law (junction rule); the relationship between voltage, current, resistance, and power; the conservation of energy in electrical circuits.
• Apply circuit-analysis techniques for DC circuits: series and parallel resistor combinations; voltage and current dividers; node-voltage analysis (nodal analysis); mesh-current analysis (loop analysis); the use of analysis tools to solve practical circuits.
• Apply network theorems: superposition principle; Thévenin and Norton equivalents; maximum power transfer; the role of these theorems in simplifying analysis of complex circuits.
• Apply principles of capacitors and inductors: capacitor and inductor V-I relationships; energy storage in capacitors and inductors; series and parallel combinations; transient response of RC, RL, and RLC circuits.
• Apply AC circuit analysis using phasors: representing sinusoidal voltages and currents as phasors; impedance and admittance for resistors, capacitors, and inductors; AC steady-state circuit analysis; complex-number arithmetic in phasor calculations.
• Apply principles of AC power: real, reactive, and apparent power; the power factor; power-factor correction; the relationship between phasor analysis and AC power calculations.
• Apply principles of three-phase systems at an introductory level: balanced three-phase voltages; wye and delta configurations; three-phase power; the rationale for three-phase distribution in industrial applications.
• Apply principles of transformers: ideal-transformer relationships; voltage, current, and power transformation; turns-ratio analysis; introductory non-ideal transformer behavior; the role of transformers in power distribution.
• Apply principles of electric machines at an introductory level: DC motor operation and characteristics; AC induction motor operation; synchronous-machine basics; the relationship between electrical input and mechanical output; motor selection for applications.
• Apply principles of semiconductor devices at an introductory level: PN junctions and diodes; rectifier circuits (half-wave, full-wave, bridge); zener diodes; the bipolar junction transistor (BJT) at a survey level; the field-effect transistor (FET) at a survey level.
• Apply principles of operational amplifiers (op-amps) at an introductory level: ideal op-amp model; inverting and non-inverting amplifier configurations; summing and difference amplifiers; basic op-amp applications.
• Apply principles of digital electronics at an introductory level: binary number system; logic gates (AND, OR, NOT, NAND, NOR, XOR); Boolean algebra; combinational logic; introduction to flip-flops and sequential logic; the relationship between digital systems and continuous physical world.
• Apply principles of electrical measurement: digital multimeter use (voltage, current, resistance); oscilloscope use for waveform observation; function generator for signal sources; the appropriate use of each instrument for different measurements.
• Conduct laboratory experiments applying course principles: building DC circuits on breadboards and verifying Ohm's law and Kirchhoff's laws; observing and measuring AC waveforms with the oscilloscope; investigating transient response of RC and RL circuits; characterizing diodes and basic transistor circuits; building and testing op-amp circuits; designing and building introductory digital-logic circuits.
• Maintain a laboratory notebook in proper scientific format and prepare formal lab reports at the upper-division level.

Optional Outcomes

• Apply introductory frequency-domain analysis: Bode plots; resonance in RLC circuits; introduction to filter design.
• Apply introductory power-systems analysis: power generation, transmission, and distribution overview; the U.S. power grid at a survey level.
• Apply introductory control-systems analysis: feedback control concepts; introduction to transfer functions.
• Apply more advanced semiconductor analysis: BJT and FET small-signal analysis; introductory amplifier design.
• Apply introductory microcontroller use for non-EE engineering applications: Arduino-based interfacing with sensors and actuators.

Major Topics

Required Topics

• DC Circuits and Fundamental Laws: Charge, current, voltage, resistance, power; Ohm's law; Kirchhoff's voltage and current laws; resistor combinations; voltage and current dividers; the relationship between circuit laws and physical principles.
• DC Circuit Analysis Techniques: Node-voltage analysis (nodal); mesh-current analysis (mesh); the systematic approach to writing and solving circuit equations.
• Network Theorems: Superposition; Thévenin equivalents; Norton equivalents; maximum power transfer; the rationale for and application of these theorems.
• Capacitors and Inductors: V-I relationships; energy storage; series and parallel combinations; introduction to first-order RC and RL transient response; introduction to second-order RLC transient response.
• Sinusoidal Sources and Phasors: Sinusoidal voltages and currents; representing sinusoids as phasors; complex-number arithmetic; the relationship between phasors and time-domain signals.
• AC Circuit Analysis: Impedance for resistors, capacitors, and inductors; AC steady-state analysis using phasors; applying nodal and mesh analysis to AC circuits; introductory frequency-domain thinking.
• AC Power: Real, reactive, and apparent power; the power triangle; power factor; power-factor correction; the rationale for power-factor correction in industrial applications.
• Three-Phase Systems: Balanced three-phase voltages; wye and delta configurations; three-phase power calculation; the rationale for three-phase distribution.
• Transformers: Ideal-transformer relationships; voltage, current, and impedance transformation; turns-ratio analysis; introductory non-ideal transformer behavior; transformer applications in power distribution.
• Electric Machines: DC motor operation and characteristics; AC induction motor operation; synchronous-machine basics; the relationship between electrical input and mechanical output; motor selection.
• Semiconductor Devices: PN junctions and diodes; rectifier circuits; zener diodes; the BJT and FET at a survey level; the role of semiconductor devices in modern electrical systems.
• Operational Amplifiers: Ideal op-amp model; inverting and non-inverting amplifier configurations; summing and difference amplifiers; basic op-amp applications.
• Digital Electronics: Binary number system; logic gates; Boolean algebra; combinational logic; introduction to flip-flops and sequential logic; the relationship between analog and digital systems.
• Electrical Measurement and Laboratory Practice: Digital multimeter use; oscilloscope use; function-generator use; safe handling of electrical equipment; proper laboratory procedures.

Optional Topics

• Frequency-Domain Analysis: Bode plots; resonance; introduction to filter design.
• Power-Systems Survey: Generation, transmission, distribution; the U.S. power grid; renewable-energy interconnection.
• Control-Systems Introduction: Feedback control concepts; introduction to transfer functions.
• Advanced Semiconductor Analysis: BJT and FET small-signal analysis; introductory amplifier design.
• Microcontroller Introduction for Non-EE: Arduino-based interfacing.

Resources & Tools

• Most-adopted textbooks at Florida institutions: Engineering Circuit Analysis by Hayt, Kemmerly, Durbin (McGraw-Hill); Fundamentals of Electric Circuits by Alexander and Sadiku (McGraw-Hill); Electric Circuits by Nilsson and Riedel (Pearson); Introduction to Electric Circuits by Dorf and Svoboda (Wiley); for non-EE service-course adaptations, Principles and Applications of Electrical Engineering by Rizzoni (McGraw-Hill).
• Open-access alternatives: All About Circuits (free, allaboutcircuits.com — comprehensive online textbook); MIT OpenCourseWare 6.002 Circuits and Electronics materials; LibreTexts electrical engineering modules.
• Online learning platforms: McGraw-Hill Connect Engineering (paired with Hayt, Sadiku, Rizzoni); Pearson Mastering Engineering (paired with Nilsson); WebAssign.
• Laboratory equipment: DC power supplies; function generators; oscilloscopes (Tektronix or similar; modern digital storage oscilloscopes); digital multimeters; breadboards; resistor and capacitor sets; standard semiconductor components (1N4001 diodes, 2N3904/2N3906 transistors, op-amps such as LM741 or TL081); standard logic-IC components (74-series TTL or CMOS); transformers; small DC motors; small AC motors (where included).
• Circuit-simulation software: Multisim (NI; widely used at Florida institutions); LTspice (free, Analog Devices); PSpice (Cadence student edition); the PhET Circuit Construction Kit (free, qualitative).
• Calculators: Most institutions allow scientific or graphing calculators with complex-number arithmetic capability — essential for AC-circuit analysis. Some institutions specify approved models.
• Practice and reference resources: All About Circuits; the Khan Academy electrical-engineering modules; Stack Exchange (Electrical Engineering); EEVblog (popular YouTube channel).
• Tutoring and support: Institution engineering learning centers; Supplemental Instruction (SI) sessions where available; lab teaching assistants; faculty office hours; engineering student-society peer mentoring.

Career Pathways

EGN3373C develops the electrical-engineering breadth required for non-EE engineering practice. The course supports the following career pathways:

• Mechanical Engineer with Electrical Systems Awareness — Florida manufacturing, aerospace, defense, and theme-park sectors all require mechanical engineers who can interface effectively with EE colleagues; understanding motors, instrumentation, and control systems is foundational.
• Civil Engineer / Structural Engineer with Electrical Systems Awareness — building electrical-distribution systems; instrumentation for civil-engineering applications.
• Aerospace Engineer with Electrical Systems Awareness — Florida aerospace sector requires aerospace engineers who understand avionics, instrumentation, and electrical-power systems aboard spacecraft and aircraft.
• Biomedical Engineer with Electrical Systems Awareness — biomedical instrumentation, medical-device design; Florida biomedical sector at AdventHealth, Moffitt Cancer Center, Sylvester Cancer Center, Mayo Clinic Florida.
• Environmental Engineer with Electrical Systems Awareness — environmental monitoring instrumentation; renewable-energy systems; Florida environmental-engineering sector.
• Industrial / Systems Engineer — industrial automation; instrumentation and control systems in manufacturing.
• Defense Systems Engineer — Florida's substantial defense-engineering sector at L3Harris, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Raytheon all require multi-disciplinary engineers who understand both mechanical and electrical aspects of systems.
• Theme-Park Engineering / Imagineering — Walt Disney Imagineering, Universal Creative; ride engineering requires multi-disciplinary engineering with electrical-systems competence.
• Building Systems Engineer — HVAC controls; building automation; smart-building systems.
• Renewable Energy Engineering — solar, wind, energy-storage applications; Florida's emerging renewable-energy sector.

Special Information

Articulation and Transfer

EGN3373C articulates among Florida SUS institutions that offer it. A grade of C or higher is typically required for the course to satisfy major prerequisites and to allow continued progression in upper-division engineering coursework.

EGN3373C vs. EEL Course Sequence (Critical Distinction)

This is an important course-placement distinction for engineering students:

• EGN3373C (this course) — Electrical Systems for non-EE majors. Single comprehensive course covering DC circuits, AC circuits, power, machines, electronics, and digital. Appropriate for mechanical, civil, aerospace, biomedical, environmental, and industrial engineering majors.
• EEL3003C/EEL3004C, EEL3111C/EEL3112C sequences — the rigorous EE-major circuits-and-electronics sequence. Two-semester (or longer) treatment going into substantially greater depth. Required for electrical engineering and computer engineering majors.

Students intending to major in electrical or computer engineering must take the EE-major sequence and not EGN3373C. Students transferring between majors who take EGN3373C and later switch to EE/CE typically must retake the EE-major sequence.

Prerequisites

Standard prerequisites typically include:

• PHY2049/PHY2049L (Calculus-Based Physics II) with a minimum grade of C — provides the electromagnetism foundation
• MAC2312 (Calculus II) with a minimum grade of C — provides the mathematical foundation
• Some institutions require MAP2302 (Differential Equations) as prerequisite or co-requisite, especially for transient-response analysis

Specific requirements vary by institution.

Position in the Engineering Curriculum

EGN3373C is typically taken in the junior year (5th or 6th semester) of non-EE engineering programs. The course typically requires completion of the calculus-based physics sequence and at least Calculus II. EGN3373C is followed by:

• Discipline-specific upper-division courses
• Senior design (capstone) courses

Course Format and Workload

EGN3373C is typically a 3- or 4-credit upper-division course. The 4-credit version generally meets 3 hours of lecture and 2-3 hours of laboratory per week; the 3-credit version may have a smaller lab component. Expect: weekly textbook reading; weekly problem sets (substantial — circuit analysis requires extensive practice); weekly laboratory exercises with formal lab reports; 3-4 unit exams; a comprehensive final exam. Out-of-class workload typically runs 8-12 hours per week — circuit analysis is calculation-intensive, particularly in the AC-phasor portion of the course. Consistent weekly engagement is essential; the topics build on each other systematically.

Course Code Variations

Florida institutions title this course "Electrical Systems," "Introduction to Electrical Engineering," or "Principles of Electrical Engineering" (the title used in the widely-adopted Rizzoni textbook). The course is most commonly 3 credits with integrated lab; some institutions offer it as 4 credits. Some institutions use alternative SCNS codes (EGN3372C, EGN3374, etc.) for similar content; students transferring should verify equivalency.