Helping to Forge Maine’s Future E E TE E T Electrical Engineering Technology Solving Today’s Problems for Industry

Helping to Forge Maine’s Future

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Solving Today’s Problems for Industry


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The mission of the Electrical Engineering Technology program is to provide a quality education for its students and an outstanding professional development environment for its faculty and students.

To accomplish this mission, the Department has set the following educational objectives for its Electrical Engineering Technology curriculum.

To prepare students to immediately contribute in the workplace upon graduation through exposure to state of the art industrial equipment, internship experience and design project experience.

To prepare students in the business of engineering technology through the understanding of economic and business principles and effective project management techniques.

To prepare students for the increasing computer requirements of industry through the use of computing hardware and software throughout the technical curriculum.

To provide students with an appreciation for the ethical, legal and professional obligations necessary to function effectively in a contemporary business environment.

To develop students’ communication skills to a level that they can present complex ideas in a clear, logical and concise manner both orally and in writing.


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Program Description

The Electrical Engineering Technology (EET) program at the University of Maine prepares students for professional electrical engineering careers in industry. The program provides students with the theory and “hands-on” experience necessary for them to quickly become productive in their jobs after graduation. The EET program offers two distinct paths to pursue the degree. These are the Electrical Option and the Information Technology Option.


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Electrical Option

This option provides students with a traditional electrical and electronic engineering curriculum with extra concentration in subject areas that are particularly important to industry in the Northeast. These subject areas are: analog electronic design, integrated motion control, electrical machinery operation and microcomputer applications. All courses in the program are taught in a way that includes a strong component of practical applications, along with basic theoretical concepts.


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Information Technology Option

An increasing industry demand for engineers with basic electrical hardware knowledge along with advanced network communication and management skills has led to this option. This pathway requires students to take the basic electrical courses during the first two years of the program and then branch to information technology courses in the last two years of the program. The eight information technology electives are taken in the areas of information science, management information systems, computer science and computer engineering.


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Engineering Technology Combines Engineering Theory with Practical Industrial Management Principles

Regardless of option selection, the EET degree requires students to gain an understanding of engineering management principles. Courses in engineering economics, statistical process control and project management are required of all graduates. This highlights the program's focus on preparing graduates for entry into the work force upon graduation. The program is constantly updated in response to input from an Industrial Advisory Committee that has representatives from manufacturing, power utilities, process industries, data communications and electronics companies.


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Program Faculty

The faculty in the EET program focus upon teaching the students. They all have significant industrial experience and serve actively as consulting professional engineers when not teaching. Program faculty teach all classes and laboratories. Thus, students learn first-hand about current industry trends and the latest engineering equipment.


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Senior Design Experience

A very important part of the education of all EET students is a Senior Design Project course that is taken during both semesters of their senior year. Design projects are required in most of the EET courses to prepare students for their capstone project. The Senior Design Project requires student teams to solve a design problem while utilizing good engineering design and reporting procedures.


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Concentration in Computer Engineering Technology

Students who wish to pursue the electrical option but still gain some experience in computer and data networking applications may pursue a concentration in computer engineering technology. To achieve the concentration students are required to take 12 credits of approved courses offered by the computer engineering, information science and computer science departments for their free and technical elective choices.


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Minor Options

The EET students can also enrich their academic experience by completing minors that complement their program such as business administration, math, engineering entrepreneurship or pulp and paper technology.


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Cooperative “Work Experience” Program Option

All EET students who have achieved sophomore status are encouraged to participate in a well-established co-op program that allows students to receive course credit while gaining valuable experience with an industry of their choice. The department faculty work closely with key industrial partners to maintain cooperative education opportunities that are technically challenging and offer strong economic benefits.


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Employment Opportunities

Graduates of the EET program fill a wide variety of professional technical positions in industry. Typically, they take jobs that involve designing and manufacturing a product or operating a plant. EET graduates are the electrical back-bone of the manufacturing community and often manage project and maintenance teams of electricians and engineers. Their responsibilities lean toward design and production rather than research.


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Scholarships

The program offers scholarships for outstanding students majoring in Electrical Engineering Technology. In addition, students can apply for scholarships through the College of Engineering.


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Questions and answers:

Where can I find employment? Just about anywhere a graduate wants to live. Logically, there will be more opportunity in Portland than Fort Kent. Graduates have gotten jobs all over the United States from Hawaii to Florida, Maine to California.

What jobs can I get as a graduate of Electrical Engineering Technology? There are numerous jobs in the manufacturing sector with equipment manufacturers, semiconductors, electronics, paper, power delivery and consulting firms servicing those industries. The most common jobs are project engineer, electrical and instrumentation engineer, equipment engineer, field engineer and applications engineer.

What is the starting salary? Salaries depend on the location of the employer. The Boston area pays more than Fort Kent. Starting salaries last year ranged from $45,000 to $55,000.


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Questions and answers:Where do graduates work? Graduates work across the United States though many choose to stay in Maine. They work in small towns and large cities. Location is largely based on where manufacturing firms are located. Graduates can generally work where ever they desire, in whatever size firm they feel comfortable.

How hard is it to get jobs? The EET faculty have built a strong network of contacts consisting of firms that typically hire our students. We work with students personally to help place them in positions that fit their interests. Over the last several years, we have had an almost 100% placement rate within three months of graduation.

How difficult is it to find summer jobs? With a little effort, students can obtain summer positions with prospective employers the summer after their second or third year in firms near their home. A typical student will work as an electronics technician or update electrical drawings during their first year. The summer after their third year they are assigned regular engineering duties so they can get a feel for engineering careers with that firm. A very high percentage of student internships lead to full time jobs after graduation.


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Questions and Answers Will I be “small fish in a big pond” at the University of Maine?

The University of Maine has almost 10,000 students. As a result, the University of Maine has a well-staffed medical facility, comfortable dorms, large library, spacious concert center, numerous recreation opportunities, nationally recognized sports teams (e.g., ice hockey), free tutoring, and a friendly atmosphere. Situated within the University of Maine is a small, close-knit family of students that comprise Electrical Engineering Technology. The Electrical Engineering Technology program has approximately 80 students total. That is less than most high school classes that students come from. The average class size in an Electrical Engineering Technology class is about 19 students. The program is more like a one-room school house. With a cadre of four full-time faculty, the faculty are able to work closely

with the students throughout the four-year program.


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Can an EET graduate go to graduate school? Yes. While most graduates grab the many of the lucrative offers made to them at graduation, a few have gone on to earn a graduate degree. Most of the graduates that have gone on to graduate school have pursued a Master of Business Administration (MBA). Through a unique partnership with the UMaine ECE program, strong students may pursue a master of science in electrical engineering with minimal additional coursework.

Can an EET student get a professional engineering (PE) license? Yes. Many electrical engineering positions do not require a professional engineering license, but most graduates pursue licensing to enhance their career opportunities. Maine makes no distinction between a regular engineering graduate and a technology graduate in pursuing an engineering license.


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Are the courses difficult? All engineering courses are difficult. Electrical Engineering Technology courses are no exception. The difference with our program is the exceptional access that students have to our faculty. While some institutions may only have 1-2 hours available for students to see faculty, we average 10-15 hours weekly. Students who put sufficient effort into their studies generally perform well. There are tutoring services available. Students with learning disabilities are provided with help and faculty provided with instructions on how to help the student learn.


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Who are the faculty?There are four full-time faculty and one part-time faculty within the Electrical Engineering Technology program. All our faculty are licensed professional engineers. They are required to have both a bachelors and masters degree in engineering to receive tenure. All have several years of engineering practice before teaching in the program.

Scott Dunning specializes in power systems, electric machines, and energy efficiency.

Paul Villeneuve specializes in analog circuit design, control systems and robust instrumentation design.

Jude Pearse specializes in digital systems, microprocessor application and project management.

Spider Williams specializes in digital circuit design and electric circuit design.

Tom Christensen specializes in sequential motion control.


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Contact Information:

Scott Dunning – (207)581-2349 Tom Christensen – (207)581-2717 [email protected] [email protected]

Paul Villeneuve – (207)581-2271 Jude Pearse – (207)581-2346 [email protected] [email protected]

Spider Williams – (207)581-3395 [email protected]

School of Engineering Technology (207)581-2341 5711 Boardman Hall www.umaine.edu/set University of Maine (207)581-2113 fax Orono, Maine 04469


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The Electrical Engineering Technology Program is anxious to help you meet

your educational goals!

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Helping to Forge Maine’s Future E E TE E T Electrical Engineering Technology Solving Today’s Problems for Industry