Electrical Engineering Program Begins at Mississippi College

Dr. Chris Maggio

Mississippi College leaders will soon start recruiting electrical engineering students to enroll in the Fall of 2015.

The goal is to attract an entering freshman class of about 15 students the first year, and continue to grow the program on the Clinton campus in future years to rise to 60 majors.

“We are very excited about this new opportunity for students to pursue studies in electrical engineering within the context of a Christian university,” says Dr. Stan Baldwin, dean of the School of Science and Mathematics.

Others at Mississippi College are delighted the program recently received the endorsement of the university’s Board of Trustees and moves forward. The proposed curriculum for the B.S. electrical engineering degree at the Baptist-affiliated university is modeled after the one at Mississippi State University.

Chris Maggio, chairman of the MC Department of Computer Science and Physics, expects the innovative program on the Clinton campus will be a big draw to potential students.

It should attract students “looking for a Christian educational experience, close proximity to the Jackson area, and the benefits of being part of a small program,” Maggio said in early May. MC’s engineering program, he added, “can guarantee close interactions with faculty and fellow classmates.”

Electrical engineering is a growing field in the USA and around the world. Electrical and electronics engineers together formed the largest number of engineers in America’s workforce in 2012, reports the Congressional Research Office.

Studies also show electrical engineering was among the top ten science and engineering occupations with the largest job growth between 2008 and 2012. The average salary for an electrical engineer in the USA is about $83,110 annually. There are an estimated 1.6 million engineers. That number includes 157,800 electrical engineers.

In 2013, engineers accounted for 7 of the top 10 highest paying degrees in terms of starting salaries. Electrical and electronics engineers made the list as the sixth highest paid with average starting salaries of  $63,400.

Mississippi State, the University of Mississippi and Jackson State University already operate engineering schools. Popular engineering schools around the nation include Georgia Tech, the University of Texas, Penn State, the University of Illinois and the University of Southern California, among others.

Working in the engineering field requires a bachelor’s degree, but people in research jobs typically must have a master’s degree.

MC’s electrical engineering launch comes amid signs of a brightening USA economy. Big plants around the Magnolia State like Nissan in Canton, and Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula are often seeking to hire engineers.

The Mississippi College program will give students the tools to prepare for a career designing, developing, testing and supervising the manufacturing and installation of electrical equipment, components or systems.

MC’s electrical engineering initiative will share facilities and equipment with the university’s computer science, physics and engineering physics programs.

For additional information, contact Chris Maggio at 601-925-3213 or maggio@mc.edu.