Radio Frequency Engineer: Schools, Courses & Classes

Radio frequency engineering is often studied as part of a wider qualification in electric or electronic engineering. However, at the graduate level there are more options to specialize in the field. Read on to see what qualifications are available in radio frequency engineering.

What Qualifications Do I Need to Become a Radio Frequency Engineer?

If you want to get licensed as a Professional Engineer (PE) you must have at least a bachelor's degree in engineering. To become a radio frequency engineer with licensure, you should either study the subject as part of your bachelor's program, or you could complete a graduate certificate or master's program that specializes in the field.

There are also several undergraduate options, such as certificates or associate's degrees, if you want to work as a technician in radio frequency without getting licensure as a PE. To start out with your undergraduate studies, it is recommended that you take subjects such as math and physics in high school. It would also help if you took a drafting course because engineers must often produce technical drawings.

Whatever your level of study, practical experience is important, and many schools will offer you the opportunity to get hands-on working experience in radio frequency engineering while you complete your qualification.

What Will I Learn in an Undergraduate Program in Radio Frequency Engineering?

You will learn about the principles of radio systems, as well as how to design cost-effective radio frequency subsystems, and how to translate these into full systems. The simulation, validation and testing of radio frequency systems should also be covered.

Other topics you would encounter include system architecture, the active and passive components of radio frequency systems, things that can impair a system, and antennas.

What Programs in Radio Frequency Engineering Are Available at the Undergraduate Level?

There are several options available for undergraduates who want to study in the field of radio frequency engineering - from certificates to associate's degrees and bachelor's degrees.

• The University of California-San Diego offers a one-and-a-half-year online certificate program in radio frequency engineering that provides the student with introductory-level theoretical and practical knowledge in the field.
• Cuyahoga Community College, in Cleveland, Ohio, offers an Associate of Applied Science in Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technology with a Concentration in Digital Communications (including radio frequency).
• The University of Arizona, in Tucson, has a bachelor's degree in electrical and computer engineering that enables its graduates to get certified in radio frequency and microwave technologies.
• The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee offers a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering with a technical elective track in microwave/radio-frequency engineering.

What Subjects Are Covered in Graduate Programs in Radio Frequency Engineering?

Subjects include how to deal with radio signals in an environment with high interference, how to transmit digital information via electromagnetics, how to design and operate microwave systems, optical fiber engineering, and 5G technology.

Graduate programs typically also cover related topics in the wider field of telecommunications engineering. Examples are cybersecurity, biomedical engineering and ways to harvest power.

What Graduate Level Programs in Radio Frequency Engineering Are Available?

Here are some schools that offer engineering graduates either certificates or master's programs that cover the field of radio frequency engineering.

• The University of Massachusetts-Lowell has a Microwave and Wireless Engineering Certificate aimed at electronic and electric engineering graduates who want to specialize in radio frequency engineering. Certificate holders can also apply for the university's master's program in electrical engineering.
• The University of Kansas, in Lawrence, offers a Graduate Certificate in RF Systems Engineering for electrical engineering graduates who don't want to pursue a full master's degree in the subject.
• Florida International University's Miami campus offers a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering with an RF and Microwave Track, which takes 10 months to complete.
• The University of Texas at Dallas has a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering with a concentration in Circuits, which includes a course in radio frequency and microwave circuits.

Do I Need Licensure and What Certifications Are Available?

In the USA, engineers are licensed at the state level. The exam to get licensed as a PE is administered by the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying.

Radio frequency engineers can get the Wireless Communications Engineering Technologies Certification from ComSoc, the Communications Society of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.