Course Overview
Electrical Engineering I: Circuits and Robots (EE I) is intended for high school students with zero or very limited experience with electrical circuits or robots. It is designed for any student who is curious about the field of Electrical Engineering, yet has never built an electrical circuit before, let alone a small autonomous robot, and is interested in doing just that.
During the 2-week period of this course, our students will take some light yet eye-opening theoretical classes on foundational concepts of electrical engineering, microwaves, and quantum computing. These classes will be presented in a fun and lightning way by an array of faculty members who are experts in the field. Central to the program, our students will also have an extensive exposure to hands-on activities in our laboratories, where they will work on mini robot projects from start to finish. These robot projects, whose tangible deliverables they will be proud to show and talk about at the end of the program, will help cement some of the concepts presented in the short theoretical classes. In addition, our students will have the opportunity to tour various labs in our department and beyond. They will also tour some electrical engineering industry labs in the Syracuse region as part of field trips.
All in all, our students will have a fun experience of what it is like to be an Electrical Engineering student at Syracuse University and have the opportunity to preview their future experience in industry. Living on-campus, they will be able to make the most of various resources offered on our campus, and make new friends and connections. All for an excellent and memorable 2-week academic-life experience!
All students who successfully complete the course will receive a Certificate of Completion and have the opportunity to request a Syracuse University noncredit transcript.
Learning Objectives
This course will give the students the practical opportunity to:
- Understand some fundamental laws and principles of electrical engineering circuits.
- Understand some fundamental principles of microwave.
- Understand some fundamental principles of quantum computing.
- Build and take measurements of electrical circuits.
- Build small robots from start to finish.
- Become familiar with the lab environment in both the academic setting and the industry setting.
Course Information
Course Prefix and Number: SCN 147
Format: On Campus (at Syracuse University)
Eligibility: Students must be of rising high school sophomore, junior, or senior status – or a 2026 high school graduate.
Credit: Noncredit
Grading: Pass/Fail
- Residential: $4,995
- Commuter: $4,024
Program rates are subject to change and will be approved by the board of trustees. Discounts and scholarships are also available.
Program Information
Summer College – On Campus: Experience what college is really like: take a college-level course, live in a residence hall, have meals with friends in a dining hall, and participate in activities and events on campus.
Course Dates and Details
| Program | Course Dates | Class Time (Eastern Time) | Credit/Noncredit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Summer College – On Campus | 2-Week Session I: Sunday, July 5 – Friday, July 17, 2026 | MTWThF; 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. | Noncredit |
To see if this course is ‘open,’ refer to the full course catalog.
Course Requirements
Technology Requirements
A laptop is required for this class.
Typical Day
Tentative Schedule
- First Block (9 a.m. to Noon): students will have theoretical instruction and have EE engineers give talks about hot topics in EE. (50-minute sessions, 10-min breaks).
- Lunch break (Noon – 1 p.m.)
- Second block (1 to 4 p.m.): students will have lab experiments, build electrical circuits and small robots. They will work in teams of two.
When class is over, and on weekends, students can look forward to various Summer College – On Campus activities to meet and connect with other students! Check out our On Campus Experience page for more information!
Field Trips
There will be 1-2 field trips to electrical engineering-related local companies in the Syracuse region.
Faculty Bio
Yue Cao
Yue Cao’s research centers on utilizing AI techniques to facilitate the automation and intelligence of robotic systems, particularly manipulators. His primary research goal is to advance task-oriented programming systems for manipulators. He focuses on developing approaches that integrate generative AI with classical robotics theory to achieve automatic task planning and planning-to-execution transition for manipulators.