History

The origins of the Department of Electrical Engineering can be traced back to the Mechanical and Electrical Institute, Istanbul University (Istanbul Dar-ül Fünun) Faculty of Science, in 1926. In 1934, the institute was bounded to “Yüksek Mühendis Mektebi” (Master of Engineering College), today’s Istanbul Technical University, as the Electro-Mechanic Division, which was the official start of the Department of Electrical Engineering. This division produced its first graduates in 1936 with the students adopted from Istanbul Dar-ül Fünun.

“Communications Division (Muhabere Şubesi)” was established with the passing of the “Master of Engineering College” in May 25, 1935, to meet the demand for engineers by PTT (Postal Telephone and Telegraph) Corporation. Ord. Prof. M. Emin Kalmuk was appointed as the Division Head. The Electric Division of the Electro-Mechanic Division merged with the Communications Division in 1937 and the Electrical Communications Division came into existence. The Electric-Communications Division was renamed as the Electric Department in 1938. When the Master of Engineering College was transferred to Istanbul Technical University in 1944, the department became the Faculty of Electrical Engineering. There were two subdivisions within the faculty: High Current (Electrical Power Engineering) and Low Current (Electronics and Communications Engineering). Engineers completed five years of study to graduate with an MSc degree. The period of study was decreased to four years for BSc degrees in 1969. MSc degrees started to be given for those who completed two years of study after completing their undergraduate program.   

Meanwhile, ITU Maçka Technical School was established in 1954 and converted into the Engineering Faculty in 1972, the electrical branch of the Technical School became the Electrical Engineering Department. ITU Electrical Faculty (Electrical Engineering and Electronics Engineering programs) was joined with ITU Maçka Electrical Faculty in 1982.

ITU Electrical Engineering Faculty Low Current Branch was replaced by Electronics and Communications Engineering Department and High Current Branch was replaced by Electrical Engineering Department. In addition, Control and Computer Engineering Department was established. Divisions were merged under departments and the Faculty was renamed as the “Faculty of Electrical and Electronics Engineering” in 1983. 

Syllabuses and contents were reorganized as a result of re-structural studies in 1996 and the Computer Engineering Department was established in 1998. Control and Command Systems Department was reorganized within the Electrical Engineering Department in 1999. These new undergraduate programs, Electronics Engineering (2001-2009), Telecommunication Engineering (2001-2009) and Control Engineering started to give education in 2001. First graduates were in 2005. Electronics Engineering and Telecommunication Engineering Programs merged under the undergraduate program of Electronics and Communication Engineering in 2010. As of 2014, “Electrical Engineering”, “Electronics and Communication Engineering” and “Control and Automation Engineering” undergraduate programs have been admitting students. 14160 students graduated from the Faculty of Electrical and Electronics Engineering between 1945 and 2014. 

Following the Higher Education Board (YÖK) decision on 14/02/2008, the Control Engineering Department was founded within the Faculty, the undergraduate program in Control Engineering and graduate programs in Control and Automation Engineering were decreed to be within this new department. The undergraduate program of “Control Engineering” was renamed as “Control and Automation Engineering” program in 2014. In order to keep up with the contemporary developments, Computer Engineering was reshaped as a separate department under the same faculty. All related programs and departments were transferred to the new Faculty of Computer and Informatics in 2010.

There were four divisions in the Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering as Electronics, Communications, Electromagnetic Fields and Microwave Technique, Circuits and Systems, two divisions in the Department of Electrical Engineering as Electrical Installations and Electrical Machines and the Division of Control and Automation in the Department of Control Engineering. Each subdivision merged in 2009 to form three separate departments. 

Following the foundation of the Higher Education Board (YÖK), graduate programs were organized within the ITU Graduate School of Science Engineering and Technology. Graduate departments of Institution related to Faculty consists of Electrical Engineering, Electronics and Communication Engineering and Control and Automation Engineering.

Undergraduate and graduate programs in the ITU were reorganized in 2002. Today, the Faculty of Electrical and Electronics Engineering have MSc and PhD programs in Electrical Engineering, Electronics Engineering, Telecommunications Engineering, Control and Automation Engineering as well as an MSc program in Biomedical Engineering. There are also some interdisciplinary graduate programs carried through the contributions of the Faculty departments including MSc and PhD programs in Mechatronics Engineering, Satellite Communication and Remote Sensing as well as an MSc Program in Railways Systems Engineering. 

As of 2014, an international joint dual degree undergraduate program has been initiated together with the Electronics and Communications Engineering Department of our Faculty and the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department of the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT). Students who complete this undergraduate program successfully receive both a BSc degree in Electronics and Communications Engineering of ITU and a BSc degree in Electrical Engineering of NJIT.

In 2005, undergraduate programs of the Faculty were evaluated by ABET and received accreditation. Undergraduate programs in Electrical Engineering and Control Engineering received full accreditation in 2011. In 2016, all undergraduate programs in the Faculty will be evaluated by ABET.  

References

1. Sixty Years of ITU Faculty of Electrical and Electronics Engineering (1934-1994) – Anniversary Book, 1994.
2. Eighty Years of ITU Faculty of Electrical and Electronics Engineering (1934-2014) – Anniversary Book, 2014.