Principles and Practice of Engineering (PE) – Electrical and Computer: Electronics, Controls, and Communications
Build your understanding of Principles and Practice of Engineering (PE) – Electrical and Computer: Electronics, Controls, and Communications with practice questions you can work through at your own pace.
Try a sample questionExam overview and details
The Principles and Practice of Engineering (PE) - Electrical and Computer: Electronics, Controls, and Communications exam is a licensure examination administered by NCEES for engineers seeking professional engineering licensure in the electrical and computer discipline with a focus on electronics, controls, and communications. The exam consists of 143 questions and tests candidates across seven core knowledge areas: Circuit Analysis, Communications, Control Systems, Digital Systems, Electromagnetic Compatibility, Electronic Circuits and Devices, and Signal Processing. It is designed for engineers who have completed an accredited engineering degree, gained qualifying work experience under a licensed PE, and are prepared to demonstrate competency at the level expected of an independent practitioner. Candidates typically work in roles involving electronic system design, telecommunications infrastructure, control system integration, signal processing, or embedded hardware development. Passing the exam demonstrates that the engineer can apply fundamental principles to practical design problems, analyze complex systems, and make sound engineering judgments. The credential carries legal weight: licensed PEs can stamp and seal engineering documents, offer services directly to the public, and assume responsible charge of engineering work. For many engineers in electronics, controls, and communications, the PE license signals a commitment to professional standards, opens doors to leadership and consulting roles, and provides a recognized benchmark of technical and ethical competence.
Sample Questions
Choose an answer and explore the explanation to see how practice works.
A candidate reviews the FE Civil CBT exam specifications before test day. How many questions are on the exam?
A Zener diode begins conducting in the reverse direction once which condition is met, a property exploited in voltage regulation circuits?
A sinusoidal signal at a higher frequency is applied to a practical op amp. As frequency increases, what happens to the op amp's available gain?
When several number bases appear together in digital design documentation, how is a number's base conventionally indicated?
A band-limited signal with bandwidth W is being sampled for later reconstruction. What minimum sampling-rate condition must be met to avoid the possibility of aliasing preventing exact reconstruction?
Exam insights and study advice
The PE license is more than a credential; it is a legal authorization to take professional responsibility for engineering work that affects public safety, reliability, and infrastructure. In electronics, controls, and communications, the stakes are tangible: a misdesigned control loop can cause equipment failure, an EMC oversight can disrupt critical communications, and a signal processing error can corrupt data in systems people depend on. Passing this exam confirms that you can be trusted to design, review, and approve such systems independently. It also has direct career impact: licensed engineers qualify for senior technical and management positions, can pursue independent consulting, and often command higher compensation. For those working in regulated industries such as utilities, transportation, defense, or medical devices, the PE is frequently required or strongly preferred. Beyond the legal and financial benefits, the preparation process itself sharpens your ability to reason across disciplinary boundaries, which is exactly what real-world electronics, controls, and communications work demands.
What this exam covers
Use the published domain weights to plan your study. Practice results do not predict your certification exam score.
01Circuit Analysis and Design
Topics
- Passive and active components
- DC circuits
- AC circuits
- Transient analysis
- Battery characteristics and applications
Learning objectives
- Passive and active components
- DC circuits
- AC circuits
- Transient analysis
- Battery characteristics and applications
02Analog and Digital Control Systems
Topics
- Block diagrams and signal flow graphs
- Characteristic equations
- Frequency response
- Time response
- Stability
- Digital control systems
Learning objectives
- Block diagrams and signal flow graphs
- Characteristic equations
- Frequency response
- Time response
- Stability
- Digital control systems
03Digital Systems
Topics
- Combinational logic
- Sequential logic
- Logic devices
- Programmable logic devices
Learning objectives
- Combinational logic
- Sequential logic
- Logic devices
- Programmable logic devices
04Electronics Circuits
Topics
- Device models
- Networks and filters
- Nonlinear component applications
- Frequency response
- Transient analysis
- Power, energy, and heat dissipation
Learning objectives
- Device models
- Networks and filters
- Nonlinear component applications
- Frequency response
- Transient analysis
- Power, energy, and heat dissipation
05Electronic Components
Topics
- Diodes, transistors, and other solid-state devices
- Power supplies and converters
- Power amplifiers
Learning objectives
- Diodes, transistors, and other solid-state devices
- Power supplies and converters
- Power amplifiers
06Electromagnetics and Fiber Optics
Topics
- Electromagnetic properties of materials
- Electromagnetic waves and propagation
- Electromagnetic compatibility
- Transmission lines and waveguides
- Antennas
- Optical fibers
Learning objectives
- Electromagnetic properties of materials
- Electromagnetic waves and propagation
- Electromagnetic compatibility
- Transmission lines and waveguides
- Antennas
- Optical fibers
07Measurement and Instrumentation
Topics
- Transducers
- Operational amplifiers
- Measurement system analysis and design
Learning objectives
- Transducers
- Operational amplifiers
- Measurement system analysis and design
08Safety and Reliability
Topics
- Failure limits and circuit protection
- Electromagnetic field exposure
- Safety and protection
- Reliability analysis
Learning objectives
- Failure limits and circuit protection
- Electromagnetic field exposure
- Safety and protection
- Reliability analysis
09Signal Processing
Topics
- Sampling theory
- Transforms and applications
- Analog-to-digital and digital-to-analog conversion
- Filtering
- Signal processing system analysis and design
Learning objectives
- Sampling theory
- Transforms and applications
- Analog-to-digital and digital-to-analog conversion
- Filtering
- Signal processing system analysis and design
10Communication Techniques
Topics
- Analog modulation
- Digital modulation
Learning objectives
- Analog modulation
- Digital modulation
11Communications Systems
Topics
- Wired communications
- Wireless communications
- Multiple access techniques
- Traffic capacity analysis
Learning objectives
- Wired communications
- Wireless communications
- Multiple access techniques
- Traffic capacity analysis
12Noise and Interference
Topics
- Noise
- Interference
- Coding, error detection, and correction
Learning objectives
- Noise
- Interference
- Coding, error detection, and correction