A low oil level can cause your check engine light to come on and in most newer vehicles you should have an indicator saying your oil level is low.
A check engine light coming on can also indicate engine overheating, transmission problems, low transmission fluid and many other serious problems.
Although a simple cause of a check engine light coming on is a lose or faulty gas cap so check the gas cap first.
Do always check your oil level before it's allowed to get too low because not having enough oil in your engine can cause your engine to seize up and might even cause a hole to be put through the engine block.