You have already been exposed to circuit concepts in our core. If you like circuits, you will no doubt consider taking electives described in the Circuits Depth Area. However, there are many other courses which, although they do not deal directly with circuits, will give you the background you need to do a better job with circuits. Most of these courses do this by providing you with the necessary theoretical tools; some expose you to a range of circuit application areas. So you can improve both your depth and breadth with these courses! You are encouraged to consider them. For your convenience, we have grouped these courses in categories. We should note that this is not an exclusive list, and that the comments made on particular courses may not apply in your case; please consider what follows in the context of your own situation. In addition, as of 2006 many of these courses are being offered every year, but please check the current course offerings to confirm availability. Finally, many of these courses can likely be used as additional technical electives, but please check with your advisor if you have any questions about the rules for satisfying the technical elective requirement, or if you need any approvals.
Key courses that give you a basic theoretical background
in topics relevant to circuits:
- ELEN E3701x Introduction to Communication Systems
(you can take this course as part of the core).
This course discusses basic theoretical concepts
which are relevant to the design of communication
circuits and systems.
- EEME E3601x Classical Control Systems
A key course that exposes you to a rigorous treatment
of feedback systems, very important in the design of
analog circuits. There are control systems in your DVD
player and hard disk drive!
- ELEN E4810x Digital Signal Processing
This course discusses the basic theoretical concepts
behind digital signal processors (DSPs), which are
today ubiquitous in a variety of electronic systems.
You may have some in your iPod and DVC player.
- ELEN E4815y Random Signals and Noise Here you will see your basic probability knowledge applied to a variety of topics relevant to circuits - not the least of which is random noise � an omnipresent nuisance that circuit designers have to deal with and combat.
Courses that allow you to do your own projects:
- ELEN E3998 Projects in Electrical Engineering
If you have an idea you would like to pursue, or if you
would like more experience in a topic you are interested in,
you may want to consider this course. However, it requires
finding a faculty member willing to supervise you first;
this is not always possible.
- ELEN E4998 Intermediate Projects In Electrical Engineering Ditto, for more advanced projects only.
To deepen your understanding of computers and digital systems:
- ELEN E4824x Computer Architecture
- CSEE W4825y Digital Systems Design
- CSEE E4861y Computer-Aided Design for Digital Systems
To further your knowledge of communications and control:
- EEME E4601y Digital Control Systems
The sequel to EEME E3601, but for discrete-time control systems.
- ELEN E4702y Communication Theory
If you liked ELEN E3701, and you have a theoretical bent,
consider this course. It discusses advanced communication
concepts and their applications.
See what makes your cell phone tick.
- ELEN E4703y Wireless Communications Application of the communication concepts you learned in ELEN E3701 in the ubiquitous wireless systems.
Courses emphasizing the physical aspects of components in electronics and photonics:
- ELEN E4301y Introduction to Semiconductor Devices
Good circuit designers do not treat their devices as black boxes;
a deep knowledge of semiconductor device operation allows them
to design better circuits. The sequel to our core course on the
same subject, ELEN E3106.
- ELEN E4401x Wave Transmission and Fiber Optics
- ELEN E4411x Fundamentals of Photonics
- ELEN E4501x Electromagnetic Devices and Energy Conversion
- ELEN E4503x Sensors, Actuators, and Electromechanical Systems
- ELEN E4944 Introduction to Semiconductor Processing This course teaches you how integrated circuits are made. A must for serious IC designers � this knowledge can help you design better circuits!
If you are interested in acoustics, music and signal processing:
- ELEN E4890y Music Signal Processing The name says it all.
To deepen your knowledge of mathematics relevant to circuits work:
- APMA E3102y Applied Mathematics, II
- APMA E4001y Principles of Applied Mathematics
- APMA E4200x Partial Differential Equations
Perhaps the only course that will give you the math tools
to treat distributed-parameter systems (virtually
everything you have learned about circuits dealt with
lumped-parameter systems).
- MATH V3028y Partial Differential Equations
Ditto, from the Math department.
- MATH W4032x Fourier Analysis
A detailed exposition to Fourier analysis, an
important topic to which you were briefly introduced
in your signals and systems class.
- APMA E4204x Functions of a Complex Variable
This course develops the mathematics needed for a deep
understanding of Fourier and Laplace transforms,
essential tools for the study of the behavior of linear systems.
- MATH V3007y Complex Variables
Ditto, from the Math department.
- APMA E4300y Numerical Methods
Find out how computers actually perform numerical computations.
- MATH V3027x Ordinary Differential Equations
A deeper discussion of ODEs, to which you were
introduced in APMA A2101.
- APMA E4101y Introduction to Nonlinear Dynamical Systems Learn about dynamical systems which, in contrast to what you may have seen so far, are characterized by nonlinear differential equations. For theoretically-inclined students.
To deepen your knowledge of physics relevant to circuits:
- MECE E3301x Thermodynamics To give you an idea of how relevant this topic is to EE, suffice it to say that, until recently, it was part of the core! Among other things, here you will learn concepts needed for deep work in device noise.