Learn at your own pace and power your future with this fully online Master of Science in Electrical Engineering (MS-EE).Learn more about our Online Master's - Electrical Engineering Opens in new window
Light Emitting Diodes and Semiconductor Lasers Specialization: 1st course in Active Optical Devices Instructor: Juliet Gopinath, Ph.D., Associate Professor
You will learn about semiconductor light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and lasers, and the important rules for their analysis, planning, design, and implementation. You will also apply your knowledge through challenging homework problem sets to cement your understanding of the material and prepare you to apply in your career.
Nanophotonics and Detectors Specialization: 2nd course in Active Optical Devices Instructor: Juliet Gopinath, Ph.D., Associate Professor
This course dives into nanophotonic light-emitting devices and optical detectors, including metal semiconductors, metal-semiconductor insulators, and pn junctions. We will also cover photoconductors, avalanche photodiodes, and photomultiplier tubes. Weekly homework problem sets will challenge you to apply the principles of analysis and design we cover in preparation for real-world problems.
Displays Specialization: 3rd course in Active Optical Devices Instructor: Juliet Gopinath, Ph.D., Associate Professor
The course will dive deep into electronic display devices, including liquid crystals, electroluminescent, plasma, organic light-emitting diodes, and electrowetting based displays. You'll learn about various design principles, affordances, and liabilities, and also a variety of applications in the real world of professional optics.
Introduction to Battery Management Systems Specialization: 1st course in Algorithms for Battery Management Systems Instructor: Gregory Plett, Ph.D., Professor
This course will provide you with a firm foundation in lithium-ion cell terminology and function and in battery-management-system requirements as needed by the remainder of the specialization.
Equivalent Circuit Cell Model Simulation Specialization: 2nd course in Algorithms for Battery Management Systems Instructor: Gregory Plett, Ph.D., Professor
In this course, you will learn the purpose of each component in an equivalent-circuit model of a lithium-ion battery cell, how to determine their parameter values from lab-test data, and how to use them to simulate cell behaviors under different load profiles.
Battery State-of-Charge (SOC) Estimation Specialization: 3rd course in Algorithms for Battery Management Systems Instructor: Gregory Plett, Ph.D., Professor
In this course, you will learn how to implement different state-of-charge estimation methods and to evaluate their relative merits
Battery State-of-Health (SOH) Estimation Specialization: 4th course in Algorithms for Battery Management Systems Instructor: Gregory Plett, Ph.D., Professor
In this course, you will learn how to implement different state-of-health estimation methods and to evaluate their relative merits.
Battery Pack Balancing and Power Estimation Specialization: 5th course in Algorithms for Battery Management Systems Instructor: Gregory Plett, Ph.D., Professor
In this course, you will learn how to design balancing systems and to compute remaining energy and available power for a battery pack.
Industrial IoT Markets and Security Specialization: 1st course in Developing Industrial Internet of Things Instructor: David Sluiter, BSEE, Lecturer
This course goes beyond the hype of consumer IoT to emphasize a much greater space for potential embedded system applications and growth: The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), also known as Industry 4.0.
Project Planning and Machine Learning Specialization: 2nd course in Developing Industrial Internet of Things Instructor: David Sluiter, BSEE, Lecturer
Part 2 of the Developing Industrial Internet of Things specialization. You will learn how to staff, plan and execute a project, calibrate sensors, file system operation, and an introduction to big data and machine learning algorithms.
Modeling and Debugging Embedded Systems Specialization: 3rd course in Developing Industrial Internet of Things Instructor: David Sluiter, BSEE, Lecturer
Part 3 of the Developing Industrial Internet of Things specialization. You will learn about modeling cyber-physical systems, the Automotive and Transportation market segment, and what can be learned from studying engineering failures.Syllabus for Modeling and Debugging Embedded Systems Opens in new window
User Experience Design for Embedded Systems Specialization: 1st course in Embedded Interface Design Instructor: Bruce Montgomery, Ph.D., Senior Instructor The Embedded Interface Design course will help you develop unique marketable skills and valuable knowledge of the design considerations, development practices, and industry directions that support human-computer interaction (HCI) and machine-to-machine (M2M) communications for today's embedded devices.
Rapid Prototyping of Embedded Interface Designs Specialization: 2cnd course in Embedded Interface Design Instructor: Bruce Montgomery, Ph.D., Senior Instructor
This is the second of three courses in the Embedded Interface Design (EID) specialization. This course is an introduction to rapid prototyping concepts, platforms, software, and design perspectives that can be applied to embedded devices and systems.
Development of embedded device prototypes also includes a review of platforms, operating systems, and other tools. The class closes with a review of various design perspectives for connected embedded devices and systems, including wearables and voice user interfaces. Includes practical programming exercises using key tools such as Qt, HTML, and Python.
M2M and IOT Interface Design and Protocols Specialization: 3rd course in Embedded Interface Design Instructor: Bruce Montgomery, Ph.D., Senior Instructor
This course is focused on connecting devices to each other and to the cloud to create prototypes and actual systems that flow data from devices to consumers. The class includes an introduction to M2M (Machine-to-Machine) and IoT (Internet of Things) concepts, using the cloud to develop IoT systems (specifically AWS (Amazon Web Services) and its IoT framework), a review of common communications protocols at every level of connected devices, and other IoT design concerns such as security, message queuing approaches, and the use and design of APIs and microservices.
Sensor and Sensor Circuit DesignSpecialization: 1st course in Embedding Sensors and Motors (Pathway) Instructors: Jay Mendelson, MSME, Lecturer & James Zweighaft, MSME
You will need to buy the following components to do the two course projects based on the videos in this module. Note that if you have already purchased the PSOC 5LP PROTOTYPING KIT, you do not need to buy it again. These parts may be purchased off the Digikey web site, www. Digikey.com. Or, you may obtain the specs from the site, and purchase them elsewhere. These are the part numbers typed out, so you can copy and paste them into the Digikey web site. You will need one of each part. 428-3390-ND NHD-0216BZ-RN-YBW-ND 570-1229-ND
Additional parts needed: Wire, Breadboard, ESM Electronic Parts List_FLAT BOM.xlsx, nScope oscilloscope, Note: If the oscilloscope is still not available on Amazon, fill out the nScope request form to buy them now.
Motors and Motor Control CircuitsSpecialization: 2nd course in Embedding Sensors and Motors (Pathway) Instructors: Jay Mendelson, MSME, Lecturer & James Zweighaft, MSME
This is our second course in our specialization on Embedding Sensor and Motors. To get the most out of this course, you should first take our first course entitled Sensors and Sensor Circuits. Our first course gives you a tutorial on how to use the hardware and software development kit we have chosen for the lab exercises. This second course assumes that you already know how to use the kit.
You will need to buy the following components to do the two course projects based on the videos in this module. Note that if you have already purchased the PSOC 5LP PROTOTYPING KIT, you do not need to buy it again. These parts may be purchased off the Digikey web site, www. Digikey.com. Or, you may obtain the specs from the site, and purchase them elsewhere. These are the part numbers for the above table, the lab on Motor Voltage and Current Measurement. You can copy and paste them into the search engine on the Digikey web site. You need one of each except for the AA batteries (N107-ND), which you would need 3. 428-3390-ND P14355-ND FQU13N10LTU-ND N107-ND 1N5393-E3/54GICT-ND RNF14FTD1K00CT-ND P0.62W-1BK-ND These are the part numbers for the above table, so you can copy and paste them into the search engine on the Digikey web site. You will need one of each. 428-3390-ND 987-1188-ND
Pressure, Force, Motion, and Humidity SensorsSpecialization: 3rd course in Embedding Sensors and Motors (Pathway) Instructors: Jay Mendelson, MSME, Lecturer & James Zweighaft, MSME
In this course you will build the circuit from Video 7 (Lab Exercise on strain gauges), Module 2 (Force and Strain Sensors and Touch Screens), and use it to make screen shots of the timing of the switch. If you haven't already wired up the system and written all the software per the instructions of Video 7, please do so now.
You will need to buy the following components to complete this assignment. Note that if you have already purchased the PSOC 5LP PROTOTYPING KIT, you do not need to buy it again. These parts may be purchased off the Digikey web site, www. Digikey.com. One part needs to be purchased off the Sparkfun website www.sparkfun.com. Or, you may obtain the specs from the site, and purchase them elsewhere. Digikey Part numbers are typed out here: 428-3390-ND CF14JT22K0CT-ND CF14JT100KCT-ND Table shown here: Index Quantity Part Number Description 1 1 428-3390-ND PSOC 5LP PROTOTYPING KIT 2 2 CF14JT22K0CT-ND RES 22K OHM 1/4W 5% AXIAL 3 1 CF14JT100KCT-ND RES 100K OHM 1/4W 5% AXIAL Sparkfun part numbers are typed out here: TAL221 Table shown here: Index Quantity Part Number Description 1 1 TAL221 Mini-load cell - 100g, straight bar
Sensor Manufacturing and Process ControlSpecialization: 4th course in Embedding Sensors and Motors (Pathway) Instructors: Jay Mendelson, MSME, Lecturer & James Zweighaft, MSME
This is our fourth course in our specialization on Embedding Sensor and Motors. To get the most out of this course, you should first take our first course entitled "Sensors and Sensor Circuits", our second course entitled "Motor and Motor Control Circuits", and our third course entitled "Pressure, Force, Motion, and Humidity Sensors".
You will need to buy the following components to do the two course projects based on the videos in this module. Note that if you have already purchased the PSOC 5LP PROTOTYPING KIT, you do not need to buy it again.
These parts may be purchased off the Digikey web site, www. Digikey.com. Or, you may obtain the specs from the site, and purchase them elsewhere.
Introduction to FPGA Design for Embedded SystemsSpecialization:1st course in FPGA Design for Embedded Systems (Pathway) Instructor: Timothy Scherr, MSEE, Senior Instructor
This course will give you the foundation for FPGA design in Embedded Systems. You will learn what an FPGA is and how this technology was developed, how to select the best FPGA architecture for a given application, how to use state of the art software tools for FPGA development and solve critical digital design problems using FPGAs. If you are thinking of a career in Electronics Design or looking at a career change, this is a great course to enhance your career opportunities.
Hardware Requirements
You must have access to computer resources to run the development tools, a PC running either Windows 7, 8, or 10 or a recent Linux OS which must be RHEL 6.5 or CentOS Linux 6.5 or later. Either Linux OS could be run as a virtual machine under Windows 8 or 10. Whatever the OS, the computer must have at least 8 GB of RAM. Most new laptops will have this, older ones may be upgraded. A target FPGA development board, while helpful, is NOT required for this course.
Please click on Syllabus for more hardware requirements and suggested development kits.
Hardware Description Languages for FPGA DesignSpecialization: 2nd course in FPGA Design for Embedded Systems (Pathway) Instructors: Timothy Scherr, MSEE, Senior Instructor & Benjamin Spriggs, MBA, MSEE, Lecturer
Hardware Description Languages for Logic Design enables students to design circuits using VHDL and Verilog, the most widespread design methods for FPGA Design. It uses natural learning processes to make learning the languages easy. Simple first examples are presented, then language rules and syntax, followed by more complex examples, and then finally use of test bench simulations to verify correctness of the designs. Lecture presentations are reinforced by many programming example problems so that skill in the languages is obtained. After completing this course, each student will have fundamental proficiency in both languages, and more importantly enough knowledge to continue learning and gaining expertise in Verilog and VHDL on their own. Please click on Syllabus for hardware requirements and suggested development kits.
FPGA Softcore Processors and IP AcquisitionSpecialization: 3rd course in FPGA Design for Embedded Systems (Pathway) Instructors: Timothy Scherr, MSEE, Senior Instructor & Benjamin Spriggs, MBA, MSEE, Lecturer
The objective of this course is to learn how to develop, program, and use Softcore Processors with associated IP integration. To accomplish this, the Nios II Softcore Processor from Intel Altera is developed as an example design. The development flow is explained including both hardware and software development. Hardware is designed using the Qsys system design tool. Software is developed using an Eclipse-based IDE and Board Support Package Editor. One advantage of Softcore Processors is the ability to add a custom instruction, and this is demonstrated building it in hardware and using it in software. The range of IP available for various FPGA vendors is presented, along with the use of simulation to verify the designs. Please click on Syllabus for hardware requirements and suggested development kits.
Building FPGA ProjectsSpecialization: 4th course in FPGA Design for Embedded Systems (Pathway) Instructors: Timothy Scherr, MSEE, Senior Instructor & Benjamin Spriggs, MBA, MSEE, Lecturer
The objective of this course is provide a platform to get hands-on experience designing FPGA circuits and systems. To this end the DE10-Lite from TerAsic featuring the Intel Altera MAX10 FPGA is employed. The student will use this development kit to do a series of projects culminating in the construction of hardware and software for a System on a Chip (SoC) with the Nios II Soft Processor. All the prior lessons in this series of courses will be reinforced by the experience of building and testing real systems in the FPGA. Please click on Syllabus for hardware requirements and suggested development kits.
Averaged Switch Modeling and Simulation Specialization: 1st course in the Modeling and Control of Power Electronics Instructor: Dragan Maksimovic, Ph.D., Professor
The course is focused on practical design-oriented modeling and control of pulse-width modulated switched mode power converters using analytical and simulation tools in time and frequency domains. A design-oriented analysis technique known as the Middlebrook's feedback theorem is introduced and applied to analysis and design of voltage regulators and other feedback circuits. Furthermore, it is shown how circuit averaging and averaged-switch modeling techniques lead to converter averaged models suitable for hand analysis, computer-aided analysis, and simulations of converters. After completion of this course, the student will be able to practice design of high-performance control loops around switched-mode power converters using analytical and simulation techniques. Assignments include section quizzes, open-ended design problem, and a final exam. The course is a prerequisite for Courses #2-#5 in the Modeling and Control of Power Electronics specialization.
Techniques of Design-Oriented Analysis Specialization: 2rd course in the Modeling and Control of Power Electronics Instructor: Dragan Maksimovic, Ph.D., Professor
After completion of this course, you will gain advanced analytical skills that will enable you to quickly gain insights into converter models and translate these insights into converter designs.
Input Filter Design Specialization: 3rd course in the Modeling and Control of Power Electronics Instructor: Dragan Maksimovic, Ph.D., Professor
Gain an understanding of issues related to electromagnetic interference (EMI) and electromagnetic compatibility (EMC). Understand the need for input filters and the effects input filters may have on converter responses. Design properly damped single and multi-section filters to meet the conducted EMI attenuation requirements without compromising frequency responses or stability of closed-loop controlled power converters.
Current-mode Control Specialization: 4th course in the Modeling and Control of Power Electronics Instructor: Dragan Maksimovic, Ph.D., Professor
The course is focused on current-mode control techniques, which are very frequently applied in practical realizations of switched-mode. Upon completion of the course, you will be able to understand, analyze, model, and design current-mode controllers for dc-dc power converters, including peak current-mode controllers and average current-mode controllers.
Mod/Ctrl 1-Phase Rect/Inv Specialization: 5th course in the Modeling and Control of Power Electronics Instructor: Dragan Maksimovic, Ph.D., Professor
The course consists of three weeks of materials and is focused on modeling and control of grid-tied power electronics. Upon completion of the course, you will be able to understand, analyze, model, and design low-harmonic rectifiers and inverters interfacing dc loads or dc power sources, such as photovoltaic arrays, to the single-phase ac power grid.
First Order Optical System DesignSpecialization: 1st course in Optical Engineering (Pathway) Instructors: Robert McLeod, Ph.D., Professor & Amy Sullivan, Ph.D., Research Associate
Optical instruments are how we see the world, from corrective eyewear to medical endoscopes to cell phone cameras to orbiting telescopes. When you finish this course, you will be able to design, to first order, such optical systems with simple mathematical and graphical techniques. This first order design will allow you to develop the foundation needed to begin all optical design as well as the intuition needed to quickly address the feasibility of complicated designs during brainstorming meetings. You will learn how to enter these designs into an industry-standard design tool, OpticStudio by Zemax, to analyze and improve performance with powerful automatic optimization methods.
Optical Efficiency and ResolutionSpecialization: 2nd course in Optical Engineering (Pathway) Instructors: Robert McLeod, Ph.D., Professor & Amy Sullivan, Ph.D., Research Associate
Optical instruments are how we see the world, from corrective eyewear to medical endoscopes to cell phone cameras to orbiting telescopes. This course will teach you how to design such optical systems with simple mathematical and graphical techniques. The first order optical system design covered in the previous course is useful for the initial design of an optical imaging system but does not predict the energy and resolution of the system. This course discusses the propagation of intensity for Gaussian beams and incoherent sources. It also introduces the mathematical background required to design an optical system with the required field of view and resolution. You will also learn how to analyze these characteristics of your optical system using an industry-standard design tool, OpticStudio by Zemax.
Design of High-Performance Optical SystemsSpecialization: 3rd course in Optical Engineering (Pathway) Instructors: Robert McLeod, Ph.D., Professor & Amy Sullivan, Ph.D., Research Associate
Optical instruments are how we see the world, from corrective eyewear to medical endoscopes to cell phone cameras to orbiting telescopes. This course extends what you have learned about first-order, paraxial system design and optical resolution and efficiency with the introduction to real lenses and their imperfections. We begin with a description of how different wavelengths propagate through systems, then move on to aberrations that appear with high angle, non-paraxial systems and how to correct for those problems. The course wraps up with a discussion of optical components beyond lenses and an excellent example of a high-performance optical system – the human eye. The mathematical tools required for analysis of high-performance systems are complicated enough that this course will rely more heavily on OpticStudio by Zemax. This will allow students to analyze systems that are too complicated for the simple analysis thus far introduced in this set of courses.
Introduction to Power ElectronicsSpecialization: 1st course in Power Electronics (Pathway) Instructor: Robert Erickson, Ph.D., Professor
This course introduces the basic concepts of switched-mode converter circuits for controlling and converting electrical power with high efficiency. Principles of converter circuit analysis are introduced and are developed for finding the steady-state voltages, current, and efficiency of power converters. Assignments include simulation of a dc-dc converter, analysis of an inverting dc-dc converter, and modeling and efficiency analysis of an electric vehicle system and of a USB power regulator. Prior knowledge needed: A basic understanding of electrical circuit analysis, introduction to Circuits and Electronics (Basic Electronics), Linear Circuits, Microelectronics and Circuits as Systems.
Converter CircuitsSpecialization: 2nd course in Power Electronics (Pathway) Instructor: Robert Erickson, Ph.D., Professor
This course introduces more advanced concepts of switched-mode converter circuits. Realization of the power semiconductors in inverters or in converters having bidirectional power flow is explained. Power diodes, power MOSFETs, and IGBTs are explained, along with the origins of their switching times. Equivalent circuit models are refined to include the effects of switching loss. The discontinuous conduction mode is described and analyzed. A number of well-known converter circuit topologies are explored, including those with transformer isolation. The homework assignments include a boost converter and an H-bridge inverter used in a grid-interfaced solar inverter system, as well as transformer-isolated forward and flyback converters.
Completion of the first course Introduction to Power Electronics is the assumed prerequisite for this course.
Converter ControlSpecialization: 3rd course in Power Electronics (Pathway) Instructor: Robert Erickson, Ph.D., Professor
This course teaches how to design a feedback system to control a switching converter. The equivalent circuit models derived in the previous courses are extended to model small-signal ac variations. These models are then solved, to find the important transfer functions of the converter and its regulator system. Finally, the feedback loop is modeled, analyzed, and designed to meet requirements such as output regulation, bandwidth and transient response, and rejection of disturbances.
This course assumes prior completion of courses Introduction to Power Electronics and Converter Circuits.
Magnetics Design for Power ConvertersSpecialization: 4th course in Power Electronics (Pathway) Instructor: Robert Erickson, Ph.D., Professor
This course covers the analysis and design of magnetic components, including inductors and transformers, used in power electronic converters. This course assumes prior completion of ECEA 5700: Introduction to Power Electronics and ECEA 5701: Converter Circuits.
Prior knowledge needed: Able to understand functioning of different Power electronics converters n both DCM and CCM, able to solve and understand complex mathematical equations, have a good understanding of RMS, average quantities and Dutyratio, and familiarity with Maxwell’s equations.
Power Electronics Capstone Design Project Specialization: Power Electronics Project Course Instructors: Robert Erickson, Ph.D., Professor & Dragan Maksimovic, Ph.D., Professor
This course assumes the student has prerequisite knowledge in the specialization on power electronics (ECEA 5700, 5701, 5702, and 5703) and the specialization on modeling and control of power electronics (ECEA 5705, 5706, 5707, 5708, and 5709).
Concepts and Practices Specialization: 1st course in Real-time Embedded Systems Instructor: Sam Siewert, Ph.D., Associate Professor Adjunct
In this course, students will design and build a microprocessor-based embedded system application using a real-time operating system or RT POSIX extensions with Embedded Linux. The course focus is on the process as well as fundamentals of integrating microprocessor-based embedded system elements for digital command and control of typical embedded hardware systems.
Theory and Analysis Specialization: 2nd course in Real-time Embedded Systems Instructor: Sam Siewert, Ph.D., Associate Professor Adjunct
This course provides an in-depth and full mathematical derivation and review of models for scheduling policies and feasibility determination by hand and with rate monotonic tools along with comparison to actual performance for real-time scheduled threads running on a native Linux system.
Mission-Critical Software Applications Specialization: 3rd course in Real-time Embedded Systems Instructor: Sam Siewert, Ph.D., Associate Professor Adjunct
Upon completion of this course, the learner will know the difference between systems you can bet your life on (mission critical) and those which provide predictable response and quality of service (reliable). This will be achieved not only by study of design methods and patterns for mission critical systems, but also through implementation of soft real-time systems and comparison to hard real-time.
Real-time Embedded Systems Project Specialization: 4th course in Real-time Embedded Systems Instructor: Sam Siewert, Ph.D., Associate Professor Adjunct
Semiconductor PhysicsSpecialization: 1st course in Semiconductor Devices (Pathway) Instructors: Wounjhang Park, Ph.D., Professor
This course introduces basic concepts of the quantum theory of solids and presents the theory describing the carrier behaviors in semiconductors. The course balances fundamental physics with application to semiconductors and other electronic devices. Prior knowledge needed: Introductory physics including electromagnetics and modern physics and Introductory calculus and ordinary differential equations
Diode: pn Junction and Metal Semiconductor ContactSpecialization: 2nd course in Semiconductor Devices (Pathway) Instructors: Wounjhang Park, Ph.D., Professor
This course presents in-depth discussion and analysis of pn junction and metal-semiconductor contacts including equilibrium behavior, current and capacitance responses under bias, breakdown, non-rectifying behavior, and surface effect. You'll work through sophisticated analysis and application to electronic devices.
Transistor: Field Effect and Bipolar JunctionSpecialization: 3rd course in Semiconductor Devices (Pathway) Instructors: Wounjhang Park, Ph.D., Professor
This course presents in-depth discussion and analysis of metal-oxide-semiconductor field effect transistors (MOSFETs) and bipolar junction transistors (BJTs) including the equilibrium characteristics, modes of operation, switching and current amplifying behaviors.
Current Session (January 11 - March 5 2021)
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