Undergraduate Course Description

200 300 400/500

200. Engineering Analysis Using Modern Software Tools for Electrical and Computer Engineers.  Lecture 3 hours; 3 credits.

Corequisites: ECE 201, Prerequisite: MATH 212.

This course will introduce the fundamental mathematical and scientific concepts with emphasis on applications specifically for electrical and computer engineering students needed for their intended major.  The course will also introduce some important software tools such as MATLAB, EXCEL, and MathCAD which will be integrated with the analysis.

201. Circuit Analysis.  Lecture 3 hours; 3 credits.

Corequisites: MATH 307 and PHYS 232N.

An introduction to the analysis and theory of linear electrical circuits.  Topics include:  component definitions and connection rules; development of network reduction techniques; formulation of mesh-current and node-voltage equations; circuit models for one-port and two-port networks; signal models using impulse functions, step functions, and piecewise continuous notation; introduction to energy storage elements; time-domain analysis of first-order and second-order electrical circuits.  (offered fall, spring, summer)

202.  Circuits, Signals and Linear Systems.  Lecture 3 hours; 3 credits. 

Prerequisite: ECE 201.  Corequisite: ECE 287. 

Frequency-domain analysis of linear electrical circuits. Laplace transforms and Laplace transform analysis of circuits.  Linear systems.  Classification of systems; Time and frequency domain representation of linear systems. Methods of linear system analysis including convolution and Laplace transforms. Frequency domain representation of signals including Fourier series and Fourier transforms.  Application of analysis techniques to electrical filters, signal sampling, and signal multiplexing.  (offered fall, spring, summer)

241. Fundamentals in Computer Engineering. Lecture 3 hours; Laboratory 2 hours; 4 credits.

Prerequisite:  CS 150, MATH 211

This course develops the foundation of computer engineering for computer engineers as well as an introductory breadth appropriate for electrical engineers.  Class topics include computer information, digital design (combinational and sequential circuits), computer organization, and assembly language.  The laboratory includes building digital circuits (focusing on programmable logic), assembly language programming, and system interfacing.  The use of a hardware description language is employed in class and the laboratory to specify, simulate and synthesize digital circuits.

287. Fundamental Electric Circuit Laboratory. Lecture 1 hour; Laboratory 3 hours; 2 credits.

Prerequisite: CS 150 and ECE 201, Corequisite: ECE 202.

Objective of course is to provide students in electrical and computer engineering with a "hands-on" introduction to selected topics in electrical engineering.  Students will use basic circuit analysis skills and C programming skills to design and build electrical networks interfacing to a microcontroller.  Labs will also provide an introduction to basic measurement techniques and electrical laboratory equipment (power supplies, oscilloscopes, voltmeters, etc.).

303. Introduction to Electric Power. Lecture 3 hours; 3 credits.

Prerequisite: ECE 201.

Basic concepts of AC systems, sinusoidal steady state response, phasor analysis, AC steady state power, single-phase and three-phase networks, electric power generation, transformers, transmission lines, electric machinery and the use of power, basics of power electronics.  (offered fall and spring)

304.  Probability, Statistics, and Reliability.  Lecture 3 hours; 3 credits.

Prerequisite: MATH 212. 

Introduction to probability, random variables, statistics, reliability and stochastic processes.  Applications include modeling of physical systems, data analysis, communications, queuing, component and system reliability.  (offered fall and spring)

313.  Electronic Circuits.  Lecture 3 hours; Laboratory 3 hours; 4 credits.  

Prerequisite: ECE 202.  Corequisite:  ECE 241. 

Introduction to junction diodes, bipolar junction transistors (BJTs), MOS field effect transistors (MOSFETs) and op-amps. The lab component introduces design and techniques for implementation of analog circuits.

323. Electromagnetics.  Lecture 3 hours; 3 credits. 

Prerequisite: ECE 202.

An introduction to electromagnetic waves, wave propagation in various media; propagation across interfaces; propagation in waveguides and transmission lines.  Antennas and radiation from antennas.

324. The Scientific and Engineering Bases of Modern Technology.  Lecture 3 hours; 3 credits.

Prerequisites: high school math equivalent to Algebra II or higher plus a physics of chemistry course are required.

This course is intended to provide a general knowledge of the fundamental principles that make modern technology possible.  The intent is to make students majoring in disciplines other than sciences and engineering aware of the fundamentals of the physical laws and engineering approaches to advance the technology base.  Examples of topics to be treated include electronic materials, the transistor, digital and analog electronics, computer hardware, transmission of signal, carrier modulation, the electromagnetic spectra, the ionosphere, fiber optics, lasers, and superconductivity.

332. Microelectronic Materials and Processes. Lecture 3 hours; 3 credits.

Prerequisite: ECE 202

An introduction to fundamental properties of semiconductors and device fabrication processes. The topics include crystal structure, bonding, energy bands, doping, carrier densities, mobility, resistivity, recombination, drift, and diffusion. Basic structure and operations of p-n junctions, BJTs and MOSFETs and their fabrication processes, including solid state diffusion, thermal oxidation of silicon, ion implantation, chemical vapor deposition, thin film deposition, photolithography and etching. (offered fall)

340. Digital Circuits.  Lecture 3 hours; recitation 1 hour; laboratory 2 hours; 4 credits.

Prerequisite: CS 150, MATH 211.  Not open to electrical and computer engineering majors.

This course develops the foundations of computer engineering for students outside of electrical and computer engineering.  Class topics include computer information, digital design (combinational and sequential circuits), computer organization, and assembly language.  The laboratory includes building digital circuits (focusing on programmable logic), assembly language programming, and system interfacing.  The use of a hardware description language is employed in class and the laboratory to specify, simulate and synthesize digital circuits.  The course culminates in a final design project.

341.  Digital System Design.  Lecture 3 hours; 3 credits.

Prerequisite:  ECE 241

Tools and methodologies for top-down design of complex digital systems.  Important topics include minimization, mixed logic, data and control path design, algorithmic state machines, data movement and routing via buses, and microprogrammed controllers.  A hardware description language is used extensively in design exercises and projects.  (offered fall, spring)

346. Microcontrollers. Lecture 3 hours; 3 credits.

Prerequisite: ECE 241.

A hands-on approach to microprocessor and peripheral system programming, I/O interfacing, and interrupt management.  A sequence of projects requiring the programming and integration of a microcontroller- based system is conducted.  Project assignments require a microcontroller evaluation board and accessories supplied by the student. (offered spring)

355.  Introduction to Networks and Data Communications.  Lecture 3 hours; 3 credits.

Prerequisite: junior standing in an engineering discipline or related work experience.

This course introduces the basic concepts of computer networks and data communications. Topics include protocol layers, the application layer, the transport layer, the network layer, the data link layer, and the physical layer. Students will use network packet analyzer tools in this course. Emphasis is on gaining an understanding of network engineering as it relates to hardware configuration, system operation and maintenance.

367. Cooperative Education. 1-3 credits (may be repeated for credit).

Prerequisite: approval by the department and Career Management in accordance with the policy for granting credit for Cooperative Education programs.

Available for pass/fail grading only. Student participation for credit based on the academic relevance of the work experience, criteria, and evaluative procedures as formally determined by the department and Career Management prior to the semester in which the work experience is to take place. (offered fall, spring, summer) (qualifies as a guaranteed practicum experience)

368. Student Internship.  1-3 credits (may be repeated for credit).

Prerequisite:  Approval by department and Career Management.  Available for pass/fail grading only.

Academic requirements will be established by the department and will vary with the amount of credit desired.  Allows students to gain short duration career-related experience. (qualifies as a guaranteed practicum experience)

369. Practicum.  1-3 credits.

Prerequisite:  approval by department and Career Management. 

Academic requirements will be established by the department and will vary with the amount of credit desired.  Allows students an opportunity to gain short duration career related experience. (qualifies as a guaranteed practicum experience)

371. Circuits and Systems.  Lecture 3 hours; 3 credits. 

Prerequisite:  ECE 201.  Corequisite:  ECE 287. 

Frequency-domain analysis of linear electrical circuits.  Laplace transforms and Laplace transform analysis of circuits.  Linear systems.  Classification of systems; Time and frequency domain representation of linear systems.  Methods of linear system analysis including convolution and Laplace transforms.  Frequency domain representation of signals including Fourier series, Fourier transforms.  Application of analysis techniques to electrical filters, signal sampling, and signal multiplexing.  (offered fall, spring, summer)

381.  Digital Signal Processing I.  Lecture 3 hours; 3 credits.

Prerequisite:  ECE 202.

An introduction to the analysis and design of discrete time systems.   Topics include time domain analysis, solutions of difference equations, z‑transform analysis, discrete Fourier transforms, sampling of continuous-time signals, digital filter design, and state variable representations of discrete time systems.

387. Microelectronics Fabrication Laboratory. Lecture 1 hour; Laboratory 4 hours; 3 credits.

Prerequisite: ECE 332.

The laboratory course will enable students to fabricate MOSFETs, MOS capacitors, diffused resistors and p-n diodes. Students will be trained to operate the equipment required for wet and dry oxidation, thin film deposition, solid state diffusion, photolithography, and etching.  Students will fabricate and analyze the devices by current-voltage characteristics, capacitance-voltage characteristics, film thickness and conductivity measurements. (offered spring).

395, 396. Topics in Electrical and Computer Engineering. Lecture 1 to 3 hours; 1 to 3 credits.

Prerequisite: Departmental approval.

405/505. Introduction to Discrete Event Simulation. Lecture 3 hours; 3 credits.

Prerequisites: Undergraduate course in probability and statistics; computer literacy.

An introduction to the fundamentals of discrete event simulation.  Topics include discrete event simulation methodology, development of simulation models, simulation verification and validation, and the design of simulation experiments.  Important statistical concepts, including selection of input probability distribution, output data analysis, and variance reduction techniques, are developed and applied. (Cross-listed with MSIM 405/505)

406/506. Introduction to Visualization. Lecture 3 hours; 3 credits.

Prerequisite: CS 361.

Introduction to computer graphics and visualization with emphasis on using 3D application programmer's interface (API) libraries.  It covers mathematical foundations, rendering pipeline, geometrical transformations, 3D viewing and projections, shading, texture mapping, and programmable shaders.  Various visualization applications are covered.

441/541. Advanced Digital Design and Field Programmable Gate Arrays. Lecture 3 hours; 3 credits.

Prerequisite: ECE 341.

Course will provide a description of FPGA technologies and the methods using CAD design tools for implementation of digital systems using FPGAs.  It provides advanced methods of digital circuit design, specification, synthesis, implementation and prototyping.  It introduces practical system design examples. (Offered spring).

443/543. Computer Architecture. Lecture 3 hours; 3credits.

Prerequisite:  ECE 341, 446/546. Pre - or Corequisites: ECE 304, 488.

An introduction to computer architectures.  Analysis and design of computer subsystems including central processing units, memories and input/output subsystems.  Important concepts include datapaths, computer arithmetic, instruction cycles, pipelining, virtual and cache memories, direct memory access and controller design. (offered fall)

451/551.  Communication Systems.  Lecture 3 hours; 3 credits.

Prerequisites:  ECE 202 and 304.

Basic concepts of information transmission using electrical signals and systems. Modulation methods including amplitude, angle, pulse and digital forms. Design of modulation systems and the performance in the presence of noise. Communication simulation exercises using MATLAB and/or SystemVue.

452/552. Introduction to Wireless Communication Networks. Lecture 3 hours; 3 credits.

Prerequisites: ECE 304 and ECE 355.

Introduction to current wireless network technologies and standards.  The radio spectrum and radio wave propagation models (pathloss, fading, and multipath).  Modulation, diversity, and multiple access techniques.  Wireless network planning and operation.  Common wireless standards and emerging technologies (wireless sensor and ad-hoc networks).

454/554.  Introduction to Bioelectrics.   Lecture 3 hours; 3 credits.

PHYS 111N or higher; MATH 200 or higher.

A one-semester course  covering the electrical properties of cells and tissues as well as the use of electricity and magnetism in the diagnosis and treatment of disease.  Typical topics to be covered include Electrocardiograpghy, cardiac pacing, defibrillation, electrotherapy, electroporation, electrotherapy in wound healing.  In addition, ultrashort electrical pulses for intracellular manipulation and the application of plasmas to biological systems will be covered.   (Cross-listed with ENGN 454/554 and BIOL 454/554)

455/555.  Network Engineering and Design.  Lecture and design 3 hours; 3 credits.

Prerequisite: ECE 355 or permission of the instructor.

This course is an extension of ECE 355 into a semester long project.  Emphasis is on gaining an understanding of networking design principles that entails all aspects of the network development life cycle. Topics include campus LAN models and design, VLANs, internetworking principles and design, WAN design, design of hybrid IP networks, differentiated vs. integrated services, traffic flow measurement and management.

457.  Professional Review.  Lecture 1 hour; 1 credit.

Prerequisites:  Junior status or higher in  electrical  or computer engineering.

Integration of topics fundamental to the electrical and computer engineering profession:  chemistry, physics, economics, circuits, analog and digital electronics, systems and controls, DSP.

458/558.  Instrumentation.  Lecture 2 hours; laboratory 2 hours; 3 credits.

Prerequisites: MATH 212 and PHYS 102N, 112N, or 232N.

Computer interfacing using a graphical programming language with applications involving digital-to-analog conversion (DAC), analog-to-digital conversion (ADC), digital input output (DIO), serial ports, and the general-purpose instrument bus (GPIB).  Analysis of sampled data involving the use of the probability density function, mean and standard derivations, correlations, and the power spectrum.

461/561. Automatic Control Systems. Lecture 3 hours; 3 credits.

Prerequisite: ECE 202.

Analysis and design of control systems via frequency and time domain techniques. Root locus, Bode and Nyquist techniques. Pole placement through state variable feedback.  Stability, sensitivity, and performance specifications.  Cascade and feedback compensation. Optimal regulator design.

462/562. Introduction to Medical Image Analysis (MIA). Lecture 3 hours; 3 credits.

Prerequisite: ECE 381 or consent of instructor.  Corequisite: ECE 481.

Introduction to basic concepts in medical image analysis.  Medical image registration, segmentation, feature extraction, classification are discussed.  Basic psychophysics, fundamental ROC analysis, FROC/DROC methodologies are covered.

472/572. Plasma Processing at the Nanoscale.  Lecture 3 hours; 3 credits.

Prerequisite: ECE 323.

The science and design of partially ionized plasma and plasma processing devices. Kinetic theory of gases, gas phase collisions, diffusion, transport parameters, DC and RF glow discharges, sputtering, etching, and plasma deposition.

473/573. Solid State Electronics.  Lecture 3 hours; 3 credits.

Prerequisites: ECE 313, 323 and 332

The theory and design of p-n junction devices, bipolar transistors, photonic devices, and unipoar devices.  Introduction to integrated circuits and micorelectronics.

474/574. Optical Communications.  Lecture 3 hours; 3 credits.

Prerequisites: ECE 323 and Math 312.

Electromagnetic waves; components used in optical communication systems; optical emitters, modulators, optical fibers and receivers; optical communication systems, introduction to rf communication, the physics and design of rf-antennas.

478/578. Lasers and Laser Applications in Engineering.  Lecture 3 hours; 3 credits.

Prerequisites: ECE 313, and Math 312.

Applications of lasers in various areas of engineering will be addressed.  Relevant aspects of laser engineering and design will be covered. Topics include interaction of light with matter; non-intrusive optical diagnostic techniques; applications of lasers in engineering, technology, science and medicine.

480/580. Introduction to Imaging Technologies for Homeland Security. Lecture 3 hours; 3 credits.

Prerequisite: ECE 202.

Introduction to fundamentals of imaging technologies used in Homeland Security, including visible, infrared, ultrasound, X-ray, and terahertz.  Models and applications of technologies.  Discussion of visible imagery for security applications and use of image enhancement tedhniques augmented by implementation using MATlab.

481/581. Introduction to Digital Image Processing. Lecture 3 hours; 3 credits.

Prerequisite: ECE 202.

This course introduces the fundamentals of digital image/picture processing in the MATlab environment.  Techniques in spatial and spatial-frequency domains are discussed and implemented for image enhancement, and compression.

482/582.  VLSI System Design. Lecture 2 hours; Laboratory 1 hour; 3 credits.

Prerequisites: ECE 241 and 313.

Objective of course is to provide students in electrical and computer engineering with a "hands-on" introduction to selected topics in electrical engineering.  Students will use basic circuit analysis skills and C programming skills to design and build electrical networks interfacing to a micro-controller.  Labs will also provide an introduction to basic measurement techniques and electrical laboratory equipment (power supplies, oscilloscopes, voltmeters, etc.).

483/583. Embedded Systems. Lecture 3 hours; 3 credits.

Prerequisites: ECE 313 and ECE 346.

Course covers fundamentals of embedded systems: basic architecture, programming and design.  Topics include processors and hardware for embedded systems, embedded programming and real time operating systems.

485W.  Electrical Engineering Design I.   Lecture 1 hour: laboratory 4 hours; 3 credits.

Prerequisites:  ECE 313 and 382. Pre-Corequisites: ECE 302 and 304.

Part one of the senior capstone design experience for electrical engineering majors. Lectures focus on providing professional orientation and exploration of the design process. Small group design projects focus on the development of electronic subsystems. Oral and written communication skills are stressed. (offered fall, spring).

486.  Electrical Engineering Design II.   Lecture 2 hours; laboratory 3 hours; 3 credits.

Prerequisite:  ECE 485W.

Part two of the senior capstone design experience for electrical engineering majors. Group design project focuses on the development of a complete electrical system. Oral and written communication skills are stressed.  Industry-sponsored multi-disciplinary design projects are an option.

487.  Electrical Engineering Design III.   Lecture 2 hours; laboratory 3 hours; 3 credits.

Prerequisite:  ECE 486.

Part three of the senior capstone design experience for electrical engineering majors. Individual and group design projects focus on the development of complete electrical systems. Oral and written communication skills are stressed.  Industry-sponsored multi-disciplinary design projects are an option.

489W. Computer Engineering Design I.  Lecture 1 hour; laboratory 4 hours; 3 credits.

Prerequisites: ECE 443 and 488. Pre-Corequisites: CS 471.

Emphasis is on the design of a complex architecture as an extension of the design methodology experienced in ECE 488. A semester-long project involves the design, simulation and testing of a complex architecture and software GUI.  Design methods incorporate CAD design tools, advanced integrated circuit technology and contemporary software tools. Oral and written communication skills are stressed. (offered spring)

491. Microelectronics Design Experience.  3 credits.

Prerequisite: Junior standing in electrical or computer engineering.

The student will complete a 10-week summer project on a microelectronics research or design activity at an engineering school or industry member of the Virginia Microelectronics Consortium (VMEC).  For eligibility, the student must be selected as a VMEC Student Scholar in a competition held early in the spring semester of each academic year.  Each student will be required to give at least two formal oral reports and one formal written report.  The project must be completed at an institution other than Old Dominion University.  Students will be supervised by faculty or industry mentors at the summer location, but must also have an Old Dominion University co-advisor and instructor of record for the course.

495/595, 496/596.  Topics in Electrical and Computer Engineering. Lecture 1 to 3 hours; 1 to 3 credits.

Prerequisite: Departmental approval.