Introduction to Electrical and Computer Systems Engineering (Honors)
ECSE 1100H
3 hours
Introduction to Electrical and Computer Systems Engineering (Honors)
Course Description
Students will learn about the roles of electrical and computer engineers in today's world while developing soft and hard skills to prepare them to be successful in the major and their careers. Through a series of lectures, design projects, and labs, students will explore topics spanning core areas of Electrical and Computer Systems Engineering.
Athena Title
Intro to ECSE Honors
Equivalent Courses
Not open to students with credit in ECSE 1100, ECSE 1100E
Prerequisite
Permission of Honors
Semester Course Offered
Offered fall, spring and summer
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Student Learning Outcomes
Students will develop understanding of the electrical and computer engineering major and the role electrical and computer engineers play in today’s world.
Students will develop a strong work ethic and a positive attitude towards the electrical and computer engineering major.
Students will develop strong problem solving, time management, and team player skills.
Students will develop confidence and ease in using the sometimes intimidating underlying technological tools for electrical and computer engineers.
Students will conceptualize high-level solutions to some of today’s complex problems using a systems approach.
Students will analyze resistive DC circuits using Ohm’s law, KCL, and KVL.
Topical Outline
Through a series of lectures and labs, students will explore the following topics, all of which are core areas of electrical and computer engineering:
1. Describe the fundamental operation of a digital computer
2. Describe and identify fundamental electronics input and output components
3. What is the role of electrical and/or computer engineering in today’s world?
4. Identification of complex problems in today’s world (including a section on the NAE Grand Challenges) and the role of electrical engineering in solving them
5. Ethics
6. Professional aspects of engineering
7. Basic electrical and electronic circuits
8. Introduction to Ohm’s Law, KCL, and KVL
9. Analog and digital computation
10. Testing and measurement
11. Prototyping and simulation tools
12. Embedded systems
13. Number systems, arithmetic operations of binary number systems, and their conversions to each other (binary, decimal, hexadecimal, octal)
14. Boolean algebra (Boolean operations, Truth tables)
15. Logic circuits
16. Basic logic gates (AND, OR, NOT)
NOTE: The lab experience incorporated into this class features hands-on activities designed to illustrate key topical items listed above. In addition, the specially designed honors lab experience enables honors students to have a deeper and more comprehensive understanding of how the intro topics list establishes a foundation for their study of the ECSE disciplines.
