VLSI and Circuit Design (VC) Plan of Study

About this Area

• VLSI and Circuit Design research area
• VLSI and Circuit Design faculty

Needed Prior Knowledge

It is recommended that incoming MSECE students interested in taking graduate-level coursework in this area have taken coursework similar to the following:

• ECE 27000, Introduction to Digital System Design
• ECE 30500, Semiconductor Devices
• ECE 33700, ASIC Design Laboratory
• ECE 45600, Digital Integrated Circuit Analysis and Design

Course Lists

Foundational courses:

• ECE 51216, Digital Systems Design Automation (3 cr)
• ECE 51220, Applied Algorithms (3 cr)
• ECE 55900, MOS VLSI Design (core, 3 cr)
• ECE 51214, CMOS Analog IC Design (3 cr)
• ECE 69500, System-on-chip Design (3 cr)
• MA 51100, Linear Algebra or ECE 69500, Math for Engineering Professionals I (3 cr)
• MA 52700, Advanced Math for Engineers and Physicists (3 cr)

Second core courses:

• ECE 60800, Computational Models & Methods (3 cr)
  • Prerequisite: MA 51100, Linear Algebra or ECE 69500, Math for Engineering Professionals I
• ECE 60600, Solid State Devices I (3 cr)

Optional courses:

• ECE 55700, Integrated Circuit/MEMS Fabrication (3 cr)
• ECE 56800, Embedded Systems (3 cr)
• ECE 60420, Radio Frequency Integrated Circuits (3 cr)
• ECE 68800, VLSI Testing and Verification (3 cr)
  • Prerequisite: ECE 55900
• ECE 61220, Advanced VLSI Design (3 cr)
  • Prerequisite, ECE 55900
• ECE 69500, High Speed Mixed Signal IC (3 cr)

Secondary interests:

• Computer architecture: See the Computer Engineering > Architecture and Programming Languages plan of study.

• AI and machine learning: See the Computer Engineering > Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning plan of study.