Background/Broader Motivation

Background/Broader Motivation• Flexibility/global economy and opportunities.

– Study abroad.– Alternative semesters.

• Engineering as a “liberal arts” education.– Interdisciplinary/Combine with other disciplines.– Other disciplines study engineering – minors.– Transition to learn how to learn balanced with a particular body

of knowledge.

• ECE as a discipline is broader than ever.• Sources: NAE, Association of American Universities, Al

Soyster, Provost Director, Other Writers, Students, Faculty, Other Curricula. See USC Web Site.

• Sophomore students understand connections among a broad range of Electrical and Computer Engineering concepts.• Provide early, integrated courses with labs to motivate students, make

connections within ECE, help students choose area of focus, and improve coop preparation.

• Not survey courses, strong ECE content, Sophomore year.• Provide breadth to the EE and CE curricula.

• Offer flexibility, including options for alternative semester or summer experiences. • Students can tailor program to interests more easily. • Semester abroad or Dialogue or research or other.

• Build a curriculum that can be modified easily in the future. • Reduce # of credits.

Some Goals of the Revised Curriculum

Proposed Schedule for Adoption

• Spring 13: Vote to move forward with new curriculum– Compromise between finishing before voting and

voting before starting

• Fall 13: Offer second pilot of Biomedical Circuits and Signals

• Spring 14: Offer pilot of CE Broad Introductory course

• Fall 14: Launch new curriculum

Discussion Suggestions

• Overall Curriculum Design• Broad Introductory Course I (Biomedical

Circuits and Signals)• Broad Introductory Course II• ?

Proposed New BS in EE/CE

Freshman Engineering I

Freshman Engineering II

ECE Broad Intro. I Biomedical Circuits and

Signals

ECE Broad Introductory Course II

EE Fundamentalsof

Electromagnetics

EE Fundamentals of Electronics

EE Fundamentalsof Linear Systems

CE Fundamentals Dig. Logic Comp.

Organization

CE Fundamentalsof Networks

CE Fundamentalsof Engineering

Algorithms

2 Freshman Engineering

2 Broad Introductory Sophomore

3EE + 1CE or3CE + 1EE Fundamentals

4 Technical Electives

2 Capstone Capstone I Capstone II

Optics for Engineers

Electronic Design Digital Signal Processing

Optimization Methods

Software Engineering I

Computer Architecture

Microprocessor Based Design

Image Processing and Pattern Recognition

Wireless Communications

Circuits

CommunicationsElectronics II

Electronic Materials

5 General Electives

EEs must have a programming course

(AP, Freshman, CE Fundamentals, or

other).

EE CE Other

Probability? Current or All Math or

All ECE

• EEs take at least 2 EE technical electives• CEs take at least 2 CE technical electives• ECEs take at least 2 CE and 2 EE electives• ECEs take all 6 fundamentals courses

Power Electronics

Classical Control Systems NetworksHigh-Speed

Digital Design

Wireless Personal Communications

Systems

Microwave Circuits and Networks

Biomedical Electronics

Digital Control Systems VLSI Design

Hardware Description Lang.

Synthesis

Power Systems AnalysisAntennas

Semiconductor Device Theory

Biomedical Signal Processing

Parallel and Distributed Computing

Embedded System DesignElectric Drives

Subsurface Sensing and

Imaging

Micro and Nano-Fabrication

Biomedical Optics

CAD for Deign and Test

Computer and Telecommunicati

on Networks

Electrical Machines

Numerical Methods and Comp. App.

Current Curricular Structure, BSCE

Arts, Hum., S.S. Writing

Science

Freshman Eng.

CE Core

Math

CE Tech. Electives General Electives

Capstone

32 four-credit courses + 10 one-credit extras = 138 credits

New Curricular Structure, BSEE and BSCE

Arts, Hum., S.S. Writing

Science

Freshman Eng.

ECE Broad Intro. + EE or CE core.

Math

General Electives

31 four-credit courses + 10 one-credit extras = 134 credits

CE Tech. Electives

Capstone

Biomedical Circuits and Signals• Covers a little more than half of circuits (some signals

material is covered in circuits)– R, L, C, sources, Kirchoff’s Laws– Thevenin and Norton equivalent circuits– Op-Amp Circuits– Phasor Analysis, Filters, Transfer Function

• Covers Portions of Linear Systems– LTI Systems, Convolution and Impulse Response– CT and DT Fourier Transform– Transfer Functions and Filters– ADC

• Biological Component (2 classes)

Detailed, class-by-class draft syllabus on web site.

Instructional Model, Circuits/Intro to ECE vs Biomedical Circuits and Signals

Section 1, Prof. 1, TA 1,2 35 Students



ILS 1, TA 1,2, Prof 4

Lab 1, TA 3,4, Prof. 4

ILS 2, TA 1,2, Prof. 4














Circuits Tutors

TA 1,2 Office Hours

HKN Tutors

Prof. Office Hours

Summary:

•5 Professor-Loads•5 Credits 4/1•Lecture/ILS/Lab/Grading/Tutor coordination is a problem•Students don’t know where to turn

Current Model

Section 2, Prof. 1, 2, 3, 4 TA 1,2 105 Students

Lab 1, TA 3,4, Prof. 1UG 1?







Lab 1, TA 3,4, Prof. 4UG4 ?

HKN Tutors

Prof. Office Hours

Summary:

•4 Professor-Loads•5 Credits 4/1 (re-examine!)•More consistent set of resources•Could be 2, 3, or 4 professors depending on teaching loads

Proposed Model

Tues. Morning Fri. MorningTues. Aft. Fri. Aft. Tues. Morning Fri. MorningTues. Aft. Fri. Aft.

Mostly CE Broad Introductory Course

Topics•Networking

– Layer-based Implementation model based on OSI/ISO

– Concepts of packets and reliable end to end delivery

– Using TCP and its contrast with UDP– Addressing using Internet Protocol – Socket programming fundamental

•Digital Logic Design – Combinational Logic intro– Sequential circuits intro– Number representation

•Embedded systems programming– Digital I/O -> controlling LED strip with multi-color – PWM / Hardware timers

Digital Logic

MicroprocessorIFC

Sensor

LED Strip

IP Net.

Predesigned Sensor, e.g. Ultrasound Digital Output

Simple logic for sensor data processing

Query Sensor, Decision Making LED Control Socket Interface to network


EE Fundamentals Courses• Electromagnetics is mostly unchanged.

– Can be taken earlier– Easier to take electromagnetics electives

• Linear Systems is mostly unchanged– Too much material now– Starts at a more advanced level after the new course

• Fundamentals of Circuits and Electronics focuses on transistors as switches, including CMOS. Includes an introduction to Small-Signal Analysis – Preparation for Computer Engineers and Electrical

Engineers. Prerequisite for VLSI


Consequences for Other Courses, EE• Electronics II will be analog electronics• Advanced Electronics course requested by students to be offered as an elective.

– Would go beyond the current courses

• Communications becomes an elective• Need to discuss probability course/noise and

stochastic processes course• Fundamentals of Electromagnetics available earlier

– Easier to take electromagnetics electives


CE Fundamentals Courses

• Digital Logic and Computer Organization– Most of the current Digital Logic course is here– Covers the beginning of Comp. Architecture

• Fundamentals of Networks– Most of current Networks course is here– Benefits from exposure in Smart Home– May offer more advanced networks elective

• Fundamentals of Engineering Algorithms– Most of the current Optimization Methods course is here

More detailed descriptions follow below

Consequences for Other CE Courses

• Computer Architecture – Becomes technical elective– Expand topics with head start in Fundamentals

course

• Optimization Methods– More optimization aspects (much programming

covered in Fundamentals course)– Becomes elective

• CS programming course eliminated

Documents

Background/Broader Motivation