Academics / Graduate Study / MS Programs / SpecializationsSemiconductors
Semiconductors are the foundation of the entire computing industry and every electronic device. Semiconductors are now powering the fourth industrial revolution, where digital technologies are ubiquitous and integrated in our everyday lives. We are witnessing a new wave of innovation and demand in the semiconductor industry fueled by emerging technologies such as 5G, AI, and IoT.
In broad terms, semiconductor chips may be classified into four categories, including memory, integrated circuits, microprocessors, and complex systems-on-chips (SoCs). While these semiconductors provide a foundation for all modern technology, the emergence of compute-intensive applications has shined a particular spotlight on heterogeneous computing platforms, like graphics processing units (GPUs), field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), and application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs). With their ability to process algorithms much faster than traditional processors, these devices are now implemented to support applications in artificial intelligence, high-performance computing, and data analysis.
As our reliance on technology continues to surge, so will the global demand for semiconductors devices to be faster, smaller, cheaper, more efficient, and more versatile. Expertise in semiconductors and digital systems design will likewise continue to be highly desirable in this fast-growing industry. In this track, you will gain the expert and competitive skills in design, analysis, layout, and implementation to be successful in this innovative field.
Recommended Courses
Core Courses
Select at least 6 courses from the following list:
- ECE 303 Advanced Digital Design
- ECE 355 ASIC and FPGA Design
- ECE 356 Introduction to Formal Specification & Verification
- ECE 357 Introduction to VLSI CAD
- ECE 387 Real-Time Digital Systems Design and Verification with FPGAs
- ECE 391 CMOS VLSI Circuits Design
- ECE 392 VLSI Systems Design Projects
- ECE 393, 493 Advanced Low Power Digital and Mixed-signal Integrated Circuit Design
- ECE 459 VLSI Algorithmics
- ECE 326 Electronic System Design I
- ECE 327 Electronic System Design II
- ECE 381 Electronic Materials: Properties and Applications
- ECE 384 Solid State Electronic Devices
- ECE 388 Nanotechnology
- ECE 395, 495 Magnetism and Spintronics: Fundamentals and Device Applications
- ECE 395, 495 Mixed-Signal Circuits Systems
- ECE 398 Electrical Engineering Design
- ECE 401 Fundamentals of Electronic Devices
- ECE 402 Advanced Electronic Devices
Elective Courses
Select up to 6 courses from the following list:
- BME 353 Bioelectronics
- ECE 308 Applied Electromagnetics and Photonics
- ECE 385 Optoelectronics
- ECE 386 Computational Electromagnetics and Photonics
- ECE 389 Superconductivity and its Applications
- ECE 395, 495 Bioelectric Systems Modeling & Analysis
- ECE 395, 495 Introduction to Nanophotonics and Plasmonics Science and Technology
- ECE 395, 495 Metamaterials and Nanophotonic Devices
- ECE 403 Quantum Semiconductors
- ECE 404 Quantum Electronics
- ECE 405 Advanced Photonics
- ECE 409 Semiconductor Lasers
- ECE 414 Advanced Topics in Quantum Electronics
- ISEN 422 Electrify Everything: Beneficial Electrification, Electric Vehicles, and Beyond
- ISEN 431 Advanced Topics in Electric Technologies: Storage
- MAT_SCI 360 Electron Microscopy
- MAT_SCI 382 Electrochemical Energy Materials and Devices
- MAT_SCI 451 Advanced Physics of Materials
- MAT_SCI 452 Selected Topics in the Solid State
- MAT_SCI 455 Solid State Physics of Nanomaterials
- MAT_SCI 456 Functional Metamaterials
- PHYSICS 421 Introduction to Superconductivity
- PHYSICS 436 Mesoscopic and Nanometer Scale Physics
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- Computer Vision and Image Processing
- Network and Communication Systems
- Quantum Computing, Sensing & Communications
- Robotics and Autonomous Systems
- Specializations
- Cybersecurity
- Photonics & Optoelectronics
- Embedded Systems
- High-Performance Computing
- Internet-of-Things & Edge Computing
- Sustainable Energy and Low-Power Design