This semester, Engineering I student Ella Barth (2023) will begin working on a course of study being designed as a prototype for a course in Computer Engineering. This course will include much of the same curriculum content as is included in the first two years of a computer engineering major at the university level.
After a brief introduction to electrical theory and analysis, Ella will investigate topics including Digital Design Fundamentals, Computer Architecture and Organization, and VHDL. She will also learn to design printed circuit boards (PCBs) and to program in the C programming language. Hands-on projects will include designing and implementing an ATMega 328 based PCB microcontroller board; designing, implementing, and testing logic circuits using discrete transistors; designing and implementing combinational and sequential circuits using discrete logic devices; and designing and implementing a simple computer designed in VHDL onto an FGPA device. In future semesters, more advanced topics will include assembly language programming, communication protocols, computer networks, and embedded systems. This project will become a multi-year project with the intent of preparing Ella and following students for further studies in computer engineering at the university level.
This curriculum follows courses in Computer Aided Design, Fundamentals of Fabrication and Manufacturing, and Introduction to Engineering (ASU FSE 100 equivalent). The Engineering curriculum at CGUHS is aligned to the Arizona Department of Education’s Career & Technical Education Standards for Engineering and the SkillsUSA Technical Standards for Engineering Design.