Semiconductor Science and Engineering: Circuits and Systems Minor
The transcript-recognized undergraduate academic minor in Semiconductor Science and Engineering must be completed in conjunction with an undergraduate degree at The University of Texas at Austin in one of the following majors: electrical and computer engineering, mechanical engineering, chemical engineering, physics, or chemistry.
For more information regarding the requirements for achieving a minor, including a comprehensive list of minors, please visit the Minors and Certificate Programs section of the Undergraduate Catalog.
Admissions
To be considered for admission into the minor in Semiconductor Science and Engineering, students must meet the following requirements:
- Degree-seeking status at UT Austin in one of the following majors: electrical and computer engineering, mechanical engineering, physics, or chemistry.
- Students who have completed 24 hours or more in residence will be encouraged to apply online. Applications will be reviewed by a multi-department faculty once a year (in the fall for a spring start).
Total Hours Required: 15
Requirements
Requirements are listed in the table below. Additional requirements may follow the table, so be sure to read the entire page. Some required courses listed below may also satisfy General Education requirements, including Core Curriculum. Students should also review the University's Undergraduate Minor and Certificate Requirements and Policies.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| SSE 360 | Introduction to Semiconductor Science and Engineering | 3 |
| ECE 302 | Introduction to Electrical Engineering (Required only for students without credit for ECE X02 or M E X40 or PHY X38K) | 3 |
| ECE 316 | Digital Logic Design | 3 |
| or SSE 309 | Digital Logic Design | |
| ECE 411 | Circuit Theory | 4 |
| or SSE 410 | Circuit Theory | |
| Hours chosen from: | 3 | |
| Electromagnetic Engineering | ||
| Fundamentals of Electronic Circuits I Laboratory | ||
| Analog Electronics | ||
| Integrated Circuit Nanomanufacturing Techniques | ||
| Introduction to VLSI Design | ||
| Radio-Frequency Electronics | ||
| Power Electronics Laboratory | ||
| Microwave and Radio Frequency Engineering | ||
| Modern Physics and Thermodynamics | ||
| Quantum Physics I: Foundations | ||
| Advanced Packaging Manufacturing | ||
| Microelectronics Packaging and Thermal Management | ||
| Total Hours | 16 | |
Additional Requirements and Policy:
- It is expected that students will start the minor in the second semester of their sophomore year.
- Academic course requirements include a three-hour gateway course and 12 additional hours from one of four tracks, for a total of 15 semester credit hours. Students may select from one of four tracks: semiconductor manufacturing, circuits and systems, heterogeneous integration, or semiconductor devices.
- All students must take Gateway class SSE 360.
- Students with credit for ECE 302 or M E 340 or PHY 338K will take 12 semester credit hours in their chosen track. Students who have not taken ECE 302 or M E 340 or PHY 338K are required to take ECE 302 as preparation for semiconductors-relevant courses in areas outside of their declared major and 9 semester credit hours in one of the four tracks.
- At least nine of the hours required for the minor must include coursework not used to satisfy the requirements of the student’s major.
- All courses must be taken on a letter-grade basis, with a combined grade point average of at least 2.00.