Integrated circuit curriculum

Silicon Valley professionals explore ASIC, semiconductor, EDA, device, and integrated circuits in this program. You can pursue five tracks of study:

• Design Methodology
• Logic and Functional Design
• SystemVerilog and Verification
• Physical Design and Timing Closure
• Circuit Design

Learn hardware specification, logic design, verification, synthesis, physical implementation, circuit design, integrated circuit product testing, and the latest EDA tools on Linux in our VLSI Lab.

VLSI Engineering certificate program objectives

• Implement Verilog modeling of digital logic
• Write assertions for formal verification using SystemVerilog
• Build an advanced UVM verification environment
• Understand IO technologies such as PCI Express, Ethernet and Fibre Channel
• Complete practical designs with Xilinx FPGAs

Technical expertise

You need a degree in a technical field or equivalent knowledge acquired through training and experience in hardware design and development. Experience with UNIX and/or LINUX is required for lab sessions. Knowledge of a programming language such as C, Perl or Bash Shell is helpful.

Please review course descriptions

Make sure you have taken necessary prerequisites or meet the requirements through job experience or previous education before registering for a course.

Beginners should take introductory courses before advanced. If you are pursuing a professional certificate, it is recommended that you take at least one course from the Design Methodology track. Other courses can be taken based on your interests and professional levels. Here are the 5 tracks of study:

Design Methodology

• Developing the Nanometer ASIC: From Spec to Silicon (2.0)
• Practical Design with Xilinx FPGAs (3.0)

Logic & Functional Design

• Digital Logic Design Using Verilog (CORE) (3.0)
• Practical DFT Concepts for ASICs: With Nanometer Test Enhancements (CORE) (3.0)
• IO Concepts and Protocols: PCI Express, Ethernet, and Fibre Channel (3.0)
• Digital Design with FPGA (3.0)

SystemVerilog & Verification

• SystemVerilog Essentials: Functional Verification and Simulation (1.5)
• SystemVerilog for ASIC and FPGA Design (3.0)
• SystemVerilog Assertions and Formal Verification, (3.0)
• Advanced Verification with SystemVerilog OOP Testbench,* (3.0)
• System and Functional Verification Using UVM (Universal Verification Methodology) (3.0)

Physical Design and Timing Closure

• Physical Design Flow From Netlist to GDSII (CORE) (3.0)
• ASIC Physical Design, Advanced (3.0)
• Timing Closure in IC Design (3.0)

Circuit Design

• Low-Power Design of Nano-Scale Digital Circuits,(3.0)
• Analog IC Design, Introduction (CORE) (3.0)
• IO Design Fundamentals (3.0)
• Wireless Communications and Mobile Antenna Design, Introduction (3.0)
• Jitter Essentials (1.5)
• Comprehensive Signal and Power Integrity for High-Speed Digital Systems (3.0)

Related Electives

• Embedded System Hardware Architectures, Introduction (3.0)
• System Design for Low Power Management (1.0)

Substitutions

You may take one elective outside the certificate curriculum, if you receive prior approval from the Academic Services Department.

Shared credits

Some Engineering and Technology courses may be listed in more than one program. However, only one course may be shared between two E&T certificate programs unless otherwise noted.

To receive your certificate

Upon completion of the course sequence you may request your VLSI Engineering Certificate Completion Review.