ECE199

ECE 199 (Undergraduate Open Seminar) is a (usually) 1-credit-hour course. It does not satisfy any particular requirement, but is a good supplement to the introductory 100-level core ECE courses. (ECE110, ECE120)

Content Covered

Depending on the section of the course, the content consists of supplement additional content that builds off of that covered in ECE110 or ECE120. The class meets once a week for two hours at a time. Worksheets from this class generally align with the lectures and work from ECE110 and ECE120. The class is meant to use the topics learned in lecture and creatively think further with them to discover more topics outside of what is taught in lecture. For example, Op-Amps are not taught in ECE110, but using circuit analysis learned from lecture, students are able to derive how Op-Amps can be used. Worksheets assigned in this discussion guide students to discovering other concepts with the help of TA's and other peers. By understanding new topics that use ideas taught in lecture, topics learned in lecture help students understand 110 and 120 better.

Prerequisites

This course requires concurrent registration in ECE110 for the 110 discussion section, or concurrent registration in ECE120 for the 120 discussion section. It is meant to be an additional discussion for these two classes, respectively, so topics covered in lecture will be discussed further in ECE199.

When to Take It

The 110 Merit Section of ECE 199 is meant to be taken at the same time as ECE110, and the 120 Merit Section of ECE 199 is meant to be taken at the same time as ECE120. They are two separate classes, although it is only listed as one on the ECE Courses Website. It is offered both Spring and Fall Semesters. Since the class is meant to be an addition to the lectures of 110 and 120, no previous knowledge of the topics is required.

Course Structure

Most of the two hour discussions start with a brief review of the topics learned in lecture. The class is then split into groups of four, with each group working on worksheets of problems. The problems are designed to guide students to learning new broader topics, and TA's are there to help if students get stuck. There are no quizzes, no homework, or mp's: all of the work is done in class.

Instructors

Professor Christopher Schmitz is the official instructor for this course, however one graduate TA and one undergraduate TA usually run the course. In recent semesters, TAs Corey Snyder and Benjamin Havens have helped run the course.

Life After

This class is not a prerequisite for any future classes; however it does help in understanding ECE 110 and ECE 120 better. Some topics from 210 and 220 are touched on very briefly, but most of the content aligns with 110 and 120. However, if a student enjoyed either the 110 or 120 merit discussion section, they are likely to enjoy the other merit discussion as well.