Spring 2027

Introduction to Computer Engineering

Introduction to Computer Engineering covering transistor-based logic, Boolean algebra, combinational and sequential logic design, computer organization, and introductory assembly programming.

offering recorded3 credits
Recorded instructors · Spring 2027 Setareh Behroozi3.8/5Shayne Wadle3.5/5Swamit Tannu3.1/5 +3 more

Summary

1 / 6

Past student reviews · Shayne Wadle

Students noted that homework was the primary basis for learning and was very similar to exams. Some found the homework difficult even with lectures, requiring significant independent work outside of class.

What you’ll be able to do

  • Perform basic operations on binary representations for data

  • Analyze simple combinational and sequential digital logic and memory systems

  • Identify the components and operation of an instruction set processor and write programs using assembly language

  • Recognize and analyze ethical and professional responsibilities in engineering contexts

Source: UW Guide 1 UW Guide 2

Grade history

↗
average GPA
letter grades
A
AB
B
BC
C
D
F

All recorded terms · compare terms & instructors

Prerequisites

Course map

None

  • None
COMPSCI/ECE 252 used by

“Used by” includes alternatives; linked courses may have other requirements. This is a best-effort interpretation; check the catalog requirements above.

Prerequisite text tree
  • None

Professors

Spring 2027
Adjusted rating
RMP difficulty
captured reviews
About this rating

Raw average: 3.83/5 from 40 quality ratings. The adjusted rating blends this with the UW review average (3.66/5), weighted as 20 additional ratings. Smaller samples stay closer to that average. Each captured review is counted once in the prior; this does not correct who chooses to leave a review.

For this course: 3.8/5 raw quality · 2.8/5 difficulty · 30 reviews

RMP profile ↗ · All captured review dates; profile matched by name.

Past student reviews · Setareh Behroozi

Setareh Behroozi taught the course using a flipped classroom format with online videos and weekly discussion-style lectures that students found clear and organized. Reviews highlighted her helpfulness in class and office hours, though one student noted she was difficult to reach outside of class and often provided non-answers to grading questions.

Recent recorded grades — Fall 2024: 3.50 GPA, 75.4% A/AB (n=126 letter grades); Spring 2025: 3.44 GPA, 70.1% A/AB (n=87 letter grades); Fall 2025: 3.39 GPA, 71.4% A/AB (n=126 letter grades).

Adjusted rating
RMP difficulty
captured reviews
About this rating

Raw average: 3.25/5 from 8 quality ratings. The adjusted rating blends this with the UW review average (3.66/5), weighted as 20 additional ratings. Smaller samples stay closer to that average. Each captured review is counted once in the prior; this does not correct who chooses to leave a review.

RMP profile ↗ · All captured review dates; profile matched by name.

Past student reviews · Shayne Wadle

Professor Shayne Wadle received mixed feedback regarding lecture quality, with some students finding the slides and in-class problem-solving insufficient for learning, while others noted he explained concepts well and was responsive. Reviews indicated that homework closely mirrored exam problems, though students disagreed on whether the course required significant self-study or pattern recognition to succeed.

Recent recorded grades — Spring 2025: 3.43 GPA, 66.8% A/AB (n=217 letter grades); Fall 2025: 3.39 GPA, 69.1% A/AB (n=97 letter grades); Spring 2026: 3.47 GPA, 67.6% A/AB (n=139 letter grades). Includes jointly taught sections.

Swamit Tannu

Adjusted rating
RMP difficulty
captured reviews
About this rating

Raw average: 2.47/5 from 19 quality ratings. The adjusted rating blends this with the UW review average (3.66/5), weighted as 20 additional ratings. Smaller samples stay closer to that average. Each captured review is counted once in the prior; this does not correct who chooses to leave a review.

RMP profile ↗ · All captured review dates; profile matched by name.

No course-specific feedback yet.

Recent recorded grades — Fall 2023: 3.37 GPA, 70.8% A/AB (n=89 letter grades).

Historical instructors & teaching patterns

Past student reviews · Joseph Krachey, Karu Sankaralingam

Joseph Krachey taught with a reverse-style format, featuring weekly lectures and Canvas activities that resembled tests and homework. Karu Sankaralingam maintained a well-paced structure, and students noted that exams closely mirrored the final two homework assignments, making the lecture slides particularly helpful for review.

ADIL IBRAHIM is recorded teaching in Fall 2017, Spring 2018, Fall 2018, Spring 2019, Fall 2019, Spring 2020. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

DAVID A. WOOD is recorded teaching in Spring 2008, Spring 2009. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

GURINDAR SOHI is recorded teaching in Spring 2010, Fall 2010, Fall 2011, Fall 2012, Spring 2013, Fall 2014, Fall 2016. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

JOSEPH KRACHEY is recorded teaching in Spring 2018, Spring 2019, Fall 2019, Spring 2020, Fall 2020, Fall 2021, Spring 2022. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

KARTHIKEYAN SANKARALINGAM is recorded teaching in Spring 2012, Spring 2014, Fall 2015, Fall 2021, Fall 2024. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

KATHERINE MORROW is recorded teaching in Fall 2012, Fall 2013, Spring 2014, Fall 2014, Spring 2015, Fall 2015, Spring 2016, Fall 2016, Spring 2017, Fall 2017. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

MARK D. HILL is recorded teaching in Spring 2007, Fall 2007, Fall 2009, Spring 2013, Fall 2013, Spring 2015. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

MATT SINCLAIR is recorded teaching in Fall 2022, Fall 2023, Spring 2024, Spring 2025. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

MICHAEL MORROW is recorded teaching in Spring 2014, Fall 2014, Fall 2015, Spring 2016. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

MIKKO LIPASTI is recorded teaching in Fall 2007, Fall 2008, Fall 2010, Fall 2011, Fall 2018, Spring 2020. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

SETAREH BEHROOZI is recorded teaching in Fall 2022, Spring 2023, Fall 2023, Spring 2024, Fall 2024, Spring 2025, Fall 2025. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

SHAYNE WADLE is recorded teaching in Fall 2021, Spring 2022, Fall 2022, Spring 2023, Fall 2023, Spring 2024, Fall 2024, Spring 2025, Fall 2025, Spring 2026. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

TSUNG-WEI HUANG is recorded teaching in Fall 2023. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

Calendar & sections

Spring 2027

Schedule loads here as you scroll.

SectionModeEnrolled / capacityWaitlist
LEC 001Classroom Instruction0 / 00
LEC 002Classroom Instruction0 / 2250
LEC 003Classroom Instruction0 / 00
LEC 004Classroom Instruction0 / 2250
LEC 005Classroom Instruction0 / 00
LEC 006Classroom Instruction0 / 00
LEC 003Classroom Instruction0 / 00
LEC 004Classroom Instruction0 / 00
LEC 002Classroom Instruction0 / 00
LEC 001Classroom Instruction0 / 930
LEC 005Classroom Instruction0 / 600

Times are Central. Select a meeting for details; export includes recorded dates for the selected sections. Enrollment reflects scan time.

Meeting source records
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Student experience

the class

Past student reviews · Setareh Behroozi, Shayne Wadle

This course uses a flipped classroom format with online video lectures and in-person discussions. While some students found this structure helpful, others felt the in-person lectures were inefficient.

Recent recorded grades — Spring 2025: 3.41 GPA, 69.0% A/AB (n=699 letter grades); Fall 2025: 3.41 GPA, 70.4% A/AB (n=570 letter grades); Spring 2026: 3.40 GPA, 64.3% A/AB (n=589 letter grades).

difficulty & workload

Past student reviews · Shayne Wadle

Students noted that homework was the primary basis for learning and was very similar to exams. Some found the homework difficult even with lectures, requiring significant independent work outside of class.

Past student reviews · Setareh Behroozi

Setareh Behroozi was praised for being caring and helpful in office hours, though one student found her hard to reach outside of class and noted that grading was often handled by others.

Topics

  • Transistor-based logic components and Boolean algebra
  • Combinational and synchronous sequential logic design
  • Computer organization and design
  • Machine and assembly language programming

Skills

  • Basic operations on binary data representations
  • Analysis of simple combinational and sequential digital logic and memory systems
  • Identification of instruction set processor components and assembly language programming
  • Recognition and analysis of ethical and professional responsibilities in engineering

Grades

Historical instructor

Spring 2027 · Projected

Before grades are released

– average GPA

Approximate 80% prediction interval

About this estimate

The course’s semester-average GPA, not an individual student’s grade. The center uses 5 same-season terms, weighted toward recent results.

The range uses the finite-sample 80th-percentile rank of absolute errors from earlier same-season forecasts. Each forecast uses only records from earlier terms. At least four forecasts are required; bounds are rounded outward and limited to 0–4. This is an empirical estimate: changing instructors or grading policies can reduce its coverage.

8 earlier forecasts · 0.11 GPA average error.

Grades over time

Through Spring 2027

More grade details Grade mix, volume & source data

Where this course fits relative to

Latest available grades · Spring 2026 · all course levels

GPA

Higher than % of other courses in this group.

Course GPAs · red marks this course’s range

letter grades

More recorded grades than % of other courses in this group.

Typical course in this group: letter grades.

About this comparison

1280 courses over the same term, each with at least 30 recorded letter grades. Cross-listed courses count once. GPA is not a measure of difficulty or teaching quality. The typical course is the median by recorded grade count; tied values are not counted as lower. Grade counts describe course scale, not unique students or typical section size.

Descriptions compare GPA with this group’s average: at least 0.20 higher or lower; otherwise close to average. Section size uses median recorded enrollment: small up to 30, mid-sized 31–99, large 100+. Lectures and discussion/lab sections are described separately.

Sources & history

UW–Madison

Catalog & offerings

Descriptions, prerequisites, and recorded course offerings.

Catalog observation history

Observations at scan time; dates do not imply when a catalog change took effect.

Download part 1
Selected offering source records
COMPSCI/ECE 252 · Spring 2027

Introduction to Computer Engineering

Recorded 2026-10-14
COMPSCI/ECE 252 · Spring 2027

Introduction to Computer Engineering

Recorded 2026-10-14
Raw records 
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    "run_id": "20261014T203208-0851c9a1",
    "semester": "1274",
    "observed_at": "2026-10-14 17:50:09.728220+00:00",
    "offering_id": "1274:266:022784",
    "course_id": "COMPSCI/ECE 252",
    "course_uid": "course_9eb7166a49d161bca95d729f",
    "term_id": "1274",
    "source_course_id": "022784",
    "source_subject_id": "266",
    "title": "Introduction to Computer Engineering",
    "credits_min": 3,
    "credits_max": 3,
    "typically_offered": "Fall, Spring"
  },
  {
    "run_id": "20261014T203208-0851c9a1",
    "semester": "1274",
    "observed_at": "2026-10-14 17:50:09.728220+00:00",
    "offering_id": "1274:320:022784",
    "course_id": "COMPSCI/ECE 252",
    "course_uid": "course_9eb7166a49d161bca95d729f",
    "term_id": "1274",
    "source_course_id": "022784",
    "source_subject_id": "320",
    "title": "Introduction to Computer Engineering",
    "credits_min": 3,
    "credits_max": 3,
    "typically_offered": "Not Applicable"
  }
]
Rate My Professors

Student reviews

Original comments behind the course and instructor summaries.

Read original reviews
Download part 1
Madgrades

Grade history

Recorded grade distributions by term, section, and instructor.

Explore recorded grades
Dataset & model

Recorded 2026-10-14

View the dataset on Hugging Face
Model outputs & technical records
Qwen/Qwen3.8-27B
LLM outputs across runs
Download part 1
Full model traces

Recorded model configuration, reasoning, and tool conversations.

Download part 1Download part 2Download part 3
Model & dataset provenance 
{
  "model": "Qwen/Qwen3.8-27B",
  "model_revision": "1d4bf0f2ff6012fd82039f2fa52739d0dd7c60c0",
  "task_version": "17",
  "output_id": "97d613ff1c1d51569808defe7386cc964e25f940e4580b673dbd5677b3b5cd92",
  "requirements_status": "valid",
  "dataset_revision": "fc1811fa52e581ea57a35c0cf3343f8740a8ffbf",
  "observed_at": "2026-10-14 17:50:09.728220+00:00"
}