Fall 2026

Introduction to Microprocessor Systems

Introduction to microprocessor systems covering architecture, programming, timing, I/O, and memory interfacing.

offering recorded3 credits
Recorded instructors · Fall 2026 Joseph Krachey4.1/5

Summary

1 / 6

The course involves significant coding and project work, with some reviews noting a heavy reliance on self-learning from datasheets. Exams can be tough, and the workload demands consistent effort and attention to detail.

Grade history

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average GPA
letter grades
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AB
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All recorded terms · compare terms & instructors

Prerequisites

Course map

E C E/​COMP SCI 252 and COMP SCI 300, or member of Engineering Guest Students

ECE 353 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

Professors

Fall 2026

Joseph Krachey

/5Adjusted rating
/5RMP difficulty
captured reviews
About this rating

Raw average: 4.26/5 from 42 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: 3.9/5 raw quality · 3.6/5 difficulty · 19 reviews

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

Joseph Krachey is described as approachable and caring, with reviewers noting his willingness to answer questions and extend deadlines. These students find his practical teaching style engaging and appreciate his support in overcoming course obstacles.

Some students report awkward interactions and difficulty communicating with Krachey. One reviewer characterizes the course as requiring significant self-learning due to unclear materials and describes the grading as tough.

Recent recorded grades — Spring 2025: 3.37 GPA, 66.7% A/AB (n=87 letter grades); Fall 2025: 3.27 GPA, 63.3% A/AB (n=90 letter grades); Spring 2026: 3.25 GPA, 56.0% A/AB (n=84 letter grades).

Historical instructors & teaching patterns

Joseph Krachey is the current instructor. Historical reviews from 2022 describe his lecture videos as good and his review sessions as helpful. Students report the class is mostly self-taught using these videos, with in-class exercises supported by Younghyun Kim and TAs. Krachey and Kim are both described as great professors.

JOSEPH KRACHEY is recorded teaching in Fall 2011, Fall 2012, Spring 2013, Fall 2013, Spring 2014, Fall 2014, Spring 2015, Fall 2015, Spring 2016, Fall 2016, Fall 2017, Fall 2018, Fall 2019, Fall 2020, Fall 2021, Fall 2022, Fall 2023, Spring 2024, Fall 2024, Spring 2025, Fall 2025, Spring 2026. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

MICHAEL MORROW is recorded teaching in Fall 2006, Spring 2007, Fall 2007, Fall 2008, Fall 2009, Spring 2010, Spring 2012. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

YOUNGHYUN KIM is recorded teaching in Spring 2019, Spring 2020, Spring 2022, Spring 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

Fall 2026

Schedule loads here as you scroll.

SectionModeEnrolled / capacityWaitlist
LEC 001Classroom Instruction90 / 9010

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

Reviewers describe Joseph Krachey as approachable and caring, often noting his willingness to answer questions and extend deadlines. While many find his teaching practical, one reviewer found interactions awkward, and another described the course as heavily reliant on self-learning.

Recent recorded grades — Spring 2025: 3.37 GPA, 66.7% A/AB (n=87 letter grades); Fall 2025: 3.27 GPA, 63.3% A/AB (n=90 letter grades); Spring 2026: 3.25 GPA, 56.0% A/AB (n=84 letter grades).

difficulty & workload

The course involves significant coding and project work, with some reviews noting a heavy reliance on self-learning from datasheets. Exams can be tough, and the workload demands consistent effort and attention to detail.

Students value Krachey's willingness to answer questions, extend deadlines, and provide opportunities to improve grades. The final project allows for creative application of skills, and in-class exercises are cited as helpful for learning.

Topics

  • Microprocessor programming, address decoding, and system timing
  • I/O interfaces, interrupts, DMA, and memory interfacing

Skills

  • Microprocessor architecture, programming, and system interfacing.

Grades

Historical instructor

Fall 2026 · 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 · 0.12 GPA average error.

Grades over time

Through Fall 2026

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

1283 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.

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Selected offering source records
ECE 353 · Fall 2026

Introduction to Microprocessor Systems

Recorded 2026-09-07
Raw records
[
  {
    "run_id": "20260907T155543-ce3781c4",
    "semester": "1272",
    "observed_at": "2026-09-07 15:55:43.033547+00:00",
    "offering_id": "1272:320:006339",
    "course_id": "ECE 353",
    "course_uid": "course_ae177875d7b9797eccef5e60",
    "term_id": "1272",
    "source_course_id": "006339",
    "source_subject_id": "320",
    "title": "Introduction to Microprocessor Systems",
    "credits_min": 3,
    "credits_max": 3,
    "typically_offered": "Fall, Spring"
  }
]
Rate My Professors

Student reviews

Original comments behind the course and instructor summaries.

Read original reviews
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Madgrades

Grade history

Recorded grade distributions by term, section, and instructor.

Explore recorded grades
Dataset & model

Recorded 2026-09-07

Download the original dataset
Model outputs & technical records
nvidia/Qwen3.6-35B-A3B-NVFP4
LLM outputs across runs
Download part 1
Full model traces

Recorded model configuration, reasoning, and tool conversations.

Download part 1
Model & dataset provenance
{
  "model": "nvidia/Qwen3.6-35B-A3B-NVFP4",
  "model_revision": "1355db6a052410cfd62085d94b58866fd0f2c3c5",
  "task_version": "14",
  "output_id": "9cbe2b1447e27b1790df50846f292b9f83c3c09e574ea4e616565bfaf26b4f4d",
  "requirements_status": "valid",
  "dataset_revision": "e243353dcb7d79b7247ced91d69443ef4c2a6349",
  "observed_at": "2026-09-07 15:55:43.033547+00:00"
}