ECE
Get a feel for the department. Find your next class.
Browse all Electrical and Computer Engineering courses →
Red: department · Gray: UW–Madison
GPA and percentages are weighted by recorded letter grades. UW comparisons use the same terms. Cross-listed courses count once within this department and once across UW; department totals should not be added together. Grade counts are not unique students. Offering counts reflect captured records, not a complete historical schedule.
Grades have not been recorded for this term. Historical results remain in the overview above.
Historical grades cover up to five years through the selected term. Grade sorting prioritizes courses with at least 100 letter grades.
MEDICAL INSTRUMENTATION covers the design and application of electrodes, biosensors, and medical imaging systems with a focus on electrical safety and physiological measurements.
Offering recorded · Fall 2026
The class is considered easy, though one review notes irregular homework, unpredictable prelab quizzes, and delayed grading.
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2022–Fall 2025Covers machine learning and deep learning techniques for ultrasound imaging, including beamforming, reconstruction, and image analysis.
Offering recorded · Fall 2026
No recorded grade history
Introduction to Computer Engineering covers logic components, Boolean algebra, logic design, computer organization, and assembly-language programming.
Offering recorded · Fall 2026
Sinclair enforces strict deadlines and requires diligent self-study. Wadle’s lectures are criticized as unhelpful or confusing, requiring heavy independent work.
historical GPA · grades
Spring 2022–Spring 2026Covers digital system fundamentals including logic components, Boolean algebra, and computer organization design.
Offering recorded · Fall 2026
Homework is challenging and time-consuming, but attending discussion sessions and collaborating with groups makes the class much easier to manage.
historical GPA · grades
Spring 2022–Spring 2026COMPSCI/ECE 354 introduces computer system structures and C programming, covering memory, assembly, and compilation.
Offering recorded · Fall 2026
Projects are lengthy and require early starts, while bi-weekly quizzes and dense course materials add to the workload and preparation demands.
historical GPA · grades
Spring 2022–Spring 2026Software Engineering teaches techniques for designing, developing, and modifying large software systems, covering processes, architecture, and team management.
Offering recorded · Fall 2026
The course focuses on agile team software projects and is considered easy if students participate, though logistics and reading quizzes add to the workload.
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2022–Spring 2026COMPSCI/ECE 533 covers the mathematical representation of images, including degradation models, enhancement, restoration, segmentation, coding, pattern recognition, and tomography.
Offering recorded · Fall 2026
Historical reviews indicate high difficulty, citing assignment errors and unclear problem explanations in class.
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2022–Fall 2025Introduction to computer architecture covering processor, memory, and I/O system design.
Offering recorded · Fall 2026
Historical reviews of Matthew Sinclair, Mikko Lipasti, Parmesh Ramanathan: Reviewers characterize the workload as intense, citing long group projects, dense online lectures, and difficult exams that require significant outside effort and preparation.
historical GPA · grades
Spring 2022–Spring 2026Advanced Computer Architecture I covers processor design, pipelining, cache memories, and instruction set design.
Offering recorded · Fall 2026
Reviewers describe the class as having a heavy workload with significant reading and difficult exams, though one notes the instructor curves grades to historical averages.
historical GPA · grades
Spring 2022–Fall 2025COMPSCI/ECE 760 covers computational approaches to learning, including inductive inference, explanation-based learning, and cognitive modeling.
Offering recorded · Fall 2026
One reviewer rated the difficulty as 5/5 and noted that students were expected to read PowerPoint slides to prepare for class.
historical GPA · grades
Spring 2022–Spring 2026Covers hardware and software solutions for advanced computing in engineering, with hands-on parallel programming assignments.
Offering recorded · Fall 2026
Historical reviews of Dan Negrut: Reviewers note the class involves significant work, particularly weekly programming assignments, but consider them doable with effort.
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2022–Spring 2026Introduction to mathematical optimization, covering formulation of discrete and continuous problems and equilibrium models, and usage of algorithms and software tools.
Offering recorded · Fall 2026
The course is extremely difficult with long, challenging homework assignments that can take up to 20 hours, requiring substantial independent study time.
historical GPA · grades
Spring 2022–Spring 2026Introduction to the technical aspects of cryptography and secure digital information transmission.
Offering recorded · Fall 2026
The course includes five graded homeworks, two midterms, and a final. While some find exams manageable with lecture notes, others report they are unexpectedly difficult or narrowly focused.
historical GPA · grades
Spring 2022–Spring 2026MATRIX METHODS IN MACHINE LEARNING covers linear algebraic foundations and matrix methods for machine learning applications like classification, clustering, and data analysis.
Offering recorded · Fall 2026
Reviewers describe the workload as excessive, with heavy weekly homework and four exams. The course is considered difficult, featuring hard proofs and exams that are hard to finish.
historical GPA · grades
Spring 2022–Spring 2026Introduction to artificial neural networks and their applications in control, pattern recognition, and prediction.
Offering recorded · Fall 2026
Historical reviews of Kangwook Lee, Pedro Morgado, Yu Hen Hu: The course is consistently described as difficult with a heavy workload, including extensive homework, group projects, and dense theoretical content requiring strong math backgrounds.
historical GPA · grades
Spring 2022–Spring 2026ECE 1 is a cooperative education program providing full-time workplace experience to apply engineering theory and practical knowledge.
Offering recorded · Fall 2026
No recorded grade history
ECE 203 introduces signals, information, and computational techniques in electrical engineering.
Offering recorded · Fall 2026
Learning relies heavily on completing exercises and attending labs, with a flipped classroom structure requiring students to watch lectures independently before engaging in in-class activities.
historical GPA · grades
Spring 2022–Spring 2026An introductory course covering electrical devices, circuits, systems, software, and hardware through a real-world project.
Offering recorded · Fall 2026
Reviewers characterize the course as an easy A based on attendance and participation. Some note it is easy for those with prior electronics exposure.
historical GPA · grades
Spring 2022–Spring 2026Electrodynamics I covers vector calculus applications to electrodynamics, Maxwell's equations, and transmission lines.
Offering recorded · Fall 2026
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2024–Spring 2026Covers fundamental circuit analysis techniques including DC/AC steady state, network theorems, and op-amp circuits.
Offering recorded · Fall 2026
The course is a flipped classroom requiring significant pre-class study and consistent attendance to prevent material from stacking up quickly.
historical GPA · grades
Spring 2022–Spring 2026CIRCUITS LABORATORY I covers experiments on Kirchhoff's laws, inductors, basic operational amplifier circuits, and frequency response.
Offering recorded · Fall 2026
The workload is minimal, with labs described as take-home or optional. However, students note that lab instructions are often unclear, and the final bench exam may differ significantly from practice materials, requiring independent preparation.
historical GPA · grades
Spring 2022–Spring 2026CIRCUITS LABORATORY II covers experiments on electronic device characteristics, op-amp applications, and feedback circuits.
Offering recorded · Fall 2026
The workload involves showing up and building circuits, with minimal expectations for deep comprehension, though tests are created by TAs and vary each semester.
historical GPA · grades
Spring 2022–Spring 2026ECE 305 is a laboratory course introducing fundamental semiconductor properties and industry-standard characterization techniques.
Offering recorded · Fall 2026
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2024–Spring 2026 · limited sampleCovers the principles and applications of light detection, generation, and transmission technologies.
Offering recorded · Fall 2026
Reviewers report that individual lab reports are disproportionately long and time-consuming for a one-credit course, often requiring five hours to complete.
historical GPA · grades
Spring 2022–Spring 2026Introductory Microprocessor Laboratory covers software and hardware experiments with a microcomputer system.
Offering recorded · Fall 2026
Historical reviews of Michael Morrow: Students should expect to work quite a bit for an A, emphasizing the high workload relative to the credit value.
historical GPA · grades
Spring 2022–Spring 2026A hands-on introduction to various sensor types, focusing on practical implementation concerns.
Offering recorded · Fall 2026
historical GPA · grades
Spring 2022–Spring 2026ECE 320 Electrodynamics II covers electromagnetic fields, wave propagation, transmission lines, and electromechanical systems.
Offering recorded · Fall 2026
Historical reviews of Irena Knezevic, Nader Behdad: Irena Knezevic assigns long homework and challenging exams that are often too long for the time given. Nader Behdad’s class is not a pushover, requiring significant time on homework to understand concepts for exams.
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2022–Fall 2025ECE 330 Signals and Systems covers time-domain and frequency-domain analysis of continuous and discrete signals and systems using Fourier and Laplace transforms.
Offering recorded · Fall 2026
Historical reviews of Bernard Lesieutre: The class starts hard but clarifies before midterms. Tests are reasonably difficult but feature a generous curve, and exams closely mirror practice problems.
historical GPA · grades
Spring 2022–Spring 2026ECE 331 introduces random signal analysis and statistics, covering probability, random processes, and spectral analysis.
Offering recorded · Fall 2026
Exams are poorly designed with high-stakes questions, and the course covers too many topics with insufficient depth, creating a stressful workload.
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2022–Fall 2025ECE 332 teaches feedback control systems, covering modeling, stability, and response analysis using root locus and state variable methods.
Offering recorded · Fall 2026
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2023–Fall 2025No released grades for this term.
Offering snapshots currently cover Fall 2026. Earlier grade records do not provide a complete offering history.