Computer Systems Design Specialist (CZ11)  Technical Certificate of Credit

Provides a study of engineering technology as a career field and describes the knowledge and skills required for academic and occupational success. Topics include: engineering technology career measurement and standards mathematical operators engineering tools and engineering concepts. Labs reinforce mathematical mechanical and electrical concepts through practical exercises such as measurement and calculation of density of objects relative humidity use of digital multi-meter building circuits use of precision instruments and team exercises.

Emphasizes the knowledge and ability to analyze basic DC circuits and introductory concepts of AC circuits. Topics include: international units basic electrical laws series and parallel circuits network analysis concepts network theorems concepts D.C. instruments grounding techniques magnetism inductance/capacitance transient analysis and introduction to dependant sources and 2-port parameters. Laboratory work parallels class work.

Continues study of AC circuit analysis which emphasizes complex networks. Topics include: analysis of complex networks networks with multiple sources AC network theorems resonance transformers three-phase systems filters and bode plots non-sinusoidal waveforms and pulse response of RLC circuits. Laboratory work parallels class work.

Study of digital electronics. Topics include: fundamentals of digital techniques simplification of logic circuits flip-flops and registers sequential logic circuits combinational logic circuits arithmetic and logic operations and conversions. Laboratory work parallels class work using trainers DesignWorks and Altera simulation software and systems.

Continues the study of digital systems with emphasis on the study of microcomputers with programming applications involving external devices with which the microprocessor/microcontroller must communicate. Topics include: logic families, PLD programming, microcomputer architecture, programming with arithmetic/logic instructions, jump, loop and call operations, I/O programming, timers, interrupts and interfacing techniques. Laboratory work parallels class work to include use of PLD (programmable logic devices) platforms, and microprocessor/microcontroller platforms to reinforce and edify theoretical concepts.

Introduces the conduction process in semiconductor materials and devices. Topics include: semiconductor physics; diodes; basic diode circuits and applications; biasing stability and graphical analysis of bipolar junction transistors and field effect transistors; introduction to silicon controlled rectifiers; device curve characteristics; and related devices with selected applications. Laboratory work includes circuit construction use of appropriate instruments troubleshooting and circuit simulation using P-SPICE.

This course provides an introduction to computer hardware, architecture and operating systems. Areas of study include computer assembly, operating system installation and configuration, and performance monitoring and troubleshooting.