Project-based instruction in wireless communications at the junior level

A junior level course in wireless communications has been developed and implemented for students pursuing a BSEE degree. Recognizing the fact that the topic of wireless communications is typically covered at the senior or graduate level, special effort was made to tailor the course to suit the needs of the junior level students. This was accomplished using a coordinated combination of lectures, homework problems and a series of projects that covered the spectrum of topics in fading, path loss, cell coverage, as well as various digital modulation formats typically used in wireless communications systems. Indeed, the mainstay of the course were these projects done using MATLAB.