Analog signal processing first [educational course]

The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Illinois recently adopted new undergraduate curricula. The most radical change was the introduction of ECE 210, Analog Signal Processing, in place of both the sophomore-level circuit analysis course and the junior-level signals and systems course. The new course combines core material from these traditional courses, along with applications such as AM radio and a modest laboratory component, in a way that improves both the students' understanding and their motivation. The new course still serves well as the base of the required curriculum and as a prerequisite for subsequent courses, while realizing savings in the early curriculum and allowing more time for advanced signal processing and systems courses in future semesters.