Comparing Courses for Postgrad Prep: Microfabrication vs Circuit Design

[Sferics]

Hi all,

I am currently deciding between two courses for the coming semester. I am a sophomore math and physics major, but contemplating an electrical engineering/physics postgrad program and possible career. As such, I would like to try out a more applied, lab-type course in order to explore my options and take a bit of a respite from theory courses.

Which of these two courses do you think would give a more useful skill set for undertaking meaningful future undergraduate research and/or industry internships?

1) Introduction to micro- and nanofabrication processes used for photonic and electronic devices. Students use state-of-the-art cleanroom to fabricate transistors and light-emitting diodes (LEDs). Lecures on fabrication processes, including lithography, deposition, etching, oxidation, implantation, diffusion and electrical characterization.

2) A lab-intensive introduction to electronic circuit design. Develops circuit intuition and debugging skills through daily hands-on lab exercises, each preceded by class discussion, with minimal use of mathematics and physics. Moves quickly from passive circuits, to discrete transistors, then concentrates on operational amplifiers, used to make a variety of circuits including integrators, oscillators, regulators, and filters. The digital half of the course treats analog-digital interfacing, emphasizes the use of microcontrollers and programmable logic devices (PLDs).

Thanks!

 

[Sferics]

Any advice?

 

[Sferics]

Bump...

 

[Jorriss]

I am almost entirely unqualified to answer this, but I have heard second hand that circuits knowledge beyond first year material is incredibly useful for experimental physics.

 

[ModusPwnd]

I vote for number 1. Knowing number the stuff from number 1 is useful and not something you can generally get from a class or text. 2 seems like something that may be easier to pick up on your own.