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Embedded Systems Engineering

Professional Certificate

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About the Embedded Systems Engineering Program

The Embedded Systems Engineering Professional Certificate provides technical professionals with the skills to design embedded systems. With increasing levels of hardware integration, faster processing capability and decreasing cost of embedded processors, new and more innovative applications are appearing regularly.

The core curriculum of the Embedded Systems Engineering program covers embedded systems hardware design, fundamental Embedded C controller programming, embedded controller programming for real-time systems, and embedded real-time operating system (RTOS). The hands-on courses combine lectures and discussions based upon student's assignments and class projects. The program electives are designed to complement the core course of study with subjects most appropriate to the individuals personal job requirements and career advancement.

All courses are taught by working professional Embedded Systems Engineers who bring practical real-word applications and experience to this program.

For more information about this program, please email unexengr@ucsd.edu.
  • Program can be completed entirely online
  • Online courses provide flexibility for busy schedules
  • Curriculum taught in accordance with industry standards
  • Practicing instructors who bring industry relevance to students
  • New curriculum featuring current case studies
  • According to Burning Glass Technologies, job postings for Software Development Engineers with embedded engineering skills have averaged 14,477  job postings between 2016 - 2018
  • Top companies hiring individuals with Embedded skills in the past year nationwide include Amazon, Harris Corp., Northrop Grumman, Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, Google, Cisco, BAE Systems, General Electric, Boeing, United Technologies and Qualcomm (source: Burning Glass Technologies)
  • According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median wages for Software Developers/Engineers is $106,710.00 per year nation wide and $126,470.00 in California
Format: Online

All courses offered online, except for FPGA II and Embedded Systems for Robotics which are offered in-class only.

Estimated Cost: $5,045.

Excludes textbooks and materials

Duration: 18 Months

Flexible

Contact
Department
Science & Technology
Phone
858-534-9152
Email
unexengr@ucsd.edu

Courses

Delivery Method
Show Legend
  • Live Online
  • In-Person
  • Online
  • Hybrid
  • Number of courses: Six courses (four required and two electives)
  • Total units: 18

If you have prerequisite knowledge you may enroll in required courses, no waiver is needed.

Introduction to Embedded SystemsECE-40153

Units: 3.00

$825

This course covers the basic concepts of embedded systemsto prepare students for the required courses in this program. As the course progresses, students will gain an understanding of the basic hardwa...

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Upcoming Start Dates:
Typically Offered:

Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer

C/C++ Programming II : Dynamic Memory and File I/O ConceptsCSE-40476

Units: 3.00

$725

Building upon C/C++ Programming I,level II will provide you with a further understanding of the C and C++ programming languages. Topics include: the run-time environment, advanced I/O features, advanc...

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Upcoming Start Dates:
Typically Offered:

Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer

Courses must be taken in the order listed

Embedded Systems Hardware DesignECE-40292

Units: 3.00

$825

Developing an embedded system requires knowledgein both software and hardware design. The embedded systems engineering industry is showing an increasing demand for software engineers with a background...

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Upcoming Start Dates:
Typically Offered:

Winter, Summer

Embedded Controller Programming with Embedded CECE-40291

Units: 3.00

$795

This course teaches students Embedded C Programming skills used to program Embedded Controllers. The course begins with a study of the Embedded C language, including the language syntax, data types, a...

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Upcoming Start Dates:
Typically Offered:

Fall, Spring

Embedded Controller Programming for Real-Time SystemsECE-40097

Units: 3.00

$825

This advanced embedded programming coursecovers real-time event-driven applications with instant and reliable access to systems resources for embedded microcontrollers.The design of complex electronic...

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Upcoming Start Dates:
Typically Offered:

Winter, Summer

Embedded Real-Time Operating System (RTOS)ECE-40290

Units: 3.00

$795

Learn to write real-time event-driven applications running under an embedded Real Time Operating System (RTOS). FreeRTOS is used as an example which will be examined at the C source code level. Practi...

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Upcoming Start Dates:
Typically Offered:

Fall, Spring

Select any combination of elective courses - 6 units required

Introduction to IoT and Embedded SystemsECE-40297

Units: 3.00

$795

The Internet of Things (IoT) refers to:the ever growing network of technologies connecting and communicating via the internet to send and receive data in the absence of human-to-human or human-to-comp...

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Upcoming Start Dates:
Typically Offered:

Fall, Spring

Embedded Systems Hardware InterfacingECE-40293

Units: 3.00

$795

This course explores the most popular interfacesused in embedded systems. Key interfaces covered include GPIO, ADC, Serial/UART, I2C, SPI and USB. Popular RF Technologies used in embedded systems are ...

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Upcoming Start Dates:
Typically Offered:

Fall, Spring

Embedded LinuxECE-40105

Units: 3.00

$795

Linux is rapidly emerging as the leading platform for embedded devicesusing high-performance 32-bit and 64-bit processors. A March 2015 market study suggests that open source, freely and/or publicly ...

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Upcoming Start Dates:
Typically Offered:

Fall, Spring

Data Acquisition SystemsECE-40275

Units: 3.00

$795

Data Acquisition Systems (DAS) convert real-time measurement datato digital values for storage and/or processing by computers or embedded systems. These systems are commonly used in industrial, automo...

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Upcoming Start Dates:
Typically Offered:

Summer

FPGA Design FundamentalsECE-40170

Units: 3.00

$825

Acquire FPGA skills needed in various industries:Included among those industies are aerospace, medical, communications, industrial control, and defense. This course explores Field Programmable Gate Ar...

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Upcoming Start Dates:
Typically Offered:

Winter, Summer

FPGA IIECE-40260

Units: 3.00

TBD

Building upon the concepts covered in FPGA I,participants will explore design concepts including embedded processor integration, peripheral bus implementation, watch dog timers, external MCU interface...

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Upcoming Start Dates:
Typically Offered:

Introduction to Autonomous VehiclesECE-40295

Units: 4.00

$980

Experience Engineering at UC San Diego In partnership with the UC San Diego s Jacobs School of Engineering, we are proud to offer our students the unprecedented opportunity to attend the campus course...

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Upcoming Start Dates:
Typically Offered:

Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer

SystemVerilog for Design & VerificationECE-40301

Units: 3.00

$845

SystemVerilogis far more than Verilog with a ++ operator. A hands-on knowledge of this rich language is critical for chip design and verification engineers. This thorough course starts from the synthe...

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Upcoming Start Dates:
Typically Offered:

Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer

Programmable Logic ControllersECE-40302

Units: 3.00

$845

Programmable Logic ControllersThis course covers the logic theory and application of programmable logic controllers (PLCs). The material focuses on the design and development of programming algorithms...

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Upcoming Start Dates:
Typically Offered:

Winter, Summer

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EDC Preferred Provider

The San Diego Regional EDC's Advancing San Diego program is designed to address talent shortages in STEM positions. Students of our program will be eligible for fully-funded internships at San Diego small companies. Learn more about the program by visiting AdvancingSD.com.

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Conditions for Admission

A degree and/or work experience background in Electrical or Computer engineering is highly advised at entry to the program. The prerequisite courses are designed to provide basic knowledge in programming or electronics if the student does not possess it. UC San Diego Extension programs are designed to best serve college-prepared working professionals. Although programs are open to all adult learners, where program capacity is limited, applicants with this profile will receive preference for admission.

Related Documents

Frequently Asked Questions

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Are Soft Skills available to students for their professional development under this program?

To advance in today’s competitive job market, in addition to your technical skills, employers are seeking candidates who possess soft skills including self-awareness, communication skills, team building, EQ, Leadership and Management etc. Our Corporate and Community Relations team offers a wide array of workshops, webinars, and executive programs designed to develop strong professional skills applicable across all industries. Participants will be able to implement the skills learned immediately upon completion of their training. 

To get more detail on what they have to offer, we encourage you to visit our Leadership and Management Essentials webpage. https://extension.ucsd.edu/courses-and-programs/leadership-and-management-essentials

Advisory Board

Henrick Christensen, Ph.D.

Director, Contextual Robotics Institute

UC San Diego - Jacobs School of Engineering

Seung Kang, Ph.D.

Director of Engineering

Qualcomm

Victor Kolesnichenko, Ph.D.

Principal

CA Consulting Inc.

Benjamin McCoy, M.S.

Embedded Engineer

SPAWAR

Emeel Noohi, BE, EE

Sr. Embedded Firmware Engineer - Consultant

Abbott Diabetes Care

Jack Silberman, Ph.D.

Area Manager, Canada and Latin America

Abbott Diabetes Care

Rick Thorne

Retired

Embedded Systems Engineer

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This certificate requires an application before taking any courses. There will be a $0 fee to apply to this program. Students will also be required to pay a $95 certificate fee upon enrollment into the program after acceptance. View the complete Certificate Registration and Candidacy Guidelines.

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