Utilizing MATLAB in two graduate electrical engineering courses

Control system design packages like MATLAB, MATRIX_X, Control C, SIMNON, etc. have become essential ingredients of both undergraduate and graduate courses in the systems and controls area. This work describes our experience, at the University of Arkansas and Pennsylvania State University, with the use of one of these packages, namely MATLAB with its control systems and signal processing toolboxes in stochastic systems and linear control systems courses, both of which are offered to advanced undergraduate and graduate students. This paper also presents the MATLAB features that are found most useful in these two courses in enhancing students´ understanding of the material. A discussion of how MATLAB helps in reducing the amount of time spent in performing computational homework assignments follows. Finally, the general positive student reaction to incorporating this software package into these courses is reported