An introductory electronics course oriented to develop real-life-engineering design skills

This paper presents an electronics course, which based solely on elementary electromagnetic concepts, introduces in one term the topics of Semiconductor physics, MOSFET and BJT transistors, CMOS gates, and elementary amplifiers. The course follows the bond-model approach, instead of the more traditional approach based on quantum mechanics, what enables the course to be advanced two semesters in the curriculum. Two Laboratory Assignments, one focused on a N-MOSFET device and another focused on a NPN-BJT device, are developed where the students have to experimentally measure the transistors curves and compare the results with SPICE simulations and datasheet information. The final project of the course challenges students to design a class-A audio amplifier under certain realistic requirements, such as a standard 600 Ohms microphone, a 32 Ohm headphone, and a 5 Volts power supply, thus developing real-life-engineering design skills. The course organization and the Laboratory Assignments are discussed, and results gathered in two years of experience are presented.