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MITx: Circuits and Electronics 1: Basic Circuit Analysis

4.6 stars
25 ratings

Learn techniques that are foundational to the design of microchips used in smartphones, self-driving cars, computers, and the Internet.

5 weeks
5–7 hours per week
Self-paced
Progress at your own speed
Free
Optional upgrade available

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Starts Nov 20
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Circuits and Electronics 1: Basic Circuit Analysis

About this course

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Want to learn about circuits and electronics, but unsure where to begin? Wondering how to make computers run faster or your mobile phone battery last longer? This free circuits course taught by edX CEO and MIT Professor Anant Agarwal and colleagues is for you.

This is the first of three online Circuits & Electronics courses offered by Professor Anant Agarwal and colleagues at MIT, and is taken by all MIT Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS) majors.

Topics covered include: resistive elements and networks; circuit analysis methods including KVL, KCL and the node method; independent and dependent sources; linearity, superposition, Thevenin & Norton methods; digital abstraction, combinational gates; and MOSFET switches and small signal analysis. Design and lab exercises are also significant components of the course.

Weekly coursework includes interactive video sequences, readings from the textbook, homework, online laboratories, and optional tutorials. The course will also have a final exam.

This is a self-paced course, so there are no weekly deadlines. However, all assignments are due when the course ends.

At a glance

  • Institution: MITx
  • Subject: Electronics
  • Level: Introductory
  • Prerequisites:

    High school mathematical background of working with algebraic equations and basic calculus, and a high school physics background including the basics of electricity and magnetism.

  • Language: English
  • Video Transcripts: اَلْعَرَبِيَّةُ, Deutsch, English, Español, Français, हिन्दी, Bahasa Indonesia, Português, Kiswahili, తెలుగు, Türkçe, 中文
  • Associated programs:
  • Associated skills:Electrical Circuit Analysis, Electronics, Combinational Logic, Computer Science, Network Switches, Smartphone Operation, Electrical Engineering

What you'll learn

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  • How to design and analyze circuits using the node method, superposition, and the Thevenin method
  • How to employ lumped circuit models and abstraction to simplify circuit analysis
  • How to use intuition to solve circuits
  • Construction of simple digital gates using MOSFET transistors
  • Measurement of circuit variables using tools such as virtual oscilloscopes, virtual multimeters, and virtual signal generators

Syllabus

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Week 1: From physics to electrical engineering; lumped abstraction, KVL, KCL, intuitive simplification techniques, nodal analysis

Week 2: Linearity, superposition, Thevenin & Norton methods, digital abstraction, digital logic, combinational gates

Week 3: MOSFET switch, MOSFET switch models, nonlinear resistors, nonlinear networks

Week 4: Small signal analysis, small signal circuit model, dependent sources

Learner testimonials

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" Brilliant course! It's definitely the best introduction to electronics in Universe! Interesting material, clean explanations, well prepared quizzes, challenging homeworks and fun labs." - Ilya

" 6.002x will be a classic in the field of online learning. It combines Prof. Agarwal's enthusiasm for electronics and education. The online circuit design program works very well. The material is difficult. I took the knowledge from the class and built an electronic cat feeder." - Stan.

Frequently Asked Questions

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Where can I buy the textbook for this course?
You may purchase the physical textbook or its ebook from Elsevier. An online version of the book will also be accessible for free to students who upgrade to the verified certificate track in the course.

Will the text of the lectures be available?
Yes, transcripts of the video lectures in the course will be made available.

Do I need to watch the lectures live?
No, you can watch the lectures at your leisure.

I don 't have the prerequisites, can I still take the course?
We do not check students for prerequisites, so you are certainly allowed to try. However, the course does rely on previous experience on the topics listed as prerequisites. If you do not know these subjects before taking the course, you will have to learn them in parallel with the new material.

Who can take this course?

Unfortunately, learners residing in one or more of the following countries or regions will not be able to register for this course: Iran, Cuba and the Crimea region of Ukraine. While edX has sought licenses from the U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) to offer our courses to learners in these countries and regions, the licenses we have received are not broad enough to allow us to offer this course in all locations. edX truly regrets that U.S. sanctions prevent us from offering all of our courses to everyone, no matter where they live.

This course is part of Circuits and Electronics XSeries Program

Learn more 
Expert instruction
3 high-quality courses
Self-paced
Progress at your own speed
4 months
7 - 9 hours per week

Ways to take this course

Choose your path when you enroll.

Certificate

Free

Price

$189 USD

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Access to course materials

Unlimited

Limited

Expires on Dec 25

World-class institutions and universities

edX support

Shareable certificate upon completion

Graded assignments and exams

Read our FAQsin a new tab about frequently asked questions on these tracks.

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