A paradigm for teaching graduate level VLSI engineering

To provide graduate students in electrical engineering a solid view of VLSI engineering, a paradigm for teaching graduate level VLSI engineering courses has been established. In contrast to the conventional curriculum which emphasizes the use of CAD (computer-aided design) tools for layout generation, a quite different approach has been taken. Observing that most graduate students taking the VLSI courses have reasonably well-developed skills in many computer engineering topics related to VLSI, it is possible to concentrate on providing the students with a complete knowledge of the VLSI technology, including the development of CAD tools, testable designs, and special architectures. The objective of this paradigm is not only to provide the students with a solid background in VLSI design, but also to prepare them for further advanced study and research