Introduction to Electronics

Course Description

EET1082 – Introduction to Electronics is a 3-credit, first-year survey course in the Electronic Engineering Technology taxonomy of Florida's Statewide Course Numbering System (SCNS). The course introduces students to the fundamental concepts of electricity and electronics through hands-on circuit construction. It is suitable for both EET majors and non-majors seeking a practical foundation in electronics. Topics span basic electrical theory, discrete passive and active components, schematic reading, and an introduction to digital circuits. Students build practical electronic devices throughout the course, and are introduced to career planning and employment opportunities within the electronics field.

This course is offered at multiple Florida state colleges including Miami Dade College (MDC) and Eastern Florida State College (EFSC), among others, under the Florida SCNS framework that facilitates transfer between participating institutions.

Learning Outcomes

Required Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

• Describe electricity using atomic and conventional theory, and define basic electrical units including volts, amperes, watts, and ohms.
• Identify and explain the function of circuit elements including conductors, insulators, and capacitors.
• Apply Ohm's Law and relate current, voltage, and resistance within a circuit.
• Analyze and construct series and parallel circuits, calculating equivalent resistance, current distribution, and voltage drops.
• Identify and describe the characteristics of discrete passive components: resistors, capacitors, and inductors.
• Read and interpret schematic diagrams and pictorial wiring diagrams.
• Describe the principles of magnetism and electromagnetic induction as applied to electronics.
• Demonstrate an understanding of AC circuit concepts including resistive AC circuits and basic AC waveform characteristics.
• Wire and analyze an RC circuit, explaining the rate of charge and discharge as related to the time constant.
• Build simple practical electronic devices such as a solid-state switch, a solid-state analog amplifier, an AM radio, a light detector, or an alarm circuit.
• Demonstrate a basic understanding of digital circuits, including digital-to-analog (DAC) and analog-to-digital (ADC) conversions.
• Develop an individual career plan and identify employment opportunities within the electronics field.

Optional Outcomes

The following outcomes may be addressed depending on institutional emphasis and instructor discretion:

• Use an oscilloscope and multimeter to measure voltage, current, and waveform characteristics in laboratory settings.
• Describe basic semiconductor diode operation and applications (e.g., rectification, LED operation).
• Explain the operating principles of bipolar junction transistors (BJTs) and their use as switches and amplifiers.
• Identify circuit building blocks used in communication circuits such as oscillators, mixers, and filters.
• Demonstrate safe work practices in an electronics laboratory, including electrical shock prevention and electrostatic discharge (ESD) awareness.
• Use circuit simulation software to model and verify basic electronic circuit behavior.

Major Topics

Required Topics

The following content areas are covered across Florida college offerings of EET1082:

• Fundamentals of Electricity: Atomic structure, electron flow, conventional current, basic electrical units (volt, ampere, ohm, watt), conductors and insulators.
• Voltage Sources and Battery Configurations: Types of voltage sources, series and parallel battery configurations, internal resistance.
• Resistance and Resistors: Resistor types, color code, tolerance, power ratings; combining resistors in series and parallel.
• Basic Circuit Laws: Ohm's Law, Kirchhoff's Voltage Law (KVL), Kirchhoff's Current Law (KCL).
• Series and Parallel DC Circuits: Voltage dividers, current dividers, equivalent circuits, power calculations.
• Capacitance and Capacitors: Capacitor types and ratings; series and parallel combinations; RC time constant; charge and discharge behavior.
• Inductance and Magnetism: Magnetic field principles, electromagnetic induction, inductor characteristics, RL circuits.
• AC Circuit Principles: Sine wave characteristics, frequency, period, amplitude, RMS values; resistive AC circuits.
• Schematics and Pictorials: Reading and drawing schematic diagrams; identifying standard component symbols.
• Amplifiers: Basic amplifier concepts, gain, input/output signals; building a simple solid-state amplifier.
• Oscillators: Basic oscillator principles; building a simple oscillator circuit.
• Introduction to Digital Circuits: Binary number system, logic gates, DAC and ADC concepts and circuit construction.
• Practical Project Construction: Building functional devices (AM radio, light detector, alarm circuit, solid-state switch).
• Career Exploration: Electronics industry career pathways, individual career planning.

Optional Topics

The following topics may be included at instructor or program discretion:

• Semiconductor Diodes: P-N junction theory, diode characteristics, rectifier circuits, Zener and LED diodes.
• Transistors (BJT): Transistor configurations (common emitter, common base, common collector), biasing, Q-point.
• Power Supplies: Unregulated DC power supply design using diodes and capacitors.
• Electronic Measurement Tools: Use of digital multimeters, function generators, and oscilloscopes.
• Circuit Simulation: Introduction to software tools (e.g., Multisim, LTspice, or equivalent) for circuit modeling.
• Transformers: Transformer principles, turns ratio, step-up and step-down applications.
• Electrostatic Discharge (ESD): ESD awareness, prevention, and safe handling of electronic components.
• Printed Circuit Boards (PCB): Introduction to PCB layout concepts and basic soldering techniques.

Resources & Tools

• Textbook: A standard introductory electronics text (e.g., Electronics Fundamentals by Floyd & Buchla, or equivalent) is commonly used across Florida college offerings.
• Laboratory Kit / Components: Breadboard, assorted resistors, capacitors, inductors, diodes, transistors, LEDs, and project kits (AM radio, alarm, etc.).
• Test Equipment: Digital multimeter (DMM), DC power supply, function generator, oscilloscope (analog or digital).
• Circuit Simulation Software: Multisim, LTspice, or a similar SPICE-based simulator (where available).
• Learning Management System: Canvas or equivalent LMS used by the offering institution for assignments, quizzes, and course materials.
• Florida SCNS Reference: flscns.fldoe.org — official statewide course numbering system database.

Career Pathways

EET1082 serves as a foundational entry point into the Electronic Engineering Technology program and related technical fields. Completion of this course supports progression toward the following:

• Electronics Technician — Installation, testing, and maintenance of electronic equipment in manufacturing, defense, and communications industries.
• Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technician — Supporting engineers in circuit design, testing, and troubleshooting (median pay approximately $64,000/year per U.S. BLS data).
• Low Voltage Technician — Entry-level work in electronics technology integration, security systems, and building automation.
• Biomedical Equipment Technician (BMET) — Maintenance and repair of medical electronic devices in healthcare settings.
• Associate in Science (A.S.) in Electronic Engineering Technology — This course typically serves as a gateway course in Florida college A.S. degree programs, with transfer pathways to B.S. programs in Electrical and Computer Engineering Technology.

Graduates of the broader EET program have demonstrated skills applicable across industries including transportation, green energy, aerospace, defense, networking and communications, and biomedical technology.

Special Information

Hands-On Project Requirement: A defining feature of EET1082 is its emphasis on building practical electronic devices. Students are expected to construct working projects (such as an AM radio, light detector, solid-state amplifier, or alarm circuit) as a core component of assessment.

Survey / Non-Major Accessibility: This course is explicitly designed as a survey course accessible to both EET majors and non-majors, making it appropriate as an exploratory elective for students in related technology programs.

Pathway to IPC Certification: Students who continue in the EET program at participating Florida colleges may pursue IPC-A-610 (Certified IPC Specialist) or IPC-7711/7721 (Rework and Repair CIS) certification through subsequent coursework in electronics assembly and soldering — credentials valued by electronics manufacturing employers.

SCNS Transferability Note: As an EET-prefix course in Florida's SCNS, transfer credit evaluation is at the discretion of the receiving institution. Students planning to transfer should confirm equivalency with their target institution prior to enrollment.