MSU Electromagnetsics Courses
The following EM undergraduate and graduate courses are offered at Michigan State University:
Undergraduate
- ECE 305: Electromagnetic Fields and Waves I
ECE305 presents a fundamental physical overview of EM. It begins with the study of various transmission lines and their properties (characteristic resistance, wavelength, SWR, trans/reflection coefficients, and more). Smith charts are also studied to find length and impedance properties of transmission lines. Next, the area of electrostatics brings topics (and homework problems) such as finding electric field from a given line of charges, using Gauss' law to find E-field, and understanding how boundary conditions apply at a surface. In addition, steady electric current laws, such as Ohm's Law, are discussed. Further work includes magnetics, which has many parallels to electrostatics and electric currents. At this point in the course, nearly all laws or equations governing the behavior of electromagnetics previously studied are derived from Maxwell's four equations. Both the integral form (time-domain) and frequency domain cases are studied. Finally, one will be introduced to the wave equations, their solutions, and its impact on how EM waves behave, and how they reflect and transmit through materials or waveguides.
"After taking this course, I'd say a basic understanding of the material above is learned. In addition, a very firm knowledge of the three different coordinate systems: Cartesian, spherical, and cyclindrical are gained, along with an innate ability to integrate required Laws (Gauss' law, for example) along the required axis of each system. Overall, you should be able to explain concepts such as permittivity, reflection coefficients, magnitude, phase, flux, divergence, and curl to nearly anybody." -Tony Skarich
- ECE 405: Electromagnetic Fields and Waves II
- ECE 407: Electromagnetic Compatibility
Graduate
- ECE 835: Advanced Electromagnetic Fields and Waves I
- ECE 836: Advanced Electromagnetic Fields and Waves II
- ECE 841: Fourier Optics
- ECE 929A: Planar Waveguides and Circuits
- ECE 929B: Antenna Theory
- ECE 929C: Geometrical Theory of Diffraction
