Digital signal processing (DSP) refers to the generation, manipulation, and storage of information in digital form. Since many real-world signals are analog in nature, the conversion between the analog and digital domains is one of the principle concerns of DSP. Applications of DSP are myriad in today's world. To name a few, we have audio storage/processing (e.g., MP3, digital sound effects), image storage/processing (e.g., JPEG, medical imaging), video storage/processing (e.g., MPEG, animation), speech recognition/synthesis/compression (as used in every cell phone), seismic processing (e.g., earthquake detection and oil exploration), RADAR and SONAR processing (e.g., weather prediction and military applications), biomedical signal processing (e.g., MRI, CT scan, ECG, EKG), genomics and DNA sequencing, and economic forecasting. DSP is also a key enabler of digital communication and digital control.
DSP skills can be classified as hardware design skills (e.g., ASICs specially suited for signal processing), software design skills (e.g., programming of DSP processors), or algorithm/system design skills.
As an ECE student, you can use your required courses and technical electives to obtain an emphasis in digital signal processing.
Required courses that directly relate to digital signal processing:
ECE 301 Analysis and Design in Circuits and Electronics
ECE 351 Systems I
ECE 352 Systems II
Technical electives that directly relate to digital signal processing:
ECE 600 Introduction to Digital Signal Processing
ECE 609 Signal Processing Laboratory
ECE 700 Digital Signal Processing
Other technical electives that relate to digital signal processing:
ECE 501 Digital Communication I
ECE 508 Communications Laboratory
ECE 647 Digital Signal Processing Control of Electric Machines and Drives Laboratory
ECE 650 Introduction to Estimation
ECE 702 Digital Communication II
ECE 706 Medical Imaging
ECE 707 Digital Image Processing
ECE 720 Low-Power Mixed-Signal VLSI Design
ECE 721 Digital VLSI Design
ECE 755 Digital Control Systems
ECE 779 Introduction to Neural Networks
Graduate courses that relate to digital signal processing:
ECE 800 Stochastic Digital Signal Processing
ECE 801.01 Adaptive Filtering
ECE 801.02 Information Theory
ECE 802 Digital Speech Processing Systems
ECE 804 Random Signal Analysis
ECE 805 Random Processes and Applications
ECE 806 Signal Detection and Estimation
