Circuits and Electronics 1: Basic Circuit Analysis from edX

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.

What you'll learn

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

What's inside

Learning objectives

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

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

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

Good to know

Know what's good

, what to watch for

, and possible dealbreakers

Emphasizes foundational engineering concepts used across industry

Builds a strong foundation for understanding circuits and electronics

Taught by renowned MIT faculty with expertise in electrical engineering

Incorporates a mix of interactive videos, readings, labs, and tutorials, enhancing learning engagement

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Circuits and Electronics 1: Basic Circuit Analysis with these activities:

Review Elementary Algebra

Show steps

This course requires a sound knowledge in Algebra. This will help establish a solid foundation for understanding the material

Browse courses on Linear Algebra

Show steps

Review basic concepts of Algebra
Practice solving equations
Review graphing linear equations

Watch Video Tutorials on MOSFETs and Transistor Circuits

Show steps

This course covers MOSFETs and transistor circuits. Watching video tutorials can provide additional insights and explanations.

Browse courses on MOSFETs

Show steps

Search for video tutorials on MOSFETs and transistor circuits
Watch the tutorials and take notes

Solve Circuit Analysis Problems

Show steps

Solve practice problems involving circuits to solidify understanding.

Browse courses on Circuit Analysis

Show steps

Find practice problems from textbooks or online resources
Attempt to solve the problems
Check your solutions against provided answers or online forums

Five other activities

Expand to see all activities and additional details

Show all eight activities

Build Circuits Using Simulation Software

Show steps

This course involves building and analyzing circuits. This will help develop practical skills in circuit design.

Browse courses on Circuit Analysis

Show steps

Choose a circuit simulation software
Follow tutorials or documentation to learn the software
Build simple circuits using the software
Simulate the circuits to analyze their behavior

Design a Simple Circuit Using CAD Software

Show steps

This course covers circuit design. Using CAD software to design a circuit will provide hands-on experience in the design process.

Browse courses on Circuit Design

Show steps

Choose a CAD software and learn its features
Design a simple circuit using the software
Simulate the circuit to verify its functionality

Read 'Foundations of Analog and Digital Electronic Circuits'

Show steps

This book can be a valuable reference text for further expanding knowledge of analog and digital electronic circuits.

View Foundations of Analog and Digital Electronic... on Amazon

Show steps

Acquire a copy of the book
Read the chapters relevant to the course material

Create a Summary of Key Concepts

Show steps

Creating a summary of key concepts will help reinforce understanding and improve retention.

Show steps

Review course material and identify key concepts
Write a summary that includes definitions, explanations, and examples

Contribute to Open Source Circuit Design Projects

Show steps

This course emphasizes practical skills in circuit design. Contributing to open source projects will provide valuable experience and exposure to real-world applications.

Browse courses on Circuit Design

Show steps

Identify open source circuit design projects
Review the project documentation and code
Make contributions to the project
Submit pull requests to the project repository

Career center

Learners who complete Circuits and Electronics 1: Basic Circuit Analysis will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Electronics Engineer

Electronics Engineers design and develop electronic components and systems, which are widely used in various industries. This course provides a solid foundation in circuit analysis, circuit design, and digital abstraction, which are necessary for understanding how electronic circuits and systems work. The ability to analyze and design circuits is highly valued in this role.

See salaries and explore the career path for Electronics Engineer

VLSI Design Engineer

VLSI Design Engineers design and develop integrated circuits (ICs) and other very-large-scale integrated (VLSI) circuits. This course provides a foundational understanding of circuits and electronics, which is essential for VLSI Design Engineers. The course covers circuit analysis, circuit design, and digital abstraction, all of which are crucial concepts for designing and developing ICs.

See salaries and explore the career path for VLSI Design Engineer

Electrical Engineer

Electrical Engineers design, develop, test, and supervise the installation of electrical equipment. It is a broad field, and much of the work involves designing circuits and electronic devices. This course is a good introduction to circuit analysis, circuit design, and digital abstraction, which are important concepts for an Electrical Engineer to grasp.

See salaries and explore the career path for Electrical Engineer

Hardware Engineer

Hardware Engineers design, develop, and test computer hardware and other electronic devices. This course provides helpful insights into circuit analysis, design, and digital abstraction, which are critical components of hardware engineering. The course also provides practical experience through hands-on labs, which may be beneficial for Hardware Engineers seeking to expand their knowledge and expertise.

See salaries and explore the career path for Hardware Engineer

Telecommunications Engineer

Telecommunications Engineers design, develop, and maintain telecommunications systems. This course provides a good introduction to circuit analysis and digital abstraction, which are important concepts for understanding and designing telecommunications systems.

See salaries and explore the career path for Telecommunications Engineer

Semiconductor Engineer

Semiconductor Engineers design, develop, and manufacture semiconductors and semiconductor devices. This course is a good introduction to the basics of circuits and electronics, which are key for understanding semiconductor devices and their applications.

See salaries and explore the career path for Semiconductor Engineer

Mechatronics Engineer

Mechatronics Engineers combine mechanical and electrical engineering principles to design, develop, and maintain complex electromechanical systems. This course provides a necessary foundation in electrical engineering concepts such as circuit analysis and digital abstraction, which are essential for understanding and designing mechatronic systems.

See salaries and explore the career path for Mechatronics Engineer

Control Systems Engineer

Control Systems Engineers design software and systems that manage robotic systems and automate various processes. This course can help build a foundation for this role by introducing foundational concepts in circuits and electronics used in robotic systems. The course will help develop a foundational understanding of Ohm's law, Kirchhoff's laws, Thevenin's and Norton's theorems, and other concepts that apply directly to designing and maintaining robotic systems.

See salaries and explore the career path for Control Systems Engineer

Robotics Engineer

Robotics Engineers design, build, and maintain robots. This course provides basic concepts in circuit analysis and digital abstraction, which are useful for understanding the electrical systems used in robots.

See salaries and explore the career path for Robotics Engineer

Renewable Energy Engineer

Renewable Energy Engineers design, install, and maintain renewable energy systems. This course may be useful for understanding the electrical aspects of renewable energy systems, such as photovoltaic systems and wind turbines.

See salaries and explore the career path for Renewable Energy Engineer

Test Engineer

Test Engineers develop and conduct tests to ensure that products meet quality standards. This course may be useful for understanding the electrical testing of electronic products and systems.

See salaries and explore the career path for Test Engineer

Power Systems Engineer

Power Systems Engineers design, operate, and maintain electrical power systems. The course may be useful for understanding the underlying principles of power systems and how they operate. It also provides a good introduction to circuit analysis, which is a fundamental concept in power systems engineering.

See salaries and explore the career path for Power Systems Engineer

Quality Assurance Engineer

Quality Assurance Engineers ensure that products and services meet quality standards. This course provides a useful understanding of circuit analysis and digital abstraction, which may be helpful for evaluating the quality of electronic products and systems.

See salaries and explore the career path for Quality Assurance Engineer

Systems Engineer

Systems Engineers design, develop, and maintain complex systems. This course may be useful for understanding the electrical components of complex systems, as well as for gaining an understanding of system design and analysis.

See salaries and explore the career path for Systems Engineer

Software Engineer

Software Engineers design, develop, and maintain software applications. While this course focuses on circuits and electronics, it does cover digital abstraction, which is a concept that applies to software engineering. Understanding digital abstraction is helpful for designing software for embedded systems and other hardware-related applications.

See salaries and explore the career path for Software Engineer