Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) have become an industry standard to implement popular DSP and other algorithms in firmware. Many DSP algorithms previously implemented using application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) and programmable digital signal processors (PDSPs) are now replaced by FPGAs. DSP hardware design has been moving from graphical design tools to HDL that led by Verilog and VHDL and both of these languages seem to be well suited for DSP with FPGA.

Who is this program recommended for?

This certificate is recommended for engineers who work on programmable content for hardware devices.

What will I learn?

A graduate certificate in Firmware Engineering provides students the foundations of digital signal processing to develop DSP Algorithms along with the necessary knowledge to implement them on FPGAs [ALTERA Cyclone II] using VHDL (VHSIC - Very High Speed Integrated Circuits -Hardware Description Language). The FPGA Lab is built around projects which include FIR-IIR Filter Design Implementation, Filter Banks, FFT Implementation, Error Control and Cryptography, Modulation and Demodulation, and Individual FPGA Term Project.

Why study Firmware Engineering at NJIT?

NJIT’s Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) is at the hub of New Jersey's electronics enterprises. Educational and research programs are developed through interaction and growing partnerships with companies including AT&T, Alcatel-Lucent Technologies-Bell Laboratories, IBM, Sarnoff, Sun Microsystems, PSE&G, Globix, Telcordia, and Mitre Corp. With nationally-recognized research programs in wireless telecommunications, MEMS and nanotechnology, networking and Internet security, and generations of computing applications, the ECE department has several state-of-the art collaborative research centers including the Center for Communications and Signal Processing Research, Electronic Imaging Center, Microelectronics Research Center and an NSF Industry-University Co-operative Research Center (IUCRC) in Information Assurance.

Prerequisites

Applicants are expected to have undergraduate backgrounds in physics, mathematics (through differential equations and vector analysis), electrical networks and devices, electronics, analysis and design methods, transients, electromagnetic fields, and appropriate laboratory work in some of these areas. Completion of a Bachelor’s degree with a overall cumulative Grade Point Average of 2.8 or higher on a 4.0 scale.

Related Degrees

Courses in the Graduate Certificate program in Firmware Engineering can be wholly applied to NJIT’s MS in Electrical Engineering or MS in Computer Engineering.

Take Note

Check the course descriptions for more information. Some courses have prerequisites and must be taken in order. Complete course descriptions can be found in the NJIT Online Catalog.

Register for courses via the Registrar's Office