Advancing chip design education
Welcome to the Edu4chip project page at DTU.
At DTU, the study program where the Edu4Chip project course are mainly implemented is the MSc in Computer Science and Engineering with a specialization in Digital Systems. Please consult these pages for further information on applying to DTU's study programs.
For more information about the project, activities, and contacts, please see the Edu4Chip project website.
Edu4Chip led to new and enhanced courses at DTU aiming to provide a solid foundation in designing, implementing, verifying, and testing complex digital systems by combining theoretical knowledge with hands-on project work.
Fundamental skills in hardware design, RTL modeling, and the use of open-source chip development tools are taught in courses like Introduction to Chip Design (02118) and Design of Digital Systems (02203). These are complemented by Computer Architecture and Engineering (02155), which builds understanding of processor architecture, memory systems, and performance optimization.
Advanced competencies in design methodologies are developed in Agile Hardware Design (02201), Research Topics in Computer Architecture (02211), and Hardware/Software Codesign (02214). These courses introduce modern tools and techniques such as Chisel-based development, object-oriented modeling, and co-design strategies that integrate hardware and software components efficiently.
Physical implementation skills are addressed in VLSI Design (02205), where students work with commercial tools to explore ASIC and SoC design flows, layout, timing, power optimization, and low-power techniques. Verification and reliability are covered in Verification of Digital Systems (02207) and Test of Digital Systems (02209), which focus on testbench creation, constrained-random testing, fault modeling, and design-for-test methods.
In addition, students may request special courses tailored to specific research or technical interests, which can also support preparation for the Master’s Thesis.
Parter univiesities offer MSc programs that are harmonized with the one offered by DTU. Below you can find a brief description of these programs. For more information please see the Edu4Chip project website.
A new master's program, Microelectronics and Chip Design, is being developed with two specialization tracks—Analog/Mixed-Signal and Digital Design. The program heavily features the chip design tape-out project, which spans four semesters.
The program is integrated into the existing Embedded Systems Master’s program, particularly within the Embedded Electronics track. KTH emphasizes System-on-Chip design, where students work on all aspects of the design flow, from specification to tape-out.
Edu4Chip is part of the existing Master’s Programme in Computing Sciences and Electrical Engineering, with a specialization in System-on-Chip Design. Students undertake chip design projects focused on front-end and back-end design, with strong industry collaboration.
The program is offered in the last two years of IMT Mines Saint-Etienne’s ISMIN engineering curriculum, and is focused on digital or analog design through a dedicated ASIC track. IMT is also developing a new post-master’s program in Microelectronics Circuit Design.
