PC and work station based computing laboratories provide tools for electronic circuit simulation and computer-aided design work. Other laboratories are provided for experiments in electronics engineering and physics. Two laboratories are set aside for final year project work. Student projects typically involve the design, construction and evaluation of hardware for use in a communications system or in an electronic measurement and control system. Many projects involve a combination of both software and hardware, and are often closely integrated with the research programs of the two University Research Centres located within the School of Electronics Engineering and Applied Physics.
Extensive use is made of computer-aided engineering software for designs and evaluation.
For example, one project involved the development of an instrument to measure the number of electrons in a plasma and to log the results in a computer. Another project used information from global positioning satellites to control the route taken by a terrestrial model vehicle. Graduates may work with electronic and photonic devices, circuits and systems. In the electronic, computer and telecommunications industries work could include research and development, design, planning, management and system operation activities. Graduates are employed by organisations such as Telstra, Optus, Electro Optic Systems and Federal Government departments such as Communications and Defence.