NYU Tandon BASICS | NYU Tandon School of Engineering

NYU Tandon BASICS

Develop fundamental semiconductor chip design skills in our 100% online course, offering full-tuition scholarships to all admitted students

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Computer Chip

About the BASICS Program

Introducing BASICS (Bridge to Application-Specific Integrated Circuits) – a groundbreaking program from NYU Tandon designed to provide foundational skills in chip design to learners of all backgrounds. Whether you're an undergraduate, a non-STEM professional, or simply curious about the field, BASICS opens the door to the world of Application-Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs). Join us to gain practical knowledge and embark on a journey into the exciting field of chip design, no matter your starting point.

BASICS is a collaboration with the NYU Tandon Bridge program, NYU Tandon’s Computer Engineering program, and the Zero to ASIC online curriculum. This self-paced, 28-week course is 100% online, with a focus on software programming fundamentals, developing fundamental chip-design capabilities, and culminating in the fabrication and testing of your own chip. You will learn to design Application-Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs), which are chips tailored for specialized tasks rather than general purpose computing, providing a critical step toward innovation in medicine, cybersecurity, and many other fields. Both programs have a proven track record of success, providing accessible STEM education to hundreds of learners at all levels including K-12 students. 

NYU Tandon has also launched Chips4All, which seeks to expand access to semiconductor design education to graduate students in STEM fields with backgrounds other than computer engineering. A five-year program, Chips4All offers a domain-specific track and a hardware-design track, both of which emphasize hands-on learning experiences.


Program Benefits

Cost: Full scholarship

Scholarships fully fund the $2,000 tuition cost of this program

Self-paced online with Teaching Assistants

TAs provide one-on-one support to help you succeed

No prior STEM background required

Anyone can design chips, including K-12 students

Bridge to a tech career

Gain skills in high demand under the CHIPS Act

Master's degree preparation 

By earning your certificate, you are eligible for specific NYU Tandon master's programs

Design your own chip

2-week chip fabrication capstone project


Course Information


  • Software programming fundamentals
  • Number Systems & Logic
  • Data Types and Expressions and proofs
  • Branching Statements and sets
  • Iterative statements and Functions
  • Algorithm analysis and C++ Functions
  • Functions and Counting
  • Arrays and String and Probability
  • MOSFETS and Logic Gates
  • SPICE Simulations
  • Combinatorial Logic (Verilog)
  • Sequential Logic (Verilog)
  • Finite State Machines (Verilog)
  • Modularity (Verilog)
  • Scripting CAD Files
  • Design Verification and Testing
  • Caravel RISC-V Wrapper
  • FPGA Prototyping

Course Calendar and Time Commitment

Semester

BASICS Application Deadline

Course Start Date

Course End Date

Winter 2025

November 1st

1/2/25

7/13/25

Applying from BASICS to a Master’s Program

Students who attend the NYU Tandon BASICS course are eligible to apply to one of the NYU Tandon Electrical Engineering, M.S. degree program.

 The program will prepare you for a professional career as an entrepreneur, a practicing engineer in industry, business or government at an advanced level, or to pursue a Ph.D. degree in electrical engineering. You can choose a concentration from a number of stimulating fields, including the following:

  • Communications, Networking and Signal Processing
  • Computer Engineering and VLSI
  • Energy systems and power electronics
  • Electromagnetics and analog/RF/Biomedical circuits
  • Systems, control, and robotics