VLSI denotes Very Large Scale Integration and this is the field that involves packing more and more logic devices within smaller and smaller areas. With the help of this technology, circuits that would have taken large space can now be put into a small space. VLSI circuits are found everywhere these days in your car, cell phone, digital camera and your computer as well.

Master of Engineering or Master of Technology in VLSI Design is a PG course in engineering extending to a period of two years and this course is offered either as full-time course of part-time course by many colleges in India. The names of Government colleges offering this course in India are given below:

• Government College of Technology, Coimbatore

• College of Engineering & Technology, Bhubaneswar

• Indian Institute of Information Technology & Management, Gwalior

• National Institute of Technology, Hamirpur

• National Institute of Technology, West Bengal

• Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi

• Institute of Technology & Management, Rajasthan

• National Institute of Technology, Trichy

Objective of PG Course in VLSI Design:

The content of the M.E/M. Tech VLSI Design is structured with the following objectives:

• To expose students to the design methodologist and complexities of advanced and current IC design technologies

• To develop world-class professionals equipped with different aspects of nanometer/VLSI Scale ASIC and IC design methodologies

• To offer hands-on design capabilities for digital, analog and mixed signal ASIC/IC design upto nanometer scales

Subjects taught in the PG Course in VLSI Design:

Some of the subjects taught in the VLSI Design course are:

• System on chip design

• Single electronics device applications and modeling

• Micro electro mechanical system

• Image processing and compression techniques

• Nanoelectronics

• Electromagnetic interface and compatibility of electronic system design

• DSP architectures

• Reconfiguration computing

• RFIC Design

• Packaging and interconnect analysis

• IC technology

• Fault – tolerant and dependable systems

• Scripting languages for VLSI Design Automation

• Advanced computer architecture

• Hardware/software Co-design

• Memory design and testing

• Mixed signal IC design

• Low Power IC Design

These are only a few subjects  offered in VLSI design course and the course content might differ from one university to another.

Eligibility requirement:

For getting into Master of Engineering/Technology course in VLSI Design, candidates must possess strong electronics background and therefore they should be UG Degree holders in instrumentation, information technology, electrical, computer science and electronics engineering from an AICTE approved institution.

Admission Procedure:

Like any other branch of engineering, admissions to VLSI Design course at the PG level is also done based on the merit secured by the candidates in the GATE Examination and merit secured at the UG level will also be taken into consideration.

Scope of employment for PG holders in VLSI Design:

Candidates with VLSI Design can find job placements in the following types of organizations:

• Placement opportunity in leading core companies like Elxi, Tata, Microchip, Cypress semiconductors, Honeywell, soliton, Motorola, HCL Technologies, etc…

• Research and development organizations involved in device modeling and VLSI Design

• IC foundries like AMI, AMS, UMC, TSMS, etc…