FPGA Capstone: Building FPGA Projects

The University of Colorado Boulder, founded in 1876 and set against the Rocky Mountains, is a major research university serving more than 37,000 students with nearly 3,000 international learners. CU Boulder is recognized for academic excellence, expansive research programs and a sustainability-driven campus culture. Students benefit from an array of undergraduate, graduate and professional offerings that encourage innovation across science, engineering, business, arts and humanities.

Research, entrepreneurship and experiential learning are central to the CU Boulder experience, with extensive laboratory facilities, innovation labs and co-op or internship pathways that connect students to industry and civic partners. The university supports cross-disciplinary projects and provides robust advising, career services and student organizations that help translate academic interests into practical outcomes and start-up ventures.

Boulder's outdoor lifestyle and proximity to tech hubs create strong opportunities for networking, recreation and balanced living. International students are supported by dedicated offices for admissions, orientation and visa guidance, making the transition smoother. With a large program portfolio and a campus culture that values sustainability, creativity and collaboration, CU Boulder is well suited to students seeking high-impact research experiences and an active campus community.

The FPGA Capstone: Building FPGA Projects is a non-degree program for students who want to gain hands-on experience in FPGA design. It's a 4-week online program at the University of Colorado Boulder.

The curriculum includes designing and testing various circuits, such as a Binary Coded Decimal Adder and a PWM Circuit. Students will use the Quartus Prime design tool and the System Builder to set up and test the MAX10 DE10-Lite board. The program also covers creating hardware for the NIOS II soft processor and instantiating the design into a top-level DE10-Lite HDL file.

Upon completion, students can pursue careers as FPGA Design Engineers, Digital Circuit Designers, or Embedded Systems Engineers. They can work in industries such as electronics, aerospace, or automotive, and potential employers may include companies like Intel, NASA, or General Motors. Other possible job titles include Hardware Developer or System Engineer.