ECE 380Analog Control Systems
- Units
- 0.50
- Faculty
- Engineering
When it runs
- F24
- W25
- S25
- F25
- W26
- S26
- F26
- W27
- S27
Ran in 4 of the last 7 terms. Winter 2027: scheduled, 2 lecture sections. Spring 2027: schedule not out yet.
Introduction to control systems. Advantages of closed-loop feedback systems. The role of the system mathematical model. Block diagrams and signal flow graphs. The basic control system design problem, stability in control systems. Frequency response analysis techniques. Root-locus analysis. Elementary lead-lag compensation.
Prerequisites
- Complete all of the following
- Students must be in level 3A or higher
- Complete 1 of the following
- Complete all of the following
- Must have completed the following:
- ECE207 - Signals and Systems (0.50)
- Enrolled in H-Computer Engineering, or H-Electrical Engineering
- Must have completed the following:
- Complete all of the following
- Must have completed the following:
- MATH213 - Signals, Systems, and Differential Equations (0.50)
- Enrolled in H-Software Engineering
- Must have completed the following:
- Complete all of the following
Antirequisites
Leads to
Winter 2027 sections
| Section | Class | Enrolled | Meets |
|---|---|---|---|
| LEC 001 | 4400 | 119 / 130 | MW 10:00–11:20 Jan 20 12:30–13:20 Feb 3 12:30–13:20 Feb 24 12:30–13:20 Mar 10 12:30–13:20 Mar 24 12:30–13:20 Apr 7 12:30–13:20 |
| LEC 701 | 1945 | 1 / 9999 | Online or by arrangement |
| LAB 201 | 4469 | 36 / 35 | Jan 21 13:30–16:20 Feb 4 13:30–16:20 Feb 25 13:30–16:20 Mar 18 13:30–16:20 Apr 1 13:30–16:20 |
| LAB 202 | 4518 | 33 / 35 | Jan 18 13:30–16:20 Feb 1 13:30–16:20 Feb 22 13:30–16:20 Mar 15 13:30–16:20 Mar 29 13:30–16:20 |
| LAB 203 | 4519 | 35 / 35 | Jan 19 13:30–16:20 Feb 2 13:30–16:20 Feb 23 13:30–16:20 Mar 16 13:30–16:20 Mar 30 13:30–16:20 |
| LAB 204 | 4956 | 15 / 25 | Jan 20 13:30–16:20 Feb 3 13:30–16:20 Feb 24 13:30–16:20 Mar 17 13:30–16:20 Mar 31 13:30–16:20 |
| TUT 101 | 4401 | 119 / 130 | T 16:30–17:20 |
Resources
Around the web
Found by uwloo’s link finder, which checks that each page names ECE 380.
- Analog Control Systems Course outline · ece.uwaterloo.ca · from Stephen L. Smith’s site Remove
- Tentative Syllabus Course outline · yashpant.github.io · from Yash Vardhan Pant’s site Remove
- Remove
Other, 2 pages gnotomista.com · from Gennaro Notomista’s site
Reviewed on UW Flow
59% liked it30% easy77% useful
From 143 ratings and 25 comments on UW Flow. The most helpful comments, quoted as written, without names. Read them all on UW Flow.
This course gives a intro into the niche world of controls engineer, and again I don't know why the retards in Waterloo force everyone to do this course if you are not going to become a controls engineer.
The content is pretty practical, whatever you learned in ECE 207 directly leads to this. One thing I liked about this course is the prof was more concerned with how you use Laplace transforms and other stuff to do some useful stuff and get some results instead of bogging you down with some insane math or proofs (If you hate abstract proofs or obscure Laplace transforms you won't have to do any of those). If you actually wanted to do controls stuff might need to do some more advanced…Aug 2025 · didn’t like it · 1 found this helpfulOn UW FlowRemove this
This course is not too useful for either CEs or EEs, can't understand why it's a core course. Taught by Roya Firoozi. It's her first time teaching and she seemed not too prepared. Her slides were identical to Nielsen’s notes and she spent most of the time reading slides. Luckily, her exams were easy. We got a huge curve at the end because the EEs final exam was really hard.
Aug 2026 · liked itOn UW FlowRemove this
Interesting course. Once you understand the basic theory there are only so many possible examples-style questions to ask, so it isn’t too hard. Taught by Roya Firoozi in her first term teaching, so there were some bumps, but it was fine overall. Chris Nielsen’s course notes were useful.
Aug 2026 · liked itOn UW FlowRemove this
It's fun to see how we control things. The course notes are often hand wavey so get your favourite to AI to explain things to you.
Jul 2026 · liked itOn UW FlowRemove this
I have no idea what this course is about. Not useful for CE. The course content is hard (root locus, Nyquist Plot, lead/lag controller).
Aug 2025 · didn’t like itOn UW FlowRemove this
Discussed on r/uwaterloo
90 posts and comments in 69 threads mention ECE 380, November 2011 to December 2024. Quoted word for word, newest first; each reply sits under the post and the comment that started its branch. Search r/uwaterloo for newer posts.
Fall 2024
I failed ECE380 and retaking the SE380 exam | Looking for study material 5 points, 2 comments
u/Prestigious_Eye4907: “I failed ECE380 last summer, and I got approval to take the SE380 exam to make up for it. I'm wondering if anyone has past final exams or study material for SE380. The instructor this term is Gennaro Notomista. Any advice or study material would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!”
u/beeeppbopp: “I had Gennaro Notomista for ECE380. His final was super fair, most people finished within an hour. It wasn’t anything like the assigned practice problems from the textbook (no calculations, complex plotting, etc.). …”
Winter 2024
ECE 380 w/ Yash Pant 3 points, 0 comments
u/illa2m: “How was the Winter 2023 final with Yash Pant for ECE 380 if anyone's taken that offering? Our midterm was really easy and the class got a good average, the questions were much easier than questions that we got on our assignments throughout the term. …”
ECE 380: Was the exam hard in Winter 2023? 3 points, 2 comments
u/ItAllWorkedOut111: “For anyone who took ECE 380 in Winter 2023 with Yash Pant, how was the final exam? Was it a high-average midterm and low-average final? Or was the final okay too”
u/bandwag0n3r: “I took 380 in W23. The midterm median was 70.4%, and the final was probably worse (He didn't release the final exam on crowdmark), but like the other dude said, he curved pretty hard”
u/Frankwww1: “… it’s difficult, but I found it’s not hard if u know the content well ( I got 97 in total in ece380), just make sure you understand every lecture:)”
ECE 380 2 points, 0 comments
u/unfertilized_egg: “Does someone have ECE380 course notes or any resources?”
u/honkinggr8namespaces: “here's the course notes from last year”
Engineering courses as non-math courses for CS majors 2 points, 7 comments
“Does anyone know if ECE courses can count towards the non-math part of the CS degree? My friend told me his advisor said yes but wanted to confirm since I'm in 4B and want to graduate on time lol”
u/djao: “Anything non-math can count towards the non-math units degree requirement, but CS specifically has elective depth and elective breadth requirements, which form the bulk of the non-math courses …”
u/tendstwofiftytwo: “… However ece 380 and ece 481. I know .ost of the integrated ircuits courses are fair game for non math credit. …”
Fall 2023
ECE Surprisingly easy?... 1 point, 13 comments
“Prior to coming to UWaterloo, I was told by many upper years that the program would be grueling and daunting, with averages being in the 60s. …”
u/3Ex8: “… There's some classes like ECE240 (with levine) and maybe ECE380 (with heunis) that have averages in 50s or 60s. …”
Winter 2023
How manageable is this workload? CS AI spec 4 points, 28 comments
“I am a 3A CS student with coop in the summer. Here is my plane for the summer and fall, could some upper year CS students comment on whether I am killing myself?. …”
u/hargunm: “Why would you willingly do SE 380”
u/tendstwofiftytwo: “AI spec and ECE 380 does not sound pleasant”
CE 4A TEs 8 points, 30 comments
u/OkCelery1514: “… I took ECE 380, ECE 318, & ECE 327 in 3A and performed at the average in all these courses. I liked the content of ECE 380, ECE 358, ECE 356, & ECE 351. I want a (relatively) light workload, but to still learn some new things. …”
Fall 2022
Is SE380 useful for AI and ML? 2 points, 3 comments
“CS students, I see there is a AI specialization, where SE380 is a required course. But looking into uwflow it is mainly about signaling and control system. …”
u/Jaffe240: “Talk to a CS advisor. We'll allow you to swap a different CS course for SE/ECE 380 as long as you take another engineering course towards that specialization. You're right, it's fairly specialized and may or may not be relevant to your interests.”
Math213 advise 2 points, 4 comments
“Is Math 213 difficult for a 3a CS student?”
u/thewarrior71: “Isn't MATH 213 available/required for SE students only? You don't have to take it for BCS”
u/CharlesZhang418: “But it may require for AI specialization. It's a prereq for ECE380.”
Switching to computer science from computer engineering 65 points, 27 comments
u/AutoModerator: “AutoModerator thinks you're asking about admissions. Check out our current admissions megathread, or alternatively, our prior megathreads for further research. …”
u/Xillanite: “… Though you'll have to finish 3A if you never want to touch maths again (in the form of ECE 380: Control Systems. Hate this course soo much). …”
Spring 2022
Bombed a midterm because I didn't look at the formula sheet 3 points, 8 comments
u/ewboi123: “LOL is this ECE 380”
Check it elsewhere for Fall 2026
- Undergraduate Calendar, 2026–27The official entry
- Requirements for Fall 2026Waterloo’s requisite checker
- Schedule of Classes, Fall 2026Instructors, rooms, live seats
- Quest Class SearchWhere you enrol
- Course outlinesSyllabi from past terms (UW login)
- UW FlowStudent ratings and reviews
- WClassesPast sections back to 2004, and who taught them