Overview
Electrical systems are fundamental to our way of life, including electrical power, telecommunications, and automatic control systems. In this unit, you will learn mathematical techniques to analyse and design a wide range of electrical systems, such as communication, electrical power distribution, and transmission and control systems. You will be introduced to the concept of linear time-invariant systems and several mathematical tools used for system analysis, especially electrical system analysis, such as forward and inverse Laplace transforms, s-domain circuit analysis, and transfer function. You will also be introduced to the frequency response of a system, identify filter types, and design filters for given specifications. Through this unit, you will gain programming experience in using simulation software to analyse signals and linear systems. This unit will provide you with the opportunities to further develop communication skills through developing technical documentation and reports. All students must have access to a computer, frequently use the Internet, and complete the compulsory practical activities. Furthermore, the unit also aims to promote the UN sustainable development Goal 9 - Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialisation, and foster innovation by developing an understanding of how to build resilient and sustainable automation and intelligence systems to support industrial innovation.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
Pre-requisite: ENEE12014 Electrical Circuit Analysis
Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).
Offerings For Term 2 - 2025
Attendance Requirements
All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes - in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).
Recommended Student Time Commitment
Each 6-credit Undergraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 12.5 hours of study per week, making a total of 150 hours for the unit.
Class Timetable
Assessment Overview
Assessment Grading
This is a graded unit: your overall grade will be calculated from the marks or grades for each assessment task, based on the relative weightings shown in the table above. You must obtain an overall mark for the unit of at least 50%, or an overall grade of 'pass' in order to pass the unit. If any 'pass/fail' tasks are shown in the table above they must also be completed successfully ('pass' grade). You must also meet any minimum mark requirements specified for a particular assessment task, as detailed in the 'assessment task' section (note that in some instances, the minimum mark for a task may be greater than 50%). Consult the University's Grades and Results Policy for more details of interim results and final grades.
All University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
You may wish to view these policies:
- Grades and Results Policy
- Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework)
- Review of Grade Procedure
- Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure - Domestic Students
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure - International Students
- Student Refund and Credit Balance Policy and Procedure
- Student Feedback - Compliments and Complaints Policy and Procedure
- Information and Communications Technology Acceptable Use Policy and Procedure
This list is not an exhaustive list of all University policies. The full list of University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
Feedback, Recommendations and Responses
Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.
Feedback from Unit survey
The lectures and tutorials are very long, making them hard to learn in one go.
Break the lectures and tutorials into sizable chunks based on logical concepts and topics to allow easier digestion of materials.
Feedback from Unit survey
A computational modelling maths unit perhaps should be a prerequisite and provided to better prepare students for using Matlab in this unit.
Discuss with the School management to make MATH12225 - Applied Computational Modelling a prerequisite for the unit.
Feedback from Unit survey
The textbook while very thorough is very cumbersome to get through.
Consider replacing the current textbook with a new one that focuses more on practical guidance rather than theoretical rigorousness and abstraction.
Feedback from Unit survey
Although very comprehensive, the assessment workload was very high. Especially since the labs were too long, they took significant time to do, affecting the available valuable learning time for the lectures and tutorials.
Revise assessments and labs to streamline and reduce the length and the number of pieces without compromising on their thoroughness.
- Explain the concept of linear time-invariant systems, signal convolution, and special functions
- Apply signal analysis techniques in time and frequency domains using the Laplace transform
- Identify and design frequency response systems
- Perform signal analysis in time and frequency domains using the Fourier transform
- Use simulation software to validate signal and system analysis techniques
- Develop technical documentation to present analysis processes, solutions, and designs using appropriate diagrams, symbols, and terminology that conform to Australian and international standards.
The Learning Outcomes for this unit are linked with the Engineers Australia Stage 1 Competency Standards for Professional Engineers in the areas of 1. Knowledge and Skill Base, 2. Engineering Application Ability and 3. Professional and Personal Attributes at the following levels:
Intermediate 1.5 Knowledge of engineering design practice and contextual factors impacting the engineering discipline. (LO: 3I 4I 5I ) 1.6 Understanding of the scope, principles, norms, accountabilities and bounds of sustainable engineering practice in the specific discipline. (LO: 2N 3I 4N 5N ) 3.3 Creative, innovative and pro-active demeanour. (LO: 5I ) 3.4 Professional use and management of information. (LO: 5I )
Advanced 1.1 Comprehensive, theory-based understanding of the underpinning natural and physical sciences and the engineering fundamentals applicable to the engineering discipline. (LO: 1A 2A 3A ) 1.2 Conceptual understanding of the mathematics, numerical analysis, statistics, and computer and information sciences which underpin the engineering discipline. (LO: 2I 3A 4I 5I ) 1.3 In-depth understanding of specialist bodies of knowledge within the engineering discipline. (LO: 1A 2A 3A 4A 5A ) 1.4 Discernment of knowledge development and research directions within the engineering discipline. (LO: 2I 3A 4I 5A ) 2.1 Application of established engineering methods to complex engineering problem solving. (LO: 2A 3A 4A 5A ) 2.2 Fluent application of engineering techniques, tools and resources. (LO: 2I 3I 4I 5A ) 2.3 Application of systematic engineering synthesis and design processes. (LO: 5A ) 3.2 Effective oral and written communication in professional and lay domains. (LO: 6A 7I )
Note: LO refers to the Learning Outcome number(s) which link to the competency and the levels: N – Introductory, I – Intermediate and A - Advanced.
Refer to the Engineering Undergraduate Course Moodle site for further information on the Engineers Australia's Stage 1 Competency Standard for Professional Engineers and course level mapping informationhttps://moodle.cqu.edu.au/course/view.php?id=1511
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | |
| 1 - Online Quiz(zes) - 30% | ||||||
| 2 - Practical and Written Assessment - 30% | ||||||
| 3 - Written Assessment - 40% | ||||||
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
| Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | |
| 1 - Communication | ||||||
| 2 - Problem Solving | ||||||
| 3 - Critical Thinking | ||||||
| 4 - Information Literacy | ||||||
| 5 - Team Work | ||||||
| 6 - Information Technology Competence | ||||||
| 7 - Cross Cultural Competence | ||||||
| 8 - Ethical practice | ||||||
| 9 - Social Innovation | ||||||
| 10 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures | ||||||
Textbooks
Electric Circuits
Global Edition, 11th edition (2019)
Authors: James W. Nilsson and Susan Riedel
Pearson
Upper Saddle River Upper Saddle River , NJ , USA
ISBN: 9781292261041
Binding: Paperback
IT Resources
- CQUniversity Student Email
- Internet
- Unit Website (Moodle)
- Microsoft Office, Acrobat Reader, ability to uncompress files (ie. windows or winzip or 7-zip)
- MATLAB and Simulink Suite Software
- Zoom (both microphone and webcam capability)
All submissions for this unit must use the referencing style: Harvard (author-date)
For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.
l.bui@cqu.edu.au
Module/Topic
Signals and Systems
Chapter
CRO for Week 1
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Linear Time Invariant Systems
Chapter
CRO for Week 2
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Laplace Transforms
Chapter
Chapter 12 of the textbook: Electric Circuits, 11th Edition by Nilsson and Riedel
Events and Submissions/Topic
Online Quiz 1: Due on Friday of Week 3 at 11:59 pm AEST
Module/Topic
s-Domain Circuit Analysis
Chapter
Chapter 13 of the textbook: Electric Circuits, 11th Edition by Nilsson and Riedel
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Transfer Functions
Chapter
Chapter 13 of the textbook: Electric Circuits, 11th Edition by Nilsson and Riedel
Events and Submissions/Topic
Online Quiz 2: Due on Friday of Week 5 at 11:59 pm AEST
Module/Topic
No class
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Review materials from Weeks 1 to 5.
Module/Topic
Stability of LTI Systems
Chapter
CRO for Week 6
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Fourier Series Representation of Periodic Signals
Chapter
Chapter 16 of the textbook: Electric Circuits, 11th Edition by Nilsson and Riedel
Events and Submissions/Topic
Online Quiz 3: Due on Friday of Week 7 at 11:59 pm AEST
Module/Topic
Fourier Transform
Chapter
Chapter 17 of the textbook: Electric Circuits, 11th Edition by Nilsson and Riedel
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Residential School
Chapter
Review of previous learning materials
Events and Submissions/Topic
Residential School: Week 9, Online via ZOOM
Online Quiz 4: Due on Friday of Week 9 at 11:59 pm AEST
Module/Topic
Frequency Characteristics of LTI Systems
Chapter
CRO for Week 10
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Frequency Selective Circuits
Chapter
Chapter 14 of the textbook: Electric Circuits, 11th Edition by Nilsson and Riedel
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Active Filter Circuits
Chapter
Chapter 15 of the textbook: Electric Circuits, 11th Edition by Nilsson and Riedel
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Online Quiz 5: Due on Friday of Week 13 at 11:59 pm AEST
Final Assignment Due: Review/Exam Week Monday (13 Oct 2025) 11:59 pm AEST
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Please take a few moments to complete the Unit and Teaching Evaluations. Your feedback is valuable and will help us improve the unit for future students.
Thank you very much for your time and input.
This unit includes a compulsory residential school in Week 9, which will be conducted online via Zoom. Attendance will be recorded and will count towards your attendance mark.
Before attending the residential school, you must have MATLAB properly installed and working on your computer, as it will be required during the sessions.
1 Online Quiz(zes)
This assessment consists of five online quizzes, available via the unit Moodle on a fortnightly basis. Each quiz includes a mix of multiple-choice and calculation questions designed to help you self-test your understanding of the content covered in the preceding two/three weeks. The quizzes are an integral part of your learning and will help reinforce key concepts while assessing your progress. You must achieve an overall mark of at least 50% across the five quizzes to pass the unit.
Key Details:
- No time limit for each quiz.
- Multiple attempts are allowed to help improve both your understanding and your mark.
- Each attempt will present a different set of questions, drawn randomly from a question bank.
- Your final quiz mark will be the average of all your attempts.
- Correct answers will be shown after you submit each attempt.
Availability:
- Each quiz will remain open for one additional week after the corresponding fortnight.
- For example, the quiz covering Weeks 10, 11 and 12 will close on the Friday of Week 13.
- Any unattempted questions when the quiz closes will be automatically submitted and receive a zero mark.
If you experience any issues while completing a quiz, please contact the unit coordinator (UC) as soon as possible.
AI assessment scale: NO AI
You must not use Al at any point during the assessment. You must demonstrate your core skills and knowledge.
6
Fortnightly
Due on Friday of Weeks 3, 5, 7, 9 and 13 (Review/Exam Week) at 11:59 AEDT
Results are available immediately after the attempt is finalised and submitted.
Correct numerical answers or choose the best answer among the available multiple choices.
- Explain the concept of linear time-invariant systems, signal convolution, and special functions
- Apply signal analysis techniques in time and frequency domains using the Laplace transform
- Identify and design frequency response systems
- Perform signal analysis in time and frequency domains using the Fourier transform
2 Practical and Written Assessment
This assessment covers all topics in the unit.
The simulation laboratories are scheduled throughout the term, as detailed in the unit Moodle. Students are encouraged to form groups of up to four members to complete this assessment. Group members should collaborate to solve the laboratory problems, preferably before the residential school.
A peer assessment will be conducted to allow group members to evaluate each other’s contributions. As a result, individual marks within a group may differ based on each member’s level of contribution.
To support your learning, a compulsory residential school will be held in Week 9, conducted online via Zoom. This session will guide completing the simulation laboratories. Attendance is mandatory and will be recorded, with the attendance score contributing to your laboratory assessment mark.
All necessary information about the simulation laboratories will be available in the unit Moodle at the start of the term.
AI assessment scale: AI PLANNING
You may use Al for planning, idea development, and research. Your final submission should show how you have developed and refined these ideas.
Important: You must pass the simulation laboratories to pass the unit.
Week 11 Monday (29 Sept 2025) 11:59 pm AEST
Please submit the following two files via the submission link provided in the unit Moodle: 1) A PDF file of your report and 2) Your MATLAB file. If you have multiple MATLAB files, place them all in a single folder, compress (zip) the folder, and then submit the zipped file.
Review/Exam Week Monday (13 Oct 2025)
Marked lab reports, along with feedback, will be returned to students within two weeks of the submission date.
Simulation laboratories will be assessed based on the following criteria:
- Accuracy of Answers and Units: All numerical answers must be correct and include appropriate units.
- Correct Format: The report must follow the required structure and formatting guidelines.
- Description of Laboratory Procedures: Clear and accurate descriptions of the procedures followed during the laboratory activities.
- Quality of Discussion: Thoughtful and well-reasoned analysis and discussion of the laboratory results.
- Complete Working: All calculations and steps leading to the final answers must be shown.
- Use of References: Proper citation of any references used in the report.
- Logical Order: Answers must be presented in the same order as the laboratory exercises and their respective questions.
- Presentation: The report must be neat, tidy, and legible.
- Completion: All assigned laboratory exercises must be attempted.
- Attendance: Participation in the residential school is required and contributes to the laboratory assessment.
- Peer assessment: Provide the peer evaluations of the effort, participation, and quality of work contributed by team members.
Please ensure all criteria are met to achieve full marks.
- Explain the concept of linear time-invariant systems, signal convolution, and special functions
- Apply signal analysis techniques in time and frequency domains using the Laplace transform
- Perform signal analysis in time and frequency domains using the Fourier transform
- Use simulation software to validate signal and system analysis techniques
- Develop technical documentation to present analysis processes, solutions, and designs using appropriate diagrams, symbols, and terminology that conform to Australian and international standards.
3 Written Assessment
This written assessment covers all topics in the unit, including content from the simulation laboratories.
The assignment questions will be released on the unit Moodle three weeks before the submission due date.
Students are not required to type equations and calculations. Instead, you may include scanned copies of clear and legible handwritten calculations in your assignment report.
Marks and feedback for this assignment will be returned after the grade moderation date.
AI assessment scale: AI PLANNING
You may use Al for planning, idea development, and research. Your final submission should show how you have developed and refined these ideas.
Review/Exam Week Monday (13 Oct 2025) 11:59 pm AEST
Submit your assignment as a single PDF file via the submission link on the unit Moodle before the due date
The assignment marks and feedback will be returned to students after the grade moderation date.
Assignments will be assessed based on the following criteria:
- Accuracy of answers and inclusion of correct units.
- Use of the correct format as specified.
- Presentation of answers in the correct order, matching the sequence of the questions.
- All working steps must be shown to receive marks.
- Demonstrated ability to use MATLAB for computations and visualisations.
- Proper citation and use of references.
- The report must be neat, tidy, and legible.
- All questions must be attempted.
- Identify and design frequency response systems
- Develop technical documentation to present analysis processes, solutions, and designs using appropriate diagrams, symbols, and terminology that conform to Australian and international standards.
As a CQUniversity student you are expected to act honestly in all aspects of your academic work.
Any assessable work undertaken or submitted for review or assessment must be your own work. Assessable work is any type of work you do to meet the assessment requirements in the unit, including draft work submitted for review and feedback and final work to be assessed.
When you use the ideas, words or data of others in your assessment, you must thoroughly and clearly acknowledge the source of this information by using the correct referencing style for your unit. Using others’ work without proper acknowledgement may be considered a form of intellectual dishonesty.
Participating honestly, respectfully, responsibly, and fairly in your university study ensures the CQUniversity qualification you earn will be valued as a true indication of your individual academic achievement and will continue to receive the respect and recognition it deserves.
As a student, you are responsible for reading and following CQUniversity’s policies, including the Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure. This policy sets out CQUniversity’s expectations of you to act with integrity, examples of academic integrity breaches to avoid, the processes used to address alleged breaches of academic integrity, and potential penalties.
What is a breach of academic integrity?
A breach of academic integrity includes but is not limited to plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, cheating, contract cheating, and academic misconduct. The Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure defines what these terms mean and gives examples.
Why is academic integrity important?
A breach of academic integrity may result in one or more penalties, including suspension or even expulsion from the University. It can also have negative implications for student visas and future enrolment at CQUniversity or elsewhere. Students who engage in contract cheating also risk being blackmailed by contract cheating services.
Where can I get assistance?
For academic advice and guidance, the Academic Learning Centre (ALC) can support you in becoming confident in completing assessments with integrity and of high standard.
What can you do to act with integrity?
