SpectrumX, the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) Spectrum Innovation Center, has launched its newest course content series, Radio Systems and Applications, on Coursera.
The self-paced course modules that make up this series are designed and taught by spectrum experts and provide in-depth introductions to a variety of timely, relevant radio frequency spectrum topics. This educational material is designed as an on-ramp for those interested in learning more about the spectrum. Learners enrolling in these Coursera courses are not expected to have any existing subject matter knowledge.
Hosting this curriculum on Coursera further enables public accessibility to these materials, as Coursera is an educational and professional development tool used by over 150 million learners worldwide. Enrollment in the course is free for users with a Coursera Plus subscription.
This material will also be released for use in for-credit courses at Center member institutions. The Center also plans to make this educational content available as an open-source resource for non-commercial uses. All Radio Systems and Applications course content will be posted on this page as it is published on Coursera.
So far, two course modules in this series have been published:
- Point-to-Point Wireless Telecommunication Links taught by J. Nicholas Laneman (University of Notre Dame)
- Spectrum Management and Policy taught by David Reed (University of Colorado Boulder)
- Terrestrial Wireless Networks taught by J. Nicholas Laneman (University of Notre Dame)
- Valuing and Allocating Spectrum taught by Tom Hazlett (Clemson University)
Additional course modules on terrestrial wireless networks and spectrum management and policy are upcoming.
Point-to-Point Wireless Telecommunication Links
Starting with the simplest one-way wireless system, course participants will learn how information is encoded, modulated, transmitted, and recovered over radio waves. Along the way, learners will uncover the core techniques—analog and digital modulation, filtering, error control, and frequency-division strategies—that underpin modern technologies such as satellite communications, 5G infrastructure, scientific telemetry, and emerging wireless broadband solutions.
Spectrum Management and Policy
With the rising demand for spectrum access across sectors, spectrum management is becoming increasingly critical and complex. This course explores how policymakers and regulators make spectrum available for different uses and users. Learners will gain an understanding of the spectrum management process and the trade-offs involved in managing a scarce and increasingly valuable resource, enabling them to analyze real-world spectrum challenges.
Terrestrial Wireless Networks
Knowing how transmitters and receivers move information and why design choices matter is critical to understanding wireless networks and communication. This course allows learners to examine transmitter components and their applications in detail to better understand what a wireless system is, how it is put together, what wireless system designers try to achieve, and which measurements matter.
Valuing and Allocating Spectrum
This Coursera course introduces learners to the history, economics, and public policy of spectrum allocation. Through discussion of the history of institutional arrangements for spectrum allocation, alternative allocation regimes, and the evaluation of competing uses of spectrum, the content provides an interdisciplinary framework for understanding how societies manage scarce spectrum resources.