What math do we really need?

The Microelectronics program in the Technology College at ASU was totally restructured in 2001. The courses are entirely new and have novel (web + class) delivery arrangements. There has also been substantial industry input both for planning and contributions in the class-room. As a result, we have been able to execute a strategy that aligns the skills and capabilities of the graduates with the starting requirements of our 12 supporting companies. The next stage is to "pull" the skills needed by the senior-level courses from the lower division and feeder programs. On that basis, we have analyzed the math used in two microelectronics courses:. UET416 - Dopant control technology. This covers transistor operation, ion implantation of dopants and diffusion in subsequent thermal processing steps. It has everything from differential equations to statistical control and no matter the university where it is given, the topic has a strong traditional math content. UET417 - Clean room practice. The primary goal is to ensure safe working conditions. The scope includes effective communications and reporting with the typically diverse range of data encountered in any high-tech industry. Every math instance in almost 1000 slides has been classified. The results show a strong emphasis on problem and solution representation.