Academic Catalogs

Embedded Systems, Associate in Science Degree

Banner Code: 1_AS_ELES

Control Number: 41487

Financial Aid Eligible


The Embedded Systems Associate of Science degree provides an opportunity for students interested in working in embedded systems to earn an associate's degree. This degree is geared towards students who want to take their programming and circuit building skills to the next level. Students will become proficient in programming a variety of microcontrollers to perform tasks in an embedded application in C-based programming languages. Students who have obtained this certificate will be proficient at the use of multimeters and oscilloscopes to analyze circuit design and troubleshoot problems. Students will gain familiarity with digital communication protocols. This certificate is designed to teach students the skills necessary to build a career working with embedded electronics commonly found in consumer devices, IoT-connected devices, and autonomous vehicles.

Students earning this degree are encouraged to pursue a bachelor's degree in an Electrical Engineering or Computer Science discipline.

Students must complete the Robotics Technician Certificate of Achievement (12-13 units) as a prerequisite to entry into the Embedded Systems program. 

Program Outcomes

  1. Students will acquire skills necessary to program common microcontrollers using C. 
  2. Students will gain familiarity with different communication protocols to interface between electronic systems. 
  3. Students will be proficient at using multimeters, oscilloscopes, and spectrum analyzers to analyze circuits. 
  4. Students will acquire the skills necessary to methodically identify problems in circuits and propose solutions. 

Associate in Science Degree Requirements

  1. UNIT REQUIREMENT60 UNITS, with at least a 2.0 grade point average. At least 12 of the units must be earned at OCC, with a minimum of one course taken for a letter grade. At least 3 units in an advanced course from the program must be completed at OCC. A student must be enrolled at the time of application for graduation. Units earned at an accredited college or university on a credit/no credit basis will be counted toward the degree requirements of the college, to a maximum of 15 units.
  2. MAJOR REQUIREMENT - Complete the AS major requirements.
  3. MATHEMATICS REQUIREMENT - Demonstrate competence in mathematics by either obtaining a satisfactory grade (grade of “C” or better or“pass”) in a mathematics course at or above the level of Intermediate Algebra as demonstrated by prior coursework, or by demonstrating competency that is comparable through the completion of a college-level math course that has Intermediate Algebra as a prerequisite: Psychology A160 or Math A100 or higher, with the exception of Math A220.
  4. GENERAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENT - Students may choose to complete Option 1 (OCC AS GE), Option 2 (CSU GE), or Option 3 (IGETC) to satisfy the general education requirement. See the General Education Patterns section of this catalog for more information.

Required Prerequisite

Robotics Technician Certificate of Achievement (12-13 Units)

Course Title Units
Required Courses
ELEC A100Electronic Problem Solving3-4
or MATH A115 College Algebra
or MATH A120 Trigonometry
ELEC A111D.C. Circuits3
ELEC A121Robotics 1- Mechanics & Design3
ELEC A122Robotics 2- Sensors, Control Theory, and Programming3
Total Units12-13

Required Courses 

Course Title Units
ELEC A102Safety, Maintenance, and Calibration1
ELEC A103Computer Hardware Configuration & Diagnostics3
or ELEC A290 Electronic Troubleshooting
ELEC A223Embedded Control Systems4
ELEC A224Digital Communication Systems3
Required Course Units11
Requirement Units
Minimum Program Major Units 23-24
AS General Education Option 1, 2, or 3 Varies
Transferable electives to satisfy unit requirement Varies
Total Degree Units 60