Course coordinator
Professor Aleksandar Rakic
Course overview
- Study period
- Semester 2, 2025 (28/07/2025 - 22/11/2025)
- Study level
- Undergraduate
- Location
- St Lucia
- Attendance mode
- In Person
- Units
- 2
- Administrative campus
- St Lucia
- Coordinating unit
- Elec Engineering & Comp Science School
Fundamentals of engineering electromagnetics including transmission lines, time varying fields, plane waves, waveguides, radiation and basic antennas. Applications in area of communications and sensors.
Maxwell's equations represent a fundamental unification of electric and magnetic fields predicting electromagnetic wave phenomena by which all wireless (and guided) telecommunications systems operate. ELEC3100 provides the background to many continuing specialist courses that implement the results of this course, e.g. microwave engineering, photonics, fibre optics, radar, and antennas. The purpose of this course is to introduce electromagnetics from a wave viewpoint and give a unifying description both qualitatively and quantitatively of the subject, demonstrating how it impacts on all specialities within electrical engineering.
Changes based on student feedback
Feedback on solved problems and tutorials has been addressed.
Course requirements
Assumed background
This course assumes you have a working knowledge ofﾠintroductory electromagneticsﾠas in PHYS1002. Students should also have completed or be familiar with the content of MATH2000ﾠ(Calculus and Linear Algebra II) or MATH2001ﾠ(Advanced Calculus and Linear Algebra II) and MATH2010 (Analysis of ODEs).
Prerequisites
You'll need to complete the following courses before enrolling in this one:
(ELEC2003 or ELEC2300) and (MATH2000 or MATH2001)
Companion or co-requisite courses
You'll need to complete the following courses at the same time:
MATH2010
Incompatible
You can't enrol in this course if you've already completed the following:
ELEC7101
Course contact
Course staff
Lecturer
Professor Aleksandar Rakic
Dr Xiao Guo
Timetable
The timetable for this course is available on the UQ Public Timetable.
Aims and outcomes
The goal of ELEC3100ﾠis to establish the fundamentals of distributed transmission media and to introduce basic electromagnetics as required by students in telecommunications, computing and other engineering based technologies.ﾠThis course deals with the basic theory and practice relevant to all forms of electronic communications.ﾠ Illustrative examples taken from conventional (RF, mobile, microwave, and optical communications) and novel aspects of communications (radar, computer interconnections, mobile wireless systems, radio-telescopes, satellite communications etc.) will be given.
ﾠ
It is expected that upon successful completion of the course, students will:
- Have a basic knowledge of engineering electromagnetics.
- Know how to formulate and solve simple problems in electromagnetics.
- Gain an understandingﾠof how other disciplines relate to the study of electromagnetics.
Learning outcomes
After successfully completing this course you should be able to:
LO1.
Analyse wave propagation on low-loss transmission lines by using analytical methods.
LO2.
Evaluate reflection coefficient for the line, power flow in the structure, transmission line impedance and characteristics of the load terminations of transmission lines.
LO3.
Design simple transmission structures.
LO4.
Analyse electromagnetic wave propagation in free space and guiding structures and analyse the interaction of electromagnetic waves with various media.
LO5.
Design simple electromagnetic guiding structures, and antennas.
LO6.
Explain how other disciplines relate to the study of electromagnetics and describe practical applications of electromagnetics.
Assessment
Assessment summary
| Category | Assessment task | Weight | Due date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tutorial/ Problem Set |
Problem Sets
|
40% |
4/08/2025 - 27/10/2025
Due in your applied class in weeks 2-13 (except week 3 due to Ekka public holiday) |
| Examination |
Final Exam
|
60% |
End of Semester Exam Period 8/11/2025 - 22/11/2025 |
A hurdle is an assessment requirement that must be satisfied in order to receive a specific grade for the course. Check the assessment details for more information about hurdle requirements.
Assessment details
Problem Sets
- Hurdle
- Identity Verified
- In-person
- Mode
- Oral
- Category
- Tutorial/ Problem Set
- Weight
- 40%
- Due date
4/08/2025 - 27/10/2025
Due in your applied class in weeks 2-13 (except week 3 due to Ekka public holiday)
Task description
These problem sets are designed to provide a way for you to fill in any knowledge gaps you have from lectures and to adequately prepare you for the exam.
There will be 11 problem sets across the semester that you will be assessed on in your applied class. Each problem set will consist of several problems provided prior to class. During your applied class, students will demonstrate a solution to one of the problems from the assessed problem set. A brief one-on-one discussion with the teaching staff on the selected problem will occur, with the student being awarded between 0 and full marks. Each problem set is worth 4 marks. Your best 9 problem sets will be used to calculate your weighted mark out of 40.
It is not expected that all students will have complete and correct solutions prior to attending class. The expectation of students is that you will have made an attempt to answer all questions prior to class and that you will work to correct any errors or misunderstandings of the course content during your class.
If you have fully completed the assigned problems and wish to get marked off at the start of the class, the onus is on you to demonstrate your understanding of the content to the demonstrator.
If you are having trouble with the concepts or any of the problem sets, feel free to remain for the full duration of the class. As the class progresses and more people are marked off and leave, you will likely be able to receive direct attention from any of the demonstrators.
The assessed problem set will be provided weekly after the lectures, in the week prior to the applied classes.
This activity will only occur during the applied classes. You cannot just submit the solution later on.
This task has been designed to be challenging, authentic and complex. Whilst students may use AI and/or MT technologies, successful completion of assessment in this course will require students to critically engage in specific contexts and tasks for which artificial intelligence will provide only limited support and guidance. A failure to reference generative AI or MT use may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
To pass this assessment, students will be required to demonstrate detailed comprehension of their written submission independent of AI and MT tools.
Hurdle requirements
In order to achieve a grade of 4 (Pass) or greater in the course, students must achieve at least 40% on the Assessed Tutorials assessment item (16 out of a maximum of 40). This is the HURDLE REQUIREMENT.Submission guidelines
During the applied class, students will demonstrate a solution to one of the problems from the problem set, as selected by the teaching staff. A brief one-on-one discussion with the teaching staff on the selected problem will occur. Student will need to upload a copy of their solutions to Blackboard by the end of class.
Deferral or extension
You cannot defer or apply for an extension for this assessment.
No extensions are available and 100% late penalty is applied as the assessment is completed in your scheduled class. To accommodate unforeseen circumstances such as illness, your assessment will be based on the best 9 out of 11 submissions.
If you're unable to complete the required 9 problems sets due to exceptional circumstances, please contact the School at studentenquiries@eecs.uq.edu.au
Late submission
You will receive a mark of 0 if this assessment is submitted late.
Because
• the results are released soon after the due date, and
• only the best 9 of 11 will contribute to the mark for this assessment item
a 100% penalty will be applied to late submission.
This has been approved by the Associate Dean (Academic)
Final Exam
- Identity Verified
- In-person
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Examination
- Weight
- 60%
- Due date
End of Semester Exam Period
8/11/2025 - 22/11/2025
Task description
The 3-hour final exam will contain a mixture of short answer questions (Question 1 has ten parts) and analytical questions (Questions 2-5). 10 minutes will be allocated for perusal. The final exam will assess material over the whole course.
Exam details
| Planning time | 10 minutes |
|---|---|
| Duration | 180 minutes |
| Calculator options | Any calculator permitted |
| Open/closed book | Closed book examination - specified written materials permitted |
| Exam platform | Paper based |
| Invigilation | Invigilated in person |
Submission guidelines
Deferral or extension
You may be able to defer this exam.
Course grading
Full criteria for each grade is available in the Assessment Procedure.
| Grade | Cut off Percent | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 (Low Fail) | 0 - 19 |
Absence of evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 2 (Fail) | 20 - 46 |
Minimal evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 3 (Marginal Fail) | 47 - 49 |
Demonstrated evidence of developing achievement of course learning outcomes |
| 4 (Pass) | 50 - 64 |
Demonstrated evidence of functional achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 5 (Credit) | 65 - 74 |
Demonstrated evidence of proficient achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 6 (Distinction) | 75 - 84 |
Demonstrated evidence of advanced achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 7 (High Distinction) | 85 - 100 |
Demonstrated evidence of exceptional achievement of course learning outcomes. |
Additional course grading information
The overall percentage mark obtained in the course will be rounded up to the nearest integer number before the grade cutoffs are applied.
Each problem set is worth 4 marks. Your best 9 problem sets will be used to calculate your weighted mark out of 40.
In order to achieve a grade of 4 (Pass) or greater in the course, students must achieve at least 40% on the Assessed Tutorials assessment item (16 out of a maximum of 40).
Supplementary assessment
Supplementary assessment is available for this course.
Additional assessment information
Having Troubles?
If you are having difficulties with any aspect of the course material, you should seek help. Speak to the course teaching staff.
If external circumstances are affecting your ability to work on the course, you should seek help as soon as possible. The University and UQ Union have organisations and staff who are able to help; for example, UQ Student Services are able to help with study and exam skills, tertiary learning skills, writing skills, financial assistance, personal issues, and disability services (among other things).
Complaints and criticisms should be directed in the first instance to the course coordinator. If you are not satisfied with the outcome, you may bring the matter to the attention of the School of EECS Director of Teaching and Learning.
Learning resources
You'll need the following resources to successfully complete the course. We've indicated below if you need a personal copy of the reading materials or your own item.
Library resources
Library resources are available on the UQ Library website.
Additional learning resources information
The library holds a wide selection of undergraduate textbooks that cover most of the topics addressed in this course. Occasionally browsing these resources may offer alternative explanations and valuable insights into key concepts such as electromagnetics, transmission lines, Maxwell’s equations, and more.
Learning activities
The learning activities for this course are outlined below. Learn more about the learning outcomes that apply to this course.
Filter activity type by
Please select
| Learning period | Activity type | Topic |
|---|---|---|
Multiple weeks From Week 1 To Week 4 |
Lecture |
Transmission Lines Lectures (L) Week 1: Introduction, Course Structure, Waves and Phasors (A1 and A2) Week 2: Transmission Line Model, Wave Equations, Time Harmonic Solutions, Travelling Waves, Incident & Reflected Voltage Waves, Characteristic Impedance (A3) Week 3 to 4: Incident wave, Reflected waves and Total Voltages and Currents, Characteristic Impedance, Reflection Coefficient, Impedance at an Arbitrary Point, Standing Waves, VSWR, Power, Complete Solution for TL model (A3, A4, A5, A6) |
Multiple weeks From Week 2 To Week 4 |
General contact hours |
Transmission Lines Demonstrations (C) Week 1: N/A Week 2: A2 Week 3: A3, A4 Week 4: A5, A6 |
Multiple weeks From Week 2 To Week 5 |
Applied Class |
Transmission Lines Assessed tutorials (T) Week 1: N/A Week 2: A2 Week 3: Ekka day no tutorial Week 4: A3, A4 Week 5: A5, A6 |
Multiple weeks From Week 5 To Week 13 |
Lecture |
Electromagnetic Waves Lectures (L) Week 5: Maxwell Equations (Integral form, Differential form, Theorems), Boundary Conditions, Wave Equations in Time and Frequency Domain (B1, B2) Week 6: Uniform plane waves in lossless meda – time domain solution to wave equation and frequency domain solution to Helmholtz equation (B3) Week 7: Waves in Lossy Media – complex propagation constant, Group & Phase Velocity, Waves in Dispersive media (B4, B5, B6) Week 8: Polarisation, Poynting Theorem and Power (B7, B8) Week 9: Normal Incidence: The concept and Fresnel coefficients, Oblique Incidence: The concept and Fresnel coefficients (B9, B10) Week 10: No Monday Lecture – King’s Birthday Week 11: Waveguides: The concept, Metallic Waveguides (B11, B12) Week 12: Static Potentials, EM Potentials (B17) Week 13: Radiation, Antennas, Revision (B18, B19, B25) |
General contact hours |
Electromagnetic Waves Demonstrations (C) Week 5: B1, B2 Week 6: B3 Week 7: B4, B5, B6 Week 8: B7, B8 Week 9: B9 Week 10: B10 Week 11: B11, B12 Week 12: B17 Week 13: B18, B19, B25 |
|
Multiple weeks From Week 6 To Week 13 |
Applied Class |
Electromagnetic Waves Assessed Tutorials (T) Week 6: B1, B2 Week 7: B3 Week 8: B4, B5, B6 Week 9: B7, B8 Week 10: B9, B10 Week 11: B9, B10 Week 12: B11, B12 Week 13: B17, B18, B19 |
Policies and procedures
University policies and procedures apply to all aspects of student life. As a UQ student, you must comply with University-wide and program-specific requirements, including the:
- Student Code of Conduct Policy
- Student Integrity and Misconduct Policy and Procedure
- Assessment Procedure
- Examinations Procedure
- Reasonable Adjustments for Students Policy and Procedure
Learn more about UQ policies on my.UQ and the Policy and Procedure Library.
School guidelines
Your school has additional guidelines you'll need to follow for this course: