Graduate Certificate in Semiconductor Microchip Design
Blended Learning Program. Duration: One year. Semester-based.
Especialidad en Diseño de Microchips en Semiconductores
Become a microchip design specialist in the heart of semiconductors, Jalisco
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Program director
Cuauhtémoc Aguilera Galicia, Ph.D.
Holds a Ph.D. in Engineering Sciences specializing in VLSI digital integrated circuit design, with extensive experience in the design and implementation of digital electronic systems, particularly microchips and programmable logic devices (FPGAs). He has over 30 years of experience teaching undergraduate and graduate courses, as well as providing specialized training in digital systems design using hardware description languages, programmable logic devices, and microchips. He has served as academic coordinator in both undergraduate and graduate programs. He currently works as a research professor in the Department of Electronics, Systems, and Informatics at ITESO.
Reasons to study this
graduate certificate program
Prepare yourself in a graduate certificate program with SEP recognition that allows you to validate subjects to obtain a master's degree at ITESO.
Join a program supported by ITESO's solid academic experience, its strong links with the high-tech industry, and its advanced infrastructure, which gives you access to design tools used in the industry (Cadence and Synopsys).
Have subjects 100% focused on microchip design, from the specification of functionality to its physical implementation on semiconductor wafers.
A program built for professionals like you
Admission profile
This graduate program is aimed at:
This graduate program is aimed at:
- Graduates of Engineering in areas such as electronics, mechatronics, bioelectronics, telecommunications, computing, physics or other related fields, who have a foundation in programming and electronics.
- Interested in becoming a professional in the design of microchips and semiconductors, with a taste for technological innovation, willingness to work collaboratively and continuous learning.
- People with intellectual curiosity, initiative and a passion for developing high-impact solutions in sectors such as computing, artificial intelligence, telecommunications, electromobility, the automotive industry and the biomedical field, among others.
Graduate profile
Upon completion of this graduate program you will be able to:
Upon completion of this graduate program you will be able to:
- Modeling, designing, verifying and optimizing microchips, using cutting-edge methodologies and CAD tools employed in the global semiconductor industry.
- Transforming ideas into technological solutions applicable to real-world contexts, with an impact on society, integrating technical rigor, design efficiency, and a solid social vision.
- Master complete pre-silicon design workflows, including HDL modeling, functional and physical verification, layout, and VLSI design automation.
- You will receive training that integrates technical excellence, critical thinking and ethical responsibility, focused on the social and environmental impact of technology.
Career Opportunities
- Multinational companies that design and assemble microchips.
- Semiconductor design and engineering centers.
- Technological development centers and specialized training.
- Intellectual property developers in microelectronics.
- Industrial parks and technology clusters.
A Rich Graduate Experience
ITESO’s graduate programs are supported by a renowned academic faculty comprising leading experts in their fields, who are actively engaged in real-world projects that offer concrete solutions. The university boasts over 100 researchers, 79 of whom are affiliated with Mexico’s National System of Researchers (SNII). Some are also members of the Mexican Academy of Sciences.
Research at ITESO generates new, rigorous, and relevant knowledge focused on some of the region’s and country’s most pressing challenges. Areas of impact include human rights, access to justice, renewable energy, sustainable resource management, food security, mental health and well-being, quality education, data science, and public communication, among others. These programs aim to offer development alternatives, influence public policy, foster technological innovation, and promote socially impactful projects.
One of the key advantages of ITESO’s graduate programs is the opportunity for international academic exchange through alliances with the International Association of Jesuit Universities (IAJU), a global network of over 320 institutions. Additionally, programs supported by Conacyt offer research stays in Mexico and abroad for fieldwork, study, or the completion of research projects.
Sustainability is an institutional priority that drives research, education, and community engagement projects at ITESO. These initiatives aim to develop comprehensive, long-term strategies for ecosystem stewardship that are in harmony with local communities. ITESO’s campus is one of the most sustainable in the country, and among the few in the world with a protected forest on its grounds.
ITESO offers access to more than 100 specialized laboratories in areas such as nanotechnology, data science, food engineering, mechatronics, biotechnology, chemistry, systems, communication, multimedia, languages, nutrition, neuromarketing, arts, building technologies, and more. Facilities also include simulated courtrooms, exhibition spaces, mediation rooms, and audiovisual projection labs.
ITESO’s lectures foster dialogue, critical thinking, and the exchange of ideas across sectors. They provide spaces for collaboration between academia, industry, and civil society, aimed at generating knowledge with high social impact. These initiatives also strengthen academic networks and support faculty and student mobility.
With more than 80 active academic journals and a robust catalogue of books, ITESO leads private universities in the region in scholarly publishing. Publications cover diverse disciplines, promote interdisciplinary collaboration, and are widely accessible—many available for free download online.
ITESO holds the most significant number of industry collaboration agreements among private universities in western Mexico. The university also offers dual-degree programs with institutions such as the University of Koblenz (Germany), Boston College, and Central Michigan University (USA).
ITESO’s library houses more than 640,000 physical volumes and 200,000 digital resources, including books, journals, blueprints, films, and a collection of rare and antique books. Open to the public, the library features reading rooms, exhibition spaces, a cinema, an agora, a material library, and collaborative workspaces.
ITESO offers expert consulting and support for businesses at all stages of development through the Center for Innovation and Technology Management, the High-Impact Social Innovation Center, and the University-Business Center. Graduate students engage in projects focused on entrepreneurship, innovation, business acceleration, solidarity economies, and fair trade alternatives.
Distinguished faculty
Research programs
Academic mobility
Sustainability
Computer systems
Lectures
Publications
Partnerships
Library
Business & Entrepreneurship
ITESO’s graduate programs are supported by a renowned academic faculty comprising leading experts in their fields, who are actively engaged in real-world projects that offer concrete solutions. The university boasts over 100 researchers, 79 of whom are affiliated with Mexico’s National System of Researchers (SNII). Some are also members of the Mexican Academy of Sciences.
Research at ITESO generates new, rigorous, and relevant knowledge focused on some of the region’s and country’s most pressing challenges. Areas of impact include human rights, access to justice, renewable energy, sustainable resource management, food security, mental health and well-being, quality education, data science, and public communication, among others. These programs aim to offer development alternatives, influence public policy, foster technological innovation, and promote socially impactful projects.
One of the key advantages of ITESO’s graduate programs is the opportunity for international academic exchange through alliances with the International Association of Jesuit Universities (IAJU), a global network of over 320 institutions. Additionally, programs supported by Conacyt offer research stays in Mexico and abroad for fieldwork, study, or the completion of research projects.
Sustainability is an institutional priority that drives research, education, and community engagement projects at ITESO. These initiatives aim to develop comprehensive, long-term strategies for ecosystem stewardship that are in harmony with local communities. ITESO’s campus is one of the most sustainable in the country, and among the few in the world with a protected forest on its grounds.
ITESO offers access to more than 100 specialized laboratories in areas such as nanotechnology, data science, food engineering, mechatronics, biotechnology, chemistry, systems, communication, multimedia, languages, nutrition, neuromarketing, arts, building technologies, and more. Facilities also include simulated courtrooms, exhibition spaces, mediation rooms, and audiovisual projection labs.
ITESO’s lectures foster dialogue, critical thinking, and the exchange of ideas across sectors. They provide spaces for collaboration between academia, industry, and civil society, aimed at generating knowledge with high social impact. These initiatives also strengthen academic networks and support faculty and student mobility.
With more than 80 active academic journals and a robust catalogue of books, ITESO leads private universities in the region in scholarly publishing. Publications cover diverse disciplines, promote interdisciplinary collaboration, and are widely accessible—many available for free download online.
ITESO holds the most significant number of industry collaboration agreements among private universities in western Mexico. The university also offers dual-degree programs with institutions such as the University of Koblenz (Germany), Boston College, and Central Michigan University (USA).
ITESO’s library houses more than 640,000 physical volumes and 200,000 digital resources, including books, journals, blueprints, films, and a collection of rare and antique books. Open to the public, the library features reading rooms, exhibition spaces, a cinema, an agora, a material library, and collaborative workspaces.
ITESO offers expert consulting and support for businesses at all stages of development through the Center for Innovation and Technology Management, the High-Impact Social Innovation Center, and the University-Business Center. Graduate students engage in projects focused on entrepreneurship, innovation, business acceleration, solidarity economies, and fair trade alternatives.
Research at ITESO
“Universities are called to be places of possibilities — to open horizons through research and engagement”.
Arturo Sosa, SJ
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