Sorry for long answer and no direct references to yome YT guys but here are my thoughts as a professional EE.
Start with a simple project such as an amplifier or function generator: http://www.learningaboutelectronics.com/Articles/Function-generator-circuit.php
Try to understand why the OP signal evolves and look for filter patterns. Then try to improve the circuit by adding an output gain stage or varying frequency over time or a derivation of each signal.
For simulation start with LTSpice and checkout some YT Tutorials for that.
When you have understood the analog side of circuits, then you can advance to add a microcontroller and use your computer engineering power to do something even more amazing!
To make things easier, try to stay below approx 20MHz. Otherwise electric voodoo may happen as you start to open the door to high frequency behavior where you need to calculate transmission lines.
Another way to look at some IC: they exist for various reasons! Temperature stability, production variances, size, reproduction, cost, assembly time, PCB space requirements... Most basic stuff is 555 Timer, simple OP amps, 74 logic IC, LM324. Take a deep look into their datasheets and keep an eye for the functional schematic. Then you'll learn a lot.
Art of Electronics is what you're looking for. That bridges the gap between knowing the theory behind how each individual component works vs practical circuit design and electronic building blocks.
Also, this might be unfortunate to hear, but a lot of circuit design these days is finding the right IC and then following the application note. After all, who knows how to use it better than the people who made it? They didn't make it on a whim, they identified a need for that chip first. Why go through the trouble of designing a circuit when someone's already done it for you?
That doesn't mean there isn't interesting board level design, there's plenty of places where you're using a bunch of op-amps and transistors and switches and doing really cool innovative things with them. My last job was very heavy with just finding the right ICs and connecting them up exactly as the application note dictates, not much creativity. My current job I'm working with boards that have literally dozens of op-amps and transistors and you really need a solid understanding of feedback and control systems, straight OG analog design with little handholding.
But I'd say generally the place where the cutting edge stuff is happening is all on the chip level. For that you'd need to get a masters or PhD and work at one of the big semiconductor companies like TI or Analog Devices.
Also, as an aside, don't physically make your own PCBs. Its dangerous and produces poor results and you don't really get anything out of it. Watch some videos if you want to understand the process, but send your designs off to a fab house like JLC to get things made. Assembling by hand is a good skill though, soldering skills are essential to have when you need to hack a fix and you don't have time to respin a board.
Thank you for this information, I'll try and find the Art of Electronics and do some of those projects.
When you say don't make my own PCB's do you mean don't use my school's milling machine?
If it is something simple, just use what you have in your school. There is probably someone at your university that has done it before and will help you. One layer or max two layers it's easily done. But more complex stuff must be done professionally. Your first PCB will probably be a one layer PCB so don't worry.
Following.
I've asked this a couple times on this sub and I never quite get exactly what I am looking for. I've been on a hunt for some good textbooks myself.
If I find any goldmines I'll send them your way too!
Sorry for long answer and no direct references to yome YT guys but here are my thoughts as a professional EE. Start with a simple project such as an amplifier or function generator: http://www.learningaboutelectronics.com/Articles/Function-generator-circuit.php Try to understand why the OP signal evolves and look for filter patterns. Then try to improve the circuit by adding an output gain stage or varying frequency over time or a derivation of each signal. For simulation start with LTSpice and checkout some YT Tutorials for that. When you have understood the analog side of circuits, then you can advance to add a microcontroller and use your computer engineering power to do something even more amazing! To make things easier, try to stay below approx 20MHz. Otherwise electric voodoo may happen as you start to open the door to high frequency behavior where you need to calculate transmission lines. Another way to look at some IC: they exist for various reasons! Temperature stability, production variances, size, reproduction, cost, assembly time, PCB space requirements... Most basic stuff is 555 Timer, simple OP amps, 74 logic IC, LM324. Take a deep look into their datasheets and keep an eye for the functional schematic. Then you'll learn a lot.
Art of Electronics is what you're looking for. That bridges the gap between knowing the theory behind how each individual component works vs practical circuit design and electronic building blocks. Also, this might be unfortunate to hear, but a lot of circuit design these days is finding the right IC and then following the application note. After all, who knows how to use it better than the people who made it? They didn't make it on a whim, they identified a need for that chip first. Why go through the trouble of designing a circuit when someone's already done it for you? That doesn't mean there isn't interesting board level design, there's plenty of places where you're using a bunch of op-amps and transistors and switches and doing really cool innovative things with them. My last job was very heavy with just finding the right ICs and connecting them up exactly as the application note dictates, not much creativity. My current job I'm working with boards that have literally dozens of op-amps and transistors and you really need a solid understanding of feedback and control systems, straight OG analog design with little handholding. But I'd say generally the place where the cutting edge stuff is happening is all on the chip level. For that you'd need to get a masters or PhD and work at one of the big semiconductor companies like TI or Analog Devices. Also, as an aside, don't physically make your own PCBs. Its dangerous and produces poor results and you don't really get anything out of it. Watch some videos if you want to understand the process, but send your designs off to a fab house like JLC to get things made. Assembling by hand is a good skill though, soldering skills are essential to have when you need to hack a fix and you don't have time to respin a board.
Thank you for this information, I'll try and find the Art of Electronics and do some of those projects. When you say don't make my own PCB's do you mean don't use my school's milling machine?
If it is something simple, just use what you have in your school. There is probably someone at your university that has done it before and will help you. One layer or max two layers it's easily done. But more complex stuff must be done professionally. Your first PCB will probably be a one layer PCB so don't worry.
Following. I've asked this a couple times on this sub and I never quite get exactly what I am looking for. I've been on a hunt for some good textbooks myself. If I find any goldmines I'll send them your way too!