The computer has applications in nearly every facet of engineering. At Michigan Tech, to complement our CAD/CAM system we have introduced experimental modal analysis to our undergraduate students. The course assumes a background in vibrations and numerical methods, from which we introduce concepts in digital signal processing, and the use of the discrete Fourier transform. The emphasis of this course is to apply numerical techniques to experimental vibrations. Commercially available modal analysis software is used to extract modal parameters from the structures under test. The core of the student experience is a project exploring state‐of‐the‐art concepts in modal analysis. A discussion of the projects and their results is presented. The results of student polling at the conclusion of the course indicated that problems existed in scheduling of computer time, and that project definitions were insufficient for the level of the student. Changes to be made in the course structure include the application of personal computers equipment to the course and the incorporation of a common data base with the on‐line CAD/CAM software.