Overview
Duration: 1 year full-time (taught)
Application deadline: 30 June (international) / 31 August (home/EU)
Entry requirements: First degree (UK 1st or 2:1 or international equivalent ) in Electronic Engineering, Telecommunications, Physics or Maths
Language requirements: IELTS 6.5 (at least 6.0 in each of the four components) OR TOEFL (internet): 92 overall, Writing 21, Listening 21, Reading 22, Speaking 23.
MSc Digital Communications
Why study digital communications?
Communication, and the systems that enable this, is fundamental to the modern connected world whether through email, mobile phones or video broadcasts.
The importance and growth of the technology that feeds this market area makes Digital Communications a strategic choice for specialisation at MSc level.
The programme is based on the research from the Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering. You will study units representing advanced application areas of digital communications, in which we enjoy an internationally-leading reputation for research.
Learning outcomes
The programme will provide you with a solid foundation in the fundamental concepts of the subject, including signal and information theory. This will enable you to understand and evaluate the operating principles and trade-offs on which modern digital communications systems are based.
Collaborative working
The programme includes traditionally taught subject-specific units and business and group-orientated modular work. These offer you the chance to gain experience in design, project management and creativity, while working with students from other subjects.
Further details
Group project work
In semester 2 you undertake a cross-disciplinary group activity for your professional development, simulating a typical industrial work situation.
Individual project work
In the final semester, you undertake an individual research project directly related to key current research at the University, often commissioned by industry.
See programme catalogue for more detail on individual units.
Semester 1 (October-January)
- Five taught units in chosen MSc subject
- Includes coursework involving laboratory or small project sessions
- Typically each unit consists of 22 hours of lectures, may involve a number of hours of tutorials/exercises and laboratory activity and approximately 70 hours of private study (report writing, laboratory results processing and revision for examinations)
Semester 2 (February-May)
The second semester offers a distinctive project-based learning environment, focusing on your development as an engineering professional in a research and design context. You will gain analytical and team working skills to enable you to deal with the open-ended tasks that typically arise in practice in present-day engineering.
- The semester aims to develop your professional understanding of engineering in a business environment and is taught by academic staff with extensive experience in industry
- Engineering Project Management and Research Methods modules
- Group projects in which students work in a multi-disciplinary team to solve a conceptual structural engineering design problem, just as an industrial design team would operate
- Individual project preliminary work
Summer/Dissertation Period (June-September)
- Individual project leading to MSc dissertation
- Depending on the chosen area of interest, the individual project may involve theoretical and/or experimental activities; for both such activities students can use the department computer suites and well-equipped and newly refurbished laboratories for experimental work. The individual projects are generally carried out under the supervision of a member of academic staff. A number of industrially-based projects are available to students
- Computational intelligence
- Digital audio and signal processing
- Digital communications
- Digital image processing
- Digital networks and protocols
- Optical devices and communication systems
- Satellite, terrestrial and mobile communications system
- Signals and information
Recent recruiters include:
- Beijing Raisecom Science & Technology Co Ltd
- Motorola China
- NHS
- Tanesco Ltd
We also encourage the best of our MSc students to continue their studies with us to PhD level.
