MSc
Communication Systems Engineering
A course with a strong practical emphasis and extensive lab work
Course Overview
Why take this course?
Communication systems are vital to our modern society for business, personal life, entertainment and leisure.
On this course you will cover the design and analysis of modern communications technologies, telecommunications and data network systems while building the interdisciplinary skills to meet current and future needs of commerce and industry.
What will I experience?
On this course you can:
- Focus on the practical application and design aspects of communications systems rather than intensive analytical detail
- Experiment with our range of control applications including helicopter development kits and walking robots
- Analyse high-frequency signals or measure antennas in our anechoic chamber
What opportunities might it lead to?
This course has been accredited by the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) and meets the standards set by the Engineering Council in the UK Standard for Professional Engineering Competence (UK-SPEC). It will provide you with some of the underpinning knowledge, understanding and skills for eventual registration as an Incorporated (IEng) or Chartered Engineer (CEng).
Here are some routes our graduates have pursued:
- professional electronics
- telecommunications
- terrestrial and satellite broadcasting
- project management
The lecturers here are world class engineers – leaders in their field – so deciding to stay on and do my MSc here was the best decision I ever made.
David Hume, engineering student
Key Facts
- Duration
- 1 year full time or 3 years part time (September intake), 16 months full time (January intake)
- Entry
A second-class honours degree, or equivalent, in relevant subject. Applicants who do not meet the minimum entry requirements but have extensive relative work experience may also be considered.
English language proficiency at a minimum of IELTS band 6.0 with no component score below 5.5- Fees
UK/EU/Channel Islands and Isle of Man full-time students: £6,000, part-time students: £2,000 p/a* (3 years)
International full-time students: £11,900, part-time students: £3,970 p/a* (3 years)
*Please note that all fees are subject to annual increase.- Contact
- technology.admissions@port.ac.uk
+44 (0)23 9284 2555 - Department
- School of Engineering
Structure & Teaching
You will study several key topics and complete a four-month individual project in which you apply your knowledge to a significant communications system or network planning problem. Projects are tailored to your individual interests and may take place in our own laboratories or, by agreement, in industry.
Here are the units you will study:
- Data Communications and Networking
- Communications Security
- Microwave and Wireless Technology
- Mobile and Satellite Systems
- Digital Modulation and Coding
- Communication System Analysis
Teaching and Assessment
You will be taught through a mixture of lectures, seminars, tutorials (personal and academic), laboratory sessions and project work. The course has a strong practical emphasis and you will spend a significant amount of time in our electronic, communications and computer laboratories.
How are you assessed?
A range of assessment methods encourages a deeper understanding of engineering and allows you to develop your skills. Here’s how we assess your work:
- written examinations
- coursework
- laboratory-based project work
- a major individual project/dissertation
Facilities & Features
Laboratories
We offer you a range of well-equipped labs
Specialist Software and Equipment
We have an impressive collection of hardware/software development tools
University Library
Our library offers a wealth of information
Laboratories
We offer you a range of labs such as the Analogue Electronics and Control Engineering Laboratory and the Telecommunications and Signal Processing Laboratory. From Digital Signal Processing (DSP) kits to walking robots, all are well-equipped with industry-standard experimental and computational facilities.
Specialist Software and Equipment
We have an impressive collection of hardware/software development tools for design, development and implementation. With many of our labs fully equipped with numerous benches for testing and measurements of a wide range of electronic systems, you'll have access to all the gadgets you’ll possibly need to explore different networking technologies, study programming languages and apply a wide range of application packages to complete your individual project.
University Library
Modern, comfortable and a great learning environment, our library offers a wealth of information including 400,000 books, DVDs, maps and thousands of online ejournals and newspapers. Many electronic resources are available anywhere, 24/7 and our friendly staff are always on hand to help.
Careers & Opportunities
Career prospects
This course will enable you to develop your career in one of the fastest growing global activities, by giving you a deeper understanding of the principles of communication systems and networks. It is sought-after by a wide variety of employers in telecommunications, data communications, broadcasting and the internet, with interests ranging from overall system design to the more detailed development of RF and data subsystems.
The range of careers is ever widening and includes data network design, wireless networks, mobile, terrestrial and satellite systems and their applications in broadcasting, telephoning, business communications and the internet. As well as design, you will have the option and ability to develop careers in technical management and engineering project management.
Roles our graduates have taken on include:
- electronics engineer
- acoustics engineer
- broadcasting engineer
- application engineer
Career planning
One of the benefits of studying at Portsmouth is the support that we provide to our Master's and Research Degrees students in career planning. Our careers and recruitment service – Purple Door – can assist you in career research and finding employment opportunities. Help is also available if you wish to find a part-time job while studying your degree. We offer our postgraduate students and alumni one-to-one appointments with a careers adviser, or an online service for those not able to travel back to the University. Our alumni can call on our career services for five years after graduation.
In addition, regular employability events offer you the chance to meet employers, find out about different career sectors and improve your applications or CV. The Graduate Summer Programme provides a range of guidance and employability seminars and workshops.