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As a student on the MSc in Communications Engineering, you will be provided with an in-depth understanding of the technology and architecture of computer communications, photonics and telecommunication networks, wireless telecommunications and related wireless information technologies.
The practical knowledge and skills you will gain as a student on the MSc Communications Engineering course include being presented with the essential element of modern optical communication systems based on single mode optical fibres from the core to the access, evaluating bandwidth-rich contemporary approaches.
The MSc Communications Engineering course also covers advanced networking topics including network performance and network security. This is supported with some practical knowledge and skills for project and business management principles.
As a student on the MSc Communications Engineering course, you will also be introduced to technologies underlying the compressions and transmission of digital video over networking platforms, gain knowledge on the channel models and associated impairments that typically limit the performance of wireless systems, and learn to design optimum digital communication receivers for some basic communications channel models.
The MSc in Communications Engineering is modular in structure. Communications Engineering students must obtain a total of 180 credits to qualify for the degree. This is made up of 120 credits in the taught element (Part One) and a project (Part Two) that is worth 60 credits and culminates in a written dissertation. Students on the Communications Engineering course must successfully complete Part One before being allowed to progress to Part Two.
Part-time MSc in Communications Engineering Delivery mode:
The part-time scheme is a version of the full-time equivalent MSc in Communications Engineering scheme, and as such it means lectures are spread right across each week and you may have lectures across every day. Due to this timetabling format, the College advises that the scheme is likely to suit individuals who are looking to combine this with other commitments (typically family/caring) and who are looking for a less than full-time study option.
Those candidates seeking to combine the part-time option with full-time work are unlikely to find the timetable suitable, unless their job is extremely flexible and local to the Bay Campus.
Timetables for the Communications Engineering programme are typically available one week prior to each semester.
Modules on the MSc Communications Engineering course can vary each year but you could expect to study:
RF and Microwave
Signals and Systems
Entrepreneurship for Engineers
Nanophotonics
Micro and Nano Electro-Mechnical Systems
Lasers and applications
Wireless Communications
Digital Communications
Optical Communications
Optical Networks
Communication Skills for Research Engineers
Research Dissertation
MSc Dissertation - Communications Engineering
Our new home at the innovative Bay Campus provides some of the best university facilities in the UK, in an outstanding location.
Engineering at Swansea University has extensive IT facilities and provides extensive software licenses and packages to support teaching which benefit students on the MSc in Communications Engineering course. In addition the University provides open access IT resources.
At Swansea University, Electronic and Electrical Engineering has an active interface with industry and many of our activities are sponsored by companies such as Agilent, Auto Glass, BT and Siemens.
This discipline has a good track record of working with industry both at research level and in linking industry-related work to our postgraduate courses. We also have an industrial advisory board that ensures our taught courses maintain relevance.
Our research groups work with many major UK, Japanese, European and American multinational companies and numerous small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) to pioneer research. This activity filters down and influences the project work that is undertaken by all our postgraduate students.
The MSc Communications Engineering is suitable for those who have a career interest in the field of communication systems, which has been fundamentally changing the whole world in virtually every aspect, and would like to gain lasting career skills and in-depth knowledge to carry out development projects and advanced research in the area of communication systems.
Communications Engineering graduates can seek employment in wireless communication systems and network administration, and mobile applications development.
“I was fascinated by the natural beauty of Swansea before I came here. Swansea University is near the beach so you can walk around the beach at any time. This Master’s is very useful to enhance your ability and enrich your principle of the academic knowledge.”
Zhang Daping, MSc Communication Systems (now Communications Engineering)
The Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2014 ranks Engineering at Swansea as 10th in the UK for the combined score in research quality across the Engineering disciplines.
The REF assesses the quality of research in the UK Higher Education sector, assuring us of the standards we strive for.
World-Leading Research
The REF shows that 94% of research produced by our academic staff is of World-Leading (4*) or Internationally Excellent (3*) quality. This has increased from 73% in the 2008 RAE.
Research pioneered at the College of Engineering harnesses the expertise of academic staff within the department. This ground-breaking multidisciplinary research informs our world-class teaching with several of our staff leaders in their fields.
With recent academic appointments strengthening electronics research at the College, the Electronic Systems Design Centre (ESDC) has been re-launched to support these activities.
The Centre aims to represent all major electronics research within the College and to promote the Electrical and Electronics Engineering degree.
Best known for its research in ground-breaking Power IC technology, the key technology for more energy efficient electronics, the Centre is also a world leader in semiconductor device modelling, FEM and compact modelling.
Digital signal processing (DSP) is at the core of the communications revolution. Research is constantly being carried out to develop new DSP algorithms, allowing mobile broadband services, ‘Internet of Things’ applications and other technologies to be delivered to a growing number of users.
This programme will give you a thorough understanding of different aspects of DSP and as it relates to the communications landscape, as well as specialist knowledge from your choice of optional modules.
Our DSP lab will give you hands-on experience using the DSP technology that can be found in computers, cellular phones, GPS and other technologies, and you’ll learn from expert researchers at the forefront of their fields.
You’ll also benefit from specialist industrial lectures, allowing you to relate the theoretical and design aspects of communications and signal processing to practical problems and real-world constraints.
School Facilities
Our School is an exciting and stimulating environment where you’ll learn from leading researchers in specialist facilities. These include our Keysight Technologies wireless communications lab, as well as labs for embedded systems, power electronics and drives, ultrasound and bioelectronics.
There’s also a Terahertz photonics lab, class 100 semiconductor cleanroom, traffic generators and analysers, FPGA development tools, sensor network test beds. We have facilities for electron-beam lithography and ceramic circuit fabrication – and a III-V semiconductor molecular beam epitaxy facility. The Faculty is also home to the £4.3 million EPSRC National Facility for Innovative Robotic Systems, set to make us a world leader in robot design and construction.
Throughout the year you’ll study a set of core modules that give you an in-depth understanding of DSP, wireless communications, different optical communications networks and the complex issues around network security. If you don’t have any experience of c-programming you’ll also take a module that develops these skills; alternatively, you can choose between this module and another on software development.
You’ll also select optional modules that are tailored to your own interests or career plans – you could focus on embedded microprocessor systems, high-speed internet architecture or other topics. To build your understanding of the global electronics industry, you’ll also complete a dissertation. This could take the form of a business, manufacturing or outsourcing plan, a proposal for research funding or an essay on a specific aspect of the industry.
Over the summer months you’ll also work on your research project. This gives you the chance to work as an integral part of one of our active research groups, focusing on a specialist topic in computer science and selecting the appropriate research methods.
Want to find out more about your modules?
Take a look at the Communications and Signal Processing module descriptions for more detail on what you will study.
Compulsory modules
Optional modules
Our groundbreaking research feeds directly into teaching, and you’ll have regular contact with staff who are at the forefront of their disciplines. You’ll have regular contact with them through lectures, seminars, tutorials, small group work and project meetings. Independent study is also important to the programme, as you develop your problem-solving and research skills as well as your subject knowledge.
You’ll be assessed using a range of techniques including case studies, technical reports, presentations, in-class tests, assignments and exams. Optional modules may also use alternative assessment methods.
The research project is one of the most satisfying elements of this course. It allows you to apply what you’ve learned to a piece of research focusing on a real-world problem, and it can be used to explore and develop your specific interests.
Recent projects on the MSc in Communications and Signal Processing include:
On completing this course, you will have obtained the skills that will lead to employment in any area of the communications/signal processing industry including optical networking, DSP design and implementation, cellular mobile, RF planning, broadband systems and general communications research and development.
Graduates from our School have gone on to work for organisations such as the National Grid, Ericsson Telecommunications, Cisco Systems, AECOM, Deep Sea Electronics, Huawei, Intel Corp., the Technology and Strategy Board and many more.
This course is also an excellent base from which to pursue a PhD and possibly an academic career.
Global organisations are realising that their corporate communications and marketing functions need to work closely to communicate with stakeholders. This growing interdependence has partly been driven by the impact of online communications on organisational reputation.
This course recognises this industry shift and explores the drivers and dynamics of modern corporate communications and its relationship with marketing and public relations. You focus on stakeholder management, global marketing, brand management, reputation management, media relations and social media.
Taught by researchers who combine their professional experience with the latest research expertise, you’ll examine key theories and concepts and gain the practical professional skills employers are looking for.
You’ll benefit from our corporate connections, as senior figures working in the sector regularly visit to offer a practitioner’s view during guest lectures. Many also provide case studies and practical projects.
Academic excellence
The Marketing division at Leeds University Business School is one the leading centres of research in marketing in Europe. As part of our research, we engage with companies, senior executives and academics across the globe.
Our research makes an important contribution to your learning on the programme; our academics bring their world-leading expertise to you in the classroom. The Global and Strategic Marketing Research Centre (GLOSMARC) is the Business School’s established and esteemed centre of excellence for scholarly research work.
The course provides you with an essential foundation in communications theory, marketing strategy and public relations practice.
You’ll explore the history and theory of corporate communications, connecting communications to overall corporate strategy. Alongside this, you’ll study the latest thinking in important areas of marketing such as international marketing, marketing strategy and marketing research, as well as understanding how organisations manage their brands and identities, marketing communications and key priorities such as sustainability.
During the Public Relations in Practice module, you’ll work alongside classmates in interactive workshops that focus on the practical applications of some key PR tools and techniques. You’ll cover essential skills such as campaign planning, personal communication skills, influencing techniques and writing for PR.
In addition, you’ll choose from a selection of optional modules that allow you to focus on a topic that matches your interests and career plans.
In the final semester you will apply your skills and knowledge to either a research dissertation or a practical consultancy project. Our consultancy projects give you the opportunity to work with a live business situation, make links with industry and gain work experience that can be exceptionally rewarding.
Compulsory modules
You’ll study nine compulsory modules, plus either a dissertation or consultancy project.
Optional modules
You’ll also choose one optional module.
We use a range of teaching methods so you can benefit from the expertise of our academics, including lectures, workshops, seminars, simulations and tutorials. Company case studies provide an opportunity to put your learning into practice.
Independent study is also vital for this course, allowing you to prepare for taught classes and sharpen your own research and critical skills.
Assessment methods emphasise not just knowledge, but essential skills development too. You’ll be assessed using a range of techniques including exams, group projects, written assignments and essays, in-course assessment, group and individual presentations and reports.
Graduates have a rounded and reflective approach to communications strategy and practice. Many become effective communications professionals, either in internal corporate and marketing communications roles or in PR, digital and social media agencies.
Links with industry
A number of senior figures from the world of corporate communications, marketing and public relations are invited to deliver guest lectures, providing a practitioner's view of the latest industry developments.
Recent contributors include: Sainsburys, Creative Concern, Ikea UK & IE, Sustainly, Marks and Spencer, Search Laboratory, Twentysix and Brand 24.
We help you to achieve your career ambitions by providing professional development support as part of the course.
Our dedicated professional development tutor provides you with tailored academic and careers support. They help you to develop essential skills to successfully progress through the course, and also the professional skills you need to gain employment in your future career.
You can expect advice and guidance with your career choices, help in identifying and applying for jobs, as well as one-to-one coaching for interpersonal skills.
Read more about our Careers and professional development support.
Mobile communications provide terrestrial coverage in densely populated areas, while satellite communications enable wireless communication in regions where mobile networking is not cost-effective. The programme gives you an in-depth understanding of the engineering aspects of these important current and future technologies.
Read about the experience of a previous student on this course, Gideon Ewa.
This programme is studied full-time over one academic year and part-time students must study at least two taught technical modules per academic year, until a total of eight is reached. It consists of eight taught modules and a project.
Example module listing
The following modules are indicative, reflecting the information available at the time of publication. Please note that not all modules described are compulsory and may be subject to teaching availability and/or student demand.
The programme aims to:
Intended capabilities for MSc graduates:
This Programme in Mobile and Satellite Communications reflects the importance of mobile telephony, mobile data communications and satellite-based communications as complementary technologies.
Students will gain a detailed knowledge of the fundamentals and advanced concepts involved in communications and 3G/4G/5G mobile technology, and satellite-based communications and networking.
This material is complemented by study in areas such as mobile applications and web services, mobile app software development, RF design, the Internet of Things, and network management.
The teaching material and projects are closely related to the research being carried out in the EE Department's Institute for Communications Systems.
We often give our students the opportunity to acquire international experience during their degrees by taking advantage of our exchange agreements with overseas universities.
In addition to the hugely enjoyable and satisfying experience, time spent abroad adds a distinctive element to your CV.
The communications sector has changed dramatically in the past 5 years, as mobile internet, smartphones and associated apps such as social media, commerce and digital media have spurred an information revolution.
This programme responds to the growth of networks and mobile internet applications, allowing you to study traditional communications theory alongside modules dealing with network security and the protocols for high-speed switches and routers.
You’ll build your knowledge of new developments in data-centric networking and the growing trend in cloud computing and online services, such as web-search, video content hosting and distribution, social networking and large-scale computations. Optional modules will allow you to specialise in topics appropriate to your interests and career plans.
It’s a chance to gain specialist knowledge and skills that will be in demand over a wide range of disciplines, from the traditional communications industries to banking, finance and commerce.
Specialist facilities
Our School is an exciting and stimulating environment where you’ll learn from leading researchers in specialist facilities. Depending on your research project, these may include our Keysight Technologies wireless communications lab, as well as labs for embedded systems, power electronics and drives, ultrasound and bioelectronics.
There’s also a Terahertz photonics lab, class 100 semiconductor cleanroom, traffic generators and analysers, FPGA development tools, sensor network test beds. We have facilities for electron-beam lithography and ceramic circuit fabrication – and a III-V semiconductor molecular beam epitaxy facility.
The Faculty is also home to the £4.3 million EPSRC National Facility for Innovative Robotic Systems, set to make us a world leader in robot design and construction.
The programme is built around a set of core modules that develop your knowledge across both semesters. You’ll build your understanding of topics like communication network design, high-speed internet architecture, optical communications networks, data communications and the issues surrounding network security.
If you have no experience of C programming, you’ll also take a module that will equip you with these skills. However, if you do, you could choose to take a specialist module on software development instead. In addition, you’ll choose from optional modules on topics such as digital media engineering, cellular mobile communication systems and even applications of this technology in the medical sector.
To build your understanding of the global electronics industry, you’ll also complete a dissertation. This could take the form of a business, manufacturing or outsourcing plan, a proposal for research funding or an essay on a specific aspect of the industry.
Over the summer months you’ll also work on your research project. This gives you the chance to work as an integral part of one of our active research groups, focusing on a specialist topic in computer science and selecting the appropriate research methods.
Want to find out more about your modules?
Compulsory modules
Optional modules
Our groundbreaking research feeds directly into teaching, and you’ll have regular contact with staff who are at the forefront of their disciplines. You’ll have regular contact with them through lectures, seminars, tutorials, small group work and project meetings.
Independent study is also important to the programme, as you develop your problem-solving and research skills as well as your subject knowledge.
You’ll be assessed using a range of techniques including case studies, technical reports, presentations, in-class tests, assignments and exams. Optional modules may also use alternative assessment methods.
Career prospects are excellent. There is a wide range of career opportunities in all aspects of the communications industry, and the skills learned here will also be generic to allow employment in other sectors such as finance, banking, general manufacturing, etc.
Graduates from our School have pursued careers with organisations like Cisco Systems, General Electric, Huawei, Ericsson Telecommunications, Intel Corp., Technology and Strategy Board, Wabtec Rail UK, AECOM and Orascom Telecom.
Some graduates also choose the path of academic research and therefore subsequently undertake a PhD.
You’ll have access to the wide range of engineering and computing careers resources held by our Employability team in our dedicated Employability Suite. You’ll have the chance to attend industry presentations book appointments with qualified careers consultants and take part in employability workshops. Our annual Engineering and Computing Careers Fairs provide further opportunities to explore your career options with some of the UK’s leading employers.
The University's Careers Centre also provide a range of help and advice to help you plan your career and make well-informed decisions along the way, even after you graduate. Find out more at the Careers website.
Our Masters programme in Satellite Communications Engineering is designed to give you the specialist multidisciplinary skills required for careers in the satellite and space industries.
We have an exceptional concentration of academic staff experienced in the satellite area, in addition to well-established contacts with all the major satellite manufacturers, operators and service providers.
Industry participates in the MSc programme in both lecturing and projects, and facilitates excellent engagement for our students. Graduation from this programme will therefore make you very attractive to the relevant space-related industries that employ over 6,500 people in the UK alone.
Read about the experience of a previous student on this course, Thanat Varathon.
This programme is studied full-time over one academic year and part-time students must study at least two taught technical modules per academic year. It consists of eight taught modules and a project.
Example module listing
The following modules are indicative, reflecting the information available at the time of publication. Please note that not all modules described are compulsory and may be subject to teaching availability and/or student demand.
Through consistent investment, we have built up an impressive infrastructure to support our students and researchers. The University of Surrey hosts Surrey Space Centre – a unique facility comprising academics and engineers from our own spin-out company, Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd.
Our mission control centre was designed and developed by students to support international CubeSat operations as part of the GENSO network, and it also supports the development of the University’s own educational satellites.
Our teaching laboratories provide ‘hands-on’ experience of satellite design and construction through the use of EyasSAT nano-satellite kits. They also house meteorological satellite receiving stations for the live reception of satellite weather images.
Elsewhere, our fully equipped RF lab has network analyser, signal and satellite link simulators. The Rohde and Schwartz Satellite Networking Laboratory includes DVBS2-RCS generation and measurement equipment, and roof-mounted antennas to communicating live with satellites.
A security test-bed also exists for satellite security evaluation. We have a full range of software support for assignments and project work, including Matlab, and you will be able to access system simulators already built in-house.
Satellite Communications Engineering students can also make use of SatNEX, a European Network of Excellence in satellite communications supported by ESA; a satellite platform exists to link the 22 partners around Europe. This is used for virtual meetings and to participate in lectures and seminars delivered by partners.
Our own spin-out company, Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd, is situated close by on the Surrey Research Park and provides ready access to satellite production and industrial facilities. In addition, we have a strategic relationship with EADS Airbus Europe-wide and several other major communications companies.
This programme in satellite communications engineering. provides detailed in-depth knowledge of theory and techniques applicable to radio frequency (RF) and microwave engineering.
The programme includes core modules in both RF and microwave covering all ranges of wireless frequencies and a number of application devices including radio frequency identification (RFID), broadcasting, satellite links, microwave ovens, printed and integrated microwave circuits.
Additional optional modules enable the student to apply the use of RF and microwave in subsystem design for either mobile communications, satellite communications, nanotechnology or for integration with optical communications.
The teaching material and projects are closely related to the research being carried out in the Department’s Advanced Technology Institute and the Institute for Communication Systems.
We often give our students the opportunity to acquire international experience during their degrees by taking advantage of our exchange agreements with overseas universities.
In addition to the hugely enjoyable and satisfying experience, time spent abroad adds a distinctive element to your CV.
Online Master of Business Administration (MBA) with optional specialisms in Fashion Management and Data Analytics
