Electronic Engineering - MSc

Electronic engineering defines the very fabric of today’s modern technologically advanced society. A myriad of consumer electronic products - televisions, CD and DVD players - are in daily use by practically everyone on the planet. Mobile phones and computers enable global communications on a scale unimaginable even a few decades ago. Yet electronic engineering continues to develop new capabilities which will shape the lives of future generations.

This programme aims to provide a broad based Electronic Engineering MSc which will enable students to contribute to the future development of electronic products and services. The course reflects the School’s highly regarded research activity at the leading edge of electronic engineering. The MSc will provide relevant, up-to-date skills that enhance the engineering competency of its graduates and allows a broader knowledge of electronic engineering to be acquired by studying important emerging technologies, such as, optoelectronics, bioelectronics, polymer electronics and micromachining. The course is intended for graduates in a related discipline, who wish to enhance and specialise their skills in several emerging technologies.

Student Study Support

All students are assigned a designated supervisor, an academic member of staff who will provide formal supervision and support on a daily basis.

The School’s Director of Graduate Studies will ensure that the appropriate level of support and guidance is available for all postgraduate students, and each Course Director is available to help and advise their students as and when required.

Course content is for guidance purposes only and may be subject to change.

Course Content

This course runs from September to September.

The course structure consists of a core set of taught and laboratory based modules that introduce advanced nanoscale and microscale device fabrication processes and techniques. In addition, device simulation and design is addressed with an emphasis placed on the use of advanced CAD based device and system based modelling. Transferable skills such as project planning and management, as well as, presentational skills are also further developed in the course.

Taught Modules:

Introduction to Nanotechnology & Microsystems*: focuses on the device fabrication techniques at the nano and micro scale, as well as introducing some of the diagnostic tools available to test the quality and characteristics of devices.

Modelling and Design: Focuses on the simulation and design of electronic devices using an advanced software package – COMSOL. This powerful commercial software package is extremely adaptable and can be used to simulate and design a very wide range of physical systems.

Advanced Sensor Systems: Provides students with an understanding of more complex sensor systems and a view of current developments in specific areas of sensor development. Applications of these systems and their main producers and users are also discussed.

Masters Mini Project: focuses on applying the skills and techniques already studied to a mini project, the theme of which will form the basis of the research project later in the year.

RF and Optical MEMs*: Introduces the use and benefits of miniaturisation in RF and optical technologies. The module will investigate improvements in component characteristics, and manufacturing processes. Applications of RF and optical nano and microsystems will be discussed using examples.

Microengineering*: Provides an introduction to the rapidly expanding subject of microengineering. Starting with a discussion of the benefits and market demand for microengineered systems, the module investigates clean room-based lithographic and related methods of microfabrication. Micro manufacturing issues for a range of materials such as silicon, polymers and metals will be discussed along with routes to larger scale manufacture. A range of example devices and applications will be used to illustrate manufacturing parameters.

Further Microengineering*: This module builds on the knowledge of microengineering and microfabrication gained in the Microengineering module. The module examines a broad range of advanced manufacturing process including techniques suitable for larger scale production, particularly of polymer devices. This module also examines specialist fabrication methods using laser systems and their flexibility in fabricating macroscopic and sub micron structures.

Mobile Communication Systems*: This module will provide an in-depth understanding of current and emerging mobile communication systems, with a particular emphasis on the common aspects of all such systems.

Broadband Communication Systems: This module provides students with an in-depth understanding of current and emerging broadband communications techniques employed in local, access and backbone networks. Particular emphasis will be focussed on the following aspects: 1) fundamental concepts, 2) operating principles and practice of widely implemented communications systems; 3) hot research and development topics, and 4) opportunities and challenges for future deployment of broadband communications systems.

Data Networks and Communications*: This module will provide an in-depth understanding of how real communication networks are structured and the protocols that make them work. It will give the students an ability to explain in detail the process followed to provide end to end connections and end-user services at required QoS.

Masters Project Preparation: To place computing and engineering within a business context so that students relate the technical aspects of their work to its commercial and social dimensions and are able to prepare project plans which take into account the constraints and limitations imposed by non-technical factors.

Research Project: After the successful completions of the taught component of the MSc programme, the major individual project will be undertaken within the world-leading optoelectronics or optical communications research groups of the School. Students will then produce an MSc Dissertation.

*optional modules

Modules for the current academic year

Module listings are for guide purposes only and are subject to change. Find out what our students are currently studying on the Electronic Engineering Modules page.

Visit the Electronic Engineering - MSc page on the Bangor University website for more details!