Wireless Communication Systems MSc

About the Course

The evolution of wireless communication systems and networks in recent years has been accelerating at an extraordinary pace and become an essential part of modern life style requirements. The sharp increase in the use of smart phones, Machine to Machine communication systems (M2M), sensor networks, Digital Broadcasting networks and Smart Grid schemes have brought tremendous technological growth in this field. It has become a global phenomenon that presently outstrips the ability of commercial organisations to recruit personnel equipped with the necessary blend of technical and managerial skills who can initiate and manage the introduction of the new emerging technologies in networks and wireless systems.

The effect of this trend has been a growing overlap between the network and communication industries, from component fabrication to system integration. Another result is the development of integrated systems that transmit and process all types of data and information.

This distinctive course, developed with the support of industry, aims to develop a detailed technical knowledge of current practice in wireless systems and networks. As a student attending the MSc Wireless Communication Systems course, you will study the fundamentals of wireless communication systems and the latest innovations in this field. The programme is designed incorporating theoretical and practical aspects and also focuses on industrial trends/requirements. It covers all aspects in a modern communication system ranging from RF components, digital signal processing, network technologies and wireless security. The course offers you the opportunity to explore many new wireless standards such as, UMTS, LTE-Advanced, WiMAX, DVB-S2, DVB-T2, ZigBee, UWB, Mesh and Ad-Hoc protocols, etc through a set of carefully designed modules.

This course is accredited by the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET).

See what the students have said about this course.

Aims

The aim of the programme is to equip high quality and ambitious engineering graduates with the necessary advanced technical and professional skills for an enhanced career either in industry or leading edge research in the area of Wireless Communication Systems.

Enquiries

Marketing and Recruitment Officer
School of Engineering and Design
Email sed-pg-admissions@brunel.ac.uk
Tel +44 (0)1895 265814/266633

Course Director: Dr R Nilavalan (Nila)

Related Courses

• Computer Communication Networks MSc

Special Features

• Prepares the students to be employed in a growing and challenging field that has become an essential part of modern life.
• The course is taught by academics who are experts in their fields and have strong collaborative links with industry and other international research organisations. Some well-known textbooks in this area are authored by members of the course team.
• The course is fully supported with computing and modern, well-equipped RF laboratories. As a student you will enjoy working on the latest and advanced equipment.

Prizes

Rohde and Schwartz best in RF Prize

Criteria for award: Best overall PG student on MSc Wireless Communications Systems with a relevant RF dissertation

Composition of prize: RF books and Certificate

Accreditation

This course is fully accredited by the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET).

Course Content

Modules (all core)

Advanced Digital Communications
This module introduce students to more advanced topics in digital communication systems and to provide students with up-to-date knowledge of the techniques used in digital communication systems including OFDM, WCDMA and MIMO.

Advanced Mobile Systems
This module introduce the students to more advanced concepts in mobile communication systems mainly concentrating on cellular (GSM/GPRS/UMTS) and other mobile systems.

DSP for Communications
This module provides students with the capability to successfully map DSP algorithms (FFT, CDMA, OFDM, FIR filters) used in Wireless Communication Systems to an advanced digital system such as a Digital Signal Processor (DSP) or Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGA)

Wireless Network Technologies
The aim of this module is to introduce students to the design and operation of wireless networks through concepts, terminologies, performance analysis and industrial standards (WiFi, LTE-Adwanced, WiMAX, DVB-T2).

Wireless Communication Security
This module introduces the advanced theory that enables what is achievable through the use of cryptography and presents the practical techniques and algorithms that are currently important for efficient and secure communication over wireless networks.

Radio and Optical communication Systems
This module covers the advanced topics in Radio (Antennas, RF Amplifiers, link budget analysis, Satellite Communications) and optical communications, which allow the students to follow the most recent technologies in the field.

Project Management 
This module introduces a range of formal methods and skills necessary to equip students to function effectively at the higher levels of project management. It covers the development of project management skills required for achieving practical business objectives.

Workshop
Practical work is an important component of the course and gives students experience with relevant techniques and tools. Assignments are of a practical nature and involve laboratory work with relevant equipment, hardware and software systems, conducted in a hands-on workshop environment. Typical assignments are:

• Error control codec
• Digital modulation and Coding
• Predicting Wireless LAN (802.11) performance
• Analysis of Ethernet LAN

Dissertation

The dissertation is a stimulating and challenging part of the MSc programme. It provides the opportunity to apply the knowledge learnt in the taught part of the course and to specialize in one aspect, developing the students’ deep understanding and expertise in an area of their choice.

Students may carry out their project within the University or in the industry. For company-sponsored students, projects are related to the company’s present and future enterprise. Industrial projects often lead to recruitment of the students by the sponsoring companies.

Typical Dissertation Projects include:

• Performance analysis of wireless technologies (WiFi, WiMAX, LTE-Advanced, DVB standards, MIMO)
• Analysis of wireless security aspects in modern communication systems
• RF Antenna Designs
• Radio over Fibre (RoF) systems
• Implementation of advanced DSP algorithms
• Signal and image processing for wireless and radar applications
• GPS and satellite systems
• Healthcare applications
• Smart Grid techniques

Teaching and Learning

Knowledge and understanding are acquired through a mix of lectures, workshops, seminars, self-study, and individual and group project work. In lectures key concepts and ideas are introduced, definitions are stated, techniques are explained, and immediate student queries discussed. Seminars provide the students with the opportunity to discuss at greater length issues arising from lectures. Workshops sessions are used to foster practical engagement with the taught material.

The dissertation project plays a more significant role in supporting literature review in a technically complex area and to plan, execute and evaluate a significant investigation into a current problem area related to wireless communication systems.

Communication and other skills that are valued by industry are developed primarily through completion of carefully designed lab exercises, completion of group assignments, and through the dissertation project.

Assessment

Four taught modules are assessed by final examinations and 2 taught modules by a mix of examination and laboratory work, Project Management is assessed by course work and the Workshop module by a mix of laboratory and group work. Generally, students start working on their dissertations in January and submit by the end of September.

Careers

The flourishing market place for mobile and fixed networks has meant that the telecommunication companies (TMobile, Orange, Vodaphone, O₂, etc) are making their largest profits from this sector of industry. Therefore demand for jobs and for trained engineers to fill those jobs remains very high. The connectionless office is also a new trend for creating flexible working areas within companies and organisations and the demand for wireless engineers in this domain is expected to be very high in the future. The continuing trend of convergence of services and networks mean that a lot of new industries and research institutions are looking engineers in the following areas:

• Radio and network planning for mobile and broadcasting networks
• Wireless security applications
• Satellite and GPS networks
• Mobility management in mobile networks
• Smart communication systems in smart grids
• Wireless sensor networks
• Radio over Fibre Networks
• DSP hardware/software and device drivers development for communication systems
• Wireless healthcare applications
• Machine to machine communication applications

Fees for 2013/14 entry

UK/EU students: £5,800 full-time

International students: £15,000 full-time

Read about funding opportunities available to postgraduate students

Fees quoted are per annum and are subject to an annual increase.

Entry Requirements

A UK first or second class Honours degree or equivalent internationally recognised qualification usually in Electrical or Electronic Engineering or a related subject. Other qualifications and relevant experience will be assessed on an individual basis.

English Language Requirements

Brunel also offers our own BrunELT English Test and accept a range of other language courses. We also have a range of Pre-sessional English language courses, for students who do not meet these requirements, or who wish to improve their English.