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. 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, which is not taught anywhere else in the UK, aims to develop a detailed technical knowledge of current practice in wireless systems and networks.

See what the students have said about this course.

Aims

This course will help you develop a detailed technical knowledge of current practice in wireless systems and networks. You will benefit from both a theoretical and practical grounding in the course due to the availability of a fully working wireless laboratory in the School, allowing students to develop their skills in this field

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 Qiang Ni

Special Features

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: Cheque and Certificate

Accreditation

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

Course Content

Modules (all core)

Advanced Digital Communications
The aim of this module is to 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 more advanced topics in digital wireless communication systems. This module covers channel modelling, coding, digital transmission through wireless channels, advanced error control techniques, spread spectrum, multi-carrier digital transmission (OFDM and MIMO), and their applications in wireless and cellular mobile communication systems.

Advanced Mobile Systems
The aim of this module is to provide students with up-to-date knowledge on new technologies for mobile communication systems and to introduce the students to more advanced concepts in mobile communication systems. This module covers the fundamental principles of mobile communication systems and provides a practical understanding of the evolution of new technologies in mobile systems. It includes GSM/GPRS/UMTS, multiple access technologies, cellular systems, multipath fading, ad hoc networks, mesh networks and an introduction to WLAN and WiMAX.

DSP for Communications
This module provides students with the confidence and capability to successfully map DSP algorithms used in Wireless Communication Systems to an advanced digital system such as a Digital Signal Processor (DSP) or Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs). Students will be able to design real-time embedded systems for wireless communications using different design methodologies and advanced arithmetic techniques suitable for DSP and FPGA implementation. A range of DSP algorithms and applications will be studied and analysed such as FFT, CDMA, DWT, FIR filters.

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. It introduces models and sub-systems of typical wireless networks (ie Wireless Local Area Network and Wireless Telecommunication Networks). It covers typical commercial wireless and mobile networks (eg wireless sensors, WiMAX, UWB, 2G/2.5G, 3G cellular), mobile networking protocols (eg Mobile IP, Wireless TCP), and wireless multimedia applications.

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. It looks into how security solutions are implemented on Wireless Local Area Networks and Metropolitan Area Networks, Mobile Telecommunications Networks and Bluetooth-based communications, and analyses the relative merits of the major types of cryptographic algorithms in current use and the contexts in which they are used.

Radio and Optical communication Systems
This module covers the advanced topics in Radio and optical communications, which allow the students to follow the most recent technologies in the field. Central to these concepts are Antennas, RF Amplifiers, link budget analysis, Transmitter and Receivers, Satellite Communications (orbits, multiplexing techniques, DVB-S, satellite networks) and optical communications (fibres, signal propagation and attenuation, optical sources, photo detectors and optical networks).

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
• Analysis of Wide Area Networks
• Implementation, analysis of cipher algorithms
• Design of a Impulse Modulated Raised-Cosine BPSK Receiver

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 a Wireless Communication Systems related area of their choice. Students may carry out their project within the University, but industry-based projects are encouraged. For company-sponsored students, projects should be related to the company’s present and future enterprise. Industrial projects often lead to recruitment of the students by the collaborative companies, recent examples of which include BT, Siemens, 3Com, Worldcom, Nortel and Orange.

Assessment

Six taught modules are assessed by final examinations and 2 modules by course works. Generally, students start working on their dissertations in January and submit by the end of September

Careers

The flourishing market place for mobile networks has meant that the telecommunication companies (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 into integrating satellite, mobile and GPS networks

Fees for 2012/13 entry

Home/EU students: £5,060 full-time

International students: £13,860 full-time

Read about funding opportunities available to postgraduate students

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

Entry Requirements for 2012 Entry

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.

Entry Requirements for 2011 Entry (click to expand)

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.