Telecommunication

Telecommunication plays a key role in modern society. As a telecommunication engineer, you can contribute to the development of the technology on which modern society relies.

It is virtually impossible to imagine a society without TV, radio, Internet, and mobile communication. Telecommunication is not only central to addressing tasks of importance to society, such as telemedicine, banking, train signalling systems, and monitoring, but people are also highly dependent on smartphones, social media, on-demand video streaming etc. Telecommunication infrastructure—the technology that forms the basis of modern society—relies on engineers capable of maintaining existing systems and developing and designing new ones. 

The MSc in Telecommunication at DTU is unique in that all of the above aspects are incorporated into one MSc degree.

Study programme focus

The study programme covers areas ranging from advanced component and system design through complex network structures to the development of services and ICT solutions that meet user expectations. The programme courses include three central, traditional disciplines which, to some extent, share a common technical-scientific basis. These are:

Component and software design

This discipline addresses both the development of optical components, optical transmission systems, and electronic components—e.g. in the form of integrated circuits—and the design of telecommunication software, including signal-processing software.

System development and methods

Courses offered within this discipline are mainly related to coding, communication networks, and multimedia. They address the basis for—and design of—technical communication systems as well as operation and monitoring of the systems.

Applications

Courses offered within this discipline are related to the following areas: services and networks, information systems, and market conditions for communication applications. These application-oriented courses focus on the interaction between technologies, user needs, and various market and organizational aspects, including solutions to supporting organizational communication and cooperation. 

The above disciplines are not described in any course list, as a given study programme can either be linked to the traditional disciplines or composed of different courses, typically representing new combinations which we expect to have the largest growth potential.

Specializations

The Telecommunication programme allows you to specialize in one of the four study lines:

• Optical Communication
• Protocols and Network Technologies
• Services and Software
• Signals Transmission

If you choose one of these study lines, it will appear on your diploma. However, you are not required to choose a study line. 

You should also be aware that your choice of courses in your individual study plan offers a high degree of flexibility. Therefore, you have every opportunity to design your own study programme and career by choosing from the wide range of courses offered at DTU. Have a chat with the head of studies if you would like specific suggestions as to courses and your study plan. 

Programme provision

To obtain the Master of Science Degree in Telecommunication, the student must fulfil the following requirements:

• Have passed General Competence Courses adding up to at least 30 points
• Have passed Technological Specialization Courses adding up to at least 30 points
• Have performed a Master Thesis of at least 30 points within the field of the general program
• Have passed a sufficient number of Elective Courses to bring the total number of points of the entire study up to 120 points 

Only applicants holding either a Bachelor of Science in Engineering, a Bachelor in Engineering or a Bachelor of Natural Science degree can be admitted to a Master of Science in Engineering programme. From September 2017 the bachelor degree must be less than 10 years old.

The individual MSc Eng programme states in detail which bachelor programmes qualify and whether applicants have to complete supplementary educational activities.

Requirements for supplementary educational activities can equate to up to 30 ECTS credits and are specified in the form of a list of courses under the individual MSc Eng programmes.

The specific requirements must be met before graduating from the bachelor programme or in connection with conditional admission to a particular MSc Eng programme. The courses must be passed prior to the commencement of studies within one year from the conditional admission.

Supplementary educational activities in connection with conditional admission to an MSc Eng programme do not form part of the MSc Eng programme, and partial tuition fees are charged. If the supplementary courses have not been passed within the deadlines specified, the conditional admission to the programme is withdrawn.

The Master of Science in Engineering programmes are offered in English. Therefore applicants must demonstrate proficiency in English (B-level, IELTS, TOEFL- or Pearson test).

Academic requirements for this programme

Students holding a BSc Eng in Electronics or Computer Science have access to be admitted to the MSc Eng in Telecommunication provided that their programmes have included elements of  communication technologies. The DTU BSc Eng programms listed below serve as a guideline.

Applicants must demonstrate skills in a number of the following subjects

• Mathematics (linear algebra, analysis, diferential equations, fourier transforms, probability theory)
• Linear systems and circuit theory (time continuous and time discrete systems)
• Analog and digital design (emphasis on digital design)
• Software engineering including programming (C or equivalent)
• Fundamental classical electromagnetics in simple media
• Basic telecommunication, data communication, or communication theory

The merits and qualifications of the applicants will be considered individually, based on the submitted material. The level of the qualifications compared to other applicants will also be of importance.

Notice that the MSc Eng programme is very broad such that each prerequisite is not of equal use in all study lines. This is described further with the study lines and the descriptions for the individual courses.

The following BSc Eng programmes at DTU entitle students to admission to the MSc Eng programme in Telecommunication: 

• Electrical Engineering
• Network Technology and IT
• Physics and Nanotechnology
• Software Technology

Bachelors in Software Engineering from The Faraoe Islands are admitted directly.

Students from the following Bachelor of Engineering programmes at DTU: 

• IT Electronics
• Electrical Engineering
• Electronics and Computer Science

have access to admission subject to having completed 10 ECTS credits from the list below.

B Eng in IT or in Electrical Engineering from other Danish universities are admitted if they fulfill the requirements above or similar requirements.

The academic requirements may be fulfilled differently. This will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis by the head of study.

Students who wish to be admitted to the MSc Eng programme in Telecommunication are recommended to contact the head of study for guidance in their choice of courses.