About the Course

Overview

Few people will have remained oblivious to the explosive growth in digital speech/audio/video and data transmission over the past few years. The long term future of digital communications lies with the use of mobile, as opposed to fixed, terminals. The aim of the MSc IT (Mobile Communications) course is to reflect recent significant advances in mobile communications in the wider context of the rapidly developing digital communications industry. Students will gain competence in the theory and practice of Mobile Digital Technology such that they will be able to design and develop appropriate software/hardware and have an appreciation of more general network planning considerations involved in mobile and wireless communications systems. They will thus be able to take advantage of the undoubted long-term employment prospects in these areas.

Course Structure

The MSc IT (Mobile Communications) course structure contains of the following modules:

• Semester 1

• Software Engineering 1

• Research Methods Critical Analysis and Project Planning

• Mobile Communications and Programming

• Networks and Communications

• Semester 2

• Software Engineering 2

• Project Phase 1

• Principles of Mobile Communications

• Network Applications

• Summer

• Masters Dissertation

Duration

Normally 1 year, with part-time participation possible, typically over 2 years.

Entry Requirements

A First or Second Class Honours Degree in an engineering discipline or in the physical or chemical sciences. The degree can be from a British or overseas university. Different degrees, together with relevant industrial experience, will be considered.

Employment and Industrial Links

Graduate Destinations

The majority of students find employment in IT fields quickly after completing the course. A number of students also continue to undertake PhD studies all over the UK. Examples of a few destinations of graduates are as follows BT, Nortel, and Racal Radar Defence Systems.

Industrial Project Opportunities

A few examples of companies that have offered project placements are
Rohde & Schwarz UK Ltd and Selex Sensors and Airborne Systems.

Professional Recognition

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

About the Course Director

Dr Cheng-Xiang Wang is a lecturer in the Department of Electrical, Electronic and Computing Engineering at Heriot-Watt University. He has published over 100 papers in refereed journals and conference proceedings in the area of Mobile Communications and Networks. Staff in the Department have extensive research experience in diverse aspects of Mobile Communications and Networks, such as algorithm design and implementation, information analysis, system modelling, and network protocol design.