Electronic and Electrical Engineering MSc

What you'll study

Our Electronic and Electrical Engineering MSc allows you the flexibility to choose between a broad or deep programme of study, over a very wide range of topics, based on your interests.

Modules

The Electronic and Electrical Engineering MSc programme runs over one academic year with two semesters (October to June) of taught material. An individual project runs in parallel to the taught material for the two semesters and then continues until the end August. Individual modules run in two week blocks and many have high practical content. There are compulsory modules, including the project, and a number of optional modules to allow students to develop their preferred expertise.

• Compulsory
• Optional

Sensors and Actuators

Sensors and Actuators

The aims of this module are for the students to understand the options available and the issues related to the selection of sensors and actuators for control systems.

Teaching will cover:

• Sensors: Sensed quantities; Sensor types and principles; Uses of Sensors; Dynamics of Sensors; Sensor systems; smart sensors; Sensor fault detection and redundancy.
• Actuation: Basic principles; Hydraulic systems; Pneumatic systems; Electrical systems; Advanced materials; Choice of actuation system; Open and closed loop actuator; Actuator Fault Tolerance and redundancy.
• System design of sensor/actuator systems and control systems.

Advanced FPGA Design

Advanced FPGA Design

The aim of this module is to provide students with an understanding of the state-of-the-art FPGA design tools, methodologies and best engineering practice. A further aim is to teach students complex, Systems-on-Programmable-Chip (SoPC) design on FPGA silicon.

At the end of this module, students should have a very good understanding of advanced concepts in VHDL design for FPGA engineering. These include topics in System FPGAs, Advanced VHDL, System on Programmable Chip design, Advanced Concepts, Behavioural Synthesis and followed by a week-long lab project. During the lab session the students will have access to development boards featuring these FPGA devices

Embedded Software Development

Embedded Software Development

The aims of this module are to understand the need for a systematic approach to embedded software development and to gain experience of such an approach in a practical setting. At the end of the module students should be able to apply a suitable systematic embedded software development approach to the implementation of practical applications; generate a realistic set of requirements and the corresponding test schedule to provide verification of software; implement software that is able to meet requirements and is properly tested, and apply the development approach for professional engineering in general.

MSc Project

MSc Project

The aims of this module are to give postgraduate students the experience of a substantial, individual research project and areas covered by one of the MSc programmes from the School of Electronic and Electrical Engineering and to do this in a manner which illustrates insight into, and training of, appropriate research methods. On completion of the module, students should be able to critically evaluate existing methodologies and propose new ones as appropriate; critically review current research in the project area; evaluate complex and possibly conflicting issues in the project area, and critically analyse experimental or simulated data.

Fundamentals of Digital Signal Processing

Fundamentals of Digital Signal Processing

To develop critical understanding of the fundamentals of digital signal processing, as applied to numerous and commonplace digital systems, with the use of computer simulation based tools.

At the end of the module, students will be able to:

• Explain sampling theorem and the consequences of aliasing and quantisation distortion
• Explain z-transform and Fourier transform and their properties; and relate them to the impulse response and transfer function of a digital filter
• Evaluate critically different structures available for the realisation of finite impulse response (FIR) and infinite impulse response (IIR) digital filters
• Describe ideal filter approximation functions, and the basics of real-time processing

Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) Engineering

Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) Engineering

The aim of the module is to teach students tools and methodologies for designing complex Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs), using both VHDL/RTL and C (via ESL Synthesis) for design entry and the CADENCE software for synthesis and back-end design. A second aim is to help students understand the various levels of abstraction in ASIC design and to appreciate the complexity of designing state-of-the-art VLSI chips.

Students will become familiar with the various levels of abstraction in ASIC VLSI design and appreciate the differences across the algorithmic level (C-language), logical level (RTL/VHDL design) and the final ASIC blueprint (the final GDS2 file). They will understand how this hierarchy of levels abstracts and thus, simplifies the design of complex VLSI systems.

Communication Networks

Communication Networks

The aim of the module is to present students with the basic principles of networked digital communications. Students will be provided with a sound knowledge of the theory and methodologies used in designing and analysing the performance of communication and computer networks.

At the end of the module, students should be able to analyse the behaviour of a communication network protocol and predict how it would support different types of offered traffic, including an understanding of how to calculate delay across a network in simple cases. Students will also be able to evaluate real-time performance of a working network and design suitable protocols for certain conditions.

Solar Power

Solar Power

The aim of this module is to introduce the facts governing the nature, availability and characteristics of the solar resources and the fundamental concepts of photovoltaics and solar thermal conversion. The conversion technologies are examined critically in terms of design, efficiency, manufacturing options and costs.

At the completion of the module, students should be able to:

• Identify the characteristics of the solar resource and its variability in the context of solar energy systems.
• Explain the design principles and components used in photovoltaic systems.
• Describe the principles, design and manufacturing concepts behind common semiconductor photovoltaic devices.
• Describe the operational principles of flat plate solar thermal collectors.
• Explain the principles behind passive solar in buildings.
• Explain the fundamental processes taking place in a photovoltaic device.

Wind Power

Wind Power

The aim of this module is to introduce wind power and the fundamental concepts of wind turbine design including aerodynamics and control. The economic, technical, institutional and environmental aspects of onshore and offshore wind farm development are also considered.

On completion of the module, students should be able to:

• Describe the physical characteristics of the wind;
• Explain how a wind resource estimate is made;
• Describe the principles, electrical, operational and control characteristics of a wind turbine;
• Describe the design challenges associated with wind turbines;
• Explain the fundamental principles of wind turbine aerodynamics and thus how a wind turbine produces power from the wind;
• Describe the challenges associated with siting wind turbines onshore and offshore.

Digital Signal Processing for Software Defined Radio

Digital Signal Processing for Software Defined Radio

To produce a level of competency in the theory and implementation of digital signal processing, for software defined radio.

At the end of the module the students should be able to implement and assess key digital signal processing algorithms for software defined radio in MATLAB and have an appreciation of their application and realisation in industrial and research contexts.

Mobile Network Technologies

Mobile Network Technologies

The aims of this module are to introduce students to the principals and practicalities of mobile telecommunication systems and prepare the students for future employment in telecommunications industry at an advanced technical level. Students will discover the constraints and suggest ways that these constraints are countered. We will introduce students to mobile network technology evolution and to the state-of-the-art mobile telecommunication technologies.

Antennas

Antennas

The aims of this module are to provide a comprehensive introduction to antennas and their functioning and develop students' practical experience in the design and measurement of antennas.

Teaching will cover:

• Antenna fundamentals
• Transmission lines
• Monopole and Dipoles
• Analytical design of microstrip antennas
• Practical design guidelines for microstrip antennas
• Antenna Arrays
• Feeding networks
• Use of CAD software to simulate and inform design of antennas
• Construction and measurement of antennas

Radio Frequency and Microwave Integrated Circuit Design

Radio Frequency and Microwave Integrated Circuit Design

The aims of this module are to enhance students' understanding of the principles of Radio Frequency (RF) and Microwave Integrated Circuit Design using CAD software simulation tools and measurement techniques.

On completion of this module, students should be able to:

• Describe design considerations of RF components and circuits.
• Provide design information in the form of equations, tabular data and graphs.
• Identify and design practical RF and microwave circuits.
• Apply RF and microwave circuit principles.
• Predict operational characteristics of RF and microwave circuits using CAD software.
• Analyse theoretical and measured data.
• Evaluate errors and uncertainties.
• Calculate losses and mismatch uncertainty.
• Derive S-parameters and impedance measurements.
• Derive lumped-element equivalent circuit (EC) models.
• Compare equivalent circuit (EC) and electromagnetic (EM) models.
• Use CAD tools to design practical RF and microwave circuits.
• Produce optimised printed circuit board designs.
• Use laboratory measuring equipment and evaluate hardware performance.
• Systematic approach to RF and Microwave Integrated Circuit design.
• Use CAD to analyse RF circuit problems.
• Solve numerical problems.
• Disseminate technical data.