Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science

MSc Programme
Electrical Engineering

Track

Telecommunications &
Sensing Systems
Mobile communication is
nowadays a commodity,
research is taking it to
the next level Masters
programme.

Diploma

Credits
Starts in
Language
of instruction
% international
students

Master of Science
Electrical Engineering
Track:
Telecommunications &
Sensing Systems
120 ECTS, 24 months
September
English

Telecommunications and remote sensing

systems form an integral and essential
part of modern society for high speed
distribution of fast increasing vast amounts
of data and for the collection of essential
environmental information.
New amenities like the internet, smart
phones and digital TV have become
available in a very short period of time.
Nowadays, it is easy for anyone to
exchange any type of information by
wired and wireless media at any time and
any place. The rise of social media has
a significant impact on the bandwidth
needed. Safeguarding security and
privacy are important social themes, while
consumers are asking for smaller and more
energy-efficient devices.

65%
Telecommunication engineers develop and
manage transmission systems, protocols,
networks and services for short-range
applications like Wifi and RFID, but also for
future mobile and optical fibre networks

covering the whole world. Another

domain of this master is that of extremely
high frequency (microwave and THz)
applications and observation systems,
including radar and remote sensing
technologies for such varied tasks as
safety scanners, weather forecasting and
inspection of crops.
Programme
The TU Delft Master of Science
Electrical Engineering offers the track
Telecommunications & Sensing Systems.
The track is designed for students with
a Bachelors in Electrical Engineering.
When you join TU Delfts Track in
Telecommunications & Sensing Systems,
you will be trained in the fundamentals
to understand, develop, manage and
maintain telecommunications technologies
and networks as well as remote sensing
systems. You will learn to advance the
technologies that drive them by developing
and delivering innovative applications.

Curriculum in Telecommunications and Sensing Systems

First Year (60 EC)
1st quarter

2nd quarter

3rd quarter

4th quarter

Introduction to Electrical
Engineering (3 EC)

Core courses

Core courses

Systems Engineering (3 EC)

Core courses

Core courses

Specialisation courses

Specialisation courses

Core courses (15 EC common core

and 15 EC track specific core)
Specialisation courses (minimum
of 24 EC)

Specialisation courses

Free Elective courses (15 EC)

1st quarter

2nd quarter

3rd quarter

Specialisation

Graduation project (45 EC)

Second Year (60 EC)

4th quarter

Free elective courses

1 EC = 28 hours of study, according to the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS).
Total number of credits in the MSc programme = 120 EC
For more information on all courses, please visit: www.studyguide.tudelft.nl

This programme offers thorough

fundamental scientific knowledge and
involves you in cutting-edge research in a
stimulating environment. It will train you
to become an independently thinking and
broadly developed professional. The two
central themes in the programme are:
Exploitation of electromagnetic
phenomena for the transmission of
information and the collection and
extraction of data.
Networking for the distribution of information and with controlled quality
of service.
Programme specialisations
In the first semester of your first
year, you will get an overview of the

I came to the Netherlands to continue

my studies in the MSc Telecommunications
& Sensing Systems track. I was soon
impressed by the lively and stimulating
atmosphere of the faculty and the existing
international diversity among the students.
The MSc Telecommunications & Sensing
Systems track was well-organized into a
comprehensive multi-disciplinary program
with many different specialization tracks
to choose from. The courses were welldesigned to familiarize the students with the
theoretical aspects of the subject as well as
the cutting-edge research topics in the area
accompanied by project-based assessment
that encouraged group work and developed
the problem-solving skills of the students.

different specialisations within the

Telecommunication & Sensing Systems
track. You can specialise in the following
subjects:
Network Architectures and Services
focuses on complex networks, ranging
from data communications and
internetworking, infrastructures such as
energy networks, to biological, brain,
social and financial sector networks.
Signal Processing for Communications
focuses on physical layer aspects of
(wireless) communication systems, i.e. how
to efficiently transport information through a
physical radio channel, and the fundamental
issues of estimation and detection.

One of the interesting aspects of the program

for me was the existence of a strong link
between the university and the industry.
After learning the fundamentals in the
first-year courses, I was glad to find out
there were many different possibilities to
do an internship in a company. Therefore,
in the second year I started working on my
thesis project within a company and put the
knowledge and the skills that I had learned
in the first-year into practice to tackle real
engineering problems.
After finishing my master studies, I had the
opportunity to start my PhD research in
the Circuits and Systems group at TU Delft
where I am working on the computational
aspects of the next generation radio
telescopes now.

Applied Electromagnetics focuses on

electromagnetic fields and radiation, for
example transmission and antenna design.
Microwave Sensing, Signals and
Systems focuses on sensing technology
and the design of modern multisensor systems and networks, and the
development of advanced signal and data
processing algorithms for reliable target
detection, tracking, imaging, identification
and physical parameter estimation.
Remote Sensing of the Environment
focuses on developing and using multisensor technologies to measure natural
phenomena, by using measurement
techniques from the ground and satellites

Shahrzad Naghibzadeh
(Iran)

in space to observe the role of the

atmosphere in the climate and weather
system.
Embedded Software focuses on wireless
(sensor) networking and the internet of
Things.
Examples of graduation projects
Measuring and modelling of the
LTE network performance
Connectivity in 60 GHz Home Networks
A space based FMCW SAR system
Compressive Wideband Spectrum
Sensing for Cognitive Radio Applications
Career prospects
With the extraordinary advances made
in recent decades in digital technology,
the opportunities for telecommunications
specialists in commerce, industry and
government are simply vast. There is a
close connection between Delft University
of Technology and the industry. During
your studies you will get the opportunity
to get in contact with high tech companies
via internships and thesis projects, but also
via the EEMCS recruitment days and the
technical career fairs where you can get
your first job interview.
Graduates of the programme have a
wide choice of career paths. The solid
engineering background provides an
excellent foundation for careers in
research, development, and consultancy
as well as commercial and management
positions. Our graduates are working in
the telecommunications and radar
industry, at internet companies, in the
energy sector as network architect,
product manager, business developer and
sales engineer. Typical recent employers
of Telecommunications graduates include
Philips, Thales, TNO Defense and Security,
TNO Information and Communication
Technology, Broadcom, LogicaCMG,
and various mobile and fixed network
operators, like KPN.

Professor
Alle-Jan van der Veen

Mobile communication is nowadays a

commodity; we expect to be connected to
4G and Wifi any time and anywhere, with
devices that easily fit inside our pockets and
that can do much more as well. Research is
taking this to the next level: think of multiantenna (MIMO) solutions that enable
multi-gigabit per second data rates, the
Internet of Things where nearly all objects
around us are connected, and positioning
systems that also work indoors. In the
Circuits and Systems group, we work on the
signal processing and physical layer aspects
of these; we also work on underwater
communication (RF and acoustic), very
large phased arrays for communication
and radio astronomy, cognitive radio
for dynamic spectrum allocation, and
satellite systems, e.g. for tracking ships
and aircraft. We closely work with the
radar group that has a focus on distributed
radar systems using small sensor nodes,
and using THz technology for security
scanners. The department has excellent
research facilities like a radar station on
the roof, a laboratory for large network
simulation, and a design lab for wireless
communication. Here we recently built and
tested a multi-antenna setup for separating
overlapping ship transponder signals.
About half our students do their thesis
work with companies such as NXP, Philips,
IMEC Holst Centre, Thales, KPN, as well as
a range of small-size companies. The best
students often have an opportunity to stay
with us to do a PhD.

Dutch BSc degree

If you hold a Dutch BSc degree closely
related to the Masters programme, you
will be admitted directly. However, if your
undergraduate programme is not closely
related to the Masters programme you will
be required to take additional courses in
what is called a bridging programme. This
may be a standard programme or it may be
tailored to your specific situation.
To see which Masters programmes
are open to you on completion of your
Bachelors degree at a Dutch university,
go to www.doorstroommatrix.nl
Applications through Studielink:
www.tudelft.studielink.nl
Dutch HBO degree
An HBO Bachelors degree does not qualify
you for direct admission to a TU Delft
Masters programme. You will first need
to complete a supplementary programme
in order to bring your knowledge to the
required level. You can do this during
your HBO programme by completing a
bridging minor, or by means of a bridging
programme after completing your HBO
diploma.
Entrance requirements for mathematics
and English (some exceptions) apply for
both the bridging minor and the bridging
programme.
See www.hbodoorstroom.tudelft.nl
for detailed information.
Applications through Studielink:
www.tudelft.studielink.nl

For further information

Please visit the webpage for all
details, complete requirements,
deadlines and contact information:
www.ewi.tudelft.nl
Dr.ir. G.J.M. Janssen,
Masters Coordinator
T +31 (0)15 27 86736
E G.J.M.Janssen@tudelft.nl

International applicants
To be considered for admission to an
MSc programme you will need to meet
TU Delfts general admission requirements.
1. A
 University Bachelors degree (or
proof that you have nearly completed a
Bachelors programme) in a main subject
closely related to the MSc programme
to which you are applying, with good
grades on the key courses.
2. A
 BSc Cumulative Grade Point Average
(CGPA) of at least 75% of the scale
maximum
3. P
 roof of English language proficiency:
A score of at least 90 on the TOEFL or an
overall Band score of at least 6.5 on the
IELTS (academic version)

Introduction week
All international students will be welcomed
with the award-winning introduction
programme. The introduction consists
of a variety of workshops and projects,
during which you will get to know other
international students, visit the highlights
of Delft and learn the ins and outs of the
TU Delft campus.
After this very interesting and fun week,
you will be introduced to the EEMCS
faculty. During the Master Kick Off, you
will receive helpful information about the
Dutch education system and meet the
fellow students from your programme in a
variety of social and educational activities.

For international students, the application

period starts October 1 and closes at
April 1. To start an MSc application,
please complete the online application and
pay the refundable application fee of 100.
Next, you will receive an email with the link
to upload the required documents.
For more information about the application
procedure and studying at TU Delft in
general, go to www.admissions.tudelft.nl

Further information for

international applicants
E info-eemcs@tudelft.nl

www.facebook.com/TUDelft.EEMCS

EEMCS Faculty
Mekelweg 4
2628 CD Delft

instagram.com/TUDelft

@DelftUniversity

www.weibo.com/officialTUDelft

November 2014

Admission requirements and

application procedures