Global Utilities

La Trobe University
University Handbook 2008

Higher degrees by coursework

Master of Electronic Systems and Network Engineering – Melbourne (Bundoora) (SMESNE)

The two-year Master of Electronic Systems and Network Engineering program provides specialised education in the high demand areas of:

  • computer networks
  • biomedical engineering
  • communication engineering
  • distributed computing
  • electronic systems engineering
  • microelectronics design
  • mobile communications
  • optical engineering
  • wireless networks.

Graduates can work in a wide range of industries, including:

  • information technology
  • communications
  • microelectronics
  • automotive
  • defence organisations
  • electronic equipment design and manufacturing
  • hospitals
  • medical equipment industries.

Admission requirements

Applicants should have a four-year engineering degree or an Honours degree in science in an appropriate field, or the equivalent, with a minimum background in digital logic, computer architecture, mathematics at second year level and programming skills in C or C++. Candidates who do not strictly meet the above requirements may be considered for admission following the successful completion of the Postgraduate Diploma in Electronic Engineering.

Advanced standing

Applications for advanced standing will be considered in accordance with University policy.

Course structure

The two-year course requires the completion of units from electronic engineering and computer science and an electronic engineering project for a total value of 240 credit points.

Students may select a maximum of 60 credit points of Level 2 or 3 units (offered from either computer science or electronic engineering), depending on their background and the area(s) in which they wish to specialise. Students then choose a minimum of 60 credit points of specialised computer networks units and a minimum of 30 credit points of specialised electronic engineering units. They must include a 30-credit point, 45-credit point, or 60-credit point electronic engineering project. Elective units from the list of specialised and advanced units offered by the Departments of Computer Science and Computer Engineering (CS and CE), and Electronic Engineering (EE) (which may include CSE4THA and CSE4THB) comprise the remaining credit points. Students who take less than the maximum four Level 2 or 3 units choose additional electives from the pool of units offered by CS and CE and EE. Subject to approval by the course coordinator, students may enrol in up to two relevant units to the value of 30 credit points from other areas of the University.

A typical enrolment for students with a background in electronic systems would be:

Course type Credit points
Two Level 2 or 3 computer networks units 30 credit points
Four specialised computer networks units 60 credit points
Two specialised electronic engineering units 30 credit points
One electronic engineering project 30, 45 or 60 credit points
Two advanced computer science electives 30 credit points
Two, three or four advanced electronic engineering electives 30, 45 or 60 credit points
Total 240 credit points

A typical enrolment for students with a background in computer science would be:

Course type Credit points
Minimum of two Level 2 or 3 electronic engineering units 30 credit points
Two specialised electronic engineering units 30 credit points
One electronic engineering project 30 or 45 credit points
Four specialised computer networks units 60 credit points
One or two advanced electronic engineering electives 15 or 30 credit points
Four advanced computer science electives 60 credit points
Total 240 credit points
Compulsory Electronic Engineering Project/Design Units (30, 45, or 60 credit points) plus the 15-credit point core unit, ELE5PRA.
Teaching period Unit name Unit code Credit points
TE-SEM-1 or Engineering Practice ELE5PRA 15
TE-SEM-2

Students must select a design/project option from the following:

(a) A 30-credit point single-semester design exercise:

Teaching period Unit name Unit code Credit points
TE-SEM-2 Electronic Engineering Design ELE5EDE** 30
or
TE-SEM-1 Network Design Exercise ELE5NDE** 30
or
TE-SEM-1 or
TE-SEM-2
Biomedical Design Exercise ELE5BDE** 30

(b) A 45-credit point two-semester electronic engineering project (student must enrol in both units):

Teaching period Unit name Unit code Credit points
TE-SEM-1 or
TE-SEM-2
Electronic Engineering Project A1 ELE5ERA 15
TE-SEM-1 or
TE-SEM-2
Electronic Engineering Project B1 ELE5ERB 30

(c) A 60-credit point two-semester electronic engineering major project (student must enrol in both units):

Teaching period Unit name Unit code Credit points
TE-SEM-1 or
TE-SEM-2
Electronic Engineering Major Project A1 ELE5MPA 30
TE-SEM-1 or
TE-SEM-2
Electronic Engineering Major Project B1 ELE5MPB 30
  • Key **Under special circumstances a student may enrol in more than one design exercise or project, subject to approval of the course coordinator.
Core Specialist Computer Networks units

A minimum of 60 credit points (four units) must be selected from the list below:

Teaching period Unit name Unit code Credit points
TE-SEM-2 Pervasive Network Design 2 CSE4PND 15
TE-SEM-1 Communication Protocol Engineering CSE4CPE 15
TE-SEM-2 Mobile and Pervasive Computing2 CSE4MPC 15
TE-SEM-1 Wireless Network Engineering CSE4WNE 15
Core Specialist Electronic Engineering units

A minimum of 30 credit points (two units) must be selected from the list below:

Teaching period Unit name Unit code Credit points
TE-SEM-2 Advanced Instrumentation Electronics4 ELE4AAE 15
TE-SEM-1 Advanced Signal Processing5 ELE4ASP 15
TE-SEM-1 Biomedical Engineering B1, 6 ELE4BME 15
TE-SEM-1 Digital System Design7 ELE5DSD 15
TE-SEM-2 Optical Networks8 ELE5OPN 15
TE-SEM-2 Clinical Engineering6 ELE4CLN 15
TE-SEM-2 Communications Networks9 ELE4NET 15
Level 2 and 3 units

A maximum of 60 credit points (four units) may be selected from the list below:

Teaching period Unit name Unit code Credit points
TE-SEM-1 or
TE-SEM-2
Network Engineering Fundamentals CSE2NEF 15
TE-SEM-1 Intermediate Network Engineering CSE3INE 15
TE-SEM-2 Biomedical Engineering A ELE3BIO 15
TE-SEM-1 Communication Systems ELE3CMN 15
TE-SEM-1 Control Systems ELE3CON 15
TE-SEM-1 Embedded Processors ELE3EMB 15
TE-SEM-1 Instrumentation Electronics and Sensors ELE3IES 15
TE-SEM-2 Network, System and Web Security CSE3NSW 15
TE-SEM-2 Digital Communication Systems ELE3DCS 15
TE-SEM-2 Electronic Design Automation-Tools and Technique ELE3DDE 15
TE-SEM-2 Digital Signal Processing ELE3SIP 15
Elective units

Advanced computer science – units offered may vary from year to year, depending on demand and staff availability:

Teaching period Unit name Unit code Credit points
TE-SEM-1 and
TE-SEM-2
Thesis A and Thesis B CSE4THA and CSE4THB 30 plus 30
TE-SEM-1 Advanced Databases CSE4ADB 15
TE-SEM-1 Advanced Games Programming Technology CSE4AGT 15
TE-SEM-1 Real-Time and Fault-Tolerant Systems CSE4RFS 15
TE-SEM-2 Advanced Graphics CSE4AGR 15
TE-SEM-2 Data Mining CSE4DMI 15
TE-SEM-2 Performance Analysis of Computer Systems CSE4PCS 15
Elective units

Advanced electronic engineering – units offered may vary from year to year, depending on demand and staff availability.

Teaching period Unit name Unit code Credit points
TE-SEM-1 or
TE-SEM-2
Directed Study1 ELE4DIR 15
TE-SEM-1 Advanced Topics A1* ELE4ATA 15
TE-SEM-2 Advanced Topics B1* ELE4ATB 15
TE-SEM-1 Radio Frequency Design ELE4RFD 15
TE-SEM-1 Advanced Studies in Telecommunication A1 ELE5ASA 15
TE-SEM-1 Broadband Digital Communications9 ELE5BDC 15
TE-SEM-1 Integrated Circuit Design ELE5ICD 15
TE-SEM-1 Multimedia Communications9 * ELE5MMC* 15
TE-SEM-1 Secure Communications* ELE5SEC* 15
TE-SEM-1 Semiconductor Materials and Devices ELE5SDP 15
TE-SEM-1 Personal Mobile Communications ELE5PMC 15
TE-SEM-1 Telecommunications Systems Engineering ELE5TSE 15
TE-SEM-2 Image Processing and Coding ELE4IPC 15
TE-SEM-2 Antennas and Propagation10 ELE4ANS 15
TE-SEM-2 Digital Control Theory11 ELE4DCT 15
TE-SEM-2 Emerging Topics in IC Design ELE5ETD 15
TE-SEM-2 EDA Tools and Design Methodology* ELE5TDM* 15
TE-SEM-2 Advanced Studies in Telecommunication B1* ELE5ASB 15
  • Key: 1 Enrolment subject to approval from the course coordinator.
  • 2 Requires unit CSE3NET (Data Communications Networks), or prior equivalent studies.
  • 3 N/A
  • 4 Requires unit ELE43IES (Instrumentation Electronics and Sensors) or prior equivalent studies.
  • 5 Requires unit ELE3SIP (Digital Signal Processing) or prior equivalent studies.
  • 6 Requires units ELE3BIO (Biomedical Engineering A) and ELE3IES (Instrumentation Electronics and Sensors) or prior equivalent studies.
  • 7 Requires unit ELE3DDE (Electronic Design Automation-Tools and Technique) or prior equivalent studies.
  • 8 Incompatible with ELE4OFC (Optical Fibre Communication Systems).
  • 9 Requires units ELE3CMN (Communication Systems) and ELE3DCS (Digital Communication Systems) or prior equivalent studies.
  • 10 Requires unit ELE3RMO (RF, Microwave and Optical Transmission) or prior equivalent studies. From 2009 requires ELE3CMN and ELE3DCS.
  • 11 Requires unit ELE3CON (Control Systems) or prior equivalent studies.
  • * Not offered in 2008.

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