Global Utilities

La Trobe University
University Handbook 2008

Higher degrees by coursework

Master of Telecommunication and Network Engineering – Melbourne (Bundoora) (SMTNE)

This two-year (full-time) course aims to produce engineers with specialist skills and practical experience in telecommunications and network engineering.

Admission requirements

Applicants should have a four-year engineering or computer science degree, or an Honours degree in science in an appropriate field or its 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.

Course structure

The Master of Telecommunication and Network Engineering degree is structured to include core, Level 2 or 3, specialised and elective units from electronic engineering and computer science in the areas of telecommunication and network engineering, with a number of electives from electronic engineering and computer science. Students complete 240 credit points over the two years of the degree, which must include a telecommunication-engineering project. The normal duration of the course is two years. Students should seek advice from a course adviser before enrolling.

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. They must also include the core telecommunications units ELE5BDC, ELE5PMC and ELE4ANS plus a 30-credit point, 45-credit point or 60-credit point telecommunications 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 telecommunications 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
Three core telecommunication engineering units 45 credit points
One telecommunication engineering project 30, 45 or 60 credit points (depending on the project selected)
Two advanced computer science electives 30 credit points
One, two or three advanced telecommunication engineering electives 15, 30 or 45 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 telecommunication/electronic engineering units 30 credit points
Three core telecommunication engineering units 45 credit points
One telecommunication engineering project 30 or 45 credit points (depending on the project selected)
Four specialised computer networks units 60 credit points
None or one advanced telecommunication engineering elective None or 15 credit points
Four advanced computer science electives 60 credit points
Total: 240 credit points
Compulsory telecommunications project/design units (30, 45 or 60 credit points)

Students are required to complete ELE5PRA

Teaching period Unit name Unit code Credit points
TE-SEM-1 or
TE-SEM-2
Engineering Practice ELE5PRA 15

Each student 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-1 or
TE-SEM-2
Telecommunications Design ELE5TDE** 30
TE-SEM-1 Network Design Exercise ELE5NDE** 30

(b) A 45-credit point two-semester telecommunications project (students enrol in both units)

Teaching period Unit name Unit code Credit points
TE-SEM-1 or
TE-SEM-2
Telecommunications Project A1 ELE5TRA 15
TE-SEM-1 or
TE-SEM-2
Telecommunications Project B1 ELE5TRB 30

(c) A 60-credit point two-semester telecommunications major project1 (students enrol in both units)

Teaching period Unit name Unit code Credit points
TE-SEM-1 or
TE-SEM-2
Telecommunications Major Project A1 ELE5TPA 30
TE-SEM-1 or
TE-SEM-2
Telecommunications Major Project B1 ELE5TPB 30
  • **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 from the following list:

Teaching period Unit name Unit code Credit points
TE-SEM-2 Pervasive Network Design2 CSE4PND 15
TE-SEM-1 Communication Protocol Engineering3 CSE4CPE 15
TE-SEM-1 Wireless Network Engineering2 CSE4WNE 15
TE-SEM-2 Mobile and Pervasive Computing2 CSE4MPC 15
Core specialist telecommunication engineering units

A minimum of 45 credit points from the following list:

Teaching period Unit name Unit code Credit points
TE-SEM-1 Broadband Digital Communications4 ELE5BDC 15
TE-SEM-1 Personal Mobile Communications ELE5PMC 15
TE-SEM-2 Optical Networks ELE5OPN 15
TE-SEM-1 Telecommunications Systems Engineering ELE5TSE 15
TE-SEM-2 Advanced Communication Systems ELE4ACS 15
TE-SEM-2 Communications Networks4 ELE4NET 15
TE-SEM-2 Antennas and Propagation5 ELE4ANS 15
Level 2 and 3 units

A maximum of 60 credit points may be taken from the following list:

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-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 Networks Systems 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-1 Software Engineering and Project Management CSE4SPM 15
TE-SEM-1 Web Services Engineering CSE4WSE 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 Digital System Design6 ELE5DSD 15
TE-SEM-1 Multimedia Communications7 * ELE5MMC* 15
TE-SEM-2 Optical Networks10 ELE5OPN 15
TE-SEM-1 Secure Communications* ELE5SEC* 15
TE-SEM-1 Semiconductor Materials and Devices ELE5SDP 15
TE-SEM-2 Advanced Instrumentation Electronics8 ELE4AAE 15
TE-SEM-1 Advanced Signal Processing7 ELE4ASP 15
TE-SEM-1 Radio Frequency Design ELE4RFD 15
TE-SEM-1 Integrated Circuit Design ELE5ICD 15
TE-SEM-1 Telecommunications Systems Engineering ELE5TSE 15
TE-SEM-2 EDA Tools and Design Methodology* ELE5TDM* 15
TE-SEM-2 Emerging Topics in IC Design ELE5ETD 15
TE-SEM-2 Antennas and Propagation5 ELE4ANS 15
TE-SEM-2 Communications Networks4 ELE4NET 15
TE-SEM-2 Digital Control Theory9 ELE4DCT 15
TE-SEM-1 Advanced Studies in Telecommunication A1 ELE5ASA 15
TE-SEM-2 Advanced Studies in Telecommunication B1 ELE5ASB 15
TE-SEM-1 Advanced Topics A1* ELE4ATA 15
TE-SEM-2 Advanced Topics B1* ELE4ATB
TE-SEM-1 Advanced Topics in Telecommunications A1 ELE5TTA 15
TE-SEM-2 Advanced Topics in Telecommunications B1 ELE5TTB 15
TE-SEM-1 or
TE-SEM-2
Directed Study1 ELE4DIR 15
TE-SEM-2 Image Processing and Coding ELE4IPC 15
  • Key: 1 Enrolment subject to approval from the course coordinator.
  • 2 Requires unit CSE2NET (Data Communications Networks) or prior equivalent studies.
  • 3 Requires unit CSE2NEF (Network Engineering Fundamentals), or prior equivalent studies.
  • 4 Requires units ELE3CMN (Communication Systems) and ELE3DCS (Digital Communication Systems) or prior equivalent studies.
  • 5 Requires unit ELE3RMO (RF, Microwave and Optical Transmission) or prior equivalent studies. From 2009 requires units CSE3CMN and ELE3DCS.
  • 6 Requires unit ELE3DDE (Electronic Design and Automation-Tools and Technique) or prior equivalent studies.
  • 7 Requires unit ELE3SIP (Digital Signal Processing) or prior equivalent studies.
  • 8 Requires unit ELE3IES (Instrumentation Electronics and Sensors) or prior equivalent studies.
  • 9 Requires unit ELE3CON (Control Systems) or prior equivalent studies.
  • 10 Incompatible with ELE4OFC (Optical Fibre Communication Systems).
  • * Not offered in 2008.

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