Global Utilities

La Trobe University
University Handbook 2012

Master of Electronic Systems and Network Engineering

Course code/s: SMESNE - Melbourne

This course is no longer being offered to new students from Semester 2, 2012.

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 subjects 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 subjects (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 subjects and a minimum of 30 credit points of specialised electronic engineering subjects. They must include a 30-credit point or 60-credit point electronic engineering project. Elective subjects from the list of specialised and advanced subjects offered by the Departments of Computer Science and Computer Engineering (CS and CE), and Electronic Engineering (EE) comprise the remaining credit points. Students who take less than the maximum four level 2 or 3 subjects choose additional electives from the pool of subjects offered by CS and CE and EE. Subject to approval by the course coordinator, students may enrol in up to two relevant subjects 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 subjects 30 credit points
Four specialised computer networks subjects 60 credit points
Two specialised electronic engineering subjects 30 credit points
One electronic engineering project 30 or 60 credit points
Advanced computer science electives 15 credit points
Two, three or four advanced electronic engineering electives 30, 45 or 60 credit points
Two core subjects 30 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 3 electronic engineering subjects 30 credit points
Two specialised electronic engineering subjects 30 credit points
One electronic engineering project 30 credit points
Four specialised computer networks subjects 60 credit points
One advanced electronic engineering elective 15 credit points
Three advanced computer science electives 45 credit points
Two core subjects 30 credit points
  Total 240 credit points
Compulsory subjects:
Teaching period Subject name Subject code Credit points
TE-SEM-1 or
TE-SEM-2
Engineering Practice ELE5PRA 15
TE-SEM-1 C Programming for Engineers CSE1CES 15

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

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

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

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

Teaching period Subject name Subject 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 subjects

60 credit points (four subjects) must be selected from the list below:

Teaching period Subject name Subject code Credit points
TE-SEM-1 Communication Protocol Engineering CSE4CPE 15
TE-SEM-1 Wireless Network Engineering CSE4WNE 15
TE-SEM-2 Advanced Network Engineering CSE4ANE 15
TE-SEM-2 Mobile and Pervasive Computing CSE4MPC 15
TE-SEM-2 Performance Analysis of Computer Systems CSE4PCS 15
TE-SEM-2 Pervasive Network Design CSE4PND 15
TE-SEM-2 Real-Time and Fault-Tolerant Systems CSE4RFS 15
Core Specialist Electronic Engineering subjects

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

Teaching period Subject name Subject code Credit points
TE-SEM-1 Advanced Signal Processing ELE4ASP 15
TE-SEM-1 Biomedical Engineering B1 ELE4BME 15
TE-SEM-1 Digital System Design ELE5DSD 15
TE-SEM-2 Optical Networks ELE5OPN 15
TE-SEM-2 Clinical Engineering ELE4CLN 15
TE-SEM-2 Communications Networks ELE4NET 15
Level 2 and 3 subjects

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

Teaching period Subject name Subject code Credit points
TE-SEM-1 Advanced Games Programming Technology CSE3AGT 15
TE-SEM-1 Advanced Graphics Programming CSE3AGR 15
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 subjects

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

Teaching period Subject name Subject code Credit points
TE-SEM-1 and
TE-SEM-2
Thesis A** and Thesis B

CSE5TSA and CSE5TSB

15 plus 30
TE-SEM-2 Real-time and Fault-tolerant Systems CSE4RFS 15
TE-SEM-2 Advanced Databases CSE4ADB 15
TE-SEM-2 Data Mining CSE4DMI 15
TE-SEM-2 Performance Analysis of Computer Systems CSE4PCS 15
** Students must achieve an average of at least 70% from the top 90 credit points of CSE subjects completed in the first year of the program.
Elective subjects

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

Teaching period Subject name Subject code Credit points
TE-SEM-1 or
TE-SEM-2
Directed Study1 ELE4DIR 15
TE-SEM-1 Broadband Digital Communications ELE5BDC 15
TE-SEM-1 Integrated Circuit Design ELE5ICD 15
TE-SEM-1 Semiconductor Materials and Devices ELE5SDP 15
TE-SEM-2 Personal Mobile Communications ELE5PMC 15
TE-SEM-1 Telecommunications Systems Engineering ELE5TSE 15
TE-SEM-2 Design for Mass Production ELE5DES 15
TE-SEM-2 Digital Control Theory ELE4DCT 15

Key: 1 Enrolment subject to approval from the course coordinator.

Please note: Some of these subjects may not be offered in the current year. For a full description of subjects, including the subject name, subject code, credit points, campus/location, teaching period and availability, subject coordinator, class requirements, assessment, prerequisites and readings, please click on the appropriate Subject Code or refer to the Subject/Unit Database at www.latrobe.edu.au/udb_public.