Global Utilities

La Trobe University
University Handbook 2012

Master of Telecommunication and Network Engineering

Course code/s: SMTNE - Melbourne

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 subjects 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 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. They must also include a minimum of 45 credit points of core telecommunications subjects plus a 30 credit point or 60 credit point telecommunications project. Elective subjects from the list of specialised and advanced subjects offered by the Departments of Computer Science and Computer Engineering (CSE), and Electronic Engineering (ELE) 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 CSE and ELE subjects. 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 telecommunications 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
Three core telecommunication engineering subjects 45 credit points
One telecommunication engineering project 30 or 60 credit points (depending on the project selected)
One advanced computer science elective 15 credit points
None or two advanced telecommunication engineering electives 0 or 30 credit points (depending on the project selected)
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 2 or 3 telecommunication/electronic engineering subjects 30 credit points
Three core telecommunication engineering subjects 45 credit points
One telecommunication engineering project 30 credit points                                                                               
Four specialised computer networks subjects 60 credit points
None or one advanced telecommunication engineering elective None or 15 credit points
Three advanced computer science electives 45 credit points
Two core subjects 30 credit points
  Total: 240 credit points
Compulsory subjects:

Students are required to complete CSE1CES.

Teaching period Subject name Subject code Credit points
TE-SEM-1 C Programming for Engineers CSE1CES 15
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 Subject name Subject code Credit points
TE-SEM-1 or TE-SEM-2 Telecommunications Design ELE5TDE** 30
TE-SEM-1 Network Design Exercise ELE5NDE** 30

(b) A 60-credit point two-semester telecommunications major project1 (students 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

**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 from the following list:

Teaching period Subject name Subject code Credit points
      15
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 telecommunication engineering subjects

A minimum of 45 credit points from the following list:

Teaching period Subject name Subject code Credit points
TE-SEM-1 Broadband Digital Communications ELE5BDC 15
TE-SEM-1 Telecommunications Systems Engineering ELE5TSE 15
TE-SEM-2 Personal Mobile Communications ELE5PMC 15
TE-SEM-2 Optical Networks ELE5OPN 15
TE-SEM-2 Advanced Communication Systems ELE4ACS 15
TE-SEM-2 Communications Networks ELE4NET 15
Level 2 and 3 subjects

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

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 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-1 Web Services Engineering CSE4WSE 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 Advanced Signal Processing ELE4ASP 15
TE-SEM-1 Digital System Design ELE5DSD 15
TE-SEM-1 Integrated Circuit Design ELE5ICD 15
TE-SEM-2 Optical Networks ELE5OPN 15
TE-SEM-1 Semiconductor Materials and Devices ELE5SDP 15
TE-SEM-1 Telecommunications Systems Engineering ELE5TSE 15
TE-SEM-2 Communications Networks ELE4NET 15
TE-SEM-2 Design for Mass Production ELE5DES 15
TE-SEM-2 Digital Control Theory ELE4DCT 15
TE-SEM-1 or
TE-SEM-2
Directed Study1 ELE4DIR 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.