Embedded Systems Engineering MSc (Eng)

The huge growth of processing power, now available in small power-efficient packages, has fuelled the digital revolution, which has touched all sectors of the economy. This practically orientated, advanced course in the area of electronics design and applications provides a strong digital technology core backed with applications-led modules.

You will study applications as diverse as medical and electronics, e-health, intelligent building design, automotive electronics, retail and commerce to prepare you for a range of careers in industry, where the skills you gain will be in high demand. A substantial element of practical work will give you confidence with software and digital hardware implementations using microcontrollers, FPGA, DSP devices and general system-on-chip methodology.

You will be taught by experts informed by their own world-leading research, and you’ll have access to world-class facilities to prepare for a career in a fast-changing industry.

Specialist facilities

Our School is an exciting and stimulating environment where you will learn from leading researchers in specialist facilities. These include our Keysight Technologies Electronics Laboratory, as well as laboratories for Embedded Systems, Power Electronics and Drives, Ultrasound and Bioelectronics.

There is also a Terahertz Photonics laboratory, Class 100 Semiconductor Cleanroom, Network Traffic generators and analysers, FPGA development tools, sensor network test beds. We have facilities for electron-beam lithography and ceramic circuit fabrication, and a III-V semiconductor molecular beam epitaxy facility.

Find out more about our facilities.

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Accreditation

The MSc is accredited by the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) on behalf of the Engineering Council as meeting the requirements for Further Learning for registration as a Chartered Engineer. Candidates must hold a CEng accredited BEng/BSc (Hons) undergraduate first degree to comply with full CEng registration requirements.

Accreditation is the assurance that a university course meets the quality standards established by the profession for which it prepares its students. For this course, these are the quality standards set by the IET.

The masters degree course is built around a set of core modules that will develop your knowledge and skills areas such as digital signal processing, embedded microprocessor systems and how electronics and communications technology could be used in healthcare. You will also take a core lab-based module to give you experience of different circuits, systems, equipment and tools.

These modules will give you the chance to develop specialist knowledge. If you don’t have any experience of C programming, you can take Programming – otherwise, you can choose module specialising in data communications and network security.

Over the summer months, you’ll work on your major individual project. This may give you the chance to work as an integral part of one of our active research institutes, focusing on a specialist topic of your choice and using the appropriate research methods.

Want to find out more about your modules?
Take a look at the Embedded Systems Engineering module descriptions for more detail on what you will study.

Course structure

The list shown below represents typical modules/components studied and may change from time to time. Read more in our Terms and conditions.

For more information and a full list of typical modules available on this course, please read Embedded Systems Engineering MSc (Eng) in the course catalogue

Modules

Year 1

Learning and teaching

Our groundbreaking research feeds directly into teaching, and you’ll have regular contact with staff who are at the forefront of their disciplines. You will have regular contact with them through lectures, seminars, tutorials, small group work and project meetings.

Independent study is also important to the programme, as you develop your problem-solving and research skills as well as your subject knowledge.

On this course you’ll be taught by our expert academics, from lecturers through to professors. You may also be taught by industry professionals with years of experience, as well as trained postgraduate researchers, connecting you to some of the brightest minds on campus.

Assessment

You will be assessed using a range of techniques including case studies, technical reports, presentations, in-class tests, assignments and exams.

Entry requirements

A bachelor degree with a 2:1 (hons) in electronic/electrical engineering, physics, computing or a related subject.

Applicants with a high 2:2 (hons) will be considered if they can demonstrate specific competence in programming using C, C++, Java or a similar high-level language.

We accept a range of international equivalent qualifications. For more information please contact the Admissions Team.

English language requirements

IELTS 6.5 overall, with no less than 6.0 in any component.. For other English qualifications, read English language equivalent qualifications.

Improve your English

International students who do not meet the English language requirements for this programme may be able to study our postgraduate pre-sessional English course, to help improve your English language level.

This pre-sessional course is designed with a progression route to your degree programme and you’ll learn academic English in the context of your subject area. To find out more, read Language for Engineering (6 weeks) and Language for Science: Engineering (10 weeks). 

If you need to study for longer than 10 weeks, read more about our postgraduate pre-sessional English course.

How to apply

Application deadline

We operate a staged admissions process for this course with selection deadlines throughout the year.

If you do not receive an offer in a particular round, you will either be notified that your application has been unsuccessful, or we will carry your application forward to be considered in the next round.

Please see our How to Apply page for full details and the application deadlines for each stage.

Apply

This link takes you to information on applying for taught programmes and to the University's online application system.

If you're unsure about the application process, contact the admissions team for help.

Read about visas, immigration and other information in International students. We recommend that international students apply as early as possible to ensure that they have time to apply for their visa.

Admissions policy

Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences Postgraduate Admissions Policy 2021

Fees

• UK: £11,250 (total)
• International: £24,750 (total)

Read more about paying fees and charges.

Brexit 
Visit our Brexit page for the latest information on the effect of the UK's exit from the EU on current students and applicants to the University.

For fees information for international taught postgraduate students, read Masters fees.

Part-time fees
Fees for part-time courses are normally calculated based on the number of credits you study in a year compared to the equivalent full-time course. For example, if you study half the course credits in a year, you will pay half the full-time course fees for that year.

Additional cost information

There may be additional costs related to your course or programme of study, or related to being a student at the University of Leeds. Read more about additional costs

Scholarships and financial support

If you have the talent and drive, we want you to be able to study with us, whatever your financial circumstances. There may be help for students in the form of loans and non-repayable grants from the University and from the government.  Find out more at Masters funding overview.

Scholarships are available.

Embedded systems are ubiquitous in engineering and graduates are likely to find employment in a wide and diverse range of industries including: communications, automotive, transport, construction, industrial, automation, energy and environmental monitoring.

Careers support

We encourage you to prepare for your career from day one. That’s one of the reasons Leeds graduates are so sought after by employers.

You’ll have access to the wide range of careers resources and support from your Careers Service. You’ll have the chance to attend industry presentations, book appointments with qualified careers consultants and take part in employability workshops and webinars.

Our annual STEM Careers Fairs provide further opportunities to explore your career options with some of the UKs leading employers.

Find out more about the range of services we offer on the Careers Service website and visit MyCareer.leeds.ac.uk once you have registered as a student to access one to one support, events and job vacancies.

The major individual masters project is one of the most satisfying elements of this course. It allows you to apply your knowledge and skills to a real-world problem, and it can be used to explore and develop your specific interests. A proportion of projects are formally linked to industry, and can include spending time at the collaborator’s site over the summer.