Master's programme in Communication Systems

Visions and Goals

The Communication Systems programme offers future-proof competence in high demand! Millions of entrepreneurs and engineers are needed to take the global information infrastructure to all corners of the world.

Sweden, together with its Nordic neighbours, has pioneered innovation and been in the forefront of usage of telecommunication systems since the optical telegraph networks in the 18th century, the telegraph and the public switched telephone network in the 19th century, the mobile phone business in the 20th sentury and the optical broadband networking area in the 21st century. The Nordic experiences offer rich opportunities to learn.

Technology has always been one of the main factors affecting the organization of human society. Internet and mobile phone networks are among the most powerful technologies of our time and are proven to be extremely enabling. Its expected impact on all levels of society has barely started to show.

Proof-of-concept has been given by the pioneers. The challenges now are to integrate the technologies and make them scale, provide ubiquitous access, reliability, security, manageability and make the network disappear in favor of its functionality.

The program is focused on issues that will integrate Internet technology and mobile phone networks and take these technologies to the next level, not only to a new generation global communication systems, but to a new dynasty! Students work in a research environment with ample experimental resources and in close contact with industry, including leading system manufacturers, service developers, network operators, service providers and advanced user groups of early adopters.

The new network topology

The new global information infrastructure includes a growing number of mobile users wearing personal computing & communication environments capable of adhoc networking, ubiquitous access networks and a high-performance infrastructure with connected servers and fixed resourceful spaces for events, meetings and groupwork.

Testbeds and pilot networks

The program will have access to unique experimental resources that make it possible to study the issues discussed on this page using real networks in the technological forefront used by real users generating real data.

Economical considerations

To understand what makes a technology successful and possible to bring to market, it is crucial to integrate technical and economical considerations. The emerging technologies open up for new actors, new markets, new business models and how to price new products and services.

Open access

Internet has empowered user-participation in the deployment of communication networks. New actors have entered the market. Service providers connect to Internet exchanges providing co-location space. Houseowners provide local area networks to their tennants and connect to upstream network operators or to Internet exchanges. Even wireless access networks are becoming user-driven. Basestations are becoming cheap. Could everyone set up a private base station offering connectivity to bypassing users? Are there business and management models that could make this happen?

Scalability

The main drivers testing the scalability of the Internet are the number of connected devices and support for mobility, multicast and quality of service requirements from applications demanding high bandwidth, such as video.

Security

Communication security starts with the analysis of threats, possible attacks, consequences of an intrusion and costs for protection. Authentication, confidentiality, integrity of data, non-repudiation are the basic secutity services that can then be used for protection.

Mobile Internet

Support for mobility is a strong requirement from users. Some of the components involved are wireless link level technologies, dynamic routing protocols, enhanced security and a high degree of system transparency.

Curriculum 2009-2010, Year 1
Period 1
(Aug-Oct)		 Period 2
(Nov-Jan)		 Period 3
(Jan-Mar)		 Period 4
(Apr-Jun)
IK2215 Advanced Internetworking, 7.5p
Markus Hidell
Mandatory II2202 Research Methodology and Scientific Writing, 7.5p
Björn Pehrson
Mandatory 		IK2206 Internet Security and Privacy, 7.5p
Peter Sjödin
Mandatory IK2205 Interdomain Routing, 7.5p
Markus Hidell
Voravit Tanyingyong IK2506 Advanced Communication Systems, 7.5p
Anders Västberg II2300 Product Realization Processes I, 7.5p
Mark Smith 		IK2211 Data Links and Local Area Networks, 7.5p
Peter Sjödin
Mandatory IK2555 Wireless and Mobile Network Architectures, 7.5p
Gerald Maguire IK1611 Dimensioning of Communication Systems, 7.5p
Lena Wosinska ID2216 Developing Mobile Applications, 7.5p
Olov Karlsson IK2507 Wireless Communication Systems, 7.5p
Ben Slimane II2500 Product Realization Processes II, 7.5p
Mark Smith 		IK2213 Network services and Internet-Based Applications, 7.5p
Peter Sjödin DD2490 IP Routing in Simple Computer Networks, 7.5p
Olof Hagsand IK2508 Wireless Transmission Techniques, 7.5p
Ben Slimane IK2214 Telecom Policy and Regulatory Principles, 7.5p
Anders Comstedt
   
II1206 ICT Venture Creation, 15p
Jonas Dahlqvist

Curriculum 2009-2010, year 2
Period 1
(Aug-Oct)		 Period 2
(Nov-Jan)		 Period 3
(Jan-Mar)		 Period 4
(Apr-Jun)
IK2207-09 ICT and Communication Systems Design. 15-30p
Björn Pehrson
Mandatory (15p) 		IK223X Master thesis project, 30p
Markus Hidell, Björn Knutsson, Björn Pehrson, Peter Sjödin
Mandatory
IK2554 Practical Voice Over IP (VoIP), 7.5p
Gerald Maguire EP2300 Management of Networks and Networked Systems, 7.5p
Rolf Stadler 		     

Specific Eligibility

At least one semester (30 credits) of the prerequisite studies must have been carried out in an area relevant to the major subject: e.g. computer and telecommunications, radio communication, protocol validation, security, operating systems, distributed systems, computer systems, computer architecture, electronic systems design and programming. Compulsory prerequisites are undergraduate courses of at least 6 credits in each of the following areas:
  • computer science
  • basic data/telecommunication
  • basic internetworking including the TCP/UDP/IP network level, application level and routing protocols
  • basic computer system architecture and operating systems
  • C-programming
  • Professional experience acquired in related fields is not a requirement but will be considered a merit.
Note that at previous admissions to KTH, we had about 500 non-EU applicants and only 40 were selected. The competition is high. That your application was not accepted does not necessarily mean that there was anything wrong, it normally only means that your were not among the top 10 percent.

Format

The Communication Systems programme is a two-year masters programme with the curriculum specified above. The programme includes four semesters over two years. Each semester is 20 weeks long. The first year consists of discipline-oriented courses taught in periods of 10 weeks each (half a semester). The Second year is organised to support problem-oriented, project-driven learning. The first semester of the second year is spent in teams facilitating a reinforced learning experience based on peer learning and vicarious learning. The second semester includes an individual thesis project to be completed on time 20 weeks after the start.

In the Swedish education system, one week of full time successful study is equal to 1.5 points. The academic year is 40 weeks long and divided in four periods. Full time successful studies will thus result in 15 credits per period and 60 credits per year.

To be granted the Master degree (Teknologie Magister) from this program, the student should have taken courses of at least 90 credits and a thesis project of 30 credits within the major subject. At least 105 credits out of the 120 should correspond to the courses in the list below. Up to 15 credits courses and the thesis project may be chosen from related areas after approval from the programme director.

Elective courses

Selection of elective courses the spring semester of the first year has to be completed no later than 15 November and for the fall semester the second year no later than 15 May. Presentations of the elective courses will be provided at an information event during the semester about two weeks before the course is offered. The information event will be announced one month before it occurs.

Students who have completed courses corresponding to those in the curriculum before starting the program may after approval from the programme director select alternative courses.

Please note that it is not allowed to sign up for more than 37.5 credits per semester without a written permission from the programme director.

Contacts:

Program director: Peter Sjödin