Communications and Electronics Engineering

Type of Study: Full-time

Standard Duration of Studies: 4 Semesters

Credits: 120 ECTS

Main Locations: Munich

Start of Degree Program: Winter Semester

Language of Instruction: English

Costs: semester fee, tuitions fees for Students from Non-EU Countries

Professional Profile: Electrical and Computer Engineering

Graduates of the master's degree program in Communications and Electronics Engineering are able to develop innovative methods, systems and structures in the field of communications systems and electronics in a problem-solving manner. The integration of research within this master's program in the form of research-oriented seminar papers, research internships and the final thesis, results in an education at the cutting edge of technology.

The main career opportunities for graduates of the master's degree program in Communications and Electronics Engineering are at companies in the communications and semiconductor industry. These are divided into the main groups of supplier and component manufacturers for communication systems, such as chip and accessory manufacturers, on the one hand, and system integrators and service providers or IT security providers, on the other. Companies in the automotive industry, mechanical engineering and medical technology are also interested in graduates of the program, as the networking of their products through communication technology is becoming increasingly relevant for these sectors.

In addition to industry, graduates may pursue a career in research at universities or corresponding institutions, such as the "Fraunhofer Gesellschaft".

The application for admission to the master’s degree program in Communications and Electronics Engineering are to be completed and submitted using our TUMonline portal. Once you have created your account there, you can enter your personal data and information about your education and upload the required documents. The application is submitted electronically.

If you are admitted, you will be required to submit some additional documents as certified copies in paper form before you can be enrolled at TUM. As a rule, prospective students with an international university entrance qualification need to request a pre-examination documentation from uni-assist in advance.

How to apply for a Master's Degree Program - Step by Step​​​​​​​

It is recommended to use the TUM grade converter before applying. For the application an excellent GPA is required.

Students from Non-EU countries: At the Technical University of Munich (TUM), tuition fees are charged for international students from third countries who newly enroll in a degree program starting in the winter semester of 2024/25.

Applicants with a university entrance qualification from outside the EU/EWR require a preliminary check of the certificates by uni-assist before applying online. Since this can take up to four weeks, we recommend that you initiate the process early.

The APS certificate is required for applicants from India, China and Vietnam.

In addition, there are some special requirements for applicants from certain countries: Special Conditions for Certain Countries.

Applicants must also submit one of the recognized language certificates listed here or an authenticated copy of an original document issued by your university verifying that the language of instruction in your bachelor’s degree program was at least 50% English.

For your application, you need to upload the following documents in TUMonline:

• Passport
• Preliminary Record Examination issued by Uni-Assist for non-EU Applicants (VPD)
• APS Certificate (only for applicants from China, India, Vietnam)
• Curriculum Vitae
• Transcript of Records or Bachelor Certificate Transcript (certified)
• List of Credits in Excel sheet form
• Statement of Purpose
• Two letters of References from Professors
• Proof of the Proficiency in the English language

Download for your application:

• Template for Statement of Purpose
• Template for Letter of Recommendation
• Template for List of Credits

Depending on your previous education and background, we may require additional application documents. You will find a list of required documents when you apply online via TUMonline.

In stage 1, we assess your GPA, passed subjects, statement of purpose and two letters of reference. The highest possible score is 100. Applicants receiving at least 95 points are admitted directly. Applicants receiving at least 75 points are invited to an interview (stage 2) for further assessment.

The criteria for stage 1 are as follows

• Overall grade in your bachelor’s degree (max. 30 points)
• Subjects during your bachelor’s degree (max. 25 points)
  • Mathematics max. 10 points
  • Electrical Engineering max. 5 points
  • Communications Engineering max. 10 points
• A statement of purpose (max. 20 points)
• Two letters of reference (max. 25 points)

Applicants having successfully passed stage 1 (75 – 94 points) are invited to an aptitude assessment interview.

Applicants having successfully passed stage 1 (75 – 94 points) will receive an invitation for an interview. The interview generally lasts about 20 minutes and can be conducted in person at TUM or via zoom.

In the aptitude assessment interview, we want to be convinced that you as an applicant are capable of successfully completing the planned course of study.

When will the interview take place?

Interviews take place between March and July. The invitation will be sent at least one week in advance of the interview appointment. The exact date of the interview depends on the processing time of the application. The earlier an application is received in full, the sooner we will process it.

We encourage applying as early as possible! Late application increases the likelihood that international students not have adequate time to complete the visa application process if admitted. We strongly recommend applying no later than March 15.

We have defined the following core modules according to our areas of research:

Core Modules Communications Systems: 10 Credits

• Data Networking, WS, 5 ECTS
• Channel Coding, WS/SS, 5 ECTS
• Information Theory, WS, 5 ECTS
• System Aspects in Communications, WS, 5 ECTS
• Statistical Signal Processing, SS, 5 ECTS

Core Modules in Communications Electronics: 10 Credits

• Analog and Mixed-Signal Circuit Design, SS, 5 ECTS
• Electronic Design Automation, WS, 5 ECTS
• Embedded Systems and Security, WS, 5 ECTS
• Nanosystems, WS/SS, 5 ECTS
• System-on-Chip Technologies, WS, 5 ECTS

Students must have passed at least two core modules from each area by the end of the 2nd semester.

The degree program offers a wide range of elective modules building on the competencies acquired in the respective core modules.

The module list includes elective modules.

Each student must take at least one Advanced Topics module. These modules are taught by visiting professors. Up to three reknown scholars are invited to deliver lectures, primarily in the summer semester.

• Advanced Topics in Communications Systems, 5 ECTS
• Advanced Topics in Communications Electronics, 5 ECTS

Engineers must be able to apply their methods in their profession. Therefore, students must complete at least 12 practical credits in the form of labs.

The scientific seminar is worth 5 credits. In this seminar, students are assigned a topic appropriate to their chosen module on which they are to conduct research. For example, this may be an extensive international literature review on a current research topic. Students summarize their results in writing and present them in a lecture.

Interdisciplinary modules (total number of 8 ECTS) round off your individual knowledge and competency profile and are not directly related to the selected engineering specialization. Depending on your interests, you can choose German language, project management or business modules. You can choose freely from the entire range of courses offered by the Technical University of Munich. Grades for interdisciplinary modules do not contribute to the final grade.

In order to optimally prepare our students for later work in research and development, they gain insight into current research topics during their studies as part of the research internship. The research internship can be carried out at the university or in industry. It comprises a total of 9 weeks full-time workload and is awarded 12 credits. The research internship does not count toward your final grade. A TUM university educator supervises and evaluates it. You must register for it in advance, prepare a report and give a presentation.

You can find further information and documents here:

Information

Detailed information can be found under Examinations. The program-specific Academic and Examination Regulations (Fachprüfungs- und Studienordnung, FPSO) apply to all students. Students who commence their studies in winter semester 2022/23 are subject to the program-specific academic and examination regulations (FPSO) dated 3 February 2023.

The final requirement for the master's degree is the master's thesis (30 ECTS). Students have six months to write this scientific research paper. Before you can commence work on the thesis, you must have completed 63 credits of the coursework requirements (excluding credits for interdisciplinary modules) and the research internship. Upon submission of the thesis, you are required to give a presentation on its contents (which will not be included in your grade).