Electronics MSc

Electronics engineers design and develop the circuits and components which underpin the foundation of the world’s economies.

Our MSc programme in Electronics is tailored for the cutting-edge world of consumer electronics, chip-making industries, and the dynamic interface of digital and analogue domains. With a foundation in both digital and analogue electronics, as well as mixed-signal systems, the programme provides a comprehensive understanding of the design, development, and integration of systems optimised for smartphones, computers, and other advanced consumer devices.

Emphasising both theoretical knowledge and hands-on practice, you’ll be introduced to modern prototyping, advanced micro and nanofabrication techniques, and the electronic systems that form the backbone of today’s most innovative technology, from internet-of-things devices to biomedical instruments.

How will I learn?

You will select between three distinct specialities (streams) in Electronics Engineering, which makes up the taught component of the programme over the first two semesters:

• Analogue
• Analogue and Digital
• Bioelectronics

In the Analogue stream, you will focus on transistor-level integrated circuits and chip design, which includes traditional analogue circuits such as differential amplifiers and mixed-signal circuits such as analogue to digital converters. You will also learn the science behind nanotechnology and microfabrication techniques.

In the Analogue and Digital stream, you will focus on both transistor-level designs and digital systems, especially RTL and hardware programming, including microcontrollers and FPGAs. You will also enhance your skills in system-level development and programming.

In the Bioelectronic stream, you will focus on using chip-scale systems and advanced nanotechnology for bioelectronic and biomedical applications.

Following the first two taught semesters, you will then undertake an advanced research project to put into practice the knowledge and skills you have acquired.

Research project

You will focus exclusively on a research project of your choice during Semester 3, under the joint supervision of an academic adviser.

You will integrate within the research group of your academic advisor, which may also include industrial collaborations with local and international companies. Your project will address a real-world problem regarding using Electronics in everyday life and global challenges.

These entry requirements are for the 2025/26 academic year and requirements for future academic years may differ. Entry requirements for the 2026/27 academic year will be published on 1 Oct 2025.

A UK 2:1 honours degree, or its international equivalent, in electronics or electrical engineering.

Your transcript and application should demonstrate clear evidence that you have studied both analogue at the transistor level and digital electronics at the gate level. You should provide proof of competence in at least one general-purpose programming language, such as Python and C/C++, as well as experience with hardware description languages, such as Verilog or VHDL, using FPGAs.

We may also consider your application if you have appropriate professional experience; please contact us to check before you apply.

Entry to this programme is competitive. A typical offer will normally require a UK first class honours degree or equivalent.

Students from China

This degree is Band C.

• Postgraduate entry requirements for students from China

International qualifications

Check whether your international qualifications meet our general entry requirements:

• Entry requirements by country

English language requirements

Regardless of your nationality or country of residence, you must demonstrate a level of English language competency which will enable you to succeed in your studies.

English language tests

We accept the following English language qualifications at the grades specified:

• IELTS Academic: total 6.5 with at least 6.0 in each component. We do not accept IELTS One Skill Retake to meet our English language requirements.
• TOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition): total 92 with at least 20 in each component. We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Score to meet our English language requirements.
• C1 Advanced (CAE) / C2 Proficiency (CPE): total 176 with at least 169 in each component.
• Trinity ISE: ISE II with distinctions in all four components.
• PTE Academic: total 65 with at least 59 in each component. We do not accept PTE Academic Online.
• Oxford ELLT: 7 overall with at least 6 in each component.

Unless you are a national of a majority English speaking country, your English language qualification must be no more than three and a half years old from the start of the month in which the programme you are applying to study begins. If you are using an IELTS, PTE Academic, TOEFL, Trinity ISE, or Oxford ELLT test, it must be no more than two years old on the first of the month in which the programme begins, regardless of your nationality. (Revised 14 January 2025 to include Oxford ELLT.)

Degrees taught and assessed in English

We also accept an undergraduate or postgraduate degree that has been taught and assessed in English in a majority English speaking country, as defined by UK Visas and Immigration:

• UKVI list of majority English speaking countries

We also accept a degree that has been taught and assessed in English from a university on our list of approved universities in non-majority English speaking countries (non-MESC).

• Approved universities in non-MESC

If you are not a national of a majority English speaking country, then your degree must be no more than five years old at the beginning of your programme of study.

Find out more about our language requirements:

• English language requirements

On graduating you will be well equipped to take on roles in industry or pursue further education in a PhD.

Our recent graduates have gone into engineering roles that include:

• Application engineers in the sensor and measurement industry, such as in the healthcare sector
• Designers of mixed-signal integrated circuits such as voltage regulators and data converters
• Robotic engineers in the mechatronic industry, including for smart vehicles and cities
• Optoelectronics engineers, including imaging and quantum technologies.

Examples of some of our graduate employers include:

• Dialog Semiconductor
• Analog Devices
• ST Microelectronics
• Cadence Design Systems
• AMD (formerly Xilinx)
• Indie Semiconductor

All our MSc Electronic students are eligible to apply for Peter Denyer’s international PhD scholarship, an exclusive scholarship for graduates of the MSc Electronics programme. This three-and-a-half-year scholarship provides an excellent opportunity to continue on the research path and significantly contribute to the role of Electronics in science and engineering.