MSc Communications and Signal Processing

For entry in the academic year beginning September 2026, the tuition fees are as follows:

• MSc (full-time)
  UK students (per annum): £14,700
  International, including EU, students (per annum): £38,400

Further information for EU students can be found on our dedicated EU page.

The fees quoted above will be fully inclusive for the course tuition, administration and computational costs during your studies.

All fees for entry will be subject to yearly review and incremental rises per annum are also likely over the duration of courses lasting more than a year for UK/EU students (fees are typically fixed for International students, for the course duration at the year of entry). For general fees information please visit: postgraduate fees . Always contact the department if you are unsure which fee applies to your qualification award and method of attendance.

Self-funded international applicants for this course will be required to pay a deposit of £1000 towards their tuition fees before a confirmation of acceptance for studies (CAS) is issued. This deposit will only be refunded if immigration permission is refused. We will notify you about how and when to make this payment.

All students should normally be able to complete their programme of study without incurring additional study costs over and above the tuition fee for that programme. Any unavoidable additional compulsory costs totalling more than 1% of the annual home undergraduate fee per annum, regardless of whether the programme in question is undergraduate or postgraduate taught, will be made clear to you at the point of application. Further information can be found in the University's Policy on additional costs incurred by students on undergraduate and postgraduate taught programmes (PDF document, 91KB).

We offer a number of postgraduate taught scholarships and awards to outstanding UK and international students each year.

The University of Manchester is committed to widening participation in master's study, and allocates £300,000 in funding each year. Our Manchester Master's Bursaries are aimed at widening access to master's courses by removing barriers to postgraduate education for students from underrepresented groups.

We also welcome the best and brightest international students each year and reward excellence with a number of merit-based scholarships. See our range of master’s scholarships for international students .

And, if you have completed an undergraduate degree at The University of Manchester, or are currently in your final year of an undergraduate degree with us, you may be eligible for a discount of 10% on tuition fees if you choose to study on a taught postgraduate course here. Find out if you're eligible and how to apply .

For more information on master's tuition fees and studying costs, visit the University of Manchester funding for master's courses website to help you plan your finances.

Brief Description of the Unit

1. Antenna and Propagation (9 credit)
General introduction to antennas systems and propagation in free space.
Antenna parameters: Antenna gain, beamwidth, bandwidth, efficiency and size.
Polarisation: Polarisation-linear, circular and elliptic, multipath effects.
Antenna Radiation: Near field and far fields radiation and basic antenna measurements.
Antenna types: Multiple antennas forming arrays and array factor. Feed structures.
Antenna modelling: High-frequency methods, FDTD, MoM.
Propagation: Radio wave propagation and electromagnetics

2. RF Systems (6 credits)
Transmission line theory, Telegrapher’s equations. The Smith Chart, ABCD parameters and S-parameters. VSWR and reflection coefficient. Circuit analysis of lumped RF and distributed microwave components. Analysis of lossless reciprocal and non-reciprocal networks. Unitary condition. Worked examples – simple matching networks quarter-wave and lumped LC. Basics of the Smith Chart.

The programme unit aims to: Develop an understanding of the fundamental principles of antenna function and characteristics.  An understanding of the key parameters affecting the propagation of electromagnetic waves in free-space will be developed. Develop awareness and understanding of the available methods used to model antenna systems. Examine the basic analysis techniques for RF and microwave network analysis. Show how Smith Chart is used to analyse a circuit and to undertake some basic matching.

On successful completion of the course, a student will be able to:

ILO 1: Differentiate and apply the effect of antenna gain, beam width, polarisation and the nearfield & farfield radiation.

ILO 2: Apply the key parameters when addressing the performance of antennas and the theory behind it.

ILO 3: Ability to do measurement procedures and use the equipment needed for Antennas and RF circuits.

ILO 4: Ability to use main modelling techniques available to model antenna performance.

ILO 5: Use and the Smith Chart effectively for antenna matching.

ILO 6: Describe and differentiate the materials and processes involved in antenna production, including their environmental and social impacts, while addressing energy-efficient and sustainable design strategies, case studies on performance optimisation, and ethical considerations such as accessibility, privacy, and the digital divide.

ILO 7: Apply the new understanding of transmission line theory, loading and discrete modelling.

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