This master’s programme brings together computer science and electronics engineering to train specialists for designing complex, networked products and services. It was developed with additional funding from the Free State of Bavaria to expand the Faculty of Engineering, add professorships, and strengthen student support—steps taken to meet growing labour-market demand in ICT. Teaching and research emphasize interdisciplinary collaboration so graduates can work across company and institute boundaries on real-world applications.
Erlangen’s ICT environment is particularly strong: close cooperation between the Departments of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, two Fraunhofer ICT institutes, and a dense network of international firms and SMEs creates an excellent ecosystem. Local expertise has produced internationally successful technologies (notably contributors from Erlangen were involved in developing the MP3 format). A key technical focus of the programme is embedded systems—an area where German research and industry are world-class—and the region hosts industry events such as the Embedded World trade fair in nearby Nuremberg.
Students also benefit from active, applied research projects in the region. For example, the Communicating Cars (CoCars) project—funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research—brings together mobile communication companies, the automotive industry, electronics researchers (developing wireless transmission), and computer scientists (working on higher-level protocols) to prototype fast vehicle-to-vehicle traffic information exchange. Participation in such projects gives students hands-on experience, interdisciplinary teamwork practice, and opportunities to build professional contacts.
Requirements (confirm exact criteria on the official programme page)
The curriculum is built around a balanced mix of core and elective coursework, allowing you to gain deep technical expertise while tailoring the program to your interests. You will take mandatory modules drawn from three principal domains—Embedded Systems; Networks and Digital Communication; and Media Processing Systems—ensuring a solid foundation across hardware, communication protocols, and signal/media computation. On top of these cores, the program offers a wide range of elective modules from the Departments of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, as well as additional options from the Faculty of Engineering and the Faculty of Sciences. FAULab courses further expand your choices by providing interdisciplinary modules across different subjects.
Research and professional skills are emphasised through a seminar, a supervised research project, and a Master’s thesis that culminates in a formal presentation. These components develop abilities in independent research, scientific writing, and oral communication. By the end of the program you should be able to design and implement embedded and networked systems, apply media processing techniques, integrate knowledge across electrical engineering and computer science, and carry out research projects suitable for industry or further academic work.
Curriculum components (requirements)
Applicants should come with a solid foundation in engineering mathematics and core electrical engineering subjects. The program assumes familiarity with continuous and discrete signals, communications theory, stochastic methods, and digital signal processing, as these topics are heavily used in lectures, labs and projects. Practical software and programming skills are also expected, particularly experience with MATLAB and general-purpose programming languages.
Suggested reference texts are listed as examples of the level and scope of knowledge expected. If your background is missing some topics, consider reviewing these areas through self-study or preparatory courses before starting the program to ensure you can follow the coursework.
Requirements (expected knowledge and skills)
Winter Semester (International)
15 July 2026
Summer Semester (International)
15 January 2027
Winter Semester (EU/EEA)
15 July 2026
Summer Semester (EU/EEA)
15 January 2027
Graduates are prepared for engineering and development roles in embedded systems, automotive and vehicular communications, telecommunications, media processing, and IoT/consumer electronics. Typical positions include embedded systems engineer, communications or network engineer, R&D developer, systems architect, and product engineer in both large companies and SMEs.
The programme’s strong industry and research links—combined with lab experience, research projects and thesis work—also provide a solid foundation for doctoral studies or careers in applied research and technology transfer.
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