Communications and Signal Processing
Develop an in-depth knowledge of modern information engineering problems and their solutions.
Develop an in-depth knowledge of modern information engineering problems and their solutions
Get industry recognition by achieving an accredited degree, awarded by the Institution of Engineering and Technology
Apply computational principles to solve communication and signal processing problems
Course key facts
Qualification
MSc
Duration
1 year
Start date
September 2026
Study mode
Full-time
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Fees
£19,400 Home
£45,000 Overseas
Delivered by
Location
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South Kensington
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Minimum entry standard
First-class Honours in Electrical / Electronic Engineering or a related subject with a substantial Electrical / Electronic Engineering component.
Course overview
Explore theoretical and practical solutions that can help overcome real-world challenges at the forefront of communications and signal processing.
You'll explore mobile and wireless communications in a world advancing toward 6G and beyond, and gain valuable insights into the challenges of modern signal, image, and speech processing in the era of artificial intelligence.
Learning is delivered through a blend of lectures, tutorials and practical laboratories, which will provide you with an in-depth knowledge in-depth knowledge and critical awareness of a subject area that forms the basis of modern communications signal processing and information engineering.
You'll also complete a substantial individual research project in an area of your interest.
The knowledge and skills you’ll gain on this course, will give you the opportunity to enter a wide range of industries including telecommunications signal and image processing, machine learning and finance or go into further research.
Structure
This page is updated regularly to reflect the latest version of the curriculum. However, this information is subject to change.
Find out more about potential course changes.
Please note: it may not always be possible to take specific combinations of modules due to timetabling conflicts. For confirmation, please check with the relevant department.
You'll take all of the following core modules.
Core modules
Analyse the design of digital filters and in multirate signal processing techniques.
Develop further insight into the applicability of modern methods for spectral estimation and machine intelligence techniques such as dimensionality reduction and neural and deep networks.
Engage with crucial cutting-edge topics for current and future (5G and beyond) multi-antenna wireless communication systems.
Gain the analytical skills required to study random phenomena in engineering systems and learn how to set up probabilistic models for engineering problems.
Learn best practice in experimental work and gain practical exposure to real systems.
You’ll choose four optional modules.
Optional modules
Study the sources and detectors used in radio and optical communication links, and the behaviour of their signals as they propagate in various media.
Study a co-design approach that leverages the symbiotic relationship between hardware and algorithms.
Discover the applications, basic formulations and concepts that underpin pattern recognition.
Develop the mathematical foundations and practical skills to secure robust digital communication, protect data integrity, and develop error-correcting codes essential for modern information systems.
Assess the fundamental digital image processing methods that stem from a signal processing approach.
Explore how learning algorithms can be derived from risk minimisation, and exploit these to derive distributed counterparts of the algorithms, both in federated and decentralised settings.
Examine the main concepts of information theory and its effect on communications.
Gain knowledge in quantum computing and applications of quantum technology to computing and communication.
Broaden your understanding of the terminology, concepts and basic methods of radio frequency design.
Become acquainted with the signal processing and statistical techniques that are used in processing speech signals and understand how they are used.
Develop insights and skills to acquire, process, and learn from large-dimensional data in applications such as signal processing, biomedical data analysis, and online recommendation systems.
Develop a conceptual framework for modelling and analysing different communication networks and discover how to set up models and use them for performance analysis.
Advance your understanding of wavelet theory and discover how wavelets extract essential information in a fast and effective way.
Expand your understanding of cutting-edge design and optimisation of multi-user multi-antenna wireless communication systems, shaping the path toward 6G.
The individual research project is the culmination of your postgraduate studies. You will carry out a piece of individual research which will have some element of originality and scientific rigour.
The project will be in the area of your MSc, and it will require you to adopt analytical, computational and/or experimental methods. You will be supervised by staff who are experts in the topic area of the project. Your project will be assessed by a written report and a poster presentation.
Professional accreditation
Accredited by the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) on behalf of the Engineering Council as meeting the requirements for Further Learning for registration as a Chartered Engineer. Candidates must hold a CEng accredited BEng/BSc (Hons) undergraduate first degree to fully meet the CEng registration educational requirements.
Our accreditation agreement with the Institution of Engineering and Technology is renewed every 5 years, and the current agreement runs between 2025 and 2029.
Teaching and assessment
Balance of teaching and learning
This is a general guide to how teaching and learning are usually balanced across this course. The methods used may change based on the modules you take.
Key
- Lectures and classes
- Laboratory work
- Research project
- 40% Title 1 goes here
- 20% Title 2 goes here
- 40% Title 3 goes here
Teaching and learning methods
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Lectures
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Seminars
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Virtual learning environment
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Problem-solving classes
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Software laboratory
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Individual and group projects
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Independent study
Balance of assessment
This is an example of how assessments are usually divided, based on a typical pathway through the course. The actual breakdown may be different depending on the modules you choose.
Key
- Coursework
- Examinations
- Practical
- 50% Title 1 goes here
- 40% Title 2 goes here
- 10% Title 3 goes here
Assessment methods
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Coursework
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Written exams
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Oral presentations
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Poster presentations
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Reports
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Individual research project
Entry requirements
We consider all applicants on an individual basis, welcoming students from all over the world.
How to apply
Apply online
You can submit one application form per year of entry. You can choose up to two courses.
Application deadlines – Round 2 closes on Wednesday 7 January 2026
We operate a staged admissions process with several application rounds throughout the year.
Apply by 23.59 (UK time) on the closing date of an application round, to ensure you receive a response on your application by the relevant decision date.
Round 1
Business School courses only.
Round 2
- Applications open on Monday 29 September 2025
- Applications close on Wednesday 7 January 2026
- Decision by Wednesday 4 March 2026
Round 3
- Applications open on Thursday 8 January 2026
- Applications close on Wednesday 11 March 2026
- Decision by Wednesday 6 May 2026
Round 4
- Applications open on Thursday 12 March 2026
- Applications close on Wednesday 29 April 2026
- Decision by Thursday 2 July 2026
We recommend applying as early as you can – we cannot guarantee that places will be available, or that courses will remain open, in later rounds.
There is no application fee for Postgraduate Certificates, Postgraduate Diplomas, or courses such as PhDs and EngDs.
If you are applying for a Master’s course, you will need to pay an application fee before submitting your application.
The fee applies per application and not per course.
The application fees for postgraduate courses are:
- £90 for all Master's applications, excluding those to Imperial Business School
- £125 for MSc applications to Imperial Business School
- £150 for MBA applications to Imperial Business School
If you are facing financial hardship and are unable to pay the application fee, we encourage you to apply for our application fee waiver.
Find out more about how to apply for a Master's course, including references and personal statements.
An ATAS certificate is not required for students applying for this course.
Fees and funding
Home fee
2026 entry
£19,400
You should expect and budget for your fees to increase each year.
Your fee is based on the year you enter the university, not your year of study. This means that if you repeat a year or resume your studies after an interruption, your fees will only increase by the amount linked to inflation.
Find out more about our tuition fees payment terms, including how inflationary increases are applied to your tuition fees in subsequent years of study.
Whether you pay the Home or Overseas fee depends on your fee status. This is assessed based on UK Government legislation and includes things like where you live and your nationality or residency status. Find out how we assess your fee status.
If you're a UK national, or EU national with settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, you may be able to apply for a Postgraduate Master’s Loan from the UK government, if you meet certain criteria.
The maximum value of the loan is £12,858 for courses starting on or after 1 August 2025.
The loan is not means-tested and you can choose whether to put it towards your tuition fees or living costs.
Please note:
- The loan is only available if you’re studying a full Master’s course from the start.
- If you start on a Postgraduate Certificate (PG Cert) or Postgraduate Diploma (PG Dip) and later move on to the Master’s, you won’t be eligible for this loan.
Overseas fee
2026 entry
£45,000
You should expect and budget for your fees to increase each year.
Your fee is based on the year you enter the university, not your year of study. This means that if you repeat a year or resume your studies after an interruption, your fees will only increase by the amount linked to inflation.
Find out more about our tuition fees payment terms, including how inflationary increases are applied to your tuition fees in subsequent years of study.
Whether you pay the Home or Overseas fee depends on your fee status. This is assessed based on UK Government legislation and includes things like where you live and your nationality or residency status. Find out how we assess your fee status.
If you're a UK national, or EU national with settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, you may be able to apply for a Postgraduate Master’s Loan from the UK government, if you meet certain criteria.
The maximum value of the loan is £12,858 for courses starting on or after 1 August 2025.
The loan is not means-tested and you can choose whether to put it towards your tuition fees or living costs.
Please note:
- The loan is only available if you’re studying a full Master’s course from the start.
- If you start on a Postgraduate Certificate (PG Cert) or Postgraduate Diploma (PG Dip) and later move on to the Master’s, you won’t be eligible for this loan.
Scholarships
View all scholarshipsEEE MSc Studentships
Value per award
- Will cover difference between Home and Overseas fees.
Who it's for
- Prospective students of specific EEE MSc courses.
How will studying at Imperial help my career?
Electrical and electronic engineering graduates at Imperial are highly sought after in a wide range of sectors.
These include electrical engineering, computer engineering and computer science.
Other potential career paths include consultancy, finance, or management.
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Our graduates often pursue further study in master's programs or doctoral research.
Further links
Contact the department
Email: eee.pgadmissions@imperial.ac.uk
Course Director: Dr Tania Stathaki
Visit the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering website.
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Request info
Find out more about studying at Imperial. Receive updates about life in our community, including event invites and download our latest Study guide.
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Events, tasters and talks
Meet us and find out more about studying at Imperial.
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Terms and conditions
There are some important pieces of information you should be aware of when applying to Imperial. These include key information about your tuition fees, funding, visas, accommodation and more.
You can find further information about your course, including degree classifications, regulations, progression and awards in the programme specification for your course.
Programme specifications