The master's programme in Communication Systems focuses on wired and wireless network infrastructure, services and applications, and explores how the growth of the internet creates new business ideas and ventures.

Students learn the fundamental design principles of networks and novel innovations such as cloud computing, internet-of-things, tactile internet, and 5G. Graduates develop secure and sustainable systems and services for the next generation.

Communication Systems at KTH:

Communication networks have evolved dramatically over recent decades. Accommodating the data traffic generated by billions of users and trillions of digital devices requires continuous technological evolution. Innovative internet and wireless infrastructure will be needed to cater for these challenging and unprecedented growth and performance characteristics. The master's programme in Communications Systems will prepare you for a career in such an essential field for our society.

The programme takes a holistic view of different network infrastructures and their services and applications and covers the topics required to develop communication systems for the next generation. The programme also covers novel concepts and issues, the current trends in communication systems such as cloud computing, software-defined networking, 5G mobile network technology, internet of things and tactile internet. You will also learn about the fundamental design principles behind wired and wireless networks, which have enabled explosive growth and have, in turn, stimulated the introduction of new business ideas and ventures.

During the programme, you work in a research environment with ample experimental resources and close contact with the industry – including leading system manufacturers, service developers and providers, and advanced early adopters.

The programme offers three specialisation tracks: 

• Internetworking: In this specialisation, you will develop skills related to the fundamental design behind the internet, including services and applications. You will learn how to apply network function virtualisation and software-defined networking technologies to the design and operation of telecommunication networks.
• Wireless Networking: In this specialisation, you will develop skills to analyse and design different communication systems and apply electromagnetic signal propagation principles, wireless transmission techniques, protocols, standards and technologies to build secure and efficient wireless communication systems and the internet of things. You will gain hands-on communication systems knowledge with software-defined radio.
• Security and Mobile Computing: In this specialisation, you will develop skills related to product development and services for modern cloud and mobile computing platforms and how to do this securely.

This is a two-year programme (120 ECTS credits) given in English. Graduates are awarded the degree of Master of Science. The programme is given mainly at KTH Kista campus in Stockholm by the School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (at KTH).

​​​​​​Career:

Today's technical challenges concern developing network systems to support a wide range of applications and connected devices while ensuring that the next generation of communication systems is scalable, flexible, secure, and sustainable. These systems will give users global access to numerous possibilities, such as advanced services based on sensor data produced by large amounts of constrained devices, cloud-based distributed services for computation and storage empowered by high-performance networks and powerful connected data centres. Commercialising these new ideas will create value for users, vendors, operators, and society. Consequently, entrepreneurship, product realisation and economics are inextricably linked to communication systems.

The programme provides an excellent basis for a career in research and development, as well as in network design and management. Graduates from the programme can be found in academia and the industry – on the producer side with system manufacturers and operators, on the consumer side with industry, in the public sector, and among regulators. There is a huge demand for network designers and administrators, especially in emerging markets in developing regions. Finally, as evidenced by Google, Skype, Spotify, and others, entrepreneurs have rich opportunities to change the world.