Contribute to advanced solutions in industrial processes by designing the software and hardware of complex embedded systems in vehicles, pacemakers, chipsets, and other devices.
The design of embedded systems is at the core of technological and industrial progress. Embedded systems are building blocks of medical devices, automobiles, industrial machinery, and GPS systems. Even your car’s antilock braking system (ABS) is an embedded system. The design of such systems is crucial for their functionality. If an embedded system can't perform the required task in time with the required quality, this has an immediate effect on the safety of the person. Furthermore, cost- and energy efficiency are crucial. Within the Master’s in Embedded Systems at the University of Twente, you will learn to design, build, and program intelligent software and hardware that comply with strict requirements concerning time latency, power consumption, reliability, and cost efficiency.
In this two-year, English-taught Master’s, you will learn to tackle the increasing complexity of modern embedded systems by integrating both hardware and software from the early stages of the design process. You will gain the necessary engineering skills and knowledge in embedded artificial intelligence, real-time operating systems, digital hardware design, computer architecture, embedded software development and sensor integration, among others. By the end of the Master’s, you will be able to design embedded systems that meet the desired performance requirements, such as time latency, power consumption, reliability, and cost efficiency for various applications.
Start date
You can start your studies in September or February. If you need to follow a Pre-Master’s first, you can start in September and then continue with the Master’s.
Combine elements of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering
If you choose the Master’s in Embedded Systems, you will benefit from an exceptional combination of the programmes Computer Science and Electrical Engineering. By integrating computer hardware and software components, you will design, program, and implement efficient embedded systems. The focus is twofold: in addition to learning about embedded AI, microcontrollers, digital signal processing, and sensor integration, you will get to design and develop software that controls the hardware and allows it to communicate with its physical and network environments and with other systems.
Customise your own Master's
You have a lot of freedom to tailor your Master’s to your interests. Whether you are interested in embedded AI, computer architecture, Internet of Things, dependable computing, or cyber-physical systems, you can choose your field of focus by selecting a set of elective courses. This way, you get to shape your learning path.
career perspectives
Embedded systems are an integral part of industrial robots, cars, and magnetic resonance imaging in hospitals, among others, and their demand will only continue to grow. This is why there is an ever-increasing need for embedded systems engineers who can design, develop, test, and maintain embedded systems for time-critical applications such as pacemakers or brake controllers.
As an embedded systems engineer with in-depth knowledge and skills in integrating hardware and software components, you can choose from a lot of career options. You can work at a wide range of companies such as ASML, Philips, Thales, NXP, QBayLogic, Belastingdienst, Benchmark Electronics, Alliander, or Capgemini. You can also opt for a career in academia and do a PhD. Or you can start your own company!
Programme overview
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