Communication technologies and multimedia

Educational Objectives and Typical Skills

The Master’s Degree in Communication Technologies and Multimedia, taught entirely in English, prepares highly qualified professionals with a solid grounding in the theoretical foundations of telecommunications across its various aspects, in-depth expertise in state-of-the-art technologies and methodologies for the development of innovative communication systems, as well as technical and professional skills for consulting and problem-solving in the diverse applications of telecommunication services and systems.

Graduates of the Master’s Degree in Communication Technologies and Multimedia:

• Have a thorough understanding of the theoretical and scientific aspects of mathematics, basic sciences, general engineering, and particularly information engineering, and can apply this knowledge to interpret and address complex or interdisciplinary engineering problems;
• Are capable of designing, planning, developing, and managing innovative telecommunication systems, processes, and services, as well as conducting highly complex experiments;
• Possess enhanced contextual knowledge and transversal skills beyond those acquired during their undergraduate studies;
• Have a high proficiency in English, specifically within the field of study, including the ability to independently understand, discuss, and present complex topics both orally and in writing.

The curriculum of the Master’s program culminates in a significant design or research project, resulting in a thesis that demonstrates mastery of the subject matter, the ability to work independently, and effective communication skills.

Career Opportunities

Graduates in Communication Technologies and Multimedia may find employment in:

• Companies designing, producing, and operating devices, systems, and infrastructures for information acquisition, transmission, and security, and their application in telematic services;
• Telecommunication service providers at all levels, from national and international operators to local providers;
• Companies using signal processing techniques in applications such as audio and image processing, sensor technology, robotics, biomedical engineering, remote monitoring, etc.;
• Healthcare organizations, for the management of biomedical instrumentation and the design, implementation, and management of innovative healthcare services;
• Public and private telecommunication and remote sensing companies, both terrestrial and satellite-based;
• Regulatory bodies and traffic control agencies for air, land, and maritime transport;
• Research and development centers in both the public and private sectors working in innovative fields within telecommunications engineering.

The specific expertise acquired also provides a solid foundation for managerial roles in strategic decision-making sectors of industry and public administration.

Engineer in Communication Technologies and Multimedia

Role in a Work Context:
After an initial period of applying their academic training in the workplace, graduates of the Master’s Degree in Communication Technologies and Multimedia can take on high-responsibility roles, with specific functions depending on the position they hold.

In a purely engineering context, these roles may include coordinating the design and operation of complex systems and services (e.g., project manager), as well as functions that require advanced skills in defining specifications and developing innovative solutions, whether implemented (design) or explored in preliminary research (research, exploratory research).

For more managerial positions, roles may involve coordination, recruitment of personnel with specific professional qualifications, and assignment or reassignment of specific tasks to team members.

Associated Skills:
The interdisciplinary training and foundational knowledge acquired provide graduates with broad mastery of sector technologies upon graduation. The problem-solving methods and analytical skills gained during the program ensure versatility to follow technological developments and independently update their expertise over time.

Career Opportunities:
The Master’s Degree in Communication Technologies and Multimedia belongs to the LM-27 class (Telecommunications Engineering) and allows access — subject to passing a state exam — to the Information Sector of the Professional Register of Engineers, granting the title of Engineer.

Currently, registration with the Professional Register is generally not required to work in telecommunications-related professions.

For leadership positions in public administration as a Telecommunications Engineer, a Master’s Degree in the LM-27 class (Telecommunications Engineering) or LM-26 (Safety Engineering) is normally required to qualify for competitions.

Typical professional areas for graduates include:

• Basic and applied research, innovation, and production development;
• Advanced design, planning, and programming;
• Management of complex systems in private practice, manufacturing or service companies, or public administration, particularly related to telecommunications devices, systems, networks, and services.

Main employment sectors include:

• Companies responsible for designing, producing, distributing, and operating telecommunications devices and equipment;
• Private companies and public administration sectors, including the military, involved in the design and operation of telecommunications infrastructure;
• Companies developing systems and infrastructures for information acquisition, processing, and transmission (data, voice, images, video) over fixed and mobile networks and their use in telematic applications;
• Companies operating in telematics and networked multimedia, including e-commerce, e-publishing, internet services, telemedicine, and remote monitoring;
• Public and private telecommunication and remote sensing companies, both terrestrial and satellite-based;
• Regulatory bodies and agencies controlling air, land, and maritime traffic;
• Any public or private organization requiring expertise in the development and use of telecommunications systems and services, or in information analysis for internal organization, production, marketing, commercialization, or client relations;
• Educational institutions providing basic or advanced training in the use and design of telecommunication systems and services;
• National and international research centers working in the telecommunications sector.

The Master’s Degree in Communication Technologies and Multimedia prepares highly qualified professionals with a solid foundation in the theoretical principles underlying telecommunications in its multiple aspects, in-depth expertise in state-of-the-art technologies and methodologies for the development of innovative communication systems, as well as technical and professional skills for consulting and solving applied problems across various fields of telecommunications services and systems.

Key Educational Objectives of the Master’s Program include:

• A deep understanding of the scientific method, with the ability to comprehend and apply mathematical tools and fundamental physical principles essential for understanding telecommunication systems and multimedia signal processing;
• Acquisition of solid theoretical and practical knowledge across different sectors of telecommunications, including information transmission, signal processing, telecommunication networks, and remote sensing;
• Thorough understanding of the principles and structures of major telecommunications systems, both wired and wireless, as well as practical laboratory and operational skills for their use;
• Knowledge of methodologies and technologies for analyzing, designing, developing, and managing innovative telecommunication systems and services, with particular attention to the opportunities offered by widespread telecommunication networks and the associated economic, social, and ethical implications;
• Knowledge of advanced signal processing methodologies aimed not only at improving transmission efficiency but also at analyzing multimedia signals, supporting efficient network navigation, and enabling new systems and services driven by ongoing technological developments (e.g., biomedical applications, services for the elderly and disabled, urban mobility support, environmental monitoring, remote surveillance);
• Familiarity with diverse application areas;
• High proficiency in English within the specific sector of study, including the ability to independently comprehend and present complex topics in both written and oral form;
• The ability to engage with people from diverse countries, leveraging different study and work methods to operate effectively in an international professional context.

Graduates are expected to promote technological innovation within their professional activities and relationships. To this end, they must be able to use at least one additional European Union language fluently, both in writing and orally, alongside Italian, including sector-specific terminology. The delivery of the program in English plays a primary role in achieving this goal. International study experiences, such as Erasmus exchanges, are also encouraged, including opportunities for the development of the final thesis project.

To achieve these educational objectives, the Master’s program offers a solid cultural and methodological foundation, upon which individual study paths can be built to prepare students for entry into the workforce or for further studies in second-level Master’s programs or PhD programs.

The curriculum covers the main advanced areas of Telecommunications Engineering, including information and coding theory, key transmission techniques, transmission media and devices, antennas, radio propagation, secure network architectures, multimedia signal processing techniques, and optical communication technologies. This integrates and builds upon the foundational knowledge acquired during the undergraduate degree. Space is also provided for advanced courses in related fields, primarily within ICT, allowing students to personalize their learning path.

Depending on current regulations and available resources at the time of program implementation, the degree may be organized into specializations to better match graduates’ professional profiles with the diverse needs of the labor market.

In line with the European Higher Education Area’s qualification descriptors (Dublin Descriptors), the core educational objectives of the LM-27 class (Telecommunications Engineering), and the program-specific objectives listed above, the Master’s Degree in Communication Technologies and Multimedia awards the final degree to students who have achieved the expected learning outcomes outlined below.

Knowledge Required for Admission

To enroll in the Master’s Degree in Communication Technologies and Multimedia, applicants must hold a three-year Bachelor’s degree or a university diploma, or another foreign qualification recognized as suitable. Admission to the program is subject to meeting curricular requirements and verifying the adequacy of the candidate’s personal preparation, as specified below. Any required curricular integrations must be completed before the evaluation of personal preparation.

Curricular Requirements
Applicants who hold a degree under DM 270/04 or the previous DM 509/99 regulations, and who have earned a minimum number of ECTS in specific disciplinary areas (SSD) as detailed in the Program Regulations, are eligible to apply. The reference model is the Bachelor’s Degree in Electronic and Telecommunications Engineering (L8 – Information Engineering) at the University of Brescia.

However, the requirements are broad enough to allow graduates from other programs under DM 509/99 or DM 270/04, including other universities, provided their studies include a significant portion of the foundational and core subjects of the reference degree.

For holders of a three-year university diploma, graduates under the pre-DM 509/99 system (where courses are not quantified in ECTS), or candidates with a foreign qualification, the verification of curricular requirements will be conducted case by case, based on the courses taken and their content.

Finally, the Program Council may set specific constraints on the study plan of students enrolled in the Master’s program, as described in the Program Regulations.

Adequacy of Personal Preparation
The methods for verifying the adequacy of personal preparation are established in the Program Regulations, depending on the applicant’s previous academic career, taking into account the results obtained in the degree used for admission.

Admission Procedure
Admission to non-single-cycle Master’s programs is governed by national university regulations and the Regulations for Admission to Master’s Degrees.

Procedures for admitting students with foreign qualifications are regulated by law, ministerial guidelines, and university regulations.

Admission to the Master’s program is decided by the Program Council, which assesses the candidate’s fulfillment of curricular requirements, evaluates the academic record, and verifies personal preparation as specified in the Program Regulations. The candidate will only be admitted if both evaluations are positive. For the execution of these evaluations, the Program Council may appoint a dedicated Evaluation Committee.

Orientation for Incoming Students

The degree program participates in incoming student orientation initiatives, managed both at the macro-area level and at the University level, and presented on the dedicated page of the University portal, which also provides access to specific initiatives for the macro areas. These initiatives are coordinated by a working group composed of the Rector’s Delegate for Orientation, the Department Delegates for Orientation, and the staff of a dedicated organizational unit (U.O.C. Orientation). The planning and delivery of orientation activities, developed by the U.O.C., are certified according to the UNI EN ISO 9001:2015 standard.

Ordinary activities, news, and updates can be found on the dedicated Orientation page.

Ongoing Orientation (In-Progress Orientation)

Tutoring initiatives are organized at the University level according to the annual tutoring plan, defined each year by the University Tutoring Committee and approved by the Academic Senate. The Tutoring Service contributes to ongoing orientation with the aim of increasing the regularity of study paths and identifying critical issues that may lead to student dropouts.

The administrative management of the student tutoring service is certified according to the UNI EN ISO 9001:2015 standard and is ensured within the framework of services for the right to education by a dedicated organizational unit.

Tutoring

Final Examination (Thesis) Characteristics

The final examination consists of the preparation, presentation, and discussion of a comprehensive thesis in front of a dedicated Committee, established according to the University’s Academic Regulations. The thesis must be developed independently and originally, with a significant personal contribution. During the preparation of the final examination, the student will be guided by one or more supervisors with whom the thesis topic will be agreed upon.

If the student has completed an internship or work placement, the final examination will normally focus on the activities carried out and the results achieved at the hosting organization (public or private company, research centers or university laboratories, institutions, professional associations). The thesis will involve the preparation of a written and/or project-based work, which may also be presented in a European Union language other than Italian or English, as specified in the Program Regulations.

The preparation of the final examination, which can be theoretical, experimental, or project-oriented, offers the opportunity to apply and deepen, even in an interdisciplinary way, the knowledge and skills acquired; to learn and use new techniques and research tools; to gain additional operational skills; and to independently develop frameworks and interpretative models.

The purpose of the final examination is to assess the student’s technical-scientific maturity, competence, understanding, and autonomy of judgment; the ability to apply knowledge and skills; any innovative contributions made through independent research and development; technical proficiency; and effectiveness in communication.

Final Examination Procedure

The final examination consists of the preparation, presentation, and discussion of an independently developed work in front of a dedicated Committee. The examination is governed by the “Regulations for the Final Examination and Final Assessment for Master’s Degree Programs of the Department of Information Engineering.”