msc in digital signal processing - university of york · msc in digital signal processing ... 8...

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MSc in DigitalSignal Processing

PROGRAMME SPECIFICATION

This document describes the aims and the module details of the Mastersin Digital Signal Processing (DSP) in the Department of Electronics at theUniversity of York U.K.

2012

Electronics DepartmentUniversity of York

11/11/2011

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CONTENTS

2 Course Aims and Specification

3 Diagrammatic Module Structure

4 Learning Outcomes – Knowledge and Understanding

5 Learning Outcomes – Discipline-related Skills

6 Learning Outcomes – Transferable Skills

7 Special Experiences on this programme

8 Characteristics of MSc students (from Quality Assurance framework)

8 Requirements for an Award from York

8 Information about Assessment and Feedback

9 Table of Core Modules

10 Table of Optional Modules

11 University Quality and Standards

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UNIVERSITY OF YORKPOSTGRADUATE PROGRAMME SPECIFICATION

This document applies to students who commence the following programme:Awarding & Teaching institution: University of York

Department: Electronics

Award and programme title: MSc in Digital Signal ProcessingLevel of qualification: Level 7 (Masters)Awards available only as interim awards:

Postgraduate Diploma in Digital Signal Processing (exit point only for 120cu)Postgraduate Certificate in Electronics (exit point only for 60cu)

Admissions criteria

Applicants are expected to hold an appropriate honours degree with at least an upper secondclass honours or the equivalent from a university recognised by the University of York. Thisdegree should have a significant electronics and/or mathematics and/or physics and/orcomputing content.

For non-English native speakers English language skills at the standard university requirementof at least IELTS 6.0 or the equivalent are expected.

Length and status of the programme and mode of studyProgramme Length (years)

and status (full-time/part-time)

Start dates/months ModeFace-to-face,

campus-basedDistancelearning

Other

MSc in DigitalSignal Processing

1 yearfull-time

October Yes No N/A

Language of study: English

Programme accreditation by Professional, Statutory or Regulatory BodiesIET (Institute of Engineering Technology)

Educational aims of the programme

For the Masters, Diploma and Certificate:The programme aims to provide a broad-based introduction to signal processing system designsuitable for students with an Honours first degree in Electronics, Mathematics, Physics,Computer Science or an allied subject. It aims to provide a solid grounding in theory andtechniques which is appropriate for those wishing to pursue a career or higher research degreein the fields of communications, image processing, speech processing, bio-engineering,computing, multimedia or allied fields.

Additionally for the Masters:There is a major Independent Study Module in the form of a Group Project, enabling students toobtain realistic technical experience, and develop interpersonal skills, much in the way that thisdevelopment is undertaken in industry.

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Diagrammatic representation of the programme structure,showing the distribution and credit value of core and option modules

MSc Digital Signal Processing

Autumn Spring Summer Vacation

Project Skills:

Introduction to ProjectManagement (5)

Introduction to MATLAB(5)

Embedded Systems forFPGA (10)

MultimediaApplications (10)

MSc Project (60)

Digital Design usingVHDL (10)

Detection & Estimation Theory (10)

Digital DesignTechniques (10)

Choose three Options from:Biomedical Signal Processing (10)

Information Theory & Error Control Coding (10)

Speech Processing (10)

Image Processing (10)

Advanced Digital Design (10)

Signal Processing for Communications (10)

Maths for SignalProcessing (10)

Adaptive SignalProcessing (10)

Introduction to SignalProcessing (10) Preparatory Project work

Explanatory Notes:

Teaching takes place as follows:(Autumn Term : weeks 2-10, Spring Term : weeks 2-10, Summer Term: weeks 1-7)

The numbers in brackets (5) (10) (60) show the Credit Units (cu) that each module is worth.

A Credit Unit represents 10 hours of work, usually split between teaching (lectures, seminars), practical work(laboratories, workshops), assessment (exams, preparation, continuous assessment) and private study.

All modules must be passed in order to achieve the award.

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Intended learning outcomes for the programme – and how the programme enablesstudents to achieve and demonstrate the intended learning outcomes

A: Knowledge and understanding

After having successfully completed this programme, students will have asolid knowledge of, and developed skills in, the theory, design andimplementation of digital signal processing systems. This knowledge andrelated skills will provide students with appropriate grounding for careers inthe communications, image processing, speech processing, computing, bio-engineering, acoustics, medical research, multimedia and allied electronicsfields of industries and/or research. Most teaching will be undertakenthrough conventional lectures, laboratory sessions and workshops, and willbe assessed through closed-book examinations and/or continuous assessment.

Knowledge & Understanding ModuleDelivery &

AssessmentFundamental concepts of signal processing: analogue and digitalsignals and systems, Fourier series, sampling, statistical signalprocessing and parameter estimation.

Introduction to SignalProcessing

Lectures, Workshops. Closed-book examination.

Fundamentals of mathematics required for signal processing;linear algebra, numerical methods, matrices & vectors, etc.

Maths for SignalProcessing


Digital components and design techniques. Alternative hardwaredescription languages (e.g. Verilog, SystemC). Implementation inVHDL, compare to schematic entry. Finite state machines

Digital Design usingVHDL

Lectures, Workshops.Practical VHDL assessment.

Advanced digital design methods and techniques. Howcomputation can be mapped on hardware through customprocessing units. VHDL for the synthesis of digital circuits.

Digital DesignTechniques

Lectures, Laboratories.Practical assessment and labreport.

Introduction to MATLAB, and its large number of built-infunctions. Use of MATLAB to solve engineering problems.

Introduction toMATLAB

Practicals. Continuousassessment.

Types of project. Role of project manager. Project life-cycles.Tools and techniques for project management. QualityAssurance. Engineering Ethics.

Introduction toProject Management& QA

Lectures. Continuousassessment.

Embedded microcontroller-based systems throughimplementation of various embedded systems using FPGAplatforms. Varying options and constraints

Embedded Systemsfor FPGA

Lectures & ComputerPracticals. ContinuousAssessment & presentation.

Detection and estimation theory and the main algorithms used inmodern signal processing systems.

Detection &Estimation Theory


Fundamental concepts of adaptive signal processing includingadaptive filters, antenna array beamforming etc.

Adaptive SignalProcessing


Underlying techniques and practical digital processing of videoand audio signals for multimedia systems, including compression,simulation and implementation.

MultimediaApplications

Lectures & ComputerPracticals. ContinuousAssessment.

Example Option (choose 3 from 6). Complete design flow(synthesis, place and route, floorplanning, timing analysis, etc.)required to implement complex designs. Differences in FPGAarchitectures and how these affect circuit design.

Advanced DigitalDesign

Lectures & ComputerPracticals. ContinuousAssessment.

Example Option (choose 3 from 6). Fundamental techniques ofdigital signal processing relevant to telecommunications

Signal Processing forCommunications


Example Option (choose 3 from 6). Speech physiology andproduction. Speech analysis, coding and synthesis methods.

Speech Processing Lectures. Directed Reading.Research report.

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B: (i) Skills: Discipline-related

The course reinforces and enhances students’ existingacademic skills through a variety of individual and groupassignments, including a substantial project element. Somemodules will provide specialist digital signal processing skills:Introduction to Signal Processing, Mathematics for SignalProcessing, Signal Processing for Communications, Detectionand Estimation Theory, and Adaptive Signal Processing.Other modules, together with the Group project, provide specialist design skills for digital signalprocessing systems: Introduction to MATLAB, Digital Design using VHDL, Digital Design Techniques,Embedded Systems Using FPGA, and Multimedia Applications. These, along with the Project Skills, willenable students to design and implement software and hardware signal processing systems to industrystandards, paying special regard to quality assurance and other professional requirements.

Discipline-related Skills ModuleDelivery &

AssessmentAnalyse continuous and discrete-time signals andsystems in the time and frequency domain.

Introduction to SignalProcessing


Applications of mathematical methods to differentsignal processing applications

Maths for Signal Processing Lectures, Workshops. Closed-book examination.

Use pipeline design techniques to construct complexarithmetic systems. Practical design with VHDL.

Digital Design using VHDL Lectures, Workshops. PracticalVHDL assessment.

Physical implementation in hardware of a smalldedicated processor. implement complex designs(e.g. a simple processor) from gate level using VHDL.

Digital Design Techniques Lectures, Laboratories. Practicalassessment and lab report.

Use of MATLAB to carry out simulations, write scriptsand solve engineering problems.

Introduction to MATLAB Computer Laboratories.Continuous assessment.

Analyse a project & produce specification. Workbreakdowns. Critical path analysis & risk.

Introduction to ProjectManagement & QA

Individual project plan andanalysis. Report assessed.

Design custom peripherals for embeddedmicroprocessors, and connect off-the-shelf peripheralcomponents to an FPGA-based system.

Embedded Systems forFPGA

Lectures & Computer Practicals.Continuous Assessment &presentation.

Evaluate the most appropriate criterion for use indetection problems. Develop estimators for a varietyof signal processing problems.

Detection & EstimationTheory


Practical issues related to implementation of adaptivefilters. Fast adaptive algorithms. Sensor arrays.

Adaptive Signal Processing Lectures, Workshops. Closed-book examination.

Implement and test a significant element of an audioor video compression system.

Multimedia Applications Lectures & Practicals. Design &test project.

Example Option (choose 3 from 6). Producingadvanced digital designs using a VHDL-based designflow. Use post and pre route simulation to verifydesigns in the presence of faults.

Advanced Digital Design Lectures & Computer Practicals.Continuous Assessment.

Example Option (choose 3 from 6). Explain thetrade-offs between software and hardwareimplementation of various DSP methods.



Example Option (choose 3 from 6). Write aresearch report investigating aspects of speechprocessing.


Investigation of a specified problem in Digital SignalProcessing.

MSc Project Tender presentation & report.Final report. Viva examination.Performance review.

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B: (ii) Skills: Transferable

The 60 credit unit Group project provides an excellentopportunity to gain experience working in a group, muchin the way development is undertaken in industry. Groupsof several students working together in a coordinatedenvironment are often considered an ideal way in whichsoftware and hardware integrated systems can bedeveloped. In addition to attaining technical experience,experience in interpersonal skills is also gained. Ourexperience with students on all our taught MScs hasdemonstrated how much students can benefit from thisaspect of the programme, especially if they have

aspirations to work in multinational companies.

Transferable skills of project management, presentation and technical writing are taught as part of theGroup project. In addition to skills developed through academic programmes, the University’s YorkAward can help students to plan and reflect on their experience and gain certification for many extra-curricular activities.

Transferable Skills Module(s) Delivery &Assessment

Group working. Interpersonal skills. Time management.Delegation & risk management. Placing individual work in alarger context, as in real-life companies.

MSc Project Tender presentation & report.Final report. Viva examination.Performance review.

Capturing customer requirements and forming requirementspecifications; work breakdown structures; activity matrices;project plan preparation; project charting techniques, BarChart, Gantt charts and PERT; critical path analysis; projectmanagement techniques, value added; risk management;and ethics.


Individual project plan andanalysis. Report assessed.

Design and implement simple programs. Test softwaresolutions to practical problems against target specifications.

Introduction toMATLAB

Computer Laboratories.Programming Exercises.

Implementing a mathematical algorithm in an industrystandard computer modelling package.

MultimediaApplications

Design & test project.

Producing a group report on digital design, combined with anindividual VHDL implementation.

Digital Design usingVHDL

Lectures, Workshops. PracticalVHDL assessment.

Example Option (choose 3 from 6). Selecting &researching a topic and writing a research report.


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C: Experiences of the MSc in Digital Signal Processing

Students on the MSc in Digital Signal Processing benefit from a wide-ranging programme covering thetheoretical background and solid hands-on experience of the Digital Signal Processing (DSP) which is thecore technology of almost every modern electronic system. Brain scanners, blu-ray players, automotivecontrol systems, iPods, all rely on DSP. Complex computational processes like seismic analysis andenvironmental modelling use DSP to interpret vast quantities of data.

Students gain experience with industry-standard software tools in laboratory sessions, and participate in agroup project designed to simulate a typical experience in industry. To support this project, they receivetraining in planning team projects, assigning roles, preparing agendas, chairing meetings and takingminutes, and managing a small team. Modules are taught by internationally leading experts in their fields,with the teaching quality widely praised by students.

Student Profile 1: Experience of the Course - Qinwei He

Qinwei finished his bachelor degree of communication engineering in China, andwrites here of his experience at York on the MSc in Digital Signal Processing.

“When I was a sophomore student in China, I had a chance to stay one month inUK in 2008 as a visiting student. And during that time I travelled to York, and Ifell in love with this city at first sight. York is a very beautiful city. The people hereare friendly and easy going. I decided to go on with my master degree in DigitalSignal Processing in the UK. After comparing the programmes in differentuniversities, I chose the University of York as my favourite. As well as the programme content, there wereother factors for me to choose York: A good study atmosphere, a good ranking in the world and also agood research quality. I feel so lucky that I have a chance to study here.

The module content for MSc in Digital Signal Processing is very well structured. It combines the theoryand practice effectively. The courses are competitive and also challenging. But if you are willing to devoteyourself to the DSP area and gain enough knowledge for you career, it is a fantastic programme to take. Ireally enjoy my study and life here. I am happy that I made a good choice to come here”

Student Profile 2: PhD Opportunities - Peng Li

"After graduation from the Jilin University, China. I was looking for aplace to begin my research in wireless communications. To study in York isone of the best choices I have ever made. The city is beautiful and thepeople are friendly, I find almost everything I expected for an Europeantown, the place is peaceful and secure no matter whether you live oncampus or not.

After one year and a half study of MSc by research, I decided to carry onmy research towards the PhD degree. It is actually very easy to devote myself in the work, because theacademic atmosphere is great. My supervisor gives me good guidance and leads me to achieve theexpected research aims. We share our thoughts and ideas in the research group and help each other toovercome the difficulties.

There are also many societies in the University and you can always find the one you like. Make someinternational friends and the people will make your life colourful."

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Relevant Quality Assurance Agency benchmark statement and other relevant externalreference points

Here we summarise the main characteristics of MSc students, taken from:Framework for Higher Education Qualifications in England, Wales and Northern Ireland – August 2008QAA Subject Benchmark Statements on Engineering (2006)

http://www.qaa.ac.uk/academicinfrastructure/FHEQ/EWNI08/FHEQ08.pdf

MSc students will be able to: deal with complex issues both systematically and creatively, make sound judgements in the

absence of complete data, and communicate their conclusions clearly to specialist and non-specialist audiences

demonstrate self-direction and originality in tackling and solving problems, and act autonomouslyin planning and implementing tasks at a professional or equivalent level

continue to advance their knowledge and understanding, and to develop new skills to a high level.And will have the qualities and transferable skills necessary for employment requiring:

the exercise of initiative and personal responsibility decision-making in complex and unpredictable situations the independent learning ability required for continuing professional development.

University award regulations

To be eligible for an award of the University of York a student must undertake an approvedprogramme of study, obtain a specified number of credits (at a specified level(s)), and meet anyother requirements of the award as specified in the award requirements and programmeregulations, and other University regulations (e.g. payment of fees). Credit will be awarded uponpassing a module’s assessment(s) but some credit may be awarded where failure has beencompensated by achievement in other modules. The University’s award and assessmentregulations specify the University’s marking scheme, and rules governing progression (includingrules for compensation), reassessment and award requirements. The award and assessmentregulations apply to all programmes: any exceptions that relate to this programme are approvedby University Teaching Committee and are recorded at the end of this document.

Departmental policies on assessment and feedback

Detailed information on assessment (including grade descriptors, marking procedures, wordcounts etc.) is available in the written statement of assessment which applies to this programmeand the relevant module descriptions. These are available in the student handbook and on theDepartment’s website:http://www.elec.york.ac.uk/internal_web/gsp/MScHBK201011/9Statement Assessment and Progress.pdf

Information on formative and summative feedback to students on their work is available in thewritten statement on feedback to students which applies to this programmes and the relevantmodule descriptions. These are available in the student handbook and on the Department’swebsite: http://www.elec.york.ac.uk/internal_web/

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Core module table

Module title Modulecode

Credit level1

Creditvalue

2Prerequisites Assessment

rules3

Timing (term and week) andformat of main assessment

IndependentStudy Module?

4


L7 5 None Autumn Term (Cont)

Intro to MATLAB L7 5 None Autumn Term (Cont)

Intro to Signal Processing L7 10 Knowledge ofprobability theory &matrix algebra.

Spring Term (Exam)

Maths for Signal Processing L7 10 None Spring Term (Exam)

Digital Design using VHDL L7 10 None Autumn Term (Cont)

Digital Design Techniques L7 10 Digital Design Autumn Term (Cont)

Adaptive Signal Processing L7 10 Intro to SignalProcessing

Summer (Exam)

Detection & EstimationTheory

L7 10 Intro to SignalProcessing

Summer (Exam)

Multimedia Applications L7 10 None Summer (Cont)

Embedded Systems usingFPGA

L7 10 Digital DesignTechniques

Summer (Exam)

MSc Project L7 60 N/A NC Summer (Cont) YesExplanatory Notes:

1) The credit level indicates the module’s relative intellectual demand, complexity and depth of learning and of learner autonomy. Most modulesin postgraduate programmes are at Level 7/Masters. Some modules are permitted to be at Level 6/Honours but are marked on a pass/fail basis.

2) The credit value gives the notional workload for the module, where 1 credit corresponds to a notional workload of 10 hours (including contacthours, private study and assessment)

3) Special assessment rules

P/F – the module is marked on a pass/fail basis (NB pass/fail modules cannot be compensated)

NC – the module cannot be compensated

4) Independent Study Modules (ISMs) are assessed by a dissertation or substantial project report. They cannot be compensated (NC) and aresubject to reassessment rules which differ from ‘taught modules’.

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Optional module table

Module title Modulecode

Credit level1

Creditvalue

2Prerequisites Assessment

rules3

Timing (term and week) andformat of main assessment

IndependentStudy Module?

4

Biomedical SignalProcessing

L7 10 Core Sig Procmodules

Summer (Cont)

Information Theory and ErrorControl Coding


Summer (Exam)

Speech Processing L7 10 Core Sig Procmodules

Summer (Cont)

Image Processing L7 10 Core Sig Procmodules

Summer (Cont)

Advanced Digital Design L7 10 Core Sig Procmodules

Summer (Cont)



Summer (Exam)

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Transfers out of or into the programmeN/AQuality and StandardsThe University has a framework in place to ensure that the standards of its programmes aremaintained, and the quality of the learning experience is enhanced.

Quality assurance and enhancement processes include:

The academic oversight of programmes within departments by a Board of Studies, whichincludes student representation

The oversight of programmes by external examiners, who ensure that standards at theUniversity of York are comparable with those elsewhere in the sector

Annual monitoring and periodic review of programmes The acquisition of feedback from students by departments.

More information can be obtained from the Academic Support Office:http://www.york.ac.uk/about/departments/support-and-admin/academic-support/

Departmental Statements on Audit and Review Procedures are available at:http://cms.york.ac.uk/terminalfour/SiteManager?ctfn=publish&fnno=30&sid=32825

Date on which this programme informationwas updated:

11th November 2011

Departmental web page: http://www.elec.york.ac.uk/

Please note

The information above provides a concise summary of the main features of the programme and learningoutcomes that a typical students might reasonably be expected to achieve and demonstrate if he/shetakes full advantage of the leaning opportunities that are provided.

Detailed information on learning outcomes, content, delivery and assessment of modules can be found inmodule descriptions.

The University reserves the right to modify this overview in unforeseen circumstances, or whereprocesses of academic development, based on feedback from staff, students, external examiners orprofessional bodies, requires a change to be made. Students will be notified of any substantive changesat the first available opportunity.

msc in digital signal processing - university of york · msc in digital signal processing ... 8...

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