Course structure and curriculum

Structure

The ES course is a two-year master's program. Both years are divided into semesters that run from September to January and from February to July. There are two quartiles of eight weeks in each semester in which you take courses. Knowledge will be tested in examination periods of two to three weeks. The degree is taught in English.

Students follow compulsory courses, take free electives, and finalize their degree with a graduation project. There is room for an internship or an international exchange in your free elective space.

Curriculum

During the study, you will gain an all-embracing view on embedded systems, their design and their application in systems of various sizes. You will learn to analyze them using the right level of abstractions, in terms of not only functional behavior but also performance. You will gain knowledge and learn methods to work with the types of software and hardware architectures that are often found in embedded systems.

The compulsory courses are offered by the two departments of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering, providing you with a general foundation. The electives enable you to broaden your program in line with your personal interests and ambitions. 

In addition to a package of compulsory courses, you can choose from one of the four specialization tracks offered: Systems on Chip, Embedded Software, Embedded Networking, and Cyber-Physical systems. Each track includes a package of courses and a list of elective courses in which you will focus on a specialization within the field. 

The program ends with a research project in which you prove yourself as an embedded systems expert. During the project, you will use what you have learned and the skills you have developed to create new knowledge and designs. You will specialize in a single subject and demonstrate that you are able to organize a research project independently. You may carry out this project within the industry or you may opt to contribute towards the scientific research at our university. In both cases you are assigned a TU/e supervisor who will guide you.

ES also offers an honors program for our best-performing students. This challenging program provides the opportunity to participate in and contribute towards our department's research. In addition to a degree in Embedded Systems, it is also possible to follow the education master's in Science Education and Communication (SEC) at the same time. With this degree, you will also be qualified to teach computer science in upper pre-university education.

For a more in-depth breakdown of the course curriculum, check the latest graduate program guide on this page.