Degree Requirements
The information below outlines the requirements for the Master's in Telecommunications degree. Students should consult the ENTS Graduate Handbook for further details regarding current requirements and regulations. For assistance, please contact the Program Office, at (301) 405-3682, or send an e-mail to telecomprogram@umd.edu.
Requirements to earn the Master's in Telecommunications degree include completing 30 credit hours of course work, achieving a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.0, and submitting a satisfactory scholarly paper. The 30 credits include eight required courses and two elective courses. All graduate students at the University of Maryland are required to maintain a 3.0 GPA each semester to remain in good standing.
Course Requirement
The following eight Core Courses (24 credits) are required for all students:
Technical Core Courses (12 credits):
- ENTS 622 Introduction to Digital Communication Systems
- ENTS 640 Telecommunication Networks
- ENTS 641 Communication Protocols
- At least one of the following selective core courses:
- ENTS 653 AWS/PCS System Implementation
- ENTS 654 Optimization and Analysis of GSM Networks
- ENTS 656 Introduction to Cellular Communication Networks
- ENTS 657 Satellite Communications Systems
- ENTS 665 Advanced Wireless Communications Networks
Management Core Courses (12 credits)
- ENTS 625 Management and Organizational Behavior in the Telecommunications Industry
- ENTS 630 The Economics of International Telecommunications Policy and Regulation
- ENTS 632 Telecommunications Marketing Management
- ENTS 635 Decision Support Methods for Telecommunication Managers
Also, two Elective Courses (6 credits) must be chosen from the following list (exempting the one selected for the technical core above):
- ENTS 629 Special Topics in Cybersecurity
- ENTS 631 Competitive Strategies and Public Policies in Telecommunications
- ENTS 649 Special Topics in Networking
- ENTS 650 Network Security
- ENTS 653 AWS/PCS System Implementation
- ENTS 654 Optimization and Analysis of GSM Networks
- ENTS 655 Digital Signal Processing
- ENTS 656 Introduction to Cellular Communication Networks
- ENTS 657 Satellite Communication Systems
- ENTS 660 Network Management
- ENTS 662 Telecommunication Innovations in Business
- ENTS 665 Advanced Wireless Communication Networks
- ENTS 670 Introduction to Business and Entrepreneurship
- ENTS 672 The Global Economic Environment
- ENTS 673 Project Management for Telecommunications
- ENTS 675 Network Planning and Design
- ENTS 689 Special Topics in Telecommunications (at least one will be offered each semester)
Additional courses beyond the required courses must be approved by the Program Office and should not impede the student’s progress towards degree completion. ALL courses taken at the University of Maryland count towards the student’s cumulative GPA.
Scholarly Paper Requirement
All students must write and submit an approved Scholarly Paper prior to the end of their final semester to fulfill their degree requirement.
Description
The Scholarly Paper will demonstrate the student’s ability to synthesize technical information in a coherent form. Telecommunications professionals, like most engineers and executives, will inevitably be called upon to compose technical or business documents. The Scholarly Paper is comparable to a “Working Paper” or trade publication.
The Scholarly Paper is not associated with course registration. It would be expected that students complete most of their course work prior to embarking upon the Scholarly Paper so that they have a breadth of knowledge from which they can identify a suitable topic.
Students should begin planning for the Scholarly Paper by the end of their first year. Generally, students will complete the Scholarly Paper during the final semester. Students should submit the appropriate paperwork to the Program Office by the stated deadlines of the semester in which they wish to graduate.
Students choose their own topics. The topic should relate either to the business or engineering aspects of telecommunications. For example, a topic discussed in a course may provide a starting point from which a student may delve deeper; the results of such an inquiry should be suitable for the Scholarly Paper. (Note: Students will be required to verify that the Scholarly Paper does not overlap with any paper previously submitted for academic purposes.)
After choosing a topic, students must submit the Scholarly Paper Topic Approval Form at the beginning of the semester in which they plan to graduate. Any change in topic will require students to submit a new approval form. Once the paper is completed, students must submit the Scholarly Paper Submission Form during the semester in which they plan to graduate. Only papers of the highest quality will be approved. If the paper is not approved, the student will not graduate in the intended semester.
In all academic work including the Scholarly Paper, students are obligated to abide by the University of Maryland Code of Academic Integrity. The scholarly paper must consist of original work by the student. Although a survey of current literature and reading the work of experts is strongly encouraged, referencing or including another person’s work (written text, pictures, diagrams, ideas, etc.) without proper citation constitutes academic dishonesty. For more information about academic integrity, please consult the Office of Student Conduct.
Guidelines
- The body of the paper should contain an introduction (background), section(s) on the main concepts (primary content), and a conclusion (summary of findings).
- Once the topic is approved, the student should work independently. Extensive advising should not be required. Joint papers with other students are not permitted.
- The student need not conduct original research. Investigation of the topic using a variety of credible sources should be sufficient. A minimum of three distinct references should be consulted.
Format
- The body of the paper should be 5-10 pages in length. (Note: papers with numerous diagrams and images should be closer to 10 pages.)
- The paper should be double-spaced and typed in standard 12-point font
- The body of the paper should properly cite references according to IEEE style
- The paper must include a separate title page with a one-paragraph abstract (approximately 50-200 words).
- The paper must include a separate references page. A minimum of three distinct references should be included. All references, including Web references, must be properly listed.
Advice
- All acronyms and jargon should be defined when they are first introduced
- The paper must be written in proper English that is grammatically correct and syntactically sound. Students should ensure that their papers are sufficiently proofread and edited prior to submitting them.
- The paper should adhere to a style of proper academic writing and citation. Students should consult and follow IEEE style for the title page, paper, citations and references.
- Papers that display poor writing skills and/or typographical errors will not be accepted nor approved.
- International students in need of writing assistance should contact the English Editing for International Graduate Students program in advance of submitting their papers.
