Embedded Systems
Winter intake start date
2027-02-01
Winter intake deadline
2026-11-25
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, this has an immediate effect on the safety of the person using the system but also on energy efficiency and cost. 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.
You have a lot of freedom to tailor your Master’s to your interests. Whether you are interested in computer architecture, embedded AI, 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.
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 real-time operating systems, digital hardware design, computer architecture, embedded software development, embedded artificial intelligence, 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.
- ECTS transcript – If you are still completing your Bachelor’s degree, upload an ECTS transcript showing the subjects you have studied, your grades, and the number of credits awarded. Your Bachelor’s diploma must be uploaded later, as soon as you receive it.
- Bachelor’s diploma – If you have already graduated, upload your Bachelor’s diploma. A separate ECTS transcript is not required.
Note: Your Bachelor’s degree must be in the same or a related field as the Master’s programme you are applying for. The university will check whether you have completed enough relevant subjects and ECTS credits.
Important! View the full requirements on the university’s official website. Requirements may vary depending where you completed your bachelor education.
Applicants have to prove their English language skills either by an internationally recognized language test or upon previous studies. Usually English language skills can be proved by the following documents:
- TOEFL iBT*
- IELTS Academic
- A Cambridge English qualification
- Higher education degree completed in English
- Secondary education completed in English in a country or school qualification accepted by the university
- An English subject and grade on your secondary school leaving certificate that meet the university’s requirements
- Other
Important: Accepted methods and minimum results depend on study programme and the country where you completed your education. Check the official requirements for your chosen study programme.
*Use the Kastu promo code LTU1000102 when registering for TOEFL iBT and receive a 5% discount.
The Master’s programme in Embedded Systems provides you with the knowledge and skills needed to understand the interaction of embedded systems within their physical and network environments. You’ll get to know all about resource-boundedness, dependability and approaches to systems design.
Embedded systems are becoming more and more important. The exponential increase in computing power, ubiquitous connectivity and the convergence of technology have resulted in hardware/software systems being embedded in everyday products and places (for example: today, 20% of the value of each car is attributed to embedded electronics, and this will increase to 35-50% by 2020). It goes without saying that embedded systems engineers have excellent career prospects, due to the increasing integration of hardware and software in applications.
You’ll build your own future based on your personal interests, whether you’d like to be a researcher, a designer (developer of new products and services) or an organizer (managing an engineering department or providing consultancy services).
You can combine research and development in the R&D departments of companies. Think of radar technology (Thales), energy efficient solutions (NXP semiconductors, Nedap), latest technology for manufacturing integrated circuits (ASML). Embedded systems graduates also started their career at TNO, ProDrive, Benchmark Electronics, Recore Systems, etc. Our research groups enjoy close ties with all of these companies. These connections might help you find your first job, often with an internship as a first step. You might also decide to specialize further by becoming a PhD researcher with one of our research groups or elsewhere. You could even start your own business as many of our past graduates have done.
