SchoolSchool of Engineering

Masters of Science in Computer and

Major
Communication Engineering
Major Requirements
Code
Title
Credits
CENG577
Internet Routing Protocols and Standards
Modeling and analysis are essential components in the process of designing and dimensioning a computer system
or a communication network. This course introduces the performance evaluation tools used to analyze the
accuracy, efficiency or scalability of a protocol, algorithm, system, network, etc. It covers the fundamental
concepts in queuing and loss models, as well as the simulation methods, with their application to modeling and
analysis of computer and communication systems. Advanced techniques in network calculus, traffic models and
their effects on queues are also introduced.
CENG587
Transaction Processing, Distributed Systems and Distributed Databases
Distributed operating systems and applications issues, emphasizing high-level protocols and distributed state
sharing as the key technologies. The principles and system organization of distributed databases. Distributed
shared memory, Object-oriented distributed system design, Distributed directory services, Atomic transactions
and time synchronization, file access, process scheduling, process migration and remote procedure call focusing
on distribution, scale, robustness in the face of failure, and security. Naming, concurrency, distributed
transactions, replication, synchronization, Middleware: Concepts of distribution platforms Data fragmentation
and distribution. Distributed algorithms for data management: clocks, deadlock detection, and mutual exclusion.
CENG520
Networks Programming
Basic concepts, protocols and terminology. Introduction to socket programming. Applying socket programming
to internet application (e.g. IRC, mail, etc). Concurrent client handling and multithreading. Implementing some
internet protocols: finger, DNS, HTTP, ping clients, and servers. Object serialization. Remote Method
Invocation (RMI) or Remote Procedure Call (RPC) and related security.
ENGG510
Methods of Optimization
This course discusses optimization methods applied to engineering problems. Problem formulation and modeling
is presented. Emphasis on linear systems of equations, non-linear systems of equations, unconstrained
optimization, equality-constrained optimization, inequality-constrained optimization, and heuristics.
CENG525
Broadband Network Architectures
The emergence of many communication services especially voice, video, and the transfer of large digital content
applications along with the expansion of the number of users have caused the innovation of the different network
technologies deployed in correspondent broadband architectures. Thus, such broadband network architectures
are necessary to improve the quality of service perceived by the end users at the network level. Besides, the
technologies that will be learned in this course are also necessary for the network operator to better manage its
network especially in terms of traffic engineering, and resource management through specific policing,
scheduling, and signaling protocols. This advanced course will provide the student an outstanding knowledge of
the most interesting broadband architectures and technologies used nowadays for providing the different
communication services. A good understanding of this course will also provide the student background
knowledge on network design.
CENG695
Master Thesis(Part II)
The Masters Project course is six credits practical and research course. The master project is spread over two
semesters. Students are requested to conduct a research relevant to the field of specialty; ending up with a thesis

describing methodology; applications and results. The course also includes producing a prototype of the
research subject (numerical model, or physical application). In addition students seek to spend a period of time
in organizations specialized in the research field as a practical training.
CENG625
Cryptography & Advanced Computer Security
This course provides an introduction to the basic theory and practice of cryptographic techniques used in
computer and network security. Topics include classical and advanced encryption techniques (secret-key and
public-key), digital signatures, user authentication, key management, cryptographic hashing, network security
protocols (SSL, TLS, IPsec, Kerberos), PKI, copyright protection, network attacks and defenses, firewalls,
application security (web, e-mail, databases), viruses, social engineering attacks, privacy, digital rights
management and a bit of zero-knowledge protocols. The course involves case studies and programming
assignments. Therefore, students will hand on some of the security tools in use in the real world and will be
involved in conducting a semester-long project.
CENG630
Wireless Communication & Pervasive
This course covers fundamentals of wireless communications in terms of resource sharing and management, and
organization of physical and logical channels in wireless systems and technologies to enable wireless access over
the air; this course provides the fundamentals of wireless systems and networks. Wireless networks architecture:
describes the protocols and overall architecture of wireless networks covering the physical layer, medium access
control and radio link control, link layer control and higher layers for ensuring session establishment, session
control and mobility management. Both circuit switched and packet switched architectures are covered. Sample
technologies (GSM, GPRS and UMTS) are selected for illustration and in depth understanding. The course will
also describe key evolutions such as LTE and SAE. This course addresses radio resource allocation, sharing,
control and management for cellular networks. The course addresses UpLink and DownLink scheduling issues
and capacity evolution for the air interface or the radio access network.
CENG647
Software Engineering and Microedition
This course will focus on details and strategies for the development of advanced mobile applications using
Android platform. Students will learn skills for creating and deploying Android applications. Topic includes:
install and use of the Android platform, design of user interfaces, data persistency, content providers, geolocation and mapping, graphics, SMS/Networking, publishing Android applications.
CENG675
Multimedia Networks
The course introduces students to multimedia systems concepts: fundamentals, theory, current practices and
future trends. A brief revision of signals, LTI systems, Fourier transforms and sampling precedes an introduction
to image, video, audio and graphics representation. Coding standards and compression techniques for the three
media types are studied next with a focus on current practices. Topics related to content distribution and quality
of service over wire and wireless networks are discussed. The course also addresses watermarking and
encryption techniques for intellectual property protection. Multimedia databases and querying techniques
together with current research topics are described towards the end of the course.
CENG680
Embedded Systems and Wireless Sensor Networks
An inter-disciplinary course on the design of distributed embedded systems. System robustness in the presence
of highly variable communication delays and heterogeneous component behaviors. The study of the enabling
technologies (VLSI circuits, communication protocols, embedded processors, RTOSs), models of computation,
and design methods. The analysis of modern domain-specific applications including on-chip micro-networks,
multiprocessor systems, fault-tolerant architectures, and robust deployment of embedded software. Research
challenges such as design complexity, reliability, scalability, safety, and security. Communication protocols, time
synchronization, localization and positioning, topology control, routing protocols, data-centric and content-based

networking, quality of service.

CENG695
Master Thesis(Part I)
The Masters Project course is six credits practical and research course. The master project is spread over two
semesters. Students are requested to conduct a research relevant to the field of specialty; ending up with a thesis
describing methodology; applications and results. The course also includes producing a prototype of the
research subject (numerical model, or physical application). In addition students seek to spend a period of time
in organizations specialized in the research field as a practical training.
EENG517
Digital Communications Theory
The course is an introduction to modern digital communications at a graduate/senior undergraduate level. The
coverage emphasizes a conceptual understanding of principles, techniques, and fundamental limits in digital
communication systems. This course covers modulation for digital communications over additive white Gaussian
noise (AWGN) channels. bandpass and lowpass signal representation; signal space representation of
waveforms; modulation; demodulation; optimum receivers for AWGN channels; probability of error analysis;
channel coding; synchronization; an introduction to digital communication through band-limited channels.
EENG517L
Digital Communications Theory Lab
EENG567
Mobile Communications
This course introduces the basic applications of wireless communications, as well as the technical problems
inherent in this communication paradigm. Topics include: free space attenuation, reflection, transmission and
diffraction of signals, wireless propagation channel, multi-path component, fading, delay dispersion, angular
dispersion, channel models, diversity, combining techniques and transmit diversity, multiple access, spread
spectrum systems, frequency hopping, orthogonal frequency division multiplexing, adaptive modulation and
capacity and wireless local area networks: IEEE 802.11 (WIFI).
EENG617
Modern Digital Communication
Information theory applied to communication systems. It covers digital signal, information measures, channel
capacity formalism, error-correcting codes, block codes, cyclic codes, convolutional codes and Viterbi
algorithm. This course is also a sequel to the course "Digital Communication Theory". We will discuss advanced
digital signal processing techniques, which are commonly employed in modern communications devices. It
covers Nyquist Criterion, Linear equalizers, Water-filling, Channel Partitioning and multicarrier modulation
OFDM.
CENG547
Database Systems Principles
This course presents a set of advanced concepts of database systems: views and indexes, stored procedure,
security and user authorization, XML database systems, recovery, concurrency, transactions, data mining.
CENG567
Selected Topics in Communication Engineering
Selected Topics in Communication Engineering