University of Oulu Wireless Communications Engineering Master's Thesis Guide: 521975S, 30 ECTS, WCE Seminar, Maturity Test and Laturi

Quick answer: what WCE students need to know

For the regular University of Oulu Wireless Communications Engineering programme, the current programme object is 51702 / IMP2026WCE. The public degree is 120 ECTS, even though the raw Peppi tree aggregates both alternative study-option modules and therefore shows a much larger root total. The exact thesis is 521975S Master’s Thesis / Master’s Degree Programme in Wireless Communications Engineering, 30 ECTS. The same thesis module also contains the required 521362S / 0 ECTS seminar and 521011S / 0 ECTS maturity test.

1. What this guide covers

This guide covers the regular University of Oulu WCE programme, not the separate double-degree WCE object. It follows the current 2026-2027 regular programme 51702 / IMP2026WCE, its exact thesis module, the two current study options, and the Electronics and Communications Engineering thesis process that explicitly includes WCE. It also connects thesis design to current communications, radio, signal-processing, measurement, network and optional AI/IoT/security course evidence without turning optional courses into universal thesis requirements.

2. Degree size and the raw Peppi-tree warning

The public programme is a two-year Master of Science (Technology) degree worth 120 ECTS. The raw accomplishment-plan root for 51702 currently reports 209-211 ECTS because the backend tree contains both alternative study-option branches at the same time. That is a data-structure aggregation issue, not a 209-211 ECTS degree requirement. When interpreting Peppi, students should follow the applicable study option and their approved PSP, not sum mutually alternative branches.

3. Current study options

The regular WCE structure contains two current study-option families. One is Radio Access Networks, represented by module 51703 / IMP2026WCE-1001. The other is Radio Engineering, represented by 51708 / IMP2026WCE-1005. The public programme page uses closely related wording, Radio Access and Networks and RF Engineering. These are alternative academic pathways, not two complete modules that one ordinary student must finish simultaneously.

4. Radio Access Networks structure

The Peppi tree currently shows a 50 ECTS module-of-option, a 30 ECTS advanced module and 10 ECTS of optional studies inside the Radio Access Networks branch. Its course environment includes statistical signal processing, wireless communications, optimization, communications networks, radio channels, simulation, coding, information theory, MIMO and related advanced communications topics. A thesis from this option can therefore be theoretical, simulation-driven, network-oriented, signal-processing based or experimentally supported, depending on the research question.

5. Radio Engineering structure

The Radio Engineering branch currently contains a 46 ECTS module-of-option, a 33-34 ECTS advanced module and 10-11 ECTS optional studies in the raw structure. Its course environment includes RF and transceiver design, antennas, RF measurement, electronic system design, telecommunications circuit design, packaging, communications theory and advanced measurement. A thesis here may focus on circuits, antennas, radio hardware, measurement, system architecture or a hybrid of simulation and laboratory work.

6. Exact thesis module

The shared regular-WCE thesis module is 51713 / IMP2026WCE-1009, Master’s Thesis and Related Studies, worth 30 ECTS in the programme structure. It contains three exact objects: 521975S thesis, 521362S seminar and 521011S maturity test. The latter two currently carry zero credits, but they remain part of the thesis-related completion structure and should not be ignored because their numerical ECTS value is zero.

7. Exact thesis object

The exact current thesis is 521975S Master’s Thesis / Master’s Degree Programme in Wireless Communications Engineering, object 9764, worth 30 ECTS. Its current implementation is 521975S-3002, displayed in Peppi for 2026-08-01 through 2027-07-31. It is Advanced Studies in Communications Engineering, uses the 1-5/FAIL scale, lists English as the primary teaching language, and currently lists Marko Neitola as person in charge.

8. What the thesis should demonstrate

The 521975S learning outcomes emphasize creative thinking, problem solving, application of disciplinary methods, recognition of strengths and limitations of methods, self-management and professional identity. A strong WCE thesis therefore needs more than a technically sophisticated result. It should identify a bounded problem, select a method that can answer it, define performance or evaluation criteria, produce traceable evidence, compare against suitable references or baselines, and discuss where the conclusions stop being valid.

9. Finding a thesis topic

Current ECE guidance says a thesis topic may come from companies, research institutes, universities or the student’s own idea. WCE topics can span radio access, physical-layer algorithms, MIMO, radio channels, network architecture, RF circuits, antennas, measurement, communications signal processing or emerging 5G/6G topics. A useful topic should be narrow enough for 30 ECTS and should have a realistic evidence path: derivation, simulation, measurement, prototype, implementation, experimental comparison or a defensible combination.

10. Contacting the right teaching field

After obtaining a possible topic, current guidance directs the student to contact the person responsible for the teaching field closest to the work. The current ECE thesis page identifies Kari Kärkkäinen for Wireless Communications Engineering. This is especially useful when a topic crosses Radio Access Networks and Radio Engineering. The early academic discussion should establish programme fit, suitable supervision and whether the proposed method can support the intended claim.

11. Main supervisor

The current process describes a proposed supervisor as full-time University teaching or research staff with a Doctor of Technology and specified previous thesis-supervision or examiner experience. The course person in charge is not automatically every student’s supervisor. The supervisor is an academic role with responsibility for the thesis process. In company work, a domain expert may provide important technical guidance, but that does not replace the approved University supervision arrangement.

12. Technical supervisor

A technical supervisor is always appointed if the thesis is completed outside the University and may also be appointed when needed in other cases. This is common in telecommunications and radio projects where the work may use a company’s testbed, proprietary RF platform, network environment, chip technology or measurement system. The technical supervisor can support execution, while the thesis must still meet University academic requirements for problem definition, methods, evidence, documentation and examination.

13. Kick-off meeting

The kick-off meeting defines the topic, possible technical supervisor, schedule, supervision implementation and assessment criteria. Use this meeting to define what a successful result will look like. A wireless-algorithm thesis may need BER, throughput, latency, spectral efficiency or energy metrics. An RF thesis may need gain, noise, linearity, impedance, radiation or OTA measurements. A network thesis may need traffic, latency, reliability, security or scalability criteria. Clear metrics reduce ambiguity later.

14. Starting in Laturi

The student starts the thesis in Laturi and invites the main supervisor and any other supervisors. The main supervisor is responsible for inviting examiners. Laturi is therefore part of the formal process from early registration through research-plan approval, submission and final grading. The record should reflect the actual people involved, not a provisional arrangement that was never updated. Students working with external organizations should resolve supervision and confidentiality boundaries before the project becomes difficult to change.

15. Research plan

After the supervisor accepts and programme personnel are confirmed, the research plan is submitted in Laturi and requires supervisor approval. A useful WCE plan should state the research problem, system model or experimental target, method, expected evidence, comparison strategy and major limitations. For simulation, define models and validation. For RF measurement, define equipment, calibration and operating conditions. For network work, define topology and traffic assumptions. For ML-assisted work, define datasets and validation separation.

16. Numerical and statistical methods

WCE contains strong numerical and statistical foundations. Numerical Matrix Analysis covers decompositions, sparse iterative methods and preconditioning. Statistical Signal Processing 1 covers probability, linear filtering, estimation, detection, regularized regression and simulation. Statistical Signal Processing II extends this to Bayesian filters, Wiener and Kalman methods, iterative and adaptive algorithms. These tools can support a thesis, but the mathematical method should be selected because it fits the research problem rather than because it appears in the curriculum.

17. Wireless Communications I

521395S Wireless Communications I covers AWGN and fading channels, digital modulation and detection, diversity, coding, multicarrier and spread-spectrum methods, and cellular-system principles. The current course also requires simulation laboratory work for University of Oulu degree-programme students. A thesis using these methods should specify channel models, synchronization assumptions, modulation/coding configuration and evaluation metrics so that a performance result can be interpreted rather than presented as a context-free number.

18. Wireless Communications II

521349S Wireless Communications II extends the physical-layer view to channel capacity, multiuser communications, adaptive modulation and coding, equalization, MIMO and space-time coding. The current course includes simulation work. A thesis in this area should be explicit about channel-state assumptions, transmitter/receiver knowledge, user scheduling, power constraints and whether results are analytical, simulated or measured. Capacity or throughput claims should not be generalized beyond the modeled operating conditions.

19. Radio channels

521386S Radio Channels covers propagation, fading, indoor and outdoor channels, satellite links, MIMO channels, measurement methods and even atmospheric attenuation at terahertz frequencies. A channel-model thesis should document environment, frequency, geometry, mobility and measurement or simulation assumptions. If an empirical model is fitted to measurements, report the measurement setup and uncertainty. If a standardized or literature model is used, explain why it is appropriate for the target scenario.

20. Simulation validity

521328A Simulations and Tools for Telecommunications explicitly covers simulation limitations, model validation, Monte Carlo methods, confidence limits, BER and multiple simulation levels. This creates an important thesis rule: simulator output is not automatically evidence. State the model assumptions, verify the implementation against known cases where possible, report statistical confidence or convergence where relevant, and separate numerical error, model error and real-world uncertainty. The more abstract the model, the more carefully its limits should be stated.

21. Communications networks

Communications Networks I covers modern mobile architecture, NFV, SDN, core networks, mobility, orchestration, routing and security. Communications Networks II adds programmable networks, MEC, network slicing, load balancing, queueing and hands-on SDN environments. A network thesis should therefore define topology, workload, traffic model, mobility assumptions, control-plane behavior and the performance or security metric. If simulation or emulation is used, distinguish the experimental environment from production-network behavior.

22. Communications signal processing

521325S Communications Signal Processing covers digital transceiver architecture, synchronization, channel estimation, equalization, soft detection, coding and multiantenna processing. For a thesis on receiver algorithms or transceiver DSP, the system interfaces matter. Report sampling assumptions, synchronization model, channel-estimation method, quantization or front-end constraints and how algorithm blocks interact. A local improvement in one block may not produce a system-level gain if another block becomes the limiting factor.

23. Information theory

521390S Information Theory provides methods for entropy, mutual information, source coding, channel capacity and rate-distortion analysis. Information-theoretic bounds are useful for deciding whether a design goal is even feasible. A thesis may compare an implementation or algorithm against a capacity or distortion bound, but the assumptions of the bound must match the system model. A theoretical upper bound should not be reported as an achievable measured performance result.

24. Coding and modulation

521391S Channel Coding and Modulation covers classical and modern coding including convolutional, Turbo, LDPC and Polar codes and their analytical or simulation-based evaluation. Coding theses should specify block length, rate, decoder assumptions, iteration limits, modulation, channel model and latency or complexity where these affect the result. Modern standards use coding under practical constraints, so a small BER gain may not be meaningful if it requires unacceptable complexity or delay.

25. Convex optimization

521392S Convex Optimization covers convex problem formulation, duality, standard convex programme families and engineering applications such as MIMO precoding. When optimization is central to the thesis, clearly define the objective, variables and constraints and explain whether the problem is genuinely convex, approximated or solved heuristically. Compare against meaningful baselines and report convergence or computational cost where relevant. A mathematically optimal solution under unrealistic assumptions may have limited engineering value.

26. Statistical communication theory

521393S Statistical Communication Theory covers estimation, detection, receiver design and analytical or simulation-based performance evaluation, including newer physical-layer directions. A receiver thesis should explain the observation model, unknown parameters, noise/interference assumptions, estimator or detector design and performance criterion. If learning methods are introduced, keep the statistical assumptions and training evidence visible rather than treating the learned receiver as a black box.

27. Multiantenna communications

521394S Multiantenna Communications covers point-to-point and multiuser MIMO, massive MIMO, beamforming, scheduling, interference management and mmWave-oriented methods. A thesis in this area should define antenna configuration, channel model, CSI assumptions, precoding/combining strategy and interference scenario. Results can depend strongly on channel knowledge and array geometry, so claims should be bounded to the modeled or measured conditions. Massive-MIMO asymptotics should not be presented as finite-system measurements.

28. Radio Engineering I and II

Radio Engineering I covers impedance matching, low-noise amplifiers, mixers, microwave components, oscillators, nonlinearity, dynamic range and power amplifiers. Radio Engineering II moves to system-level transceiver architecture, converter placement, nonlinear distortion, AGC and frequency synthesis. An RF thesis should connect circuit or block design to system requirements. Gain alone is not enough if noise, linearity, stability, bandwidth or power makes the overall design unsuitable.

29. Antennas

521388S Antennas covers antenna fundamentals, wire and microstrip antennas, arrays, wireless-device antennas, human-body interaction and 3D electromagnetic simulation. Antenna theses should distinguish simulated and measured performance and document substrate, geometry, feed, boundary conditions, ground plane, measurement environment and frequency range. If human-body or device interaction matters, include that environment in the evaluation instead of relying only on free-space simulation.

30. RF components and measurements

521225S RF Components and Measurements covers RF/microwave components and measurement of power, frequency, impedance and noise. Measurement evidence is only as strong as the setup. Document instruments, calibration, reference planes, frequency range, fixtures, cables and uncertainty relevant to the claim. If measurement and simulation disagree, investigate the discrepancy instead of selecting the dataset that supports the preferred conclusion.

31. Advanced 5G and 6G RF measurements

IE00AV13 Advanced RF measurements in telecommunications covers 5G/6G RF characterization, 3GPP testing, EMC/EMI, VNA methods, noise, wideband modulated-signal measurements and OTA techniques. Its current design also asks students to create a measurement plan tied to their own research topic. A thesis in this area should specify standards, test limits and equipment limitations and distinguish regulatory, conformance and exploratory research measurements.

32. Telecommunications circuit design

521402S Telecommunications Circuit Design supports RFIC and analog telecommunications-circuit design and includes a substantial design exercise. A circuit thesis should state process technology or component assumptions, supply and load conditions, noise and linearity targets, and the simulations or measurements used to evaluate them. Design trade-offs should be explicit. Improving one metric can degrade another, so multi-objective engineering reasoning is often more useful than optimizing one number in isolation.

33. IC design, packaging and system design

Electronics Design II and III cover analog/IC blocks, converters, sampling, switched-capacitor techniques, PLLs and layout. Microelectronics Packaging covers joining, BGA, multi-chip and 3D/system-level packaging with radio applications. Electronic System Design covers power, grounding, thermal behavior, transmission lines and crosstalk. RF hardware theses may span these levels. State which effects are modeled or measured and avoid attributing system behavior to the RF algorithm alone when packaging or board effects matter.

34. Telecommunication Engineering Project as method evidence

The current 521322S Telecommunication Engineering Project course explicitly allows students to solve, design, construct, measure, simulate, test or analyze bounded telecom/radio subsystem problems and requires technical/scientific documentation. This is useful evidence for the variety of legitimate engineering methods in WCE. It is not itself the thesis, but it reinforces that a master’s thesis can use design and implementation as research evidence when the method, evaluation and documentation are rigorous.

35. Optional machine learning

Machine Learning appears in the current WCE option tree, but it is not a universal WCE thesis requirement. If ML is used, follow a proper evaluation boundary: separate training, validation and test evidence, use relevant baselines and metrics, and discuss generalization. A model that performs well on the data used to tune it does not demonstrate wireless-system performance on unseen conditions. If synthetic or simulated data are used, explain the gap between those data and the intended deployment environment.

36. Optional IoT and security

Internet of Things and Computer Security also appear in the option tree. IoT evidence supports end-to-end pipelines, sensing and connected-device analysis, while Computer Security covers vulnerabilities and testing across software, protocols, hardware, mobile and IoT contexts. Their presence does not make every WCE thesis an IoT or security thesis. Use them only when the research question requires those methods, and define threat models or end-to-end system boundaries when making security or IoT claims.

37. Research data management

University responsible-research guidance applies to WCE theses. Simulation projects should preserve model versions, parameters and random seeds where relevant. Measurement projects should document setup, calibration and raw-data provenance. Software projects should preserve code versions and test conditions. Industrial projects should establish what can be shared and what must remain protected. Research outputs should be as open as possible while legitimate confidential, security-sensitive or personal material remains appropriately restricted.

38. Personal data and privacy

Wireless research can process personal data even when the core problem is technical. Location traces, device identifiers, traffic linked to individuals, wearable or body-area measurements and user behavior may create personal-data obligations. Follow current University privacy guidance, including minimisation and appropriate security. Pseudonymised data remain personal data when re-identification is reasonably possible. Do not label network or measurement datasets anonymous merely because obvious names were removed.

39. Ethics review

Ethics-committee review is not automatic for every WCE thesis. A radio-channel measurement in an empty environment has a different ethical profile from a study involving people, health-related body-area data, behavioral monitoring or sensitive user information. Determine applicability from the actual research design and current committee criteria. If review is needed, resolve it before data collection. Technical sophistication does not exempt research from human-subject or privacy obligations where those obligations actually apply.

40. AI use and research integrity

University ethical principles apply to sources, code, simulation results, measurements and authorship. AI-assisted writing or coding does not remove the student’s responsibility to verify references, formulas, code behavior and claims. Generated code should be tested; generated citations should be checked against real publications; and an AI-produced explanation should not replace empirical or analytical evidence. If AI is itself part of the thesis method, document its version, data boundary and evaluation separately from any AI tool used to assist writing.

41. Seminar

The exact seminar is 521362S Electronics and Communications Engineering Seminar, object 10982, 0 ECTS, PASS/FAIL. Its course description explicitly includes WCE students under the applicable 2015-or-newer PSP structure. The student gives a thesis presentation of about 30 minutes including questions and discussion. Presentations may be in English or Finnish. The current implementation 521362S-3008 runs 2026-08-01 through 2027-06-30 in the local Peppi display.

42. Optional one-credit seminar participation

The same seminar course says that participating in three additional seminars may yield one credit unit that can be included in optional studies. That optional credit is separate from the required 0 ECTS seminar object in the thesis module. It does not change 521975S from 30 ECTS to 31 ECTS. Keep these two concepts separate when checking the study record and when explaining thesis-related credits.

43. Maturity test

The exact maturity course is 521011S, object 4157, 0 ECTS, PASS/FAIL. The course says the thesis supervisor evaluates and approves it and describes a controlled written event on a supervisor-provided topic, approximately three pages. The current ECE/WCE process operationally says the supervisor creates an E-exam, the student writes it in Examinarium, the supervisor grades and locks it in Exam, and the student also registers in Peppi. Both official statements are preserved here.

44. Maturity language boundary

The exact course lists Finnish, English and Swedish, while programme and general maturity guidance can express the language requirement differently depending on prior education. Do not infer that every WCE student may simply choose any listed language. The correct requirement depends on whether the student has already demonstrated Finnish or Swedish language competence and on the current University rule applicable to that educational background. Confirm the active language requirement if there is any uncertainty.

45. Examination and final grade

When the supervisor considers the thesis ready, the student uploads it to Laturi. The programme responsible person and examiners review it and the plagiarism-check result. Examiners prepare an evaluation proposal, due three days before the Degree Programme Committee meeting. The Committee evaluates the thesis from the examiner statements and updates the final grade in Laturi. The process also provides a 14-day correction route after notification of the assessment decision.

46. Graduation

After thesis, maturity test and other degree requirements are completed, degree-certificate application proceeds through Peppi under current graduation guidance. Before applying, verify that the 521975S grade, 521362S seminar, 521011S maturity test, practical training and applicable study-option requirements are correctly recorded. Because the raw backend tree contains alternative option branches, the student’s approved PSP is especially important for confirming which courses actually belong to the completed 120 ECTS degree.

47. Double-degree WCE is a separate boundary

The current backend also contains 51714 / DD2026WCE, a separate double-degree WCE object. Partner-university co-supervision and other double-degree rules must not be imported automatically into the regular 51702 / IMP2026WCE guide. A student admitted to a double-degree path should follow the instructions for that exact programme object. This guide intentionally describes the regular programme and treats the DD object only as a boundary that prevents rule mixing.

48. Common mistakes

Common errors include reading the raw 209-211 ECTS root as the real degree size; mixing both study-option branches into one mandatory curriculum; using 521976S, 521977S or 521993S instead of 521975S; ignoring the zero-credit seminar; counting optional additional seminar participation as thesis credit; importing double-degree co-supervision rules; presenting simulation without model validation; reporting RF measurements without calibration context; and treating a programme or course language label as a universal maturity-language choice.

49. Freshness and 2027-2030 transition

This guide is bounded to the 2026-2027 regular WCE programme 51702 / IMP2026WCE and its current objects. The University has published a 2027-2030 curriculum transition, so students working under autumn-2027 arrangements should recheck the current programme tree, option modules, 521975S thesis, seminar, maturity route and ECE thesis process before treating current implementation codes or procedural details as final.

50. Practical final checklist

Before final submission, confirm that the programme path is regular 51702 / IMP2026WCE unless you are actually a double-degree student; your thesis is 521975S / 30 ECTS; Laturi lists the correct supervisors; your research plan matches the completed work; simulation or measurement evidence includes the necessary assumptions and validation; privacy, confidentiality and ethics boundaries are resolved; 521362S seminar is completed; 521011S maturity is completed under the current workflow; and your Peppi/PSP record is ready for graduation.