The MSc in Information & Communication Engineering (MSICE) is a two-year postgraduate engineering program offered at Pulchowk Campus through the Department of Electronics and Computer Engineering under the Institute of Engineering (IOE), Tribhuvan University.
The program focuses on the planning, design, assessment, development, implementation, and management of information and communication technologies. Its academic structure combines core study with specialized electives, laboratory and simulation activities where applicable, project work, and an individual thesis.
Students complete at least 60 credits for the degree. These include 24 credits of core study, 16 credits of elective and/or open-elective study, a 4-credit project, and a 16-credit thesis. Elective selection and thesis work are carried out with academic guidance, giving the program both structured coursework and a substantial research component.
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Course | MSc in Information and Communication Engineering |
| Abbreviation | MSICE |
| Level | Master’s degree |
| Campus | Pulchowk Campus – Institute of Engineering |
| Department | Electronics and Computer Engineering |
| University | Tribhuvan University |
| Institute | Institute of Engineering (IOE) |
| Minimum full-time duration | 2 academic years |
| Minimum credits for qualification | 60 credits |
| Core courses | 24 credits |
| Elective/open elective courses | 16 credits |
| Project | 4 credits |
| Thesis | 16 credits |
| Admission basis | Relevant bachelor’s degree, prescribed academic grade, admission test, and merit selection |
MSICE is built around advanced study in information and communication engineering rather than one narrow branch of computing or electronics.
The program aims to strengthen students' existing engineering foundation while developing more specialized knowledge in information and communication technologies. Its academic objectives include enabling students to assess and recommend suitable information and communication solutions and providing opportunities to deepen expertise in specific areas of the field.
The program also places attention on the planning, development, implementation, and management dimensions of information and communication technologies. This gives it a broader academic orientation than a course concerned only with one technical platform or application.
At Pulchowk Campus – Institute of Engineering (IOE), MSICE is part of the Department of Electronics and Computer Engineering. The department also supports undergraduate engineering, other specialized master's programs, and doctoral study within the wider framework of Tribhuvan University.
The academic objectives of MSICE center on advanced technical understanding and professional development within information and communication engineering.
The program is designed to help students:
These objectives are reflected in the program's mix of core coursework, electives, practical academic activities, project work, and thesis research.
The minimum period of full-time attendance required for MSICE is two academic years.
The maximum period for completion is governed by the rules established by the Faculty Board of the Institute of Engineering.
To qualify for the MSc in Information and Communication Engineering, a student must successfully complete at least 60 credits, including an individual 16-credit thesis.
The credit structure is:
| Academic component | Credits |
|---|---|
| Core courses | 24 |
| Elective and/or open-elective courses | 16 |
| Project | 4 |
| Thesis | 16 |
| Total | 60 |
Students may take up to 20 credits of courses in a semester.
This structure leaves a substantial portion of the degree for both specialized elective study and independent research.
The curriculum uses two main categories of taught courses: core courses and elective courses.
Core courses address the fundamental and applied areas required within the program. Electives allow students to move into more specific areas according to their academic interests and the program's available offerings.
Students select relevant elective courses with assistance from a faculty advisor. The advisor helps maintain consistency in the combination of electives selected by the student.
The program allocates 16 credits to elective and/or open-elective study. This gives students some room to shape their postgraduate work while remaining within an academically coordinated course plan.
This elective structure is particularly important in Information and Communication Engineering because the field covers several interconnected technical areas. Instead of requiring every student to follow exactly the same specialized pathway, the curriculum combines a common academic foundation with guided elective choice.
MSICE follows a credit-based academic system.
Each course carries a specified number of credits indicating its academic weight. The number of credits is related to the contact hours assigned to the course.
Normally, a course is designed around four hours of lectures per week.
Tutorial activities can also include:
The credit structure therefore reflects more than classroom lectures alone. Depending on the subject, students may work through theoretical, practical, simulation-based, assignment-based, or project-oriented activities.
The instructional approach combines several forms of postgraduate learning.
Academic activities can include:
Students may also use academic resources such as international publications, journals, handbooks, relevant websites, and software in support of their coursework.
Considerable self-learning forms part of the program's academic approach. This is particularly relevant at master's level, where students are expected to move beyond prescribed classroom content and engage more independently with specialized technical material.
Seminars, assignments, short projects, laboratories, and simulation activities provide additional ways to apply and examine the concepts introduced through formal coursework.
The program includes a 4-credit project.
The project creates an applied academic component between course-based study and the larger thesis requirement. It gives students an opportunity to work on a defined problem within Information and Communication Engineering under the program's academic framework.
Project work also complements the instructional emphasis on practical activities, simulation, seminars, assignments, and independent learning.
The 16-credit individual thesis is a major component of MSICE.
Thesis planning begins relatively early in the program. Topics available from faculty members are introduced at the beginning of the second semester. Students can indicate preferences among the available topics.
Students may also propose their own areas of interest.
The MSICE program committee considers student preferences together with the availability of faculty supervisors before assigning thesis topics. The topic-assignment process is completed by the end of the second semester at the latest.
Students then conduct their thesis work under faculty guidance.
This arrangement allows the research stage to be planned before the later part of the degree rather than leaving the selection of a research area until the final stage of study.
Eligibility: Candidates seeking admission to MSICE must have a bachelor's degree, normally from a four-year program, in:
Applicants must also have undergraduate grades meeting the minimum level prescribed by the Faculty Board of the Institute of Engineering.
In addition, candidates must secure the minimum score prescribed by the Faculty Board in the admission test.
Admission operates through the postgraduate framework of the Institute of Engineering.
The main academic requirements are:
Candidates satisfying the admission requirements are selected on merit, with entrance examination marks used in the merit assessment.
This means academic eligibility and selection are connected but distinct. Meeting the degree and grade requirements allows the candidate to enter the admission process, while final selection is based on the applicable merit framework.
Students are expected to register and make a serious attempt to complete all coursework and thesis requirements within the two-year full-time study period.
The required academic load consists of:
A student may take up to 20 course credits in a semester.
This registration framework helps balance taught coursework, specialization, project activity, and research across the program.
To qualify for the Master of Science in Information and Communication Engineering, a student must satisfactorily complete at least 60 credits.
The 60-credit requirement includes the individual 16-credit thesis.
Successful completion therefore depends on both taught academic work and research. Finishing the coursework alone is not sufficient for the degree because the project and thesis form required parts of the curriculum.
MSICE is offered through the Department of Electronics and Computer Engineering at Pulchowk Campus.
The department's academic environment includes laboratories and technical facilities in areas such as:
This environment supports the department's undergraduate, postgraduate, project, and research activities.
MSICE also sits alongside other specialized postgraduate programs in the department. These include MSc in Computer System and Knowledge Engineering, MSc in Computer Engineering Specialization in Data Science and Analytics, and MSc in Computer Engineering Specialization in Networks and Cyber Security.
These are separate postgraduate programs with their own academic focus and admission requirements.
The structure of the program supports the development of advanced abilities related to information and communication engineering.
Through coursework, electives, tutorials, laboratories, simulation, seminars, projects, and thesis research, students may develop abilities in:
The depth of individual expertise depends on elective choices, project work, thesis topic, and the student's academic engagement.
MSICE is intended for graduates with relevant engineering backgrounds who want postgraduate study in Information and Communication Engineering.
It may be particularly relevant to students interested in combining:
The course requires a suitable engineering background and is structured as an advanced postgraduate program rather than an introductory ICT qualification.
Students should also be prepared for substantial independent learning and research, particularly because a 16-credit individual thesis forms an essential part of the degree.
MSICE stands for MSc in Information and Communication Engineering.
The minimum full-time attendance required is two academic years.
Students must complete at least 60 credits.
The program includes 24 credits of core courses, 16 credits of elective and/or open electives, a 4-credit project, and a 16-credit thesis.
Applicants normally need a four-year bachelor's degree in Computer, Electronics, or Electrical Engineering, or an equivalent qualification, along with the prescribed undergraduate grade and admission-test score.
Eligible candidates are selected on merit based on the applicable entrance examination framework.
Yes. Tutorials may include laboratory work, simulation, and assignments. Instruction can also include seminars and short projects.
Yes. The program requires an individual thesis carrying 16 credits.
Faculty thesis topics are introduced from the beginning of the second semester, and thesis-topic allocation is completed by the end of the second semester at the latest.
