Master study

The study programmes of the second cycle (master degree study programmes) are oriented at acquisition of theoretical and practical knowledge  based on the present state of science and at development of  ability of their creative application at pursuit of profession  or at continuing higher education according the doctoral study programme.

The study programmes “Process Control” and “Applied Telematics” belong to the field of study “5.2.14 Automation”.

MASTER STUDY IN “PROCESS CONTROL”

Profile of the graduate:

The graduate has advanced knowledge on analysis and synthesis of automated and automatic control and information systems, especially in the field of information processing and information transmission needed by safety-critical processes. The graduate is specialized in control industrial processes with emphasis on sophisticated and smart control systems together with supporting information, transmission and signalling systems in industry. Transport is one of application domains with focus on railway interlocking and signalling systems and survey of intelligent transport systems in road transport. The graduate is trained for independent design of control and information systems, their implementation and operation under requirements for safety and security of control processes in both industry and transport. His/her theoretical knowledge, practical skills and abilities qualify him/her to work in industry or research area or continue with his/her further study in the 3^rd cycle study. 

• Theoretical knowledge: The graduate has advanced knowledge from control theory which is extended for control theory of safety-critical processes, reliable and safe/secure information processing in high-integrity systems (industry, transport), methods to design hardware and software means, design and use of information technologies in automatic control systems, including safety-critical applications, on process, operational and management levels, and method for diagnostic of systems.    
• Practical skills and abilities: The 2^nd cycle study significantly strengthens independence and self-activity of students. Students obtain basic experience from research and development works and team management as well.
• Software skills: TCP/IP, IEEE 802 networks, IEEE 802.3 Ethernet, Industrial Ethernet, Switched LAN, VLAN, LAN IEEE 802.11, WAN, Bluetooth, ZigBee, Vehicular networks, crypto-analysis and cryptography, Safety PLC, PLC Web servers, MATLAB and toolboxes (Signal Processing, Image Processing, Fuzzy Control), dependability analysis software tools (PTC® Windchill® Prediction, VisualSpar^TM, BQR, CARE), Unified Modeling Language (IBM Rational software Rhapsody®, Enterprise Architect), multiagent systems (NetLogo), soft-computing, rule-based expert systems (WinExsys Developer) and Bayesian Belief Networks (Hugin Developer, Patterns & Predictions), machine learning and data mining (Rapid Miner Studio),  AI declarative programming languages (SWI-Prolog), PHP, MySQL, production database systems Oracle and distributed databases MS SQL, information systems (ERP, MES, CRM, BI), LF and UHF RFID systems, biometric identification systems, PYTHON language, SCADA/HMI, Cloud Computing, ABB Robot Studio, e-Puck webots.   
• Additional knowledge, skills and abilities: Knowledge in the field of supporting CAE means is being deepened for electrical engineering and computer engineering works and system integration in industry.

Characterization of the study programme:

During the 1^st year of study the students get theoretical knowledge on selected parts of engineering mathematics and control theory of technological processes with emphasis given on safety and advanced methods of automatic control. This theoretical knowledge may further be applied either in project-oriented theoretical courses or UML-based object-oriented development of systems. The 1^st year of study also makes possible to get knowledge on methods of safety analysis of control systems and adoption of tools to ensure secure communication. Students are systematically trained to be able to self-design automatic control and information systems, especially safety-critical ones. Knowledge may further be extended based on selecting 1 out of 2 specializations. The specialization Control of traffic processes offers compulsory optional courses in railway interlocking and signalling systems, their components and survey of road intelligent transport systems. The specialization Control of industrial processes offers compulsory optional courses in theory of signal processing in process control and robotic systems. Attention is also paid to learning a selected part of professional terminology in English (for study in Slovak – note). The 2^nd year of study also accentuates project-oriented forms of teaching with aim to support self-activity and creativity. Within diploma seminars the students start working over their diploma theses. The study is completed with defence of the diploma (master) thesis and state examination verifying knowledge from the field of study. The whole study programme is balanced well to fulfil requirements resulting from the valid legislation. Practical skills of students are supported by their participation in excursions in enterprises being professionally close to the field of study (e. g. companies dealing with industrial automation – such as INA, a.s. Kysucke Nove Mesto; Robotec-Industrial automation, s.r.o. Sucany; KIA Motors Company in Teplicka n/V. etc.) or dealing with design or operation of railway interlocking systems – AZD Prague, s.r.o, ZSR a.s. – Railways of the Slovak Republic, etc. or companies oriented to road traffic control and management, e. g. Scheidt&Bachmann Slovensko, s.r.o.; Betamont, s.r.o. Zvolen). The study programme also gives an opportunity to pass an optional course in Professional practice, whenever during the whole study.

Courses (in some study documents also called “Subjects”):

The list of provided courses is available in the form of the recommended Study plan which is divided into individual academic years and semesters. Every course has its identification number and name, abbreviation of the name, defined category, scope (expressed in hours) and credits. Generally they are three categories of courses provided: Com = Compulsory (whose attendance is obligatory, i. e. students must attend them and pass exams), COpt = Compulsory Optional (a student must select a certain number out of offered optional courses that then will have to be attended and passed) and Opt = Optional (free choice course, i. e. student may but not need to attend them). The hours representing the scope of the course are specified in the form “Lecture-Seminars-Laboratory exercises” (hours per week).

Recommended Study plan of the full-time study: 

Admission Conditions:

The basic condition for admission to master degree study programmes (the 2^nd cycle study) at the FEE UNIZA for the academic year 2016/2017 is a completed first level study programme (Bc.) in the same or similar field of study at the date of admission procedure (Act on Higher-Education Institutions No. 131/2002 Coll.). The principles governing the admission procedure are available on official pages of the Faculty’s Education Office.

Applicants from abroad are assessed individually since they may come from countries with different higher education systems or different evaluation mark scales. For payment conditions – see the section “Practical information for study” at the end of page.

Employability:

The graduate obtains education in the field of analysis and synthesis of automated control and information systems mainly for the area of information processing and transmission in the control of safety critical processes. Graduates from the study programme Process Control specialize in safe control of transportation processes with emphasis on railway interlocking and signalling systems and intelligent transport systems. They handle support telematic systems and safe control of industrial processes with emphasis on complex technologies, safe critical production applications, intelligent buildings, security alrm systems for personal and property protection, security of information systems and modern computer networks.

MASTER STUDY IN “APPLIED TELEMATICS”

Profile of the graduate:

The graduate will acquire education in the areas of design, modelling, application, implementation, control, inspection, service and maintenance of telematics systems and their components, especially intelligent transport systems, control systems of road and railway tunnels, complex transportation systems and telematics systems in health care. He/she will gain theoretical knowledge about sets of technical instruments utilized in selected application areas (primarily in the area of transport, additionally in other areas – health care, public services, etc.) that are required for understanding of telematics systems, their components, modern development trends, position of human factor in these systems as well as knowledge needed for design, control and assessment of those systems. Telematic applications result from convergence and synergy of automation technologies with information and communication technologies in the frame of building the complex control systems, with the support of management economics, system engineering and mathematical methods of control, aimed at increase in safety, effectiveness and othere parameters of controlled processes. In our understanding the term TELEMATIC = TELEcommunication & autoMAtion & informaTIC science. 

The emphasis on project-based teaching gives rise to self-activity and creative application of obtained knowledge in selected telematics applications. Theoretical knowledge, practical skills and abilities qualify a graduate to work in industry or research area or continue with his/her further study in the 3^rd cycle study.  

• Theoretical knowledge: The graduate has advanced knowledge from control theory which is extended for control theory of safety-critical processes, reliable and safe/secure information handling in high-integrity control systems, methods to design hardware and software means, design and use of information technologies in automatic control systems, including safety-critical applications, on process, operational and management levels, and method for diagnostic of systems.   
• Practical skills and abilities: The 2^nd cycle study significantly strengthens independence and self-activity of students. Students obtain basic experience from research and development works and team management as well.
• Software skills: TCP/IP, IEEE 802 networks, IEEE 802.3 Ethernet, Industrial Ethernet, Switched LAN, VLAN, LAN IEEE 802.11, WAN, Bluetooth, ZigBee, Vehicular networks, crypto-analysis and cryptography, Safety PLC, PLC Web servers, MATLAB and toolboxes (Signal Processing, Image Processing, Fuzzy Control), dependability analysis software tools (PTC® Windchill® Prediction, VisualSpar^TM, BQR, CARE), Unified Modeling Language (IBM Rational software Rhapsody®, Enterprise Architect), multi-agent systems (NetLogo), soft-computing, rule-based expert systems (WinExsys Developer) and Bayesian Belief Networks (Hugin Developer, Patterns&Predictions), machine learning and data mining (Rapid Miner Studio),  AI declarative programming languages (SWI-Prolog), PHP, MySQL, production database systems Oracle and distributed databases MS SQL, information systems (ERP, MES, CRM, BI), LF and UHF RFID systems, biometric identification systems, PYTHON language, SCADA/HMI, Cloud Computing, ABB Robot Studio, e-Puck webots.  
• Additional knowledge, skills and abilities: Knowledge in the field of supporting CAE means is being deepened for electrical engineering and computer engineering works and system integration in industry.

Characterization of the study programme:

The study programme is based on gradual acquiring of knowledge in the following chronological order: theory (theoretical fundamentals, mathematical apparatus, methods of analysis and synthesis) → components → systems → applications. The graduates will have advanced knowledge from control theory – both in relation to the generally acceptable principles of the field of study Automation (courses: Advanced methods of control engineering and Process visualization) and in relation to the particular application domains – here mostly in the field of road traffic control and management (course: Traffic process control). That is not possible without deeper knowledge on information processing in the specific domain (courses: Theory of signal processing in process control, and Communication networks). Knowledge on intelligent (smart) systems of control and industrial control systems will be provided in the courses Artificial Intelligence 1, Artificial Intelligence 2 and optionally in the course Robotic systems. An actually unthinkable part of analysis and synthesis of control systems – modelling and simulation – is involved in the courses Modelling of telematics systems and Safety analysis of control systems. The latter course will also provide necessary knowledge on diagnostics and its methods. Necessary fundamentals in the form of mathematical apparatus will be given in the course Engineering mathematics for electrical engineering. A deeper view of specific application domains (mainly specific railway transport) or of selected aspects of their operation is possible through optional equitable courses (Elements in railway signalling systems,  Railway signalling systems, Applications of railway signalling systems, and/or Security systems). Information background for control and management systems and use of information technologies in them, including diagnostic methods again, is established by the courses Application of information systems in process control, Secure system communication, Applications of higher programming languages, Security of information systems, and Automatic identification. The 2^nd cycle study significantly accentuates self-activity of students. In addition to semester projects elaborated within multiple courses the independence and creative work is supported by the courses Diploma project from applied telematics 1, Diploma project from applied telematics 2, and Elaboration and defence of MSc. (diploma) thesis where students can demonstrate adoption of that ability when solving an individually defined and defended topic. To adopt practical skills outside the academic environment of own Faculty, the students have a chance to pass an optional course Professional practice – whenever during the 4-semester study. Knowledge useful for system integration of automation units is available in the optional course System integration; quality tasks and quality management in the form of optional course Corporate quality management. The course Physical education helps to support physical health and active way of student’s life – it is available in every semester. The course of state examination makes possible to utilize all knowledge and skills mentioned above and evaluate their level in a form of the state examination board. An additional value of this study program is safety and security aspect of control systems. The importance of traffic telematics for the field of automation was for the first time emphasized by the central scope of the 12^th International Symposium IFAC (International Federation of Automatic Control) held in the USA in 2009 under the name „Control in Transportation Systems – CTS’09“. The profile of the graduate from the Automation field of study banks on future employment in the field of multimodal transport. Despite existence of a deficit in knowledge and skills of transport engineers, our graduate is equipped with a headstart in the field of theory of automatic control, its applications in traffic processes, design and use of ICTs and ability to apply artificial intelligence tools, too. That is a comparative advantage over transport engineers. The whole study programme is balanced well to fulfil requirements resulting from the valid legislation.

The relative fields of study are Cybernetics, Applied Informatics, Software Engineering, Artificial intelligence, Computer Engineering, Information Systems, Electronics, Mechatronics, Measurement Technique, and Telecommunications whose parts are involved in systems of automatic control or vice versa, methods and means of automatic control are utilized in these fields.

Courses (in some study documents also called “Subjects”):

The list of provided courses is available in the form of the recommended Study plan which is divided into individual academic years and semesters. Every course has its identification number and name, abbreviation of the name, defined category, scope (expressed in hours) and credits. Generally they are three categories of courses provided: Com = Compulsory (whose attendance is obligatory, i.e. students must attend them and pass exams), COpt = Compulsory Optional (a student must select a certain number out of offered optional courses that then will have to be attended and passed) and Opt = Optional (free choice course, i.e. student may but not need to attend them). The hours representing the scope of the course are specified in the form “Lecture-Seminars-Laboratory exercises” (hours per week).

Recommended Study plan of the full-time study:

Admission Conditions:

The basic condition for admission to master degree study programmes (the 2nd cycle study) at the FEE UNIZA for the academic year 2016/2017 is a completed first level study programme (Bc.) in the same or similar field of study at the date of admission procedure (Act on Higher-Education Institutions No. 131/2002 Coll.). The principles governing the admission procedure are available on official pages of the Faculty’s Education Office. 

Applicants from abroad are assessed individually since they may come from countries with different higher educational systems or different evaluation mark scales. For payment conditions – see the section “Practical information for study” at the end of page. 

Employability:

Complexity of the graduate profile increases chances for immediate employability at the labour market. Expected work positions are: project managers, modelling, design, deployment, inspection, operation, service and maintenance of telematic systems and their components, particularly intelligent transport systems, traffic control and management systems of road and railway tunnels, complex control traffic systems, telematics systems in health-care. Management of development projects of telematics applications. Assessment of effectiveness of telematics systems, measurement of their parameters, inspection of their contributions and benefits to users, integration of components/devices/subsystems and their integration into higher units. Assessment of telematics systems from the viewpoint of their safety, reliability and other dependability characteristics and parameters, including environmental effects. Research and development. Prepared to continue to the 3^rd cycle university study for PhD. degree.