Telecommunications (dtel) diploma in

CAREER PROSPECTS FOR THE DMIS GRADUATES

• 
  Telecommunications technicians
  
• 
  Signal processing technicians
  
• 
  Network technicians
  
• 
  Mobile communication system technicians
  
• 
  Satellite communication technicians
  
• 
  Help Desk Officers
  

2. 
   ENTRY QUALIFICATIONS:
   

1. 
   Normal entry
   

2. 
   Special Entry
   

1. 
   A person who has obtained from a University, College or any Learning Institution of similar status, academic qualifications acceptable to MSU Senate.
   

2. 
   Mature Entry: 5 O level passes and a person who has attained 25 years of age for males and 23 years of age for females and has proven work experience of at least 2 years in Telecommunications related field of work.
   

2. 
   GENERAL PROVISIONS
   

1. 
   Trust Academy shall offer tuition in collaboration with the Midlands State University in the Diploma in Telecommunications.
   
2. 
   Examinations shall be written and published at the end of each semester
   
3. 
   The Midlands State University Faculty of Science and Technology Board of Studies shall publish examinations results upon satisfaction from the work submitted by the candidates.
   

2. 
   DIPLOMA STRUCTURE
   

PMIS111 Introduction to the use of Computers

PMIS116 Business Communication Skills

DTEL111 Electronic communication systems*

DTEL112 Electricity and Magnetism*

DTEL113 Linear Mathematics*

DTEL114 Digital Signal Processes*

DTEL115 Electric Circuits*

PMIS114 Introduction to Computer Programming (C)*

DTEL116 Calculus*

DTEL117 Data Communication and Computer Networks*

DTEL211 Electronics*

DTEL212 Ordinary differential equations*

DMIS316 Computer Architecture

DTEL213 Digital Logic Design*

DTEL214 Antenna engineering*

DTEL215 Work Related Learning Student Report*

DTEL216 Work Related Learning Academic Supervision Report*

DTEL217 Work Related Learning Employer’s Report*

CMIS212 Systems Analysis and Design

DTEL311 IT Governance

DTEL312 Microwave and Satellite*

DTEL313 Operating Systems*

DTEL314 Micro Computer Technology*

DTEL315 Wireless and radio communication*

DTEL316 Microprocessors

DTEL317 Fibre Optic Technology*

DNEP312 Routing and Switching*

DTEL318 Project*

2. 
   ASSESSMENT
   

1. 
   The assessment of a practical subject shall be based on either written reports submitted during the semester or according to a schedule laid down by the Faculty of Science and Technology Regulations.
   
2. 
   The assessment of a project module shall be based on either written reports or a project submitted at a date determined by Trust Academy.
   
3. 
   The assessment of a practical-theory subject shall be based on a formal theory examination.
   
4. 
   All other subjects shall be assessed by continuous assessment and formal theory examinations.
   
5. 
   Each formal examination shall normally be held during an examination period at the end of a semester, in which the subject is completed.
   
6. 
   The formal theory examination for a subject shall normally be of three hours duration.
   
7. 
   A practical theory subject shall contain a practical component in the continuous assessment. The continuous assessment may be entirely practical or contain theory and practical components.
   
8. 
   For each subject that contains a theory and a practical component Trust Academy shall determine for each student a theory continuous assessment mark, a practical continuous assessment mark, a formal examination mark, a formal practical examination mark and a final mark for the subject.
   
9. 
   Students(s) maybe allowed repeating failed subjects valid for a period of three (3) consecutive semesters ONLY, thereafter the student(s) maybe required to repeat the entire level.
   
10. 
    The final mark will be calculated as follows:
    

• 
  Theory subjects: Final Mark = [(70% Examination Mark) + (30% Continuous Assessment)]
  
• 
  Projects/ Research: [Final Mark = (60% System Presentation) + (40% Documented report)]
  

11. 
    The following marking scheme shall be used for all the modules.
    

79% - 60% Credit

50% - 59% Pass

40%- 49% Fail (Supplementable)

39% and below Fail
PROVISIONS FOR PROGRESSION

12. 
    In order to proceed from level 1 to level 2 a student must have passed all the core modules
    
13. 
    To proceed from level 2 to level 3 the student must have passed all the core modules at level 2
    
14. 
    To graduate, a student must have satisfied the provisions of progression at each level as well as passed all the modules.
    

2. 
   NOTIFICATION OF RESULTS
   

Examinations results slips shall be published in accordance with the provisions of the General regulations of the Midlands State University.

2. 
   EXEMPTION POLICY
   
   1. 
      Student(s) may apply for exemptions before registration up to the end of the first calendar month of receiving tuition. Exemption application fees are non refundable in all cases.
      
   2. 
      Student(s) maybe exempted from studying subjects that have been passed in programmes similar or equivalent to those on offer. However, the student has to apply for a credit transfer. In his/ her application, the following should be attached:
      

• 
  A transcript of the subjects to be credit transferred.
  
• 
  A synopsis of the subjects from the university/ college where the subjects was studied.
  
• 
  A support letter/ document from the registrar’s office of the institution where the credits were attained.
  

2. 
   MODULE SYNOPSIS
   

Information Literacy/Hardware, Software, Networks, ICT in everyday life, Environment ,Use/managing files(Operating system, File management system, Utilities, Print management), Word processing (Document creation, Formatting Objects, Mail merge, Prepare outputs), Spreadsheets(Managing worksheets, Formulas and functions, Formatting, Charts, Prepare outputs), Databases (Understanding databases, Tables, reports, queries, Retrieving information, Objects, Outputs).

Definition of communication, Communication barriers – overloading, underloading of messages, solutions to problems of overloading and underloading. Non-verbal communication – kinetics, proximics, time, territoriality, facial expression and paralanguage. Organisational communication – flow of communication/messages in an organization. Small group communication – roles, leadership, conflict in groups. Oral communication, Meetings – Notice of meeting, agenda and minutes. Graphic communication, Written communication – memoranda, notices, business letters, press releases, reports, circulars and instructions. Communication process – medium, encoding, channel, distortion, decoding, sender, receivers and noise.

Digital communication: Shannon theory, modulation techniques for digital transmission, pulse modulation techniques. Data communications: operation and application of data communication circuits, data communication codes, error control, hardware structure of data communication protocols, mobile system protocols, synchronous and asynchronous protocols, public data networks, Local Area Networks. Multiplexing: Time Division Multiplexing, Frequency division multiplexing. Microwave communication: Frequency Modulation microwave radio systems and repeaters, protection switching, characteristics of microwave communication systems, system gain. Satelite communication: orbital and geostationary satellites look angels, radiation pattern for satellite transmission, satellite system parameters. Optical fibre communication: optical fibre communication system, electromagnetic spectrum for optical fibre communication. Cellular radio systems: Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) architecture, GSM interfaces both terrestrial and air, GSM mobile subscriber management.

Electrostatics and electric fields: electric charge, electric displacement, electric potential, Gauss’s law, distribution of charge, capacitance. Steady electric currents: Ohms law, Kirchoff’s law, resistance measurements, bridges and potentiometers, electrolysis. The magnetic field: magnetic force on a moving charge, Lorentz force law, circulating charge and cyclotron, magnetic induction, Ampere’s Biot-Savart laws, charging and discharging RC circuits, Hall effect. ectromagnetic induction: faraday’s and Lenz’s laws, self and mutual inductance, energy.

Complex numbers: geometric representation, algebra. De Moivres theorem polynomials and roots of polynomial equations. Matrices and determinants: algebra of matrices, inverses, definition and manipulation of determinants, solutions of simultaneous linear equations, applications to geometry and vectors. Differential equations: separable, homogeneous, exact, integrating factors, linear equation with constant coefficients.

Continuous time signals: nature of signals, impulse, finite width and discrete sampling. Digital signal processing: linear systems, superposition, discrete fourier transform, introduction z-transform, signal conditioning, digital filters. Statistics, probability and noise detection. Spectrum energy and power density function Analog and digital filters. Control: Laplace and z-transforms, recursive systems.

Fundamental concepts of C programming language and basic principles and tools required to develop programs. Sequence of topics provides a straightforward and disciplined way of developing programs which promote good programming habits. Outlining basic structure of a C program, data types and data representation and storage. Mastering of C keywords, operators and programming constructs. Creating advanced storage methods (such as arrays and structures).

Number systems: Natural, integral, rational and irrational. The principle of mathematical induction. The real number system: decimal and geometrical representation, inequalities and their solution sets. Functions: exponential, logarithmic, circular and hyperbolic and their inverses. Limits of functions. Continuity. Sequences: convergence of a series as convergence of the sequence of partial sums. Differentiation: Derivatives of functions of a single variable. Integration: The definite integral, the indefinite integral or anti-derivative, practical techniques of integration, method of substitution, integration by parts and reduction formulae, fundamental theorem of calculus.

Introduction to computer-based communications and networks: underlying concepts, basic hardware components and operating systems, network architectures, topology and protocols, layers, data integrity and security, transmission, switching, message routing, broadcast, remote access, network management.

Electronic devices: Semiconductor diodes, transistors, FET, UJT, BJT, MOSFETs, Rectifier circuits, power supplies, Half and full wave rectifiers, filter circuits, series and shunt voltage regulators, Amplifiers, Transistor biasing, stability factors. Dinary, Octal, Hexa decimal and binary numbers: Associate codes; Binary: Binary addition, subtraction, multiplication and division.

Basic techniques for solution of first and second order differential equations. Method of undetermined coefficients and method of variation of parameters. Existence and Uniqueness of solutions. Series solution. Differential equations of special functions. Laplace transforms to the solution of (Ordinary Differential Equations) ODEs.

Number arithmetic. Components of a microcomputer based system. Peripheral devices (input, output, memory). Logic devices (gates types and truth tables). Logical devices (flip-flops; types and truth tables (SR, D, JK)), application / use of flip-flops. The microprocessor unit: 8086/88 (architecture, registers, flags, machine cycles/states). 8086/88 assembly programming (instruction set, data transfer, rotate/shift, arithmetic operations, logic operations, BIT operations). Memory devices (SRAM, DRAM, ROM, PROM, EPROM, EEPROM, cache memory, volatile, non-volatile).

Number systems and codes, Boolean Algebra. Karnaugh maps. Combination Logic Design. Sequential Logic Design. Single Bit memory elements. Circuits.

Fundamentals of antennas, arrays and mobile communications. Antenna types and design methods: dipoles, monopoles, loop antennas, small antennas, micro-strip antennas, slot antennas. Frequency independent antennas, horn and reflector antennas, earth station antennas. Antenna instrumentation and measurements. Direction finding antennas and systems.

Introduction to systems analysis (Problem identification/ preliminary survey). Main functions of the systems analyst (and roles played by the analyst). Feasibility study (economic, social, technical, operational, Contents of the feasibility study report). Investigation and fact finding (interviews, questionnaire, observation, record inspection). Systems analysis (DFDs, ERDs, decision trees and tables, prototyping). Systems design (logical and physical design). Implementation (system testing, changeover methods- direct, phased, parallel, pilot). Maintenance and review.

IT investment decisions, procurement & implementation of new assets, value services delivery, risk assessment and performance measurement and aligning IT with business. IT auditing to ensure fiduciary, compliance and security. IT Policy formulation. IT frameworks: e.g. CobiT, ITIL.

Intro to Radio Frequency and micro wave wireless systems, frequency spectrums, wireless applications. Review of waves and microwave transmission lines: wave propagation, standing wave ratio, waveguides, coaxial lines, transmitter and receiver architectures. Transmitter & oscillator systems: frequency tuning, inter-modulation, frequency synthesizers, crystal reference & phase-locked oscillators. Telecommunications testing tools, e.g. protocol analysers, spectrum analysers, Telecommunications operations and maintenance; preventive and corrective maintenance.

Operating systems evolution and functions. Process management, system management file system, UNIX, Windows, Linux operating systems.

Operating systems Memory management. Programming languages and techniques Application software. Software systems security and maintenance.

Wireless radio systems, free space communication, modulation. Spectrum usage: analogue cellular, personal communication services (PCS), universal mobile telephone systems (UMTS).Radio channels, and access techniques for radio-based systems. Cellular communications: base station, switching offices (signaling system7 (SS7), frequency reuse plans, cell patterns. Global System for mobile (GSM): architecture, concepts & services, traffic channel capacities. Wireless data communication: WAP, SMS, GPRS, EDGE, 3G.

Designing and interfacing micro controller-based systems. Architectures of microprocessors/ micro controller hardware interfacing and programming and current development and market trends.

Totally Internally Reflected, parameters of an optical fibre, dispersion, fibre types - step index and graded index monomode and multimode, mode of transmission, waveguide equations, modes in optical fibres, power flow, fibre material:- glass and plastic, fibre fabrication - fibre drawing machine, VPO, VAD, MCVD, PCVD, double crucible method:-mechanical properties of fibres- strength, fatigue, proof testing: cables, signal degradation and attenuation, scattering losses, dispersion, radiation losses at bends, signal distortion in optical waveguides, information capacity determination, optical sources and detectors - their characteristics and response time, optical wave communication - FDM,PAM - sampling theory.

This course introduces routing and router configuration, explores networking protocols, and applies routing concepts within a lab environment. Topics covered include routing concepts and theory, Cisco operating system management, variable length subnet masking (VLSM), classless inter-domain routing (CIDR), routing protocols, and access control lists (ACLs). Routing protocols: Routing Information Protocol (RIPv1, RIPv2), Enhanced Interior Gateway Routing Protocol (EIGRP), and Open Shortest Path First (OSPF). Configure routers, interpret routing tables and troubleshoot connectivity issues.

Students will work on a systems analysis and design project, with a bias towards telecommunications or data communications under the supervision of a department member up to implementation stage, defend their project and submit a suitable report on the work carried out.

1. 
   Econet Wireless
   
2. 
   Telecel Wireless
   
3. 
   Powertel
   
4. 
   Yo!Africa
   
5. 
   Compulink
   
6. 
   Trust Academy Academic Quality Assurance Committee