Frequently Asked Questions - FAQs

The Master is suitable for Graduates, 5-year baccalaureate Engineering Degree, 3-year baccalaureate Engineering Degree (graduates with a degree equivalent to 240 ECTS) in the areas of knowledge related to the Master. Accreditation of basic knowledge in Electronics; Circuit Theory, Signals and Systems; Electromagnetism; Computing; and Software and Simulation Tools is required. Advanced knowledge in these fields will be positively valued.

Teaching in the Master is based on the use of “Enseñanza Virtual”, the e-learning platform of the University of Seville (https://ev.us.es). Each student can access this platform through the user and password provided during the enrollment process. Each course is allocated its own virtual space where the teaching material is located (documents, presentations, videos, etc.). The coordinator of each course will inform about its timing, how it is taught and how it is evaluated.
The on-line nature of the Master involves time flexibility since it is the student herself/himself who, on a daily basis, sets her/his own learning pace. The interaction with the teacher is intended to be as seamless as possible, being e-mail the quickest mechanism for communication. In case a student needs direct communication (video conference, phone call, etc.), a schedule that satisfies the requirements of both the teacher and the student will be specifically established for each course.
The defense of the Master’s Thesis can be carried out either in person or through videoconference.
Work Placements, which can be taken as an elective course, constitute the only activity of the Master to be mandatorily performed in person.

ECTS credits are used as a measurement unit within the European Higher Education Area (EHEA or Bologna framework) and measure the total hours of student work, considering both classroom hours and self-study:
1 ECTS = 5 hours of class + 25 hours of self-study
A course of 6 ECTS credits in a generic degree is therefore equivalent to 30 hours of class attendance plus 150 hours of self-study.
Being this Master online, classroom hours refer to hours of online activity.

Generally speaking, the thematic units will be released as learning objectives have been covered. To this end, each course will include evaluation procedures that teachers deem appropriate for the targeted contents. These procedures will be published early enough in “Enseñanza Virtual”, the e-learning platform of the University of Seville. The interaction with the teacher is intended to be as seamless as possible, being e-mail the quickest mechanism for communication. Tutoring or other means for on-line interaction can be arranged via email.

The evaluation system of each course is established by its teachers and reflected in the official Teaching Project. This information is also published early enough in “Enseñanza Virtual”, the e-learning platform of the University of Seville. Usually, the courses of the Master are evaluated by performing works, delivery of exercises, examinations, etc. In some cases videoconferencing is contemplated as a resource for a direct interview with the student.

The academic year begins in October and is divided into two 4-month periods. The compulsory courses are taken during the first term (October to February) whereas the concentrations (electives) are taken during the second term (February to June).
The Master’s Thesis can be developed from the beginning of the 2nd term, requiring an official defense according to the current legislation on the dates announced on the web (http://www.mastermicroelectronica.us.es/en/?act=trabajo_fin_master).

Students of the University of Seville who enroll for the first time in a course have 2 annual calls at their disposal for evaluation:
- For courses of the Master belonging to the 1st term, the dates are: 1st call in March and 2nd call in July.
- For courses of the Master belonging to the 2nd term, the dates are: 1st call in June and 2nd call in July.

Those students who enroll for second or successive times are entitled to a 3rd call in the first 4-month term of that same academic year.

Please consult more details and the specific dates for the present academic course in the "Calendar" section of the Master's website (http://www.mastermicroelectronica.us.es/en/?act=calendario).

Chronologically the order of celebration of the calls during an academic year is 3rd, 1st and 2nd, so that, in order to have access to the 3rd call, it is necessary to be repeating the course and, therefore, to have paid new enrollment fees for that course. However, if the student passes the course in the 3rd call, he/she is entitled to the return of 70% of the enrollment fees.

Enrollment regulations of the University of Seville for Bachelor and Master degrees are approved yearly for each academic year through Rectoral Resolution, although they are fairly stable regulations and change little from one academic year to another. You can consult all the details of the regulations of this academic year in the following link:
https://www.us.es/sites/default/files/Comunicados%20Oficiales/julio22/NORMAS%20DE%20MATR%C3%8DCULA%202022-2023.pdf

Keep in mind that the courses of the Master are scheduled in a four-month period and usually have their evaluation calendars adapted to the default option of students being evaluated in the 1st call (March for courses belonging to the first term and July for courses belonging to the second term). However, this does not imply that it is the only available call; students can freely decide which calls at their disposal they use. For example, students with partial dedication to the Master frequently take exams of courses belonging to the 1st term in July (2nd call) in order to have more time for studying, for preparing tasks, etc.

If you plan to extend the study and evaluation of a course beyond the four-month period in which it is taught, it is advisable to let the teachers of the course know, for them to be aware and tell you in advance the evaluation schedule they will follow in the 2nd or 3rd calls.

The Master calendar is reflected on the website (http://www.mastermicroelectronica.us.es/en/?act=calendario). The reason it starts a little later than other Master’s studies of the US is that in our case, being the Master of online nature, our classrooms are those of “Enseñanza Virtual”, the e-learning platform of the University of Seville. This requires that the academic year begins once the enrollment period is completed and the Computer Technology and Telecommunications Service (SIC) of the US has provided all enrolled students with access to said platform.

The time required for a student to finish the Master depends primarily on their level of dedication and level of prior training in the areas of knowledge related to the Master. In the case of students with an admission profile presenting high affinity and full-time dedication to the Master, it is usual that compulsory and elective course are passed within one academic year, being the Master’s Thesis defended at some point during the first semester of the following academic year.

Yes, you can study part-time for the Master. Many students have done so previously. Students who cannot devote full time to the Master or students who require greater dedication because of the nature of their previous training and admission profile, can enroll in only 30 credits. Later on, they will be able to enroll in 18 additional ECTS credits during the extended period of enrollment. With this recommendation, students without full-time dedication are encouraged to complete the Master in two years.
Under certain circumstances establisehed at the Student Regulations of the Universidad de Sevilla ( https://www.us.es/sites/default/files/2009_03_19_CU_RG_ESTUDIANTES.pdf) the lower limit in the number of credits to enrol (30 ECTS) can be further reduced.

The study load of the Master’s Thesis (12 ECTS) is equivalent to 300 hours of student work. The Master’s Thesis may be written in English or Spanish with free format and length. For those students enrolled in the Master's Thesis, a public offer of topics associated with their corresponding tutors will be published at the end of the first semester. An application period will be open next for assignments among those offered topics.

If the student has already taken prior contact with faculty members and she/he has already agreed to carry out a specific Master’s Thesis, the student will appear as “preferred student” in the aforementioned offer. Likewise, the co-supervision of Master’s Thesis among faculty of this Master and faculty from other institutions is also contemplated. The defense may take place in person or through videoconference.

You can find more detailed information on the regulations and official calls available as well as a guide for assignment and development of Master’s Thesis on the web of the Master (http://www.mastermicroelectronica.us.es/en/?act=trabajo_fin_master).

Those students enrolled in the Work Placements will be contacted during the first semester in order to be informed about the choice between companies and research centers for such placements. Likewise, they will also be contacted to learn about their availability in terms of time and location to carry out this in-person activity.

Within the Master, optional external curricular internships can be taken (course "Work Placement in Companies and/or Research Centers", of 6 ECTS, in 2nd term). The Regulation of External Practices of the University of Seville (http://servicio.us.es/spee/sites/default/files/PracticasExternas_Normativa_US.pdf), in its Article 50, section 1b, says:
[in Spanish in the original text]
"The student may request the recognition of up to six credits per year of work or professional experience accredited, as long as it is related to the competences inherent to the corresponding degree.The application will be within the general terms of credit recognition established for undergraduate students and master's degree and the Dean or Director of the center is responsible of the decision, always in accordance with the provisions of the Regulation Regulating the Recognition and Transfer of Credits of the University of Seville (Agreement 4.3 / CG 22-11-11)."
At the same time, the Regulation Regulating the Recognition and Transfer of Credits of the University of Seville (http://servicio.us.es/academica/sites/default/files/normativa/Normativa_Rec_Transf-22-11-11_texto_consolidado.pdf) establishes that work experience will be recognized by credits of external internships if the Master's degree contemplates the possibility of them in their study plan (Articles 14.3 and 14.4) and establishes the procedure to duly certify said work experience (Article 19.2).

If you work or have worked in a company in the Microelectronics sector, it may be of interest to request the recognition of your work experience and validate the course "Work Placement".

The Master is equivalent, in its conception, to the teaching period of former Ph.D. Programs. Currently, in order to pursue a Ph.D. degree, it is mandatory to take a Master related to the topic of the Ph.D. Passing this Master in Microelectronics allows direct admission to the Doctoral Program of the University of Seville entitled "Physical Sciences and Technologies" (http://institucional.us.es/doctoradocytf/), under the supervision of a faculty member or researcher, in any of the following lines of research of IMSE:
• High performance VLSI CMOS digital design
• Design of circuits and systems with post-CMOS nanoelectronic devices
• Bio-electronic systems
• Integrated and heterogeneous microsystems
• Design of analog, digital, mixed-signal and RF integrated circuits and systems
• Antennas and microwave circuits
• Techniques for systematic design of integrated circuits and systems
• Systems based on soft computing
• Test and design for testability of integrated circuits and systems
• Embedded systems

Teaching in the Master is based on the use of “Enseñanza Virtual”, the e-learning platform of the University of Seville (https://ev.us.es). In order to access this platform each student will make use of her/his UVUS (Virtual User of the University of Seville) and corresponding password.

When the new students complete their self-enrollment process, an UVUS is automatically provided along with a default password. If you do not get an UVUS at the end of the self-enrollment process due to any incident, or whether you cannot access the platform “Enseñanza Virtual”, you must send an email to sos@us.es attaching a signed request for obtaining an UVUS and changing the password, together with your ID or passport scanned on both sides and your contact details. You can send a request for the application form to master@imse-cnm.csic.es.
Those students who were previously enrolled in the University of Seville or had previously requested the university ID, already have an UVUS and a password.

The tool “Enseñanza Virtual” (Blackboard Learn) is set by default in Spanish language. In order to change the application language to English, you must access “Enseñanza Virtual” identifying yourself with your UVUS. Go then to the section “Navegación Global” at the top right of the window (the rectangle in which your user name appears). On the right side of the rectangle you will see a tab pointing down. It displays a new window by clicking on it. Once in this window, you simply select “Configuración” -> “Información Personal” -> “Cambiar la configuración personal” and modify the default language of the platform.

In order to specify the email address to which those emails and/or announcements sent through “Enseñanza Virtual” will be redirected, you must access “Enseñanza Virtual” identifying yourself with your UVUS. Go then to the section “Navegación Global” at the top right of the window (the rectangle in which your user name appears). On the right side of the rectangle, you will see a tab pointing down. It displays a new window by clicking on it. Once in this window, select “Settings” -> “Personal Information” -> “Edit Personal Information” and fill out/modify the field “Correo Electrónico”, indicating your regular email address (Gmail, Hotmail , US, etc).

The University of Seville offers its students services that can be consulted on the web http://www.us.es. Among them, we would like to highlight the system for personal information management (https://buzonweb.us.es) including webmail, virtual disk, etc. and the access to library resources through the Library (http://fama.us.es). These resources can be consulted both in person and online (http://bib.us.es/utiliza_la_biblioteca/acceso).
In order to make use of these services, the same username and password provided to access the environment of “Enseñanza Virtual” must be entered, i.e. the student’s UVUS.