This module can be taken as a Short Course for Credit or a Standalone Short Course.

Please go to the 'Upgrade to a professional qualification' section for more information.


The aim of this course is to provide the students with the essential signal analysis and statistical tools used in communications and sensor systems. The main areas covered are analogue and digital signal processing, statistics and the detection of signals in noise.

At a glance

  • Dates
    • Please enquire for course dates
  • Duration5 days
  • LocationCranfield University at Shrivenham
  • Cost£2,350 - Short Course for Credit fee 

    £1,925 - Standalone Short Course fee 

Course structure

The course is run once each year. Each course lasts for 5 days.

What you will learn

Signal processing and statistics provide the analytical tools required to describe the signals found in communications and sensor systems and also the techniques employed in such receivers. This course is a foundation module for anyone who is intent on studying communications, radar and electro-optics systems at Masters level.

Core content

The course covers the following topics:

Statistics and Noise

  • random variables and probability distributions,
  • covariance and correlation,
  • cascaded networks and the mathematical representation of noise.

Analogue Signal Processing

  • analogue methods used to describe, analyse and process signals and the behaviour of systems,
  • Fourier and Laplace transforms,
  • correlation and convolution,
  • impulse response and transfer function.

Digital Signal Processing

  • matched filters,
  • the z-transform,
  • advantages/disadvantages of DSP,
  • sampling and quantisation,
  • digital filters,
  • the DFT and FFT, DSP applications in communications and radar.

Decision Theory

  • hypothesis testing,
  • probabilities of false alarm and detection,
  • Bayesian systems,
  • error probability and bit error rate,
  • receiver operating.

Upgrade to a professional qualification

When taken as a Short Course for Credit, 10 credit points can be put towards either the Communications Electronic Warfare PgCert, Sensors Electronic Warfare PgCert, Military Electronic Systems Engineering Foundations PgCert, Guided Weapon Systems MSc or Military Electronic Systems Engineering MSc.

Find out more about short course credit points.




Who should attend

The course is intended for military officers and defence industry scientists and technical officers. It is particularly suitable for those who will be involved with the specification, analysis, development, or technical management of military radar, electro-optics, communications or information systems, where the emphasis is on an electronic warfare environment.

Speakers

Dr Peter Barker

Location and travel

Cranfield Defence and Security (CDS) is a Cranfield School based at the Ministry of Defence establishment on the Oxfordshire/Wiltshire borders.

Shrivenham itself lies in the picturesque Vale of the White Horse, close to the M4 motorway which links London and South Wales. It is 7 miles from Swindon, the nearest town, which lies off the M4 at the hub of Britain’s motorway network.

Bath, Cheltenham, Bristol and Oxford are all within an hour’s drive and London less than two hours away by car.

All visitors must be pre-booked in at reception by the person they are visiting on the campus.

For further location and travel details

How to apply

To apply for this course please use the online application form.

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Read our Professional development (CPD) booking conditions.