Skip to content

Studies & Degrees in Technical Engineering in Telematics

Telematics is the part of telecommunications engineering that deals with networks and the services that run on them: the internet, corporate and mobile data networks, their protocols, their security and the applications built on top. It sits between telecommunications and software. The Universidad de Alcalá (UAH) describes its degree as a combination of telecommunications engineering and software development.

In Spain, telematics is one of the four technology branches of the regulated profession of Ingeniero Técnico de Telecomunicación (technical telecommunications engineer). "Ingeniería técnica" is today the name of that profession. The degree that leads to it is a bachelor's degree (grado), normally called Grado en Ingeniería Telemática.

What students learn

A ministerial order, Orden CIN/352/2009, fixes the content of the degrees that qualify for the profession: 60 ECTS credits of basic training, 60 credits common to the telecommunications branch, 48 credits of one specific technology and a final degree project of 12 credits.

In the telematics block, students learn to build, operate and manage telecommunications networks, services and applications from the point of view of telematic services. The order lists, among other things:

  • switching, signalling and routing
  • network security: cryptographic protocols, tunnelling, firewalls and authentication
  • traffic engineering and quality of service
  • describing, programming, validating and optimising communication protocols and interfaces
  • programming networked and distributed services and applications

The Universitat de València (UV) sums up its degree as general engineering training plus solid knowledge of the design and management of wireless, access and transport networks and of telecommunications services. The Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM) lists the design, planning, installation, management and maintenance of computer-based communication networks among the aims of its degree.

Qualifications and levels

  • Bachelor's degree (grado). 240 ECTS credits over four years. At UV the plan has 66 credits of basic training, 126 compulsory, 24 optional, 12 of external placements and a final project of 12.
  • Specialisation. At UPM the first two years are shared with the other telecommunications degrees of the same school, and the specialisation in telematics is taken in the third and fourth years.
  • Industry certificates. Some degrees build vendor certificates into the plan. La Salle, the engineering campus of the Universitat Ramon Llull in Barcelona, states that its degree includes the training needed for the Cisco CCNA and CCNP certifications. It also presents the degree under the name Grado en Ingeniería de Redes y Tecnologías de Internet.
  • Master's degree. Ingeniero de Telecomunicación is a separate regulated profession that requires an official master's degree. Official master's degrees in Spain have 60, 90 or 120 ECTS credits.

Where to study it

The SpainExchange directory lists 4 schools for this subject, all in Spain: the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya and the Universitat Ramon Llull in Barcelona, the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid and the Universitat de València. Other universities teach the same degree; the UAH page is one example.

Languages of instruction vary. UV lists English, Spanish and Valencian and expects half of the optional subjects to be taught in English. La Salle lists Catalan, Spanish and English, and UAH Spanish and English. Intake is limited: UV offers 49 places, UAH 75 and La Salle 15.

Public universities charge tuition per credit. In October 2026 the UV page gives €17.34 per credit for a first enrolment, and €34.68 per credit for foreign students from outside the EU who do not have EU-regime status. A year is 60 credits. Private universities set their own fees.

Applicants with school studies from another country normally need an accreditation from UNEDasiss, the UNED service used by many Spanish universities, and then apply to each university within its deadlines.

Careers

According to UAH, careers fall into three fields: telecommunications network engineering, development of telematic services, and management of telematic systems and services. Employers include network operators (internet, television, fixed and mobile telephony), companies that develop communications equipment, software engineering firms, and the network departments of companies and public bodies. Network security is part of the core training, and La Salle presents its degree as a route into cybersecurity work.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between telematics and computer engineering?

Telematics is a telecommunications degree. It shares its basic and common blocks with the other telecommunications branches and specialises in networks, protocols, security and networked services, and it qualifies for the profession of Ingeniero Técnico de Telecomunicación.

How long does the degree take?

Four years, with 240 ECTS credits.

Is the degree taught in English?

Partly, at some universities. UV lists English among its teaching languages and expects half of its optional subjects to be in English; UAH and La Salle also list English alongside Spanish.

How much does it cost at a public university?

Public universities charge per credit, so check each university's price page. As an example, UV lists €17.34 per credit for a first enrolment and €34.68 for non-EU foreign students, in a plan of 60 credits a year.