Studies & Degrees in Telecommunications Engineering
Telecommunications Engineering Study Programs
Telecommunications engineering deals with the systems that carry information over a distance: fixed and mobile networks, radio links, the electronics behind them, and the services that run on top, from voice and data to audio and video. The Universidad de Málaga describes its degree as covering every level of information and communication technologies, from the services and applications that users know down to the systems and circuits that support them.
Students need a good base in mathematics and physics. In Spain, the ministerial order that regulates the bachelor's degree divides the field into four specific technologies:
- Telecommunication systems (transmission, radio and networks)
- Telematics (network services and applications)
- Electronic systems
- Sound and image
The common part of the degree covers switched and packet networks, fixed and mobile networks, network interconnection and routing, and the regulation of telecommunications.
Qualifications and levels
Spain has two regulated professions in this field, one at each level:
- Ingeniero Técnico de Telecomunicación, reached with an official bachelor's degree (grado) that meets Order CIN/352/2009. The degree has 240 ECTS credits: 60 of basic training, 60 common to the telecommunications branch, 48 of one specific technology and a final project of 12.
- Ingeniero de Telecomunicación, reached with an official master's degree that meets Order CIN/355/2009. Bachelor's and master's studies together must total at least 300 credits.
The Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingenieros de Telecomunicación (ETSIT) of the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid shows how the two fit together. Its Grado en Ingeniería de Tecnologías y Servicios de Telecomunicación lasts four years, has 240 ECTS credits and is taught mainly in Spanish, with 300 first-year places. Students choose one of four tracks in the fourth year. Its Máster Universitario en Ingeniería de Telecomunicación lasts two years, has 120 ECTS credits and offers 200 places. The school states that both programmes are accredited by ABET and hold the EUR-ACE label.
Not every degree with telecommunications in its name qualifies for a regulated profession. The Universidad de Málaga lists its generalist Grado en Ingeniería de Tecnologías de Telecomunicación as not leading to a regulated profession and presents it as the base for the master's degree. The Universidad de Alcalá and La Salle – Universitat Ramon Llull, in contrast, state that their degrees qualify for the profession of Ingeniero Técnico de Telecomunicación. Check this point on each school's page.
Outside Spain the usual route is a bachelor's degree in telecommunications or in electrical and electronic engineering. In Ecuador, for example, the Escuela Superior Politécnica del Litoral awards the title Ingeniero en Telecomunicaciones after 8 semesters of campus-based study and states that the programme is accredited by ABET.
Where to study telecommunications engineering
SpainExchange lists 33 active schools for this subject. Spain has 20 of them. Chile, the United States and Ecuador have two each, and the United Kingdom, Australia, Japan, Italy, India, Colombia and Peru one each.
In Spain the schools are spread across the country. Examples are the ETSIT of the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, the Universidad de Alcalá in Alcalá de Henares, La Salle – Universitat Ramon Llull in Barcelona, the Universidad de Málaga, the Universidad de Cantabria in Santander and the Universidad Miguel Hernández in Elche. In Latin America the list includes the Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos in Lima, the Universidad de Antioquia in Medellín and the Universidad de Concepción in Chile.
Spanish is the main language of instruction in Spain, but several schools teach part of the degree in English. The Universidad de Alcalá lists Spanish and English as languages of its degree, and La Salle lists Catalan, Spanish and English. The first year of the UPM master's degree is taught in both Spanish and English. Offers change from year to year: the Universidad de Navarra, for example, states that no places are offered for 2026-27 on its Grado en Ingeniería en Sistemas de Telecomunicación in San Sebastián.
Careers
Graduates design, build and run networks and services, develop electronic equipment, and work in neighbouring areas. The specialisation areas of the UPM master's degree give an idea of the range: signals and communications, telematics, electronics, bioengineering, and ICT management, innovation and business.
Official statistics usually count telecommunications engineers within a wider group. In the United States, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that electronics engineers (except computer) held about 98,200 jobs in 2025, and that telecommunications was one of their largest employers, with 14%. It projects employment of electrical and electronics engineers as a whole to grow 8 percent from 2025 to 2035.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Ingeniero Técnico de Telecomunicación and Ingeniero de Telecomunicación?
They are two regulated professions in Spain. The first requires an official bachelor's degree of 240 ECTS credits that meets Order CIN/352/2009. The second requires an official master's degree that meets Order CIN/355/2009.
How long does it take to study telecommunications engineering in Spain?
The bachelor's degree takes four years (240 ECTS credits). The qualifying master's degree at the UPM adds two years (120 ECTS credits).
Can I study telecommunications engineering in English in Spain?
Partly. Some schools list English among the languages of the degree, but Spanish remains the main language at most of them. Ask the school which subjects are taught in English.
Is an ABET or EUR-ACE label important?
They are international quality labels for engineering degrees. They do not replace official recognition in the country where you want to work, so check both.