

M-TECH in Computer Network Engineering at Visvesvaraya Technological University


Belagavi, Karnataka
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About the Specialization
What is Computer Network Engineering at Visvesvaraya Technological University Belagavi?
This Computer Network Engineering program at Visvesvaraya Technological University focuses on advanced concepts in network design, security, and emerging technologies like IoT and Cloud. It addresses the significant demand in the Indian market for skilled professionals who can design, implement, and manage robust and secure network infrastructures for various industries. The program uniquely blends theoretical knowledge with practical, hands-on experience crucial for solving real-world challenges.
Who Should Apply?
This program is ideal for engineering graduates with a Bachelor''''s degree in Computer Science, Information Science, or Electronics & Communication, seeking entry into specialized networking and cybersecurity roles. It also suits working professionals who wish to upskill in areas like cloud networking, IoT security, or software-defined networking. Aspiring researchers in network technologies and career changers transitioning into the rapidly evolving networking domain will also find this curriculum beneficial.
Why Choose This Course?
Graduates of this program can expect promising career paths in India as Network Architects, Security Analysts, Cloud Network Engineers, IoT Solution Developers, or Network Consultants. Entry-level salaries typically range from INR 4-7 LPA, growing significantly with experience to INR 15+ LPA for senior roles. The curriculum aligns with industry certifications from Cisco, CompTIA, and AWS, enhancing employability and growth trajectories within Indian IT services, product companies, and telecom sectors.

Student Success Practices
Foundation Stage
Master Advanced Network Fundamentals and Math- (Semester 1-2)
Dedicate significant time to thoroughly grasp concepts in Advanced Computer Networks, Network Security, and Advanced Engineering Mathematics. Form study groups to solve complex network design problems and mathematical proofs. Leverage online platforms like NPTEL for supplemental learning and Coursera for specialized courses on cryptography and network protocols.
Tools & Resources
NPTEL, Coursera, Wireshark, Cisco Packet Tracer, MATLAB/Python for math simulations
Career Connection
A strong foundation in these core areas is critical for understanding advanced topics, excelling in technical interviews, and performing well in specialized networking and security roles.
Hands-on Lab Immersion- (Semester 1-2)
Actively engage in all lab sessions for Advanced Computer Networks and Network Security. Go beyond assigned tasks by experimenting with different network configurations, security attack simulations, and protocol implementations. Document all lab findings, errors, and solutions. Seek out open-source projects on GitHub related to network programming or security.
Tools & Resources
VirtualBox/VMware, Linux, Python for scripting, GitHub, open-source network tools
Career Connection
Practical skills gained in labs are highly valued by employers. This ensures proficiency in using industry-standard tools and troubleshooting real network issues, making you job-ready.
Build a Strong Peer and Faculty Network- (Semester 1-2)
Proactively engage with professors during office hours to clarify doubts and explore research interests. Collaborate with classmates on assignments and mini-projects, fostering a peer learning environment. Attend departmental seminars and workshops to expand your knowledge base and identify potential mentors.
Tools & Resources
Departmental notice boards, Academic forums, LinkedIn
Career Connection
A strong academic network can provide mentorship, research opportunities, and valuable referrals for internships and placements.
Intermediate Stage
Specialized Skill Development through Electives- (Semester 3)
Carefully choose electives (Professional Electives 2, 3, 4) based on your career interests, whether it''''s cybersecurity, cloud networking, or data science for networks. Deep dive into the chosen elective topics through advanced readings, online courses, and small-scale projects. Aim to gain expert-level understanding in these niche areas.
Tools & Resources
Online course platforms (edX, Udacity), Specialized textbooks, Research papers (IEEE Xplore, ACM Digital Library)
Career Connection
Specializing in high-demand areas makes you a more competitive candidate for specific roles and provides a clear career trajectory.
Industry-Oriented Mini-Projects and Internships- (Semester 3)
Treat the Mini Project as an opportunity to solve a real-world problem, ideally related to your chosen specialization. Secure a meaningful internship where you can apply your knowledge in an industry setting. Network with professionals during your internship and learn about industry best practices and challenges.
Tools & Resources
Company websites for internships, Faculty connections, Placement cell, Project management tools (Jira, Trello)
Career Connection
Internships provide invaluable practical experience, lead to pre-placement offers, and build your professional network, significantly boosting employability.
Start Early on Project Work Phase 1- (Semester 3)
Begin identifying potential research problems and thoroughly reviewing existing literature for Project Work Phase 1. Collaborate with your faculty advisor to define a clear scope and methodology. Attend thesis writing workshops and learn about research ethics and proper documentation.
Tools & Resources
Research databases, Mendeley/Zotero for citation management, LaTeX for technical writing
Career Connection
A well-executed project demonstrates your research capabilities, problem-solving skills, and ability to contribute to the field, which is highly regarded in both academia and R&D roles.
Advanced Stage
Deliver a High-Impact Major Project- (Semester 4)
Focus intensely on Project Work Phase 2, ensuring your work demonstrates innovation, technical depth, and practical relevance. Aim for publishable quality research or a deployable solution. Prepare rigorously for your dissertation defense, anticipating potential questions and refining your presentation skills.
Tools & Resources
Specialized software/hardware, Cloud platforms, Statistical analysis tools, Academic writing guides
Career Connection
A robust final project is a powerful differentiator for job applications and provides a strong talking point in interviews, showcasing your mastery and contribution to the field.
Targeted Placement Preparation- (Semester 4)
Actively participate in campus placement drives, tailoring your resume and cover letters to specific job descriptions. Practice technical and HR interview questions, focusing on your specialization''''s core concepts, projects, and internship experiences. Utilize online coding platforms for interview preparation if required.
Tools & Resources
Placement cell resources, LinkedIn Learning, Glassdoor, LeetCode/HackerRank
Career Connection
Effective preparation maximizes your chances of securing a desirable job offer in top companies within your specialized domain.
Continuous Learning and Professional Branding- (Semester 4)
Identify emerging trends in computer networks, cybersecurity, and cloud computing beyond your curriculum. Engage in continuous learning through certifications (e.g., CCNA, AWS Certified Solutions Architect), webinars, and industry conferences. Build a strong professional brand on platforms like LinkedIn by showcasing your projects, skills, and insights.
Tools & Resources
Online certification platforms, Industry newsletters, LinkedIn, Personal website/portfolio
Career Connection
Staying updated and building a professional online presence ensures long-term career growth, opens doors to new opportunities, and establishes you as a thought leader in your field.
Program Structure and Curriculum
Eligibility:
- No eligibility criteria specified
Duration: 4 Semesters / 2 years
Credits: 78 Credits
Assessment: Internal: Varies by subject type; typically 50% CIE (Continuous Internal Evaluation) for theory and lab courses (50 marks out of 100). Internship is 100% CIE (100 marks)., External: Varies by subject type; typically 50% SEE (Semester End Examination) for theory and lab courses (50 marks out of 100). Project Work Phase 2 is 50% CIE (100 marks) and 50% SEE (100 marks).
Semester-wise Curriculum Table
Semester 1
| Subject Code | Subject Name | Subject Type | Credits | Key Topics |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22CSN11 | Advanced Engineering Mathematics | Core | 4 | Linear Algebra, Calculus of Complex Functions, Probability Theory, Queueing Theory, Transform Calculus |
| 22CSN12 | Advanced Computer Networks | Core | 4 | Network Architecture and Layers, Data Link and MAC Protocols, Network Layer Protocols and Routing, Transport Layer and Congestion Control, Application Layer Protocols, Quality of Service (QoS) |
| 22CSN13 | Network Security | Core | 4 | Symmetric Key Cryptography, Asymmetric Key Cryptography, Hash Functions and Digital Signatures, Network Security Applications (IPSec, SSL/TLS), Web Security, Firewalls and Intrusion Detection Systems |
| 22CSN14 | Advanced Data Structures & Algorithms | Core | 4 | Asymptotic Notations and Analysis, Advanced Trees and Heaps, Graph Algorithms (DFS, BFS, Shortest Paths), Dynamic Programming, Greedy Algorithms, Amortized Analysis |
| 22CSN15 | Advanced Computer Networks Lab | Lab | 2 | Network Simulation Tools (NS2/NS3), Packet Capture Analysis (Wireshark), Routing Protocol Implementation, Client-Server Programming (Sockets), TCP/UDP Protocol Analysis, Performance Measurement |
| 22CSN16 | Network Security Lab | Lab | 2 | Symmetric/Asymmetric Cryptography Implementation, Digital Signature and Hashing, Firewall Configuration, Intrusion Detection/Prevention System Setup, VPN Implementation, SSL/TLS Configuration |
Semester 2
| Subject Code | Subject Name | Subject Type | Credits | Key Topics |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22CSN21 | Wireless Adhoc and Sensor Networks | Core | 4 | Ad Hoc Network Architectures, MAC Protocols for Ad Hoc Networks, Routing Protocols in MANETs, Sensor Network Architectures, Localization and Time Synchronization, Security in WSNs |
| 22CSN22 | Cloud Computing | Core | 4 | Cloud Computing Architecture, Virtualization Technologies, Cloud Service Models (IaaS, PaaS, SaaS), Cloud Deployment Models, Cloud Security, Big Data and Cloud |
| 22CSN23 | Internet of Things | Core | 4 | IoT Architecture and Paradigms, Sensing, Actuation and Devices, IoT Communication Protocols (MQTT, CoAP, HTTP), Data Analytics for IoT, IoT Security and Privacy, Smart Applications (Smart City, Smart Home) |
| 22CSNE241 | Network Management (Professional Elective - 1) | Elective | 4 | Network Management Architecture, SNMP Protocol, RMON, Quality of Service (QoS) Management, Policy-based Network Management, Fault and Performance Management |
| 22CSNE242 | Data Science for Networking (Professional Elective - 1) | Elective | 4 | Machine Learning in Networking, Network Traffic Analysis, Anomaly Detection in Networks, Graph Mining in Networks, Network Data Visualization, Predictive Analytics for Network Operations |
| 22CSNE243 | Web Services (Professional Elective - 1) | Elective | 4 | Service Oriented Architecture (SOA), RESTful Web Services, SOAP Protocol, XML and JSON for Web Services, Web Service Security, Microservices Architecture |
| 22CSNE244 | Advanced Machine Learning (Professional Elective - 1) | Elective | 4 | Deep Learning Fundamentals, Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN), Recurrent Neural Networks (RNN), Reinforcement Learning, Generative Adversarial Networks (GAN), Transfer Learning |
| 22CSN25 | Cloud Computing Lab | Lab | 2 | Virtual Machine Creation and Management, Cloud Platform Services (AWS/Azure/GCP), Containerization (Docker), Orchestration (Kubernetes), Cloud Storage Management, Serverless Function Deployment |
| 22CSN26 | Internet of Things Lab | Lab | 2 | IoT Device Interfacing (Sensors/Actuators), IoT Communication Protocols Implementation, Data Acquisition and Transmission, IoT Data Visualization, Cloud Integration for IoT Data, Basic IoT Security Measures |
Semester 3
| Subject Code | Subject Name | Subject Type | Credits | Key Topics |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22CSNE311 | Multimedia Communications (Professional Elective - 2) | Elective | 3 | Multimedia Data Characteristics, Audio and Video Compression Techniques, Quality of Service for Multimedia, Streaming Protocols (RTP, RTSP), Voice over IP (VoIP), Video Conferencing Systems |
| 22CSNE312 | Security and Privacy in Social Networks (Professional Elective - 2) | Elective | 3 | Social Network Analysis, Privacy Issues in Social Networks, Trust and Reputation Management, Detection of Malicious Behavior, Data Protection Mechanisms, Ethical Considerations |
| 22CSNE313 | Wireless Communication (Professional Elective - 2) | Elective | 3 | Wireless Channel Characteristics, Cellular Systems (2G, 3G, 4G, 5G), MIMO and OFDM Technologies, Wireless Standards (Wi-Fi, Bluetooth), Cognitive Radio, Small Cell and HetNet Architectures |
| 22CSNE314 | Blockchain Technologies (Professional Elective - 2) | Elective | 3 | Cryptographic Primitives, Distributed Ledger Technology, Consensus Mechanisms, Smart Contracts, Decentralized Applications (DApps), Blockchain Platforms (Ethereum, Hyperledger) |
| 22CSNE321 | Cyber Physical Systems (Professional Elective - 3) | Elective | 3 | CPS Architecture and Components, Modeling and Analysis of CPS, Control Systems for CPS, Real-time Operating Systems, Security and Safety in CPS, Applications of CPS (Smart Grid, Autonomous Systems) |
| 22CSNE322 | Network Programming (Professional Elective - 3) | Elective | 3 | Socket Programming (TCP/UDP), Interprocess Communication, Remote Procedure Calls (RPC), Network Libraries (Python, Java), Multithreaded Server Design, Network Protocol Implementation |
| 22CSNE323 | Intrusion Detection and Prevention Systems (Professional Elective - 3) | Elective | 3 | IDS/IPS Principles and Architectures, Signature-based Detection, Anomaly-based Detection, Intrusion Response, Honeypots, Firewall Integration with IDS/IPS |
| 22CSNE324 | Software Defined Networks (Professional Elective - 3) | Elective | 3 | SDN Architecture and Evolution, OpenFlow Protocol, Network Function Virtualization (NFV), SDN Controllers (OpenDaylight, ONOS), Programmable Data Planes, SDN Applications and Use Cases |
| 22CSNE331 | Storage Area Networks (Professional Elective - 4) | Elective | 3 | Data Storage Systems, RAID Technology, SAN Components and Architecture, Fibre Channel Technology, Network Attached Storage (NAS), Data Backup and Recovery |
| 22CSNE332 | Cryptographic Algorithms (Professional Elective - 4) | Elective | 3 | Number Theory for Cryptography, Data Encryption Standard (DES), Advanced Encryption Standard (AES), RSA Algorithm, Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC), Digital Signatures and Certificates |
| 22CSNE333 | Big Data Analytics (Professional Elective - 4) | Elective | 3 | Big Data Characteristics and Challenges, Hadoop Ecosystem (HDFS, MapReduce), Apache Spark, NoSQL Databases, Data Warehousing and Data Mining, Big Data Processing and Visualization |
| 22CSNE334 | Computer Forensics (Professional Elective - 4) | Elective | 3 | Digital Evidence and Investigation Process, File System Forensics, Network Forensics, Mobile Device Forensics, Memory Forensics, Legal and Ethical Aspects of Forensics |
| 22CSNP34 | Mini Project | Project | 3 | Problem Identification and Scoping, Literature Survey and Solution Design, Implementation and Testing, Report Writing and Presentation, Individual/Team Project Work, Application of Core Concepts |
| 22CSNI35 | Internship | Internship | 3 | Industry Exposure, Practical Skill Application, Professional Communication and Ethics, Project Management in Industry, Internship Report Submission, Networking with Professionals |
| 22CSPW36 | Project Work Phase - 1 | Project | 3 | Research Problem Definition, Detailed Literature Review, Formulation of Methodology, Preliminary Design and Planning, Identification of Tools/Technologies, Interim Report and Presentation |
Semester 4
| Subject Code | Subject Name | Subject Type | Credits | Key Topics |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22CSPW41 | Project Work Phase - 2 | Project | 20 | System Implementation and Development, Extensive Testing and Evaluation, Analysis of Results and Findings, Dissertation Writing and Formatting, Project Demonstration and Defense, Publication Opportunities |




