MSc Mechanical Engineering

• Normally, you should have at least a lower second class honours degree (2.2) in an engineering-related subject; for instance, a BSc (Hons) or BEng (Hons) in Mechanical Engineering.
• Your application will also be considered if you have alternative equivalent qualifications with extensive relevant work experience.
• We'll consider applications where appropriate work experience can be demonstrated in lieu of, or in addition to, the published academic qualifications in line with the University’s Recognition of Prior Experiential Learning (RPEL) procedures.
• If English isn’t your first language, you’ll also need IELTS 6.0 with no less than 5.5 in any band (or equivalent). We also accept a range of other English language qualifications – please visit our English Language Requirements web page for more details.
• We're more than happy to have an informal chat with you about this course, either over the phone or in person. If you wish to meet in person, please contact the Programme Leader to arrange a mutually convenient time. (While we reserve the right to interview it's not our usual practice for this course.)

Where changes are made to material information contained in this course description or a decision is taken to suspend a course between the offer of admissions and enrolment, we will inform applicants at the earliest possible opportunity and will outline the various options available to the applicant.

This course addresses contemporary issues in mechanical engineering. After graduation, you’ll be ready to enter industries that involve engineering activities, especially in roles that demand knowledge of material and structure testing, design and simulation, manufacturing and energy technologies. In addition to developing your technical knowledge and experience, this programme will also give you greater confidence in your transferable and personal skills. These include problem-solving, critical thinking, team working, and communication.

What can I do with this qualification?

Mechanical engineers are employed in many industries, with the main ones being aerospace, automotive, chemical, construction, medicine, sport, defence, consumer goods and electrical. There are career opportunities both in the UK and abroad. After graduation, you could pursue a career in manufacturing or other areas of science and technology, such as sustainable energy.

You will likely seek to achieve Chartered Engineer (CEng) status and this master’s degree is designed to meet the academic requirements leading to this professional registration.

Research is an exciting career path that will allow you to explore working in research and development roles or academia. An MSc can also be used as a stepping-stone for those who wish to continue to an MPhil or PhD.

Alternative career options

Graduates can also use the qualification as a stepping-stone into a range of other careers, bearing in mind that relevant experience and/or postgraduate study may be required. Some of these roles include:

• Research and development
• Teaching and education
• Project management
• Test engineering
• Consultancy
• Quality management
• Product management

Home students starting this course in the first year will be required to pay a Home fee of £8,496 for the academic year 2024/25.

Overseas students starting this course in the first year will be required to pay a Overseas fee of £15,950 for the academic year 2024/25.

Important note regarding tuition fees for the 2023-2024 academic year: EU nationals who meet residency requirements (have settled or pre-settled status) may be eligible for 'Home' fee status. If you do not meet these residency requirements, overseas fees will apply. Irish citizens living in the UK or Ireland will be eligible for 'Home' fee status under the Common Travel Area arrangement. Please read the student finance for EU students web page on www.gov.uk for information.

The fees for a student's course of study will be set for the normal duration of that course subject only to inflationary increases – measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI) recorded in March each year to take effect for subsequent start dates.

Bursaries

Click here for more information on our Master's Bursaries.

A variety of teaching and learning strategies will be used to help you acquire and develop appropriate concepts, knowledge and skills. You can expect lectures, seminars, workshops, practical sessions and tutorials. These are supported by guest lectures, blended learning, online discussions and activities posted on our virtual learning environment (VLE). The dissertation is delivered via workshops, independent learning and tutor support (which may be face to face, through the VLE or other suitable technologies).

It’s important to realise that the time spent with a tutor during formally scheduled activities is only a small part of the learning time identified for a module. You’ll also be expected to spend a significant amount of time in guided independent study, such as general background reading, preparing for seminar activities and working on assignments. We are committed to supporting you throughout your learning journey, but as time progresses our guidance will become less structured and prescriptive. It‘s expected that you’ll demonstrate significant independence in your study, taking responsibility for the management of your own learning time and increasing in autonomy as you progress through the programme.

The assessment strategy for the programme is designed to ensure that you achieve the overall aims and learning outcomes of the programme and learning outcomes for individual modules. You’ll be required to complete both formative and summative assessments. Formative assessments are activities that do not contribute to your overall module grade. They are, however, an integral part of the learning strategy for a module and you are required to complete them. They will be marked and you’ll receive feedback on your level of achievement. Summative assessments are those assessment activities for which the marks will contribute to the overall module grade. You’ll also receive feedback on these assessments so that you’ll know what you have done well and where you can improve. You can expect a variety of different forms of assessment, including group and individual projects and assignments, individual and group presentations, discussions, unseen time-constrained examinations, submission of the products of design processes (calculations, specifications, drawings and models), report and essay submissions, seminar presentations, and written and oral examinations.

Modules

The modules listed below may be a mixture of compulsory and optional. You may not have the opportunity to study all the modules shown as part of the course.

• Research Skills and Project Management
• Advanced Engineering Modelling and Analysis
• Smart Engineering Systems
• Product Innovation and New Technologies
• Individual Major Project
• Advanced Thermal Power and Energy Systems
• Mechanics, Materials and Manufacture Processes

Assessment methods

Learning activities

Disclaimer

The university will use all reasonable endeavours to deliver your course as described in its published material and the programme specification for the academic year in which you begin your course. The university considers changes to courses very carefully and the university will minimise any changes. Please be aware that our courses are subject to review on an ongoing basis and changes may be necessary due to legitimate staffing, financial, regulatory and academic reasons. The content of course modules and mode of associated assessments may be updated on an annual basis. This is to ensure that all modules are up-to-date and responsive to employment and sector needs. The published course material and the programme specification contain indicative ‘optional modules’ that may be subject to change due to circumstances outside of our control. For this reason, we cannot guarantee to run any specific optional module.