MSc Mechanical Engineering
Course Overview
Our MSc in Mechanical Engineering focuses on preparing you for industry. It's designed to take you from your bachelor's degree to a role in the mechanical engineering industry. Written with industry collaboration, our dedicated, knowledgeable team will cover the key areas needed to make you stand out to employers. We'll concentrate on advanced mechanics, materials and manufacturing, and advanced thermal power and energy systems processing.By working with industry players and local engineering companies to write the programme, we're ensuring that the core ethos, skills and projects are industry-centred, realistic and designed to maximise your employability. You'll explore topics from both the theoretical and practical perspectives, gaining hands-on experience in our integrated state-of-art testing lab. You'll also have opportunities to learn and improve your design, simulation and modelling skills using widely applied commercial computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and finite element analysis (FEA) software. Our dedicated and knowledgeable team will work to help you prepare to develop and innovate as the industry evolves.
Additionally, the course is designed to address all the competencies set out by the Engineering Council and UK-SPEC and to support you in achieving Chartered Engineering (CEng) status. So, if you're an ambitious mechanical engineering graduate seeking to develop advanced material, manufacturing and energy system knowledge while boosting your understanding of core engineering principles and developing the skills to analyse and solve complex engineering problems, this postgraduate degree should prove an excellent investment in your future.
Would you prefer to complete your course over a longer timeframe? We also offer this course with a duration of 18 months full-time or 24 months part-time. For full-time study, please visit our MSc Mechanical Engineering: January Start course search web page for details and to apply. Alternatively, for part-time study, please visit our MSc Mechanical Engineering course search web page.
Highlights
- This master's course is designed to meet professional institution standards in the UK and support your achievement of Chartered Engineer (CEng) status.
- Written with industry input from companies such as MBDA, GILKES and JOST you can be assured that this MSc is industry-focused and designed to advance your career.
- Our dedicated staff team, who possess a wide range of professional experience, industry knowledge, technical expertise and academic credentials, offers face-to-face sessions and one-to-one support.
- Our approach to teaching and learning is student-centred, so we'll work with you on an individual basis, providing tailored help and support throughout your studies.
- We prefer to keep lecture and practical classes relatively small so that you have plenty of opportunities to us ask questions and get individual help, as well as benefit from the ideas and support offered by your classmates.
Key Features
- This MSc offers you the opportunity to develop a wide range of knowledge and understanding of design processes and methodologies. We'll support you in learning how to apply your skills and adapt your approach to unfamiliar situations in mechanical engineering.
- By studying alongside students and professionals from other engineering specialisms or alternative industrial sectors, you can benefit from a wider range of knowledge and experience that supports cross-disciplinary thinking.
- This course is based at the University of Bolton’s campus in the North West of England.
- Course materials are available online, allowing you to prepare work at home and make the most of the highly interactive in-class tuition.
- We also offer master's degrees and postgraduate apprenticeships in Systems Engineering and Engineering Management. This programme is part of a well-established suite of master’s programmes offered by the University of Bolton.
- By choosing to study with us, you'll have the chance to enjoy Bolton's many shops, bars, restaurants and leisure facilities. Manchester, one of the UK's most multicultural and lively cities, is less than 20 minutes away by train. Not forgetting, the North West of England is renowned for its beautiful countryside, coastline and heritage. This makes Bolton an ideal base from which to explore some of the best cultural and outdoor activities the UK offers.
Entry Requirements
- 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.
Career Opportunities
The University of Bolton's MSc in Mechanical Engineering addresses contemporary issues in the field. 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, teamwork, and communication.
What can I do with this qualification?
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 allows 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 pursue an MPhil or PhD.
Alternative career options
Graduates can also use this qualification as a stepping-stone into various other careers. Some of these roles may require relevant experience and/or postgraduate study. The knowledge and skills you'll develop on this programme will underpin a number of alternative career opportunities, including:
- Research and development
- Teaching and education
- Project management
- Test engineering
- Consultancy
- Quality management
- Product management
Professional Recognition
The University of Bolton’s MSc Mechanical Engineering uses UK-SPEC learning outcomes and is designed to meet the academic requirements leading to Chartered Engineer (CEng) status. Please see the Engineering Council UK website for further details of UK-SPEC.
We’ll be seeking accreditation of the MSc Mechanical Engineering for Chartered Engineer (CEng) status from the Institute of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) and the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET).
Fees & Funding
Home/EU Fees
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.
International Fees
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.
Bursaries
Click here for more information on our Master's Bursaries.
Important note regarding tuition fees for the 2024-25 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.
How to apply
Home Applicants
You may apply directly to the University using the University's online application form. Please select your chosen start date from the list below:
You should have to hand:
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Details of the educational establishments you attended and dates
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Your certificates for the qualifications you are using to gain entry to the course – you will need to enter the completion date and upload copies
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Details of any employment history including name, address, dates and role
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Personal statement – this can be either input into the relevant field or uploaded separately
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Details including e-mail addresses of two referees, at least one of which should be someone who can provide an academic reference
Please make sure any documents you wish to upload in support of your application are in pdf or jpeg format. Personal statements may be word documents.
Please ensure your data is correct at each stage of the application before you proceed to the next page. If you use the back button at any time during the application, you should check the validity of the data you have already input.
If you experience difficulties during the application process, contact the Admissions Team on 01204 903394 or admissions-team@bolton.ac.uk
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Apply online: University of Bolton MSc Mechanical Engineering - 22 September 2025
International Applicants
Thank you for your interest
In order to determine your suitability for this course as an international student and also to confirm you meet any initial eligibility criteria, we need you to answer a few short questions.
Teaching & Assessment
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 or 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're committed to supporting you throughout your learning journey, but as time progresses, our guidance will become less structured and prescriptive. We'll expect you to 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), reports and essay submissions, seminar presentations, and written and oral examinations.
We use a blended learning and teaching style, including online delivery and engagement where appropriate.
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
| Level | Assessment method |
|---|---|
| Level 1 | Coursework 60% Written exams 40% |
Learning Activities
| Level | Activity |
|---|---|
| Level 1 | Guided independent study 75% Scheduled learning and teaching activities 25% |
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.
