MSc Mechanical Engineering Design

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Full time according to Funding Council definitions, Part-Time, Sandwich (Thick) out of college.

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If you have ambitions of being a Chartered Engineer (CEng) then this course will provide you with the ideal start.

It is accredited by the Institution of Engineering Designers (IED) on behalf of the Engineering Council for the purposes of fully meeting the academic requirement for registration as a Chartered Engineer. Graduates holding professional status and accredited degrees are highly valued by employers in the UK and internationally.

If you choose to take this degree on a part-time basis, it will take two years to reach Master’s level and you will then have a further six-month project to undertake.

During the course, you’ll apply mathematical and computer-based models for solving problems in engineering design. The nature of this course is business-driven and you will apply your knowledge to specific design problems. The research undertaken as part of the Individual Master’s Project will give you an opportunity to explore your particular area of interest in greater depth.

See Course details for information including how this course will be delivered safely if you’re starting in January 2021 in response Covid-19.

Find out more: Watch a recorded webinar about our Master’s degrees in Design and Engineering. This is presented by Dr Mehran Koohgilani, the programme leader for postgraduate courses.

Key information

Next start date:

January 2021, September 2021, January 2022, September 2022

Location:

Bournemouth University, Talbot Campus

Duration:

September: 12 months full-time, 24 months with an optional work placement, or 2 years part-time. January: 15 months full-time, 24 months with an optional work placement, or 2 years part-time.

Accreditations:

Accredited by the Institution of Engineering Designers (IED) and Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) as meeting the further learning requirement for Chartered Engineer (CEng) registration for the 2019-2023 intake years

Required subjects:

Engineering

Entry requirements:

A Bachelors Honours degree with 2:2 in a required subject. If you want to apply for Chartered Engineer status (standard route), you will need to have an IEng accredited Honours degree or academic qualifications that have been approved at IEng level, to meet the Engineering Council's registration requirements.

International entry requirements:

If English is not your first language you'll need IELTS (Academic) 6.0 with a minimum of 5.5 in each component. For more information see our full entry requirements.

Accredited by:

Course details

On this course you will be taught by a range of staff with relevant expertise and knowledge appropriate to the content of the unit. This will include senior academic staff, qualified professional practitioners, demonstrators, technicians and research students. You will also benefit from regular guest lectures from industry.

Contact hours and assessment

Details of the assessment methods and contact hours for each unit of the course can be found in the programme specification.

Download the programme specification (pdf 475kb)

January 2021 – course information

During your second semester (January to June), you will be taught occasionally on campus for the Advanced Materials unit. These sessions will be live-streamed for those who cannot attend in person.

The rest of your course will be delivered online to ensure that you, and those around you, remain as safe as you can be. We will work to include more face-to-face delivery as soon as local and national guidance and appropriate risk assessments make it possible.

We’ve been delivering lectures and sessions online for some time now, and have designed virtual sessions that will be interactive, making full use of technology to enhance the experience for everyone.

You will still be able to use the Library, the Student Centre, Open Access Centre and social learning spaces, subject to physical distancing measures to undertake group and other work.

There will be no other changes to the content of your course as a result of Covid-19; we will deliver all of the units we have previously promised we would, and we are not making any changes to the individual learning outcomes on your course.

You can view our Coronavirus FAQs for the latest information from BU.

This is the latest information, updated on 24 November 2020. We will update this page when more information is available, and we can confirm any additional on-campus activity.

Core units

Structural Integrity: After completing this unit you will have developed a professional competence and critical awareness of selecting appropriate methods for designing and analysing structural components. You'll be able to independently apply structural integrity theories for solving a range of engineering problems and have the ability to diagnose the causes of structural failure and propose methods of avoiding them in the future
Materials Failure and Prevention: You will gain a deep understanding of common failures that occur in materials during a process and the ability to design against their occurrence. Additionally, you’ll learn skills to better predict the residual life of components in service.
Group Project A: Gain professional management skills for working in a team to produce a solution to a technical problem. Develop the ability to determine basic personality characteristics in self and others, undertaking a rationale analysis of how personality characteristics affect group dynamics and understanding strategies for managing self and others when working in a team.
Advanced Materials: By thoroughly teaching the properties of materials and performance at the nano level, this unit will educate students on the concept of self-healing in materials and how it can be used to extend the life of components in a design setting. Through lectures, case studies and workshops, students will gain the knowledge of advanced materials, their properties and their applications.
Life Cycle Management: In reference to issues within the field of design, life cycle techniques are crucial for impacts on the environment, legislation and economy. You’ll develop the skills to apply these techniques to product designs and the application of a positive ethical professional conduct underpinning design practice.
Research Methods: This unit will adequately prepare you for writing a project proposal and for conducting and disseminating the Individual Master's Project. You will use key research skills in areas such as literature reviews, critical analysis of research findings, project proposals, planning, experiment design and analysis, and dissemination.
Individual Masters Project: Using real-life problems you will use your knowledge gained from the programme, research findings and industrial experiences to produce an independently conducted piece of work. Your project may be linked to your workplace or to research being undertaken within one of BU's research themes. This project will develop your knowledge of philosophy, methodologies and techniques of research provide you with an opportunity to critically investigate and report on a particular issue in depth and enable you to engage in complex issues and present an analytically rigorous and well-argued case.

Programme specification

Programme specifications provide definitive records of the University's taught degrees in line with Quality Assurance Agency requirements. Every taught course leading to a BU Award has a programme specification which describes its aims, structure, content and learning outcomes, plus the teaching, learning and assessment methods used.

Whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the programme specification, the information is liable to change to take advantage of exciting new approaches to teaching and learning as well as developments in industry.

If you have been unable to locate the programme specification for the course you are interested in, it will be available as soon as the latest version is ready. Alternatively please contact us for assistance.

Placements

If you choose to take the optional placement, it will begin after completion of the taught units, providing an excellent opportunity for you to gain first-hand industry experience and apply the learning that you have achieved through the course. The placement should be a paid job but voluntary work can be just as enjoyable.

Find out more about postgraduate placements

How placements benefit you

Experience gained on the placement is invaluable in helping you to make informed decisions about your future career path, as well as enhancing your employment prospects upon graduation. Our dedicated Placements Office helps you to obtain placements and you will receive support throughout the placement experience.

Interview techniques and advice are also provided to help you successfully gain a placement. A number of companies habitually accept students from this course for the placement year.

Our placement students have previously worked with

Entry requirements

General entry requirements

The normal requirements for embarking upon this course are:

If you lack the formal academic qualifications needed to enter a postgraduate or post-experience degree, there are several alternative routes to follow - some based on experience. Contact the Future Students Enquiry Team for more information.

International entry requirements

You can find details of the international qualifications we accept, and what level of study they apply to, on our entry requirements for non-UK students' page.

Please see below some examples of the qualifications for entry:

China: 学士学位 (Bachelor degree) with a minimum of 65% overall
Nigeria: Bachelor's degree from a recognised institution in Nigeria
Thailand: Thai Bachelor's (Honours) degree from a recognised higher education institution.
Vietnam: Bachelor's degree/Bang tot nghiep dai hoc with an average score of at least 7.0, or a Master’s degree/Thac si.
Turkey: Bachelor’s Degree (Lisans Diplomasi -four years) to be considered for a postgraduate course at BU.

All applications will be subject to a minimum grade and your degree may need to be in a relevant subject area.

English language requirements

If English is not your first language, you will need to provide evidence that you understand English to a satisfactory level. English language requirements for this course are normally:

IELTS (Academic) 6.0 with minimum 5.5 in each component, or equivalent.

View further information about our English language requirements.

Bournemouth University International College offers a number of pre-sessional English and preparatory programmes to prepare international students for postgraduate study at BU. Admission to the degree is guaranteed on successful completion of your course to the required level.

This programme requires ATAS clearance as part of the visa process. Click here for more details.

Professional membership

Applicants who wish to gain the academic requirements for IED Chartered Engineer status (standard route) will need to have:

a degree accredited by IED to MIED level or
academic qualifications that have been approved at MIED level through the IED Education and Training Committee or equivalent.

If you wish to register as a Chartered Engineer (CEng) in the UK, you will need to make sure that your undergraduate degree (or other relevant academic qualification) is recognised by the Institution of Engineering Designers (IED) at the correct level. If your qualification was awarded outside of the UK, you can choose to send it to the IED for review (the IED will charge a fee for this). We are happy to discuss professional membership options with you during the application process.

It is a requirement of the professional accrediting body that we speak to you about your academic status, so we may invite you to participate in an interview in person, on the phone or by Skype.

Your application

What we’re looking for

For MSc Mechanical Engineering Design we are looking for applicants who:

Have an interest in applying mathematical and computer-based models for solving problems in engineering design
Wish to gain comprehensive knowledge and understanding of a wide range of materials, manufacturing processes and failure criteria
Wish to become fully aware of the enterprise and business driven aspects of design
Wish to gain the ability and confidence to apply their knowledge and skills to specific design problems individually or in a group
Wish to communicate effectively with both those working in the field of design engineering and with the wider public.

Telephone interview

MSc Mechanical Engineering Design is a course for graduate engineers who wish to enhance their skills, knowledge and experience in design engineering. You may also want to gain the internationally recognised title of Chartered Engineer (CEng) but do not currently meet the academic requirements.

It is a requirement of the professional accrediting body that we speak to you about your academic status, so we will invite you to participate in a telephone interview.

Graduate status

How and when to apply

There is no application deadline for this course. However, if you will need a visa to come to the UK to study, think carefully about the length of time it will take for your visa application to be processed and make sure your visa will be ready in time for the beginning of your course.

Click the green ‘Apply now’ button to submit your application free of charge online through myHub, our application portal. You will create your own myHub account so that you can track the progress of your application. Don’t forget to save your application as you go; you can return to it at as many times as you want before you submit it. For more information visit our How to apply section.

Careers

If you have ambitions of being a chartered engineer (CEng) then this course will provide you with the ideal start. In order to achieve CEng status it is recognised that most chartered engineers will hold an appropriate Master’s degree like this one.

Graduates holding professional status and accredited degrees are highly valued by employers in the UK and internationally, meaning you will be well equipped to embark on a successful career in the engineering industry.

Potential job roles

Industries worked in

Further study

Costs and fees

You can find full information about the deposits required and how to pay your fees in our postgraduate fees and funding section, including details of the Postgraduate Loan (subject to fee status).

All fees are quoted in pounds sterling and are per annum. Fees quoted are for tuition only unless stated otherwise. Your tuition fees will be the same for each year of your course. See details about fees for this course.

No hidden extras

What’s included in your tuition fee?

Your tuition fee covers expenses associated with your course including tuition materials, access to facilities, mandatory field trips and the following:

Materials for laboratory and field-based teaching activity, including loan of lab coats and safety glasses.
Support for finding placements (UK or abroad) and fieldwork, and non-financial support whilst on placement
A range of student services – advisors, help desks, counsellors, placement support and careers service
The Library – access to a wide range of electronic resources (databases, e-journals and e-books), print and multimedia collections, subject librarians and study spaces
Access to Brightspace, our virtual learning environment, which offers a responsive and personalised learning experience with powerful learning analytics capabilities, integrated social media and advanced video features.
IT labs (some open 24/7), wireless network, AV equipment to borrow
Peer Assisted Learning (PAL) scheme
Disability and additional learning support
The BU Language Centre to help you develop/improve foreign or English language skills
24 hours a day, 365 days a year security team.

Costs of living and other expenses you need to conside

Additional costs

We are committed to offering you value for money and ensuring there are no hidden costs while you are studying with us, therefore we have listed below any additional costs you may incur that are not covered by your tuition fee:

Laptops, tablets and mobile devices.
Accommodation and living costs. Our accommodation price guide can be found on our website.
Optional fieldwork travel, outdoor wear and footwear (where applicable)
Text books, general stationery and other supplies. Our award-winning library is stocked with a large range of text books and online resources, free of charge. The Students’ Union shops stock a wide range of stationery supplies on both campuses
Any expenses relating to placements e.g. travel, specialist clothing etc.
Sport BU membership.

Repeat units

Deposits

January 2021 entry

International (non-EU) students need to pay a non-refundable £2,000 deposit to secure their place on a postgraduate course. You will need to pay your deposit by the date stated in your offer letter. The remainder of your fee will be payable on registration/enrolment. There are two exceptions to the non-refundable rule on the deposit:

You fail to meet the academic or English requirements of your offer
You are refused a visa to enter the UK, provided the reason for the refusal is not a fraudulent application.

September 2021 and January 2022 entry

International (not Rep. of Ireland) students need to pay a non-refundable £3,000 deposit to secure their place on a postgraduate course. You will need to pay your deposit by the date stated in your offer letter. The remainder of your fee will be payable on registration/enrolment. There are two exceptions to the non-refundable rule on the deposit:

You fail to meet the academic or English requirements of your offer
You are refused a visa to enter the UK, provided the reason for the refusal is not a fraudulent application.

Financial help available from BU

Our staff

On this course you will be taught by staff with relevant expertise and knowledge appropriate to the content of the unit. This could include senior academic staff, qualified professional practitioners and research students, many of whom are actively engaged in research and/or professional practice which is integrated into the teaching of this course.

You can find out more about some of the staff that are currently teaching on the course and their research activities below. Please note that teaching staff can change.

Mehran Koohgilani – Senior Lecturer in Product Design

Accreditations

Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE)

The MSc Mechanical Engineering Design will meet in part, the exemplifying academic benchmark requirements for registration as a Chartered Engineer. Accredited MSc graduates who also have a BEng (Hons) accredited for CEng will be able to show that they have satisfied the educational base for CEng registration.

It should be noted that graduates from an accredited MSc programme who do not also have an appropriately accredited Honours degree will not be regarded as having the exemplifying qualifications for professional registration as a Chartered Engineer with the Engineering Council; they will need to have their first qualification individually assessed through the Individual Case Procedure if they wish to progress to CEng.

Institution of Engineering Designers

Course changes

Changes in 2018

Date	Changes to this course
29/08/2018	Where the change was made: Course details Change: Following a course review the unit content has been revised and updated for September 2019 onwards.The previous content can be found in the programme specification.

Changes in 2017

Date	Changes to this course
17/11/2017	Where the change was made: Fees Change: After an annual review of the placement year tuition fee, a price increase in line with current inflation, equating to 3% has been introduced. Previous text: £790

All statistics shown throughout this page are taken from Unistats, Destination of Leavers from Higher Education (DLHE), BU institutional data and Ipsos MORI (National Student Survey) unless otherwise stated.