Overview
This course seeks to produce postgraduates with the versatility and depth of understanding to deal with new and unusual challenges in mechanical engineering, alongside the necessary imagination and creativity to innovate.
The MSc in Advanced Mechanical Engineering is informed by Coventry University’s commercial and academic research in areas such as vehicle dynamics, light weighting, renewable energy technologies of wind and hydro power, advanced simulation and future concepts. Our collaborative links with industry facilitate a programme of guest speakers who will share the latest technological advances, issues and trends, as well as provide opportunities to engage with companies on ‘live’ collaborative projects.
Coventry University offers modern facilities in our £50 million Engineering and Computing building. Facilities include a Mercedes AMG Petronas wind tunnel, composites lab, metrology lab, shaker rig, flow lab, engine test cell, automotive workshop, fatigue and tensile testing (Instron), a full-size Harrier Jet, three further simulators, civil engineering specialist testing equipment, a range of Computerised Numeric Control (CNC) machinery and a laser workshop amongst others.
Work placement option
This master's programme provides you with the additional option to apply for a 'work placement' opportunity during your first semester with us. The 'work placement', which if secured, can be carried out in the second year and is designed to further develop your skills, knowledge and professional experience with the aim of maximising your employability prospects. Please note that the optional placement modules incur an additional tuition fee of £4,000, payable on completion of placement. Find out more about the work placement pathway.
Please note that we are unable to guarantee any placement or study abroad opportunities and that any such opportunities referred to on this webpage may be subject to additional costs (e.g. travel, visas and accommodation etc.), competitive application, availability and/or meeting any applicable visa requirements. To ensure that you fully understand the requirements in this regard, please contact the International Office for further details if you are an EU or International student.
Why Coventry University?
An award-winning university, we are committed to providing our students with the best possible experience. We continue to invest in both our facilities and our innovative approach to education. Our students benefit from industry-relevant teaching, and resources and support designed to help them succeed. These range from our modern library and computing facilities to dedicated careers advice and our impressive Students’ Union activities.
COVID-19
The University may deliver certain contact hours and assessments via emerging online technologies and methods across all courses. In response to the Covid-19 pandemic, we are prepared for courses due to start in or after the 2020/2021 academic year to be delivered in a variety of forms. The form of delivery will be determined in accordance with Government and Public Health guidance. Whether on campus or online, our key priority is staff and student safety.
Due to the ongoing restrictions relating to Covid-19, some facilities (including some teaching and learning spaces) and some non-academic offerings (particularly in relation to international experiences), may vary from those advertised and may have reduced availability or restrictions on their use.
Global ready
An international outlook, with global opportunitiesEmployability
Career-ready graduates, with the skills to succeedStudent experience
All the support you need, in a top student cityAccreditation and Professional Recognition
This course is accredited and recognised by the following bodies:
Chartered Management Institute
As part of this course you will undertake a professional development module which is currently accredited by the Chartered Management Institute (CMI) for the 2020-21 intake. Upon successful completion of the module, you will gain the CMI Level 7 Certificate in Strategic Management and Leadership Practice at no additional cost. Further details can be found under the ‘course detail’ tab and on the Professional Development module homepage.
Coventry University’s accreditation with CMI is currently ongoing for the relevant modules and is regularly reviewed and monitored by the CMI through their quality systems. Whilst Coventry University anticipates that these reviews will continue to be successful, if they were to be unsuccessful, the relevant module in this course would no longer be accredited and we would notify applicants and students of this change as soon as possible.
Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE)
This degree is accredited by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) up to and including the 2025 intakes under licence from the UK regulator, the Engineering Council. Accreditation is a mark of assurance that the degree meets the standards set by the Engineering Council in the UK Standard for Professional Engineering Competence (UK-SPEC). An accredited degree will provide you with some or all of the underpinning knowledge, understanding and skills for eventual registration as an Incorporated (IEng) or Chartered Engineer (CEng). Some employers recruit preferentially from accredited degrees, and an accredited degree is likely to be recognised by other countries that are signatories to international accords.
Students completing an IMechE accredited degree are deemed to have met part or all of the academic requirements for registration as a Chartered or Incorporated Engineer and are in a strong position to move on to achieve professional engineering status after a period of initial professional development in industry.
The accredited MSc 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 that 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; and will need to have their qualifications individually assessed through the Individual Case Procedure if they wish to progress to CEng.
Institute of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE)
Students on this course will be able to apply for student membership of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, IMechE and also the Women’s Engineering Society (WES) at no additional cost.
Chartered Management Institute (CMI)
Affiliate Membership of CMI on enrolment onto this course.
Course information
This course is designed to equip you with relevant, up-to-date skills and knowledge to work as a mechanical engineer in a broad spectrum of mechanical engineering business activity management, research, design and development roles.
Balancing academic theory with practical considerations, we aim to cover key areas of mechanical sciences, such as stress and dynamics, design, manufacturing, materials, thermofluids, power generation by renewable resources of wind and hydro, project management and computer aided engineering.
Course Specification
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Modules
We regularly review our course content, to make it relevant and current for the benefit of our students. For these reasons, course modules may be updated.
In more detail...
Coventry University has a long and prestigious automotive, transport and engineering heritage. Our graduates are employed by automotive vehicle and system manufacturers and design professionals all over the world.
This programme is aimed at both new graduates and experienced engineering professionals who wish to develop advanced skills in thermofluids, metrology, design and technology and engineering simulation and analysis.
You’ll be encouraged to study the principles of engineering, physics and materials science, alongside the design and analysis, modelling and simulation, manufacturing and maintenance of mechanical systems.
The University’s facilities provide access to a wide range of industry standard commercial engineering software used for computer aided design, finite element analysis and computational fluid dynamics. You may have the opportunity to model and analyse engineering systems using stress analysis, heat transfer, dynamics and fluid mechanics.
Our current strong links with local industry, which include Jaguar Land Rover, Aston Martin, UNIPART, SAIC, Prodrive, Airbus, Tata, GKN, Ricardo and MIRA, may provide opportunities for industry engagement working on actual projects (subject to availability) which may provide the opportunity to put into practice what you learn, through solving real-life problems.
- Coventry University has a strong portfolio of industry-related research which includes the £32 million Institute for Advanced Manufacturing and Engineering (AME) in partnership with Unipart Manufacturing Group.
- Study in our £50m Engineering and Computing building, which features sustainable technologies including rainwater harvesting, solar thermal energy and biomass boilers
- On and off site access to commercial engineering software, such as 3D CAD, Finite Element Analysis, Computational Fluid Dynamics and Multibody Systems for design and simulation, as well as training in industry standard Catia, HyperWorks, STAR-CCM+, SIMPACK software
- Access to extensive facilities in our High Performance Engineering Centre, which houses a 20% scale model wind tunnel (designed and built by the Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 team), composites lab, metrology lab, four-pot shaker rig, flow lab, AVL engine test cell, Cruden motion driving simulators, automotive workshop, fatigue and tensile testing (Instron), a full size Harrier Jet and a range of CNC machines
Your main study themes are:
- Engineering simulation and analysis:: Provides an understanding of the use of advanced engineering methods in the investigation of complex problems, like the interaction between aerodynamics phenomena, road loading data and structural integrity. It will address the use of advanced engineering techniques based on Design of Experiments (DOE) and Optimisation where FEA (Finite Element Analysis) based problems will be addressed.
- Design principles and practice:: Develops understanding of a systematic approach to the design process, design management, and creative problem solving, leading to developing an artefact ready for manufacture. Design as a process will be applied via a series of principles to assist the progression of the project to reach a suitable solution and evaluating that against the initial brief. This module will build on existing experience and may further strengthen the student's understanding of CAD by examining current industry standard methods and criteria and its relationship with production methods and part variation from design nominal dimensional values. 3D computer solid modelling will be covered using the latest industry standard software, interfacing with current leading production machines.
- Stress and dynamics: addresses current and future challenges in design, analysis and optimisation of mechanical components, such as the steel components found in offshore structures for renewable energy. The module addresses both static and dynamic problems. For the latter, emphasis is put on modal analysis and harmonic response analysis. It will use Static Finite Element Analysis to determine the strength, integrity, stability and serviceability of a structure or a structural component. The module combines industry-standard CAE software with advanced mechanics of materials and Design Standards.
- Thermofluid systems: You should learn to apply thermofluids science in designing engineering systems for different thermal and fluid flow applications. You will evaluate pressure and heat losses in different components, such as fuel injection, exhaust and cooling systems or renewable energy applications. You will determine the characteristics of gas turbines in power generation and calculate their performance, and study the emissions from combustions systems.
- Durability and reliability:: Covers the main areas associated with the design and delivery of mechanical components and systems based on durability and reliability. Special emphasis will be on the structural durability and sustainability of renewable energy technologies. We cover the appropriate theories and analytical techniques involved with durability, strength of materials, fatigue, mechanics and dynamics.
- Wind and hydro power generation: Aimed at enabling you to design and evaluate wind and hydro power Systems. You will assess wind and hydro power systems as a source of renewable energy, and determine their performance characteristics and social, financial and environmental impacts. Moreover, you should gain a comprehensive understanding of the main challenges facing the wind and hydro power industries.
- Engineering Project Management: The study of a range of techniques and practices relating to product requirement specification, project teams, resource planning, documentation and reporting, covering financial costs, health and safety risk assessments, equipment and facilities.
The course can be studied full-time over one year or part-time over three years, starting in September or January. Full-time study comprises three 13-week semesters; each taught module has 11 weeks of teaching followed by one revision week and one assessment week. Part-time students study over a three-year period and can select the modules to be studied in each year. Whilst we would like to give you all the information about our part-time offering here, it is tailored for each course each year depending on the number of part-time applicants. Therefore, the part-time teaching arrangements vary. Please request information about studying this course part-time.
A wide range of teaching methods will be used including: lectures, tutorials, case studies, simulations, individual and group exercises and projects. Many of the modules adopt an Activity-Led Learning (ALL) approach, for example, we might investigate flow patterns in a network of channels by computer simulation using commercial packages to improve the design of a thermofluid system. Alternatively, in a practical learning session, you may develop measurement skills in our modern metrology laboratory.
Teaching is informed by our current wide range of industrial research, which has in the past included vehicle seat research with Jaguar Land Rover and Innovate UK, a virtual exhaust prototyping system with Unipart and flywheel hybrid system for City Bus and commercial vehicle use. To ensure course content remains relevant and up-to-date, the curriculum is regularly reviewed and guided by our Industry Advisory Board, which currently includes representatives from Horiba MIRA, RDM Group, Babcock International Group, Arrowsmith Engineering, JLR, APC Uk Ltd, Tata Technologies and a former President of IMechCHE. Our excellent industry links could enable you to benefit from guest speakers (subject to availability) who will aim to update you on the latest challenges and trends within their business.
Assessment is achieved through coursework assignments and exams for two modules.
The Coventry University Group assessment strategy ensures that our courses are fairly assessed and allows us to monitor student progression towards the achieving the intended learning outcomes.
On successful completion, you will have knowledge of:
- The function, materials, manufacture and assembly of a wide range of engineering products.
- The principles of engineering science and mathematics and their application and capability in defining and proving the performance of innovative engineering products.
- Aspects of innovative mechanical design, including the design process, design standards and codes, selection of materials and methods of manufacture.
- Design tools for optimised performance, reliability, weight, cost and sustainability.
- Power generation by wind and hydro renewable resources and by conventional gas turbines.
On successful completion, you will be able to:
- Develop and test strategies for engineering products involving appropriate instrumentation, experimental methods, and data analysis techniques.
- Manage people, processes and engineering projects to promote the commercial success of an engineering enterprise.
- Model and analyse innovative engineering systems using appropriate engineering science and mathematical analysis techniques, such as analysis of aerodynamics, thermodynamic cycles, stress and dynamics.
- Synthesise solutions to innovative engineering design problems.
- Select appropriate instrumentation for the functional design of innovative engineering products and systems and to support development and test work.
- Search for and evaluate information sources to identify information essential to solving engineering problems.
- Use test equipment and machines, including 20% scale model wind tunnel, composites lab, metrology lab, four-pot shaker rig, flow lab, AVL engine test cell, automotive workshop, fatigue and tensile testing (Instron), Modal analysis hardware and software, for experimental work to support product development.
- Use commercial software in the solution of engineering problems, such noise and vibration, aerodynamic drag and lift and stress analysis.
- Communicate graphically the design of a component or system through sketches, CAD etc.
Actual teaching contact hours will vary depending on the requirements of a particular semester, you will study two taught semesters and 1 project semester over the course of the year. For taught semesters In a typical week your contact hours will be divided amongst personal tutorials, medium group teaching in tutorial sessions, labs and workshops activities as well as large group teaching in lectures. Additionally, you will be expected to undertake significant self-directed study approximately 35 hours each week, depending on the demands of individual modules. The number of contact hours may vary from semester to semester, however, on average, it is likely to be around 12 contact hours per week in the taught semesters. Your project-based semester will be supervisor supported, self-directed study in the region of 45 hours per week as well as supervisor meetings around 1 hour per week and optional workshops supporting your project, which can add around 10 additional hours across your project semester.
The contact hours may be made up of a combination of face-to-face teaching, individual and group tutorials, and online classes and tutorials. As an innovative and enterprising institution, the University may seek to utilise emerging technologies within the student experience. For all courses (whether on-campus, blended, or distance learning), the University may deliver certain contact hours and assessments via online technologies and methods.
The University may deliver certain contact hours and assessments via emerging online technologies and methods across all courses. In response to the Covid-19 pandemic, we are prepared for courses due to start in or after the 2020/2021 academic year to be delivered in a variety of forms. The form of delivery will be determined in accordance with Government and Public Health guidance. Whether on campus or online, our key priority is staff and student safety.
Due to the ongoing restrictions relating to Covid-19, some facilities (including some teaching and learning spaces) and some non-academic offerings (particularly in relation to international experiences), may vary from those advertised and may have reduced availability or restrictions on their use.
The University is committed to providing a global educational experience, which is reflected throughout the teaching experience. The course has previously recruited diverse international graduates and promotes multicultural experiences.
International field trips may be provided through the Global Leaders Programme (GLP) are subject to a GLP membership fee, and places may be subject to availability and meeting visa requirements.
In addition to the international field trips and student mobility opportunities provided by our Global Leaders Programme (GLP), we have introduced Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) projects, which have proved highly popular across other courses within the University, providing the chance to collaborate on projects with students on similar courses throughout the world.
Please note that we are unable to guarantee any placement or study abroad opportunities and that any such opportunities referred to on this webpage may be subject to additional costs (e.g. travel, visas and accommodation etc.), competitive application, availability and/or meeting any applicable visa requirements. To ensure that you fully understand the requirements in this regard, please contact the International Office for further details if you are an EU or International student.
Global ready
Did you know we help more students travel internationally than any other UK university according to data from the experts in higher education data and analysis, HESA?
In 2018/19, we were able to provide a total of 5,469 experiences abroad that lasted at least five days.
Much of this travel is made possible through our Global Leaders Programme, which enables students to prepare for the challenges of the global employment market, as well as strengthening and developing their broader personal and professional skills.
Explore our international experiences1st for
International experiences
Sending more students overseas than any other UK uni 2016/17
5,469
Student experiences
The number of student trips abroad for at least 5 days in 2018/19
12,000
and counting
The number of students we’ve helped travel internationally since 2016
12
global programmes
As well as trips, we offer other opportunities like language courses
Entry Requirements
Tuition Fees
We pride ourselves on offering competitive tuition fees which we review on an annual basis and offer a wide range of scholarships to support students with their studies. Course fees are calculated on the basis of what it costs to teach each course and we aim for total financial transparency.
Course essentials – additional costs
Subject to a successful application for the optional work placement, a £4000 placement fee is payable in semester two.This course may incur additional costs associated with any field trips, placements or work experience, study abroad opportunities or any other opportunity (whether required or optional), which could include (but is not limited to) travel, accommodation, activities and visas.
This course may incur additional costs associated with any equipment, materials, bench fees, studio or facilities hire.
EU student fees
EU nationals starting in the 2020/21 academic year remain eligible for the same fees as home students and the same financial support. Financial support comes from Student Finance England, and covers undergraduate and postgraduate study for the duration of their course, providing they meet the residency requirement.
For tuition fee loans
EU nationals starting in the 2020/21 academic year must have resided in the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland for the three years prior to the start of their course. The purpose of that three year residency should not have been mainly for the purpose of receiving full time education.
For maintenance loans
EU nationals starting in the 2020/21 academic year must have resided in the UK and Islands for the five years prior to the start of their course. The purpose of that five year residency should not have been mainly for the purpose of receiving full time education.
Career prospects
Graduate Immigration Route visa
Based on current information from the UK Government, international students whose study extends beyond summer 2021 may be eligible for a visa under the UK Government’s Graduate Immigration Route, which will enable students to stay and work, or look for work, in the UK at any skill level for up to two (2) years. Check the most up to date guidance available to check your eligibility and any updates from the UK Government before making an application or enrolment decision.
A global skills shortage continues to ensure engineers remain among the most in-demand professions; Engineering UK predicts 186,000 people with engineering skills will be needed annually through to 2024 to meet demand.
Coventry University has a long and prestigious automotive, transport and engineering heritage and we will actively encourage and support you to make the most of this demand and prepare you for the world of work. This includes support in finding internship opportunities and employment from our faculty’s employability and placements unit the Talent Team, which won the ‘Best Placement Service in the UK’ award at the National Undergraduate Employability Awards in 2015 and 2016.
A wide range of potential careers could be open to you after successful completion, including the opportunity to work as a mechanical engineer in the automotive and aerospace industries. Mechanical engineers are employed in all sectors of industrial operation; their analytical and management skills are keenly sought in a wider commercial context.
Coventry University is committed to preparing you for your future career and giving you a competitive edge in the graduate job market. The university's Talent Team provide a wide range of support services to help you plan and prepare for your career.
Where our graduates work
Our Engineering master’s courses provide a route into many careers with the global automotive engineering industry. Many of our graduates have gone on to work for Exon Mobil, Airbus, JLR, Bentley, Lotus, Unipart, Aston Martin Lagonda and many OEMs. Others have continued to PHD studies and moved into research.
Disclaimer
By accepting your offer of a place and enrolling with us, a Student Contract will be formed between you and the university. A copy of the 2020/21 Contract can be found here. The Contract details your rights and the obligations you will be bound by during your time as a student and contains the obligations that the university will owe to you. You should read the Contract before you accept an offer of a place and before you enrol at the university.
The tuition fee for the course that is stated on the course webpage and in the prospectus for the first year of study will apply. We will review our tuition fees each year. For UK and EU students, if Parliament permit an increase in tuition fees, we may increase fees for each subsequent year of study in line with any such changes. Note that any increase is expected to be in line with inflation. Following the UK’s exit from the European Union, EU students should be aware that there may be a change to UK laws following the UK’s exit, this may change their student status, their eligibility to study part time, and/or their eligibility for student finance. We will act in accordance with the UK’s laws in force in relation to student tuition fees and finance from time to time.
For International students the tuition fee that is stated on the course webpage and in the prospectus for the first year of study will apply. We will review our tuition fees each year. For international students, we may increase fees for each subsequent year of study but such increases will be no more than 5% above inflation.
