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Automotive and Transport Design MA
Study level: Postgraduate
Create innovative design work while challenging conventions and responding to cutting-edge themes and contexts at the forefront of automotive and transport design.
Course features
Year of entry
Location
Coventry University (Coventry)
Study mode
Full-time
Duration
1 year full-time
Course code
CAST002
Start date
September 2027
November 2027
January 2028
March 2028
May 2028
July 2028
The information on this page is for 2026-27 entry and should be used as guidance for 2027-28 entry. Please keep checking back on this course page to see our latest updates.
Course overview
This course is for students and industry professionals who want to work as automotive or transport designers, or on exciting conceptual projects.
- Develop your industry-relevant practical 2D and 3D skills as well as research skills to prepare you for a future-focused career in automotive and transport design.
- Master the use of clay modelling to advance your understanding of vehicle form and proportions.
- By combining creativity and research on global trends, you'll address contemporary challenges in the field and produce innovative designs.
- Alongside technical and creative skills, the course emphasises portfolio development and innovative problem-solving to meet real-world industry demands.
5 QS Stars for Teaching and Facilities
QS Stars University Ratings
Ranked 1st for Engagement
Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey (PTES) 2026
Ranked 5th for Overall Satisfaction in PTES
Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey (PTES) 2026Why you should study this course
- Coventry University offers you access to industry-informed briefs and opportunities to engage with leading professionals in the field.2
- Collaborate through interdisciplinary teams and work through individual assignments that reflect real-world professional practices.
- Benefit from advanced clay modelling, CAD resources, and studio-based learning, combining hands-on techniques with a user-focused approach to design.
- The curriculum integrates research, design practice, and the art of storytelling, giving you the skills to communicate compelling design solutions.
- From sketching and CAD to live industry briefs, the course blends technical skills with teamwork, leadership, and a focus on innovation, preparing you for contemporary challenges in design.
Ranked 2nd
for overall satisfaction in Design and Creative and Performing Arts
Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey (PTES) 2026 (ranked out of 34 HEIs)
Through collaborations with leading OEM design studios, consultancies and our extensive alumni networks, this program blends theory, practice, and industry collaboration to develop future-focused mobility solutions. Students gain real-world experience, working on live projects that enhance their professional development and deepen their understanding of vehicle design. With a strong balance of creativity and technical expertise, students master concept development, digital and physical modelling, user-centered design, and emerging technologies.
Aamer Mahmud, Assistant Professor Automotive and Transport Design MA
What you'll study
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.
How you'll learn
Teaching and learning methods may include:
- lectures
- seminars
- tutorials
- presentations
- group and individual projects
- workshops
- practical laboratory sessions.
Teaching and learning hours
As a full-time postgraduate student, you will study modules totalling 180 credits each academic year. A typical 30-credit module requires a total of 300 hours of study. Study hours are made up of teaching and learning hours, and guided and independent study.
Teaching hours
Teaching hours will vary, depending on where you are in your studies, but on average, you will have between 8 and 12 teaching and learning hours each week. You will also have the opportunity to attend optional sessions, including time with a Success Coach or to meet with staff for advice and feedback.
Guided and independent learning
Throughout your studies, you will be expected to spend time in guided and independent learning which will make up the required study hours per module. You will be undertaking a variety of activities, learning through guided background research, planning and preparation, studio activity, creative practice and making, reviewing what you have learned and completing assignments. This can be completed around your personal commitments. As you progress towards the end of your studies, you will spend more time on independent learning.
Online learning
As an innovative university, we use different teaching methods, including online tools and emerging technologies. So, some of your teaching hours and assessments may be delivered online.
Assessment
This course will be assessed using a variety of methods which could vary depending on the module. Assessment methods may include:
- reports
- essays
- practical coursework
- assignments
- presentations.
The Coventry University Group assessment strategy ensures that our courses are fairly assessed and allows us to monitor student progression towards achieving the intended learning outcomes.
Focus with block learning
Most courses use block learning. You study one module for six weeks, then move on to the next. It's a simple, structured way to stay organised and build confidence in your studies.
Explore block learningEntry requirements
Typical entry requirements:
Fees and funding
| Student | Full-time | Part-time |
|---|---|---|
| UK, Ireland*, Channel Islands or Isle of Man | 2027/28 fees TBC 2026/27 fees: £11,700 |
Not available |
| EU | 2027/28 fees TBC 2026/27 fees: £11,700 per year with EU Support Bursary** 2027/28 fees TBC 2026/27 fees: £19,500 per year without EU Support Bursary** |
Not available |
| International | 2027/28 fees TBC 2026/27 fees: £19,500 |
Not available |
For advice and guidance on tuition fees3 and student loans visit our Postgraduate Finance page and see the University's Tuition Fee and Refund Terms and Conditions.
We offer a range of International scholarships to students all over the world. For more information, visit our international scholarships page.
Tuition fees cover the cost of your teaching, assessments, facilities and support services. There may be additional costs not covered by this fee, such as accommodation and living costs, recommended reading books, stationery, printing and re-assessments should you need them.
The following are additional costs not included in the tuition fees:
- Any optional overseas field trips or visits: £400+ per trip.
- Any costs associated with securing, attending or completing a placement (whether in the UK or abroad).
*Irish student fees
The rights of Irish residents to study in the UK are preserved under the Common Travel Area arrangement. If you are an Irish student and meet the residency criteria, you can study in England, pay the same level of tuition fees as English students and utilise the Postgraduate Master's Loan.
**EU Support Bursary
Following the UK's exit from the European Union, we are offering financial support to all eligible EU students who wish to study an undergraduate or a postgraduate degree with us full-time. This bursary will be used to offset the cost of your tuition fees to bring them in line with that of UK students. Students studying a degree with a foundation year with us are not eligible for the bursary.
How do you know if you need to pay UK or international tuition fees?
Facilities
Design Studios
Develop and refine your automotive and transport design concepts in this creative space.
Clay Room
Transform your ideas, concepts, and 3D digital models into physical pieces in our fully equipped clay studios. From product design prototypes to theatre props, you'll find the tools and technical support you need to refine your modelling skills.
CAD Suite
This suite is equipped with the latest design software for you to create detailed 3D models of your automotive or transport designs, using industry-standard tools.
You’ll use facilities through timetabled teaching, practical activities and relevant independent study. Access may vary by module, activity, capacity, supervision or safety requirements. Access may change or be limited where the University needs to follow public authority guidance, decisions or orders.
Careers and opportunities
Successful graduates may seek positions in the following job roles: automotive or transport exterior designer, automotive or transport interior designer, automotive or transport component designer, CAD modeller, clay modeller, Colour, Material & Finish designer.
On successful completion of this course, you will be able to:
- synthesise research and reflection to develop advanced expertise in relevant contexts within automotive and transport design practice and theory.
- apply advanced skills, techniques, and technologies (including generative AI) with originality and imagination to innovate in automotive and transport design.
- design and deliver complex, original projects tailored to specific users and contexts within the automotive and transport sectors.
- actively contribute to the shaping of a global contemporary discourse by engaging with experimental, creative, and cutting-edge approaches to automotive and transport design.
- apply solutions to diverse creative, professional, social, and collaborative environments using enhanced tools and methods of social change.
- apply systematic knowledge and understanding of the role of creative teams in the realisation of design projects.
Where our graduates work
Successful graduates of this course have gone on to work for companies including:
- Jaguar Land Rover
- Bentley
- Tata
- BMW
- Rolls Royce
- X-Peng
- Xiaomi
- BYD.
How to apply
UK students
International students
Disclaimers
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