Automotive Engineering - MSc - 2024/25 Entry

Overview

Our MSc Automotive Engineering course will teach you the skills you need to become a highly skilled engineer, capable of undertaking related tasks within and across different organisations.

Overall the course aims to produce skilled engineers capable of undertaking automotive engineering tasks within and across organisations utilising the latest tools and technologies. The course will encourage the application and development of modern engineering solutions to the problems of fuel efficiency and emissions abatement, as well as the improvement of vehicle performance and stability.

The course explores the wider context of sustainability and climate change, as well as the specific application of advanced control techniques to solve problems through research led powertrain and vehicle system specific modules.

This course is open to International students.

What's covered in this course?

The Masters in Automotive Engineering course will encourage creative thinking and the development of engineering leadership skills, as well as teaching you how to solve problems through research. You’ll engage in independent study, advancing your understanding and developing new skills. The Master’s project provides an opportunity for you to apply this learning to the solution of particular industry problems. These have been regularly showcased at industry events hosted by the course team over the last 12 years, and several of these have matured into doctoral projects.

The course has achieved academic accreditation from the IMechE and IET. This accreditation has been maintained not only in recognition for demonstrating that key principles have been incorporated and integrated into the curriculum design and module development of the course, but also for actively seeking industry and sector wide input in both the design and delivery of these modules.

The lecturing staff have an extensive experience in the automotive industry and academia in design, powertrain, control, computer modelling and simulation, business, supply and logistics.

Exciting opportunities include the option of participating in the Formula Student event. Every over 100 universities from all over the world design and build their own race car and compete in a July race event over a weekend at the world famous Silverstone race track. There is expected to be continuing demand for competent, versatile postgraduates who can design and implement innovative solutions for industry, and therefore this Engineering MSc course gives you an opportunity to pursue a career as a professional automotive engineer, general engineer and more.

In addition to further academic research opportunities, career prospects are expected to keep pace with the rapid advances in computer aided methods and intelligent technologies, hence, there is expected to be continuing demand for competent, versatile postgraduates who can design and implement innovative solutions using the industry standard software and hardware available to us on site.

Accredited By

Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE)

*Please see Important Course Accreditation Information section for more information about the IMechE and IET accreditation.

Why Choose Us?

Accredited course- This course is accredited by IMechE and IET. Students completing this degree will be in a strong position to pursue professional engineering status*.
State-of-the-art facilities - Our state-of-the-art laboratories will enhance your educational experience, providing a bridge between theoretical learning and hands-on teaching to prepare you for a career in industry.
Develop interpersonal skills – You'll gain the interpersonal skills necessary to liaise and work in teams, structuring your work and meeting the varying demands of the workplace.
Problem-based learning - You will be able to apply real-life problem-based learning to industry and commerce, while also learning new technologies and techniques to solve global engineering problems.
Employable Graduates - Our graduates have gone on to complete further academic research/study, commercial research and development, powertrain development engineering in the automotive industry, and design and performance engineering. Graduates have secured roles with companies such as Rolls Royce LTD.
Access to latest tools and technologies - You will work on industry-standard advanced analytical tools such as Matlab/Simulink, CATIA, Ansys and ADAMS Mechanism, and use our world class electric vehicle powertrain test cell.

Important Course Accreditation Information*

Students completing an IMechE or IET 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.

Where our students go

Our students have gone on to work with companies such as:

Rolls Royce LTD

And in jobs such as:

Manufacturing Engineer Capability Acquisitions

OPEN DAY

Join us for a Virtual Open Event where you'll be able to learn about this course in detail, meet our subject academics and learn more about postgraduate finance, all from the comfort of your own home.

Next Event: 5 February 2025

Book your place

Entry Requirements

Essential requirements

Essential Requirements

We would normally expect you to hold at least a Second Class Honours degree or equivalent in an appropriate discipline.

However, we can also consider your application without standard entry qualifications if you can provide evidence of the necessary knowledge and skills to successfully complete the course.

If you have a qualification that is not listed, please contact us.

Fees & How to Apply

Please select your student status to view fees and apply

UK Student
International Student

UK students

Annual and modular tuition fees shown are applicable to the first year of study. The University reserves the right to increase fees for subsequent years of study in line with increases in inflation (capped at 5%) or to reflect changes in Government funding policies or changes agreed by Parliament. View fees for continuing students.

Award: MSc

Starting: Jan 2025

Full Time
12 months
£10,500 in 2024/25

Full Time
18 months with Professional Placement (see below*)
£11,550 in 2024/25

Part Time
28 months
Show fees

£1167 per 20 credits

Fees for Part-time students

This course can be studied on a Part-time study basis. The cost per year of study is based on credit requirements for that year.

International students

Annual and modular tuition fees shown are applicable to the first year of study. The University reserves the right to increase fees for subsequent years of study in line with increases in inflation (capped at 5%) or to reflect changes in Government funding policies or changes agreed by Parliament. View fees for continuing students.

Award: MSc

Starting: Jan 2025

Full Time
12 months
£17,710 in 2024/25

Full Time
18 months with Professional Placement*
£19,485 in 2024/25

Access to computer equipment

You will require use of a laptop, and most students do prefer to have their own. However, you can borrow a laptop from the university or use one of our shared computer rooms.

Printing

You will receive £5 print credit in each year of your course, available after enrolment.

Access to Microsoft Office 365

Every student at the University can download a free copy of Microsoft Office 365 to use whilst at university and for 18 months after graduation.

Key software

You will be able to download SPSS and Nvivo to your home computer to support with your studies and research.

Key subscriptions

Subscriptions to key journals and websites are available through our library.

Specialist software

You will be able to access free licences for specialist software such as Matlab, Caita, Adams and Ansys.

Project materials (mandatory)

This course includes project work that requires you to develop and produce a portfolio or collection. You'll be expected to provide the materials for use in your individual major projects. Costs will vary depending on the materials selected, but we recommend you budget £100.

Excess printing (optional)

Once you have spent your £5 credit, additional printing on campus costs from 5p per sheet.

Personal stationery and study materials (optional)

Based on the past experience of our students, you might find it helpful to set aside about £30 for each year of your studies for your personal stationery and study materials.

Placement expenses (optional)

If you choose to undertake a placement, you'll need to budget for accommodation and any travel costs you may incur whilst living or working away from home.

Field trips (optional)

This course includes the option of additional trips that may enhance your experience, at extra cost.

Personal equipment (optional)

Whilst not essential, it is advised you own a basic computer or laptop.

Memberships (optional)

You may wish to join a union or professional body related to this course, such as IMechE and IET, a cost of about £150 each.

Accommodation and living costs (optional)

The cost of accommodation and other living costs are not included within your course fees. More information on the cost of accommodation can be found in our accommodation pages.

Professional Placement option*

The Professional Placement option will allow you to complete a credit bearing, 20 week Professional Placement as an integral part of your Master’s Degree. The purpose of the Professional Placement is to improve your employability skills which will, through the placement experience, allow you to evidence your professional skills, attitudes and behaviours at the point of entry to the postgraduate job market. Furthermore, by completing the Professional Placement, you will be able to develop and enhance your understanding of the professional work environment, relevant to your chosen field of study, and reflect critically on your own professional skills development within the workplace.

You will be responsible for finding and securing your own placement. The University, however, will draw on its extensive network of local, regional and national employers to support you in finding a suitable placement to complement your chosen area of study. You will also benefit from support sessions delivered by Careers+ as well as advice and guidance from your School.

Placements will only be confirmed following a competitive, employer-led selection process, therefore the University will not be able to guarantee placements for students who have registered for the ‘with Professional Placement’ course. All students who do not find a suitable placement or do not pass the competitive selection process will be automatically transferred back to the standard, non-placement version of the course.

Personal statement

You’ll need to submit a personal statement as part of your application for this course. This will need to highlight your passion for postgraduate study – and your chosen course – as well as your personal skills and experience, academic success, and any other factors that will support your application for further study.

If you are applying for a stand alone module, please include the title of the module you want to study in your Personal Statement.

Not sure what to include? We’re here to help – take a look at our top tips for writing personal statements and download our free postgraduate personal statement guide for further advice and examples from real students.

Postgraduate funding

Graduate Scholarship

If you are a BCU graduate enrolling onto an eligible Master’s programme for the first time, you could receive a 20% fee reduction via our Graduate Scholarship.
Find out if you’re eligible for a Graduate Scholarship.

Master’s loans

Government-backed loans of up to £12,471 are available to UK, Irish and eligible EU nationals studying postgraduate Master’s courses in any subject area.
Find out more about Master’s loans.

Other funding opportunities

Other funding options include scholarships, loans and bursaries offered by external organisations. These vary from year to year.

Postgraduate funding

Course in Depth

Module

In order to complete this course a student must successfully complete all the following CORE modules (totalling 180 credits):

Professional Placement

In order to qualify for the award of MSc Automotive Engineering with Professional Placement, a student must successfully complete all of the Level 7 modules listed above as well as the following Level 6 module:

Download course specification

Download now

Knowledge and understanding are acquired though formal lectures, tutor-led seminars and practical activities, and a range of independent learning activities. Emphasis is placed on guided, self-directed and student-centred learning with a progressively increasing independence of approach, thought and process. This independent learning includes an element of peer review in order to evaluate the effectiveness of the learning.

Lectures are used to introduce themes, theories and concepts, which are further explored in seminars. Technology enhanced learning is used, where appropriate, through the provision of online resources, discussion forums and other activities. Analytical and problem-solving skills are further developed using a range of appropriate 'real' and 'theoretical' case studies and problem-based learning scenarios.

You will be supported by a personal tutor based at the University, who will see you for regular one-to-one meetings. These meetings will generally take place at the beginning of each semester and at the end of the academic year.

The course has an emphasis on active and participative education, including practical learning, problem-based learning and group work, which will develop their skills of analysis, synthesis, decision making and the ability to cope with new and unfamiliar problems.

A range of assessment methods are employed with associated assessment criteria. Knowledge and skills are assessed, formatively and summatively, by a number of methods such as coursework, examinations (seen and unseen, open and closed-book), presentations, practical assignments, vivas, online forums, podcasts, and project work.

Employability

Enhancing your employability skills

This course aims to provide you with an advanced understanding of modern automotive systems and processes, and their application within industry. It will relate to the requirements of new global, environmental infrastructure and economic drivers.

There is high demand throughout the automotive industry for engineers who can demonstrate that they have both a detailed academic knowledge and advanced practical skills. Employers are also keen to employ people who can design and analyse complex systems and components within the automotive engineering environment.

International

Birmingham City University is a vibrant and multicultural university in the heart of a modern and diverse city. We welcome many international students every year – there are currently students from more than 80 countries among our student community.

The University is conveniently placed, with Birmingham International Airport nearby and first-rate transport connections to London and the rest of the UK.

Our international pages contain a wealth of information for international students who are considering applying to study here, including:

Details of the entry requirements for our courses
Some of the good reasons why you should study here
How to improve your language skills before starting your studies
Information relevant to applicants from your country
Where to find financial support for your studies.

Facilities & Staff

[00:00:01] Speaker 1: Hello, my name is Olga.

[00:00:02] Speaker 2: And I'm Carlos.

[00:00:03] Speaker 1: And we are both Engineering students here at BCU. And today we're going to take you on a tour in Millennium Point to all the engineering facilities.

[00:00:11] Speaker 2: Follow us.

[00:00:20] Speaker 1: Now we're on ground floor in the electronics lab, and this is where you can build circuits such as this one using these machines, you can control them and power them. So in your first year, you might end up doing a circuit like this, which is just the power on LED. And then you can go on using an oscilloscope to test sequences.

[00:00:39] Speaker 2: So now we're going to take you to the soldering lab. Anytime we need to do some soldiering on any type of projects, here is where we do them. Like Olga is doing right now, she is working on the micro mouse and with all the soldering for all the components. [00:00:57]

[00:01:00] Speaker 1: So this is where all the programming happens, such as coding and schematics and diagrams. All of this you'll be doing in this room.

[00:01:12] Speaker 2: Welcome to our mechanical lab. This is where we test different materials on different bays for different applications, for things like their strength, versatility, and depending on which application, we have different machinery for it.

[00:01:26] Speaker 1: So we use microscopes to see the internal structures of materials, as you can see here. We do this to find how different structures behave under different conditions. So this is the workshop where we actually have real industrial machines here that are used from some of the parts for the projects we build.

[00:01:45] Speaker 2: We do have industrial type machines capable of building engine parts like this one here. We are building a cylinder.

[00:01:52] Speaker 1: Like this one here as well. This is a crank used in engines as well. It's really cool that we can use all of this machines just right here in our workshop.

[00:02:01] So this is another project that we built, and it's to test your knowledge on everything you've learned. And this is for the ball to stay on track at all times, even in this loop, as you can see here.

[00:02:09] This is the common area where you can come to either relax or catch up on your work as there's loads of seats and comfortable sofas.

[00:02:26] Speaker 1: So this is a hydraulics lab where you can do very interesting things like 3D printing, earthquake simulator and wind turbines. So these smaller 3D printers I used for reverse engineering and rapid prototyping. We can also use them to repair small things where we would ask students to design whatever parts broke and then we can 3D print it here so they can replace it on their project. In this room we actually have industrial level machines such as a metal 3D printer which can do something like this.

[00:02:56] Speaker 2: We also do various simulations here from a hydro station and also as you can see right next to me here, we do have a earthquake simulation running at the minute.

[00:03:09] So coming from our hydraulics lab, we are now in our civil lab. We test different types of soil, play around with it and try them out and develop new concrete as for example, here.

[00:03:23] Speaker 1: So this is a biomedical lab where we test soils from different areas for pollution and soil health so we know if it's good for farming.

[00:03:31] Speaker 2: So we are actually working with big names, big companies like Rivers Trust, and we are trying to develop new solutions for soil health.

[00:03:40] Speaker 1: So this is the Formula student lab where we actually built a car that's going to go to Silverstone.

[00:03:58] This is our engine test lab where we have an Audi, R8, E-TRON engine.

[00:04:03] Speaker 2: We also have a battery simulator in this room. We can actually do real life simulations of our engine, for example, in Silverstone, and see if we can actually complete the track and the times.

[00:04:15] Thank you for watching our engineering facilities - I hope you enjoyed.

[00:04:18] Speaker 1: To find out more, you can come to one of our Open Days or you can visit the link below.

Our Facilities

Our state-of-the-art Engineering labs and workshops provide the perfect setting for practical work with modern-day teaching and learning facilities. We pride ourselves on equipping our students with the skill set that they need not only working on industry standard equipment, but having industrial links, which set them up perfectly for a career in engineering.

We have invested in industry-standard facilities to support the practice-based elements of our Engineering courses and give students as much practical learning as possible, to prepare for industry placements and job opportunities after graduation. Students have access to our facilities during classes, and can book out of class sessions with our specialist technicians.

We are a partner of the Greater Birmingham and Solihull Institute of Technology (GBSIoT) and have secured £1.1 million of government funding for investment in brand-new equipment and facilities. Funding of £808,000 from the Department for Education has supported our development of an Electric Vehicle (EV) Test Rig, an Additive Manufacturing Machine (3D printer) and a material testing-split zone furnace.

The IoT has enabled procurement of new technologies for material testing, electronics prototyping and production and 3D scanning to compliment computer aided design for manufacture.

Engineering facilities