Postgraduate Course
Available for January start

Course details

Study options

Full-time: 1 year, Part-time: 2-3 years

UK fee

£9,000 for the full course or £1,000 per 20 credits* (2024/25)

International fee

£14,900 for the full course (2024/25)

Start dates

September, January

Location

Markeaton Street, Derby Campus

Develop the skills and knowledge employers are seeking and advance your career to senior levels in areas such as automotive, aerospace, petrochemical, scientific or manufacturing engineering applications.

Drawing on current industry practice, this MSc builds specialist skills in both mechanical and manufacturing engineering to put your career ambitions on a firm footing.

Work towards CEng status

The MSc Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering will develop the skills and knowledge you will need to apply for registration as a Chartered Engineer (CEng) when you graduate.

Chartered Engineers use a range of fundamental scientific principles to:

Powerful industry links

Your studies will be underpinned by our excellent industry links with local businesses, including Rolls-Royce, Toyota, Balfour Beatty, Bombardier and Pektron, as well as the Local Enterprise Partnership, D2N2.

We have an Industrial Advisory Panel involving representatives from our partner companies, which means we can keep up to date with current developments in the industry and pass them on to you through our teaching.

Research

Students from this MSc programme have been involved in funded research projects at the Institute for Innovation in Sustainable Engineering (IISE), and Rail Research and Innovation Centre (RRIC) within the College of Science and Engineering covering subjects of high-value manufacturing technologies such as Additive Manufacturing and 3D Printing, composite materials design, simulation, testing, optimisation and application, and circular economy business model and sustainable organisational change design and development. 

Tailored to your needs

This course is flexible, so you will have plenty of choice in the specialist subject modules you take and the ways in which you learn.

Some modules are delivered through lectures and tutorials, some online and some in the workplace. You will study both on your own and as part of a group – and your project work will give you crucial experience of working in teams.

Student feedback - Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey 2024

100%overall satisfaction
100% of students agreed that the course is intellectually stimulating
100%of students agreed that staff are enthusiastic about what they teach
Student looking at materials lab equipment
Student using a mobile phone to conduct a small engine test
Technician working on equipment in materials lab

Advanced Composites Research Centre

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Multi-Faith Centre, Kedleston Road

Postgraduate Open Event

Join us at an upcoming Postgraduate Open Event, where you will get the opportunity to meet our expert academics and find out more about your course.

Book your Postgraduate Open EventBook your Postgraduate Open Event

What you will study

This course is made up of three stages - Postgraduate Certificate, Postgraduate Diploma and MSc.

You will study modules such as:
Research Methods: Application and Evaluation

This module will advise, guide and develop you in the various elements that constitute the skills required for identifying and applying appropriate research methods and developing an overall research plan. Your learning will include how to identify, evaluate and apply different research philosophies, research approaches, research strategies, research methods, and methods of data collection and analysis.

Advanced Mechanical Modelling and E-manufacturing

This module is made up of two parts. The first covers modelling techniques and simulations to enable you to evaluate mechanical designs by studying underlying theories and applications of design software. During the second part, you will develop key technical knowledge and an understanding of the concepts of e-manufacturing as well as the ability to critically appraise them. You will also explore relevant Internet technologies.

Forensic Engineering, Failure Analysis and Prevention

Forensic engineering is the study of product, process or design failures and how these relate to international legislation and standards or, in some cases, to legal investigations. During this module, you will review the identification and advanced analysis of a range of failure modes for engineered products. You will critically appraise the design, manufacture and material facets of failed components, which can indicate the sources of failure. You will identify likely causes of failure and strategies for testing out failure mode hypotheses.

By considering misuse or original design flaws, you will review the mechanical analysis for the assessment and reduction of factors that contribute to the onset of failure, such as loading types, materials, manufacturing techniques, and environmental and structural properties. You will predict failure scenarios that include brittle, ductile, fatigue, wear and buckling failure modes. You will also consider design for the prevention of failure of both metallic and non-metallic mechanical products.

Environmental Risk and Responsibility

This module evaluates how the professional actions, decisions and leadership of others interact with the society in which you are working, and how this affects environmental risk and the sustainable future of the planet. Starting with a global view of how environmental stresses are generated by developing technologies, we will take a systemic approach to explore how responsibility for sustainability challenges does not always lie with the decision maker. 

You will study modules such as:

CPD and Strategic Management

During this module, you will develop your managerial skills in preparation for work in a global industry environment. You will study strategic concepts and learn how to transfer them into your own industry or specialism using a structured approach. You will focus on managing the global future by analysis rather than by instinct and will become adept at forecasting and financial analysis, while considering business ethics. The Continuing Professional Development (CPD) element of this module means that you will be able to contextualise and concentrate your studies in your own discipline to improve your employability.

Advanced Mechanical Design and Manufacturing Engineering

An integrated design, material and manufacturing approach provides one of the key enabling capabilities needed in effectively evaluating specific areas of initial concept development and in performing detail engineering design and analysis throughout a product development cycle. This integrated engineering approach incorporates the infrastructure and design and analysis formats and tools that can be exercised in a concurrent nature and provides benefits from a standpoint of producing a better design, faster results, lower cost uncertainties and reduced risk.

Robotics and Manufacturing Control Systems

You will explore the area of industrial robotics and their control. Industrial robots play an increasingly significant role in manufacturing automation. Consequently, an understanding of their hardware, software and integration design are key to the use of such technologies in industry automation. You will also study the use of programmable logic controllers (PLCs) in robot integration applications as a user-friendly control unit to enhance the capability of the industry robot application.

Negotiated Module

You will carry out a professional development audit, develop your learning contract, and identify specific aspects of technical study in your given specialism that may complement or extend your academic studies at masters level. This will help your application for Chartered Engineering status. This module will be taught through work-based learning and you will negotiate your area of study with the module leader.

You will study one module, such as:

Independent Scholarship

This triple module is an integral and substantial part of your masters degree. It enables you to use and enhance the knowledge and intellectual skills you have gained during the course through an extensive investigation of a proposed postgraduate study related to the course material. You will produce a coherent, sustained and comprehensive research study to demonstrate your ability to generate complex proposals with an awareness of current issues and insights as well as originality in the application of subject knowledge. Where appropriate, you will propose new hypotheses and speculations. You will be challenged to demonstrate a critical understanding of how the boundaries of knowledge are advanced through research in the production of clear, logically argued and original work related to your field of study.

Please note that our modules are subject to change - we review the content of our courses regularly, making changes where necessary to improve your experience and graduate prospects.

How you will learn

We have excellent industry links with local businesses including Rolls-Royce, Toyota, Balfour Beatty, Bombardier, Pektron and the Local Enterprise Partnership, D2N2, which will enrich your learning. Assessment is through a mixture of coursework and examination as appropriate.

Who will teach you

Jilin Ye at our Markeaton Street site.

Dr Jilin Ye
Programme leader

Prior to joining the University of Derby as a Senior Lecturer in Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, Jilin spent a couple of years in research positions at Loughborough University and the University of Warwick.

View full staff profileView full staff profile

Entry requirements

International applicants

This course requires an ATAS (Academic Technology Approval Scheme) certificate. As part of the programme, you will learn to research, develop and apply new technologies, develop and promote advanced designs and design methods, introduce new and more efficient production techniques, initiate marketing and construction concepts, and pioneer new engineering services and management methods. 

Fees and funding

2024/25 (August 2024 - July 2025)

TypeFull-timePart-time
UK

£9,000 for the full course or £1,000 per 20 credits*

£1,000 per 20 credits

International

£14,900 for the full course

N/A

Please note fees normally increase in line with inflation and the University's strategic approach to fees, which is reviewed on an annual basis. The total fee you pay may therefore increase after one year of study.

* UK full-time fees paid within one academic year are rounded down to the nearest £50 if applicable

Additional costs and optional extras

About postgraduate awards

Please note at postgraduate level, you’ll need to gain the following number of credits in total to obtain the respective awards. If you have any questions please contact us.

AwardCredits
Postgraduate Certificate60 Credits
Postgraduate Diploma120 Credits
MA or MSc180 Credits

This means you will gain 180 credits in total to complete the full MA or MSc. If you are studying part time you will normally complete your studies over two or three years, depending on the course structure.

Funding your studies

Find out more about fees, postgraduate loans and support you may be entitled to.

Find out about funding your studiesFind out about funding your studies

Alumni discount for Derby graduates

We offer a discount on postgraduate course fees for all Derby alumni.

Find out about the Alumni discountFind out about the Alumni discount

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International student scholarships

We have a range of scholarships and discounts available to international students which can be used together to offer a reduction in your tuition fees.

Find out if you're eligible for an international scholarship Find out if you're eligible for an international scholarship

How to apply

Please look at our application deadlines before you apply.


Careers

When you graduate, you will be fully equipped to apply current technology to a variety of areas in mechanical and manufacturing engineering. You will have the skills and knowledge to enhance your earning potential and to move into a responsible job in the sector.

Career opportunities open to graduates include:

Employers our graduates have gone on to work for include:

Contact us

   
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If you need any more information from us, eg on courses, accommodation, applying, car parking, fees or funding, please contact us and we will do everything we can to help you.

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Additional information about your studies

Download programme specification

Teaching hours

Like most universities, we operate extended teaching hours at the University of Derby, so contact time with your lecturers and tutors could be anytime between 9am and 9pm. Your timetable will usually be available on the website 24 hours after enrolment on to your course.

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