Overview
- Degree awarded
- MSc
- Duration
- 12 months full time
- Entry requirements
-
The standard academic entry requirement for this Master's course is an Upper Second Class UK Honours degree or international equivalent in a relevant science or engineering discipline. Please note that we consider grades achieved in key relevant modules in your undergraduate degree as well as the overall degree result.
- How to apply
-
As there is high demand for this course we operate a staged admissions process with selection deadlines throughout the year. Please find more information in our Application and Selection section .
Course options
| Full-time | Part-time | Full-time distance learning | Part-time distance learning | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MSc | Y | N | N | N |
Course overview
- Pioneering innovation since 1824, Manchester was the first English university to offer an engineering degree
- Extensive industrial links with companies such as Jaguar Land Rover and Siemens
- Excellent resources, computation and experimental laboratory facilities, including laser laboratories and wind tunnels
- Our course is accredited by IMechE , the Institution of Mechanical Engineers
Open days
Please take a look at the information and recordings from our most recent Virtual Open Week to find out more about The University and our courses.
We would also encourage you to have a look at our department's virtual tour or to get in touch with us if you have questions about our MSc courses.
Fees
Fees for entry in 2024 have not yet been set. For reference, the fees for the academic year beginning September 2023 were as follows:
-
MSc (full-time)
UK students (per annum): £14,500
International, including EU, students (per annum): £32,500
Further information for EU students can be found on our dedicated EU page.
Policy on additional costs
All students should normally be able to complete their programme of study without incurring additional study costs over and above the tuition fee for that programme. Any unavoidable additional compulsory costs totalling more than 1% of the annual home undergraduate fee per annum, regardless of whether the programme in question is undergraduate or postgraduate taught, will be made clear to you at the point of application. Further information can be found in the University's Policy on additional costs incurred by students on undergraduate and postgraduate taught programmes (PDF document, 91KB).
Scholarships/sponsorships
Across our institution, we offer a number of postgraduate taught scholarships and awards to outstanding UK and international students each year.
The University of Manchester is committed to widening participation in master's study, and allocates £300,000 in funding each year. Our Manchester Masters Bursaries are aimed at widening access to master's courses by removing barriers to postgraduate education for students from underrepresented groups.
For more information, see the Fees and funding page or visit the University of Manchester funding for masters courses website for more information.
Contact details
- Department
- Department of Mechanical, Aerospace & Civil Engineering
- Contact name
- Postgraduate Admissions Team
- Telephone
- +44 (0)161 543 4016
- pg-mace@manchester.ac.uk
- Website
- https://www.mace.manchester.ac.uk/
- School/Faculty
-
The School of Engineering creates a world of possibilities for students pursuing skills and understanding. Through dynamic research and teaching we develop engineering solutions that make a difference to society in an ethical and sustainable way. Science-based engineering is at the heart of what we do, and through collaboration we support the engineers and scientists of tomorrow to become technically strong, analytically innovative and creative. Find out more about Science and Engineering at Manchester .
Courses in related subject areas
Use the links below to view lists of courses in related subject areas.
Entry requirements
Academic entry qualification overview
The standard academic entry requirement for this Master's course is an Upper Second Class UK Honours degree or international equivalent in a relevant science or engineering discipline. Please note that we consider grades achieved in key relevant modules in your undergraduate degree as well as the overall degree result.
English language
• IELTS: overall score of 7.0 with no sub-test below 6.5.
• TOEFL iBT: at least 100 overall with no sub-test less than 22. We do not accept 'MyBestScore'. We do not accept TOEFL iBT Home Edition.
• Pearson PTE: at least 76 overall with no sub-test below 70.
• Pre-sessional English run by the University Centre for Academic English
• An acceptable equivalent English Language qualification.
English language test validity
Application and selection
How to apply
As there is high demand for this course we operate a staged admissions process with selection deadlines throughout the year. Please find more information in our Application and Selection section .
Staged admissions
Applications to this course are considered through a staged admissions process with selection deadlines throughout the year. Due to the competition for places, we give preference to applicants with grades above our minimum entry requirements. If we make you an offer, you will have 6 weeks in which to accept. Offers that are not accepted within the 6 week period will be withdrawn so that an offer can be made to another candidate in the next application stage.
Stage 1: Application deadline 15 December 2023. Decision by 16 February 2024.
Stage 2: Application deadline 1 March 2024. Decision by 26 April 2024.
Stage 3: Application deadline 3 May 2024. Decision by 21 June 2024.
We aim to give you a decision on your application in the decision period for your application stage. However, in some instances it may be necessary to roll your application forward to the next stage due to the competition for places and the volume of applications received.
All places are subject to availability and some courses may close before the later stages. We therefore recommend that you apply early. Applications received after the final deadline may be considered at our discretion if places are still available.
Applicants who are made a conditional offer of a place must meet all the conditions of their offer by 31 July 2024.
Advice to applicants
We require the following documents before we can consider your application:
- Transcript of your studies to date including credit weighting and grades achieved. If your academic documents are in languages other than English, please provide them in their original version and official translations.
- An official document from your university verifying your current weighted average mark (not arithmetic average) if this information is not included in your transcript of study. Please note : where grades are given as a percentage, the weighted average mark must also be recorded as a percentage, not as a GPA grade.
- You will need to provide the name and contact details of one referee as part of your application.
- Degree certificate if you have already graduated.
- A CV if you graduated more than three years ago.
How your application is considered
We consider your full academic history including which course units you have taken and the marks obtained. Even if you have met our minimum entry requirements, we will take into account your marks in relevant course units in our final decision making.
If you graduated more than three years ago, we will also consider the information contained on your CV and any relevant work experience you have to assess if you are still able to fulfil the entry criteria.
Interview requirements
Overseas (non-UK) applicants
Self-funded international applicants for this course will be required to pay a deposit of £1,000 towards their tuition fees before a confirmation of acceptance for studies (CAS) is issued. This deposit will only be refunded if immigration permission is refused. We will notify you about how and when to make this payment.
Please upload a copy of your current valid passport with your application showing the photograph page with your application. For CAS purposes, this must show your full name, date of birth, nationality, passport number and the date the passport is valid until, which must be later than the date of your planned arrival in the UK, and the start date of your course.
If you have previously studied in the UK on a Tier 4 visa as an undergraduate or postgraduate student, please send a copy of your previous CAS statement to us as it will assist with the issue of your new CAS statement. This includes study in the UK on study abroad programmes and any study that you did not complete.
You cannot use your CAS to apply for a visa more than three months before the start date of your course. The Admissions Team will contact you at the appropriate time.
Your CAS number is only valid for one Tier 4 application.
Deferrals
Re-applications
Course details
Course description
The MSc in Mechanical Engineering Design equips students to both design complex systems and to evaluate their design's performance using technical engineering skills. Students will learn about the design process including specification development, concept design, detail design and prototype production.
This MSc is unique as it also teaches the technical evaluation skills based on theory, experimentation and computer modelling to determine the feasibility and performance of new products or to assess the performance of existing equipment. This is a technical engineering course based around solid mechanics principles which integrates advanced engineering techniques with hands-on-learning to provide a complementary blend of skills desired by employers. The Department is a vibrant environment to study, we have 200 years of expertise in teaching engineering, high calibre facilities, strong links with industry and a vision to provide a modern world-class education.
Manchester Engineering Campus Development (MECD), the University of Manchester's new £400m purpose built home for engineering and material science , is nearing completion. The physical move to the new development is scheduled to take place between January 2022 and December 2022. Whilst it is anticipated that access to equipment, or work on projects for which such access is required may be limited during the period of the move, plans are underway to ensure that any disruption caused is minimised, a wide selection of dissertation projects will continue to be available, and excellent student experience remains pivotal. If you have any questions about how the move may affect you, please contact pg-mace@manchester.ac.uk
Teaching and learning
The Mechanical Engineering Design MSc is a full time course which is studied over 12 months and there is one start date each year in September. You will develop advanced technical skills in Mechanical Engineering Design that will enable you to pursue a career in both general and specialised engineering industries or develop an in depth knowledge for a career in research in industry or academia.
Course unit details
Course unit list
The course unit details given below are subject to change, and are the latest example of the curriculum available on this course of study.
| Title | Code | Credit rating | Mandatory/optional |
|---|---|---|---|
| Experimental Methods (MSc Mechanical Engineering Design) | AERO64021 | 15 | Mandatory |
| Research Methods | MECH60041 | 15 | Mandatory |
| Finite Elements | MECH60561 | 15 | Mandatory |
| Mechanical Engineering Group Design | MECH61060 | 30 | Mandatory |
| Dissertation (Mechanical Engineering Design) | MECH64000 | 60 | Mandatory |
| Composites and Polymers | MECH60102 | 15 | Optional |
| Acoustics & Advanced Vibrations | MECH60442 | 15 | Optional |
| Robotics, Metrology and Bioengineering | MECH61032 | 15 | Optional |
| Structural Integrity | MECH63002 | 15 | Optional |
Related research
Disability support
Careers
Career opportunities
The Mechanical Engineering Design MSc has a strong focus on employability to support you to take control of your future and give yourself the best chance of securing your ideal job after graduation. For example there are regular industrial guest lectures and optional short courses delivered by companies such as National Instruments and Maxon Motors.
Each year Manchester careers fairs, workshops and presentations attract more than 600 exhibitors and 20,000 visitors illustrating how Top employers target Manchester graduates.
After graduating with a Mechanical Engineering Design MSc you will be in a strong position to seek employment with companies such as: BP, Rolls Royce, GE Aviation, Airbus, Siemens, Jaguar Land Rover, Bentley Motors, Nissan Motor Company, Bombardier Transportation, DePuy International, GE Healthcare, E-ON, EDF, Sellafield, Apple.
Destination of Leavers Survey
Every year our The University of Manchester conducts a destination of leavers survey with students six months after they have graduated. A selection of these destinations since 2010 are highlighted below:
- GE Aviation (Design Engineer)
- GE Healthcare (Edison Engineering Development Programme)
- SEPLAT Petroleum Development Company (Drilling Engineer)
- BMP Europe Ltd (Design Engineer)
- The University of Manchester (PhD Researcher)
- Formosa Prosonic (Design Engineer)
- Hitachi Home & Life Solutions (India) Ltd (Executive - Quality Management)
- Indra Limited (Mechanical Design Engineer)
- NNPC-NETCO (Mechanical Engineer)
- Shell Petroleum Development company (SPDC) (Oil and Gas Operator)
- Triton Valves Ltd (Senior Engineer, Design and Development)