MSc Reliability Engineering and Asset Management / Course details

Reliability Engineering and Asset Management are critical to industries throughout the world.

It is estimated that a significant amount of annual plant cost is spent on maintenance. Maintenance costs are likely to influence competitiveness on a global scale and therefore those working in maintenance can impact their company's bottom line in a positive way.

This course intends to equip candidates to do just that. The MSc course embraces management techniques, organisation, planning and the application of substantial electronic, engineering and analytical knowledge to manufacturing processes, transport, power generation and the efficient operation of industrial, commercial and civic buildings. The aim of the course is to give companies the technical and managerial expertise to thrive in the global marketplace.

Course content

The course includes taught units which cover various aspects of applied management and technology in the field of reliability engineering and asset management. The course is designed to be suitable for professionals already working in the industry as well as recent graduates who have studied an undergraduate degree in this field. Our teaching staff are internationally recognised professionals with years of experience working in industry and academic institutions.

The course is offered as indicated below:

• Full-time on campus, 1 year
• Part-time on campus, 3 years  (4 x 1 week teaching blocks per year) This option is only available for Home students
• Part-time distance learning, 3 years  (Students study two units per term. There is a one day webinar per unit. Attendance is not compulsory but is recommended)

We also offer Reliability Engineering and Asset Management as a Postgraduate Certificate (four taught units), a Postgraduate Diploma (all eight taught units) and as a Continuing Professional Development course in which you can study individual course units.

For further information about these course options, please see the Reliability Engineering and Asset Management PG Certificate and PG Diploma course page, or our Continuing Professional Development course page.

Full-time on campus

Students study full time on campus and undertake eight course units. Each taught unit lasts one week and is followed by time for coursework and revision for examinations. Students also submit a dissertation and the MSc is completed in one year.

Part-time on campus (only available for Home/EU students)

Students undertake eight units. Each course unit is taught over a one week period and is followed by time for coursework and revision for examinations. Students study four course units each year over the first two years and then they write their dissertation project in the final year. Therefore the duration of the part-time course is three years.

Part-time distance learning

Students undertake eight course units, all studied online, spending around 3 months on each course unit. Teaching will begin with a short introduction allowing students to acclimatise to the online system- our Virtual Learning Environment, Blackboard 9. The online teaching material includes text, images, video and animation and there is also regular and active communication online between groups of students and with academic staff. Distance learning students are invited to attend a webinar via the Blackboard virtual learning environment with the course leader twice per semester.  This is recommended but not compulsory. The MSc is completed in three years with students completing their dissertation project in the final year.

Following each taught course unit, there are two assignments and an examination. Distance learning students take the examination at an approved higher education institute or the British Council in their home country.

The written assignment accounts for 50% of the grade for the unit, the examination 35% and an in-unit assignment the remaining 15%.

Examination period

Examinations for the semester one course content take place in January.

Examinations for the semester two course content take place in May/June.

Dissertation project

The dissertation project is intended to address and analyse a real issue in Reliability Engineering and Asset Management. Students select and research the issue and are expected to apply the theory they have learnt during the course. The dissertation should bring in case studies, reflect on potential solutions reported in the literature and suggest innovative proposals and field trials. All students have access to laboratory resources where appropriate.

You'll learn in our world-class £400m Home of Engineering and Materials , a building specifically designed to bring together all disciplines to create a connected and dynamic environment.

This space supports a variety of teaching and learning styles, through blended lecture theatres, multi-purpose study spaces and over 250 state-of-the-art laboratories. There is also a range of technical spaces, enabling you to shape your own learning environment.