Postgraduate Programmes: Engineering and Production 

Engineering    Mining   Production  Technology

Postgraduate Programmes in Engineering and Production

A Postgraduate Programme in Engineering will give the students the skills necessary to design and build structures, machines, systems and/or materials. It will teach them to employ a variety of methods to achieve their aim, including scientific and mathematical skills, as well as economical, social, and practical knowledge. A Postgraduate Programme in Engineering could concentrate on a variety of different aspects of engineering, including civil engineering, transport engineering, chemical engineering and structural engineering.

Postgraduate Programmes in Production vary enormously depending on what element of production they are specialising in, for example clothing production, food production or the motor industry.

There is a vast selection of engineering and production courses available in the UK, so you should be able to find one offering exactly what you want. However make sure you find out exactly what your preferred course entails, as often similarly titled courses can offer quite different modules of study,

What Postgraduate Programmes in Engineering and Production are on offer?

Generally speaking there are two types of postgraduate programme in the UK: taught and research. Taught programmes are those in which a large proportion of the learning is facilitated through classroom, seminar, tutorial and supervised laboratory work, and which are at least partially assessed by examination or coursework. The learning on a research programme, on the other hand, will take place through the pursuit of a self-directed project that aims to make a new contribution to human knowledge (although it will almost always be part of a broader research programme at an institutional level).

Despite this fundamental division, all master’s programmes will contain some self-directed research, while there are also programmes, such as the Doctor of Engineering (DEng), which combine both taught and research elements, and which are aimed at engineers who are established in their careers. There are also integrated and funded four-year programmes that are much coveted. These are known as ‘1+3’ programmes because they are made up of a one-year master’s followed by a three-year PhD.

Another variation of taught programmes is the conversion course. Instead of just being a means to continue your understanding of a subject you already know well, some taught programmes are aimed at students from outside the discipline who wish to change the direction of their career. These conversion programmes will be characterised by an intense and in-depth introduction to the subject.

Find out about doing a Master's in Chemical Engineering.

Taught Postgraduate Programmes in Engineering and Production

Most international students will start with a stand-alone taught postgraduate programme and then consider whether to move towards doing a research degree. Indeed, in many circumstances, UK universities insist on this. There are three levels of taught programme to look out for: postgraduate certificate (PGCert), postgraduate diploma (PGDip) or master’s. Postgraduate certificates and diplomas are short (under a year) and can be part of continuing professional development (CPD) or preparation for entry on to a master’s programme. In some cases, diplomas can be awarded to students who follow a taught master’s programme (one year full time, two years part time), but who do not complete the final (up to) 20,000-word dissertation. These programmes will usually be designated an MSc/Diploma.

It is also worth pointing out as well that a Master of Engineering (MEng) is awarded after an extended period of undergraduate study that lasts typically one year longer than a standard honours degree programme. In contrast, MSc programmes in engineering are stand-alone one-year programmes designed to focus on a specific area of the discipline.

Research-based Postgraduate Programmes

Research programmes at master’s level might be called a Master of Research (MRes) or, regardless of the actual subject studied, Master of Philosophy (MPhil), which usually take two years. The highest research degree is the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD). This takes a minimum of three years to complete.

Apart from some training in research skills, there will be very little taught content on research programmes. The dissertation will also be longer, 70,000 to 100,000 words for a PhD. It should also be original and, in theory, publishable. Essentially, possessing a PhD should mean that you are one of the leading experts in your specialism in the world.

English Language Requirements

IELTS scores of 6.5–7.0 or TOEFL scores of 100-107 are usually needed. Because of ongoing changes in the law we advise international students to regularly check the UKBA website to make sure they can fulfil the necessary requirements. Most individual institutions also have useful information on the Tier 4 requirements for international students, and can offer assistance in terms of student queries about their specific English language requirements.

Click here to find out more about English Language requirements for International Students.

How much will it cost?

A one-year taught master’s programme can cost anything between a few thousand pounds to well over £10,000, although there are different rates according to whether you are a European Union (EU) or non-EU student. Applications for funding or scholarships must be made well over a year in advance (information on the various institutional scholarships is available from the British Council website) and funding should always be arranged before you leave your home country.

Find out more about studying Science and Engineering.

Looking for funding for postgraduate studies? Check out the exclusive bursaries on offer from Postgrad Solutions.