Program Overview

MSc Advanced Composites

Overview

Composites are increasingly replacing traditional metallic components in various industrial applications, such as aerospace structures (aircraft wings and fuselage, rocket fairings, satellite structures), wind turbine blades and automotive components (chassis for F1 cars and hypercars, lightweight components for electric vehicles), due to their high specific stiffness and strength. The unique characteristics of composites are essential for making our future engineering products more sustainable and energy-efficient. Currently, there is a high industrial demand for engineers with knowledge and skills in composites.

This MSc provides you with an in-depth theoretical understanding and practical knowledge of advanced composites. The programme is based in the Bristol Composites Institute (BCI), which houses state-of-the-art composites manufacturing facilities to help you conduct cutting-edge research in composites engineering.

As BCI has strong industrial and research links with major international companies and research centres, you will have great opportunities to study industry-relevant problems through your dissertation projects. BCI closely collaborates with the National Composites Centre (NCC) to create synergies between academia and industry. The NCC offers our MSc graduates the chance to apply for the NCC internship scheme, which is an excellent opportunity to gain strong industrial research experience.

Key Information

• Programme duration: One year full-time.
• Start date: September 2025
• Application deadline: Overseas applicants: 25 July 2025, Home applicants: 8 August 2025.
• Delivery method: On-Campus
• Location: Clifton
• Awards available: MSc

Programme Structure

Our taught units primarily focus on structural mechanics, design and analysis, manufacturing and testing of composites, while providing optional units to further specialise your expertise in other relevant areas.

The programme includes a research-based dissertation, which allows you to apply the knowledge and skills acquired from the taught units to scientific or industrial problems. This research experience will support you in pursuing academic or professional careers in composites engineering.

Entry Requirements

You will typically need an upper second-class honours degree or an international equivalent in a Science, Technology, Engineering or Maths subject.

If you do not have a degree in Aeronautical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Civil Engineering, Composites Engineering, Engineering Design or Mechanical Engineering, you must have a UK score of 60% (or international equivalent) in the following units:

• One mechanics unit.
• Or
• One materials unit, and one unit from the following list: Composites, Finite Element Analysis, Manufacture, Mathematics, Programming, or Simulations.

Fees and Funding

• Home: £14,500 per year
• Overseas: £32,500 per year

Fees are subject to an annual review. For programmes that last longer than one year, please budget for up to an 8% increase in fees each year.

Career Prospects

This programme is a great career development route for students with engineering or non-engineering backgrounds to develop and expand their expertise in composites engineering.

Graduates from this programme could enter a career in one of the rapidly growing composites-related industries, such as aerospace, marine, automotive and wind turbine engineering, materials testing/manufacturing or engineering consultancy. Some of our MSc graduates continue to PhD study.