MSc Advanced Mechanical Engineering

Program Overview

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MSc Advanced Mechanical Engineering

Overview

This flexible online Masters degree is designed to improve your employability in a variety of industries. You'll build the advanced skills and knowledge demanded by the world's leading employers in the automotive, energy, defence, aerospace, and manufacturing sectors.

Key Info

• Learning mode: Online
• Study level: Postgraduate SCQF Level 11
• Credits: 180
• Typical duration: 27 - 30 months
• Start month: September or January
• Indicative cost: £14,620

What You'll Study

You can choose to study for a:

• Masters (180 credits)
• exit early with a Postgraduate Diploma (120 credits)
• exit early with a Postgraduate Certificate (60 credits), or
• start with one of the short courses that make up this degree (15 credits)

Master of Science - 180 credits

You'll work through eight 15-credit courses and a 60-credit project to earn your MSc.

Compulsory courses

Earn 75 credits from these five compulsory courses.

• Computational Fluid Dynamics (15 credits, September)
• Advanced Composite Materials (15 credits, September)
• Finite Element Methods (15 credits, January)
• Engineering Risk and Reliability Analysis (15 credits, January)
• Mathematical Optimisation (15 credits, January)

Optional courses - September term

Choose two of these courses.

• Fire and Explosion Engineering (15 credits, September)
• Structural Vibrations (15 credits, September)
• Project Management (15 credits, September)

Optional course - January term

Choose one of these courses.

• Riser Systems and Hydrodynamics (15 credits, January)
• Marine and Wind Energy (15 credits, January)

Project

Then complete your project to gain your final 60 credits and complete the MSc.

• MSc Individual Project (60 credits, June or January)

How You'll Study

Online learning

This distance learning mechanical engineering degree is delivered flexibly, 100% online.

You can learn with us anywhere in the world, no student visa required, and set your study hours to suit you.

Your teaching

Teaching is delivered through MyAberdeen, our online Virtual Learning Environment (VLE). It holds all the materials, tools and support you'll need in your studies.

Your tutors

This degree is delivered by our School of Engineering.

You'll learn from highly research-active lecturers who, in partnership with industry, have designed this degree to ensure you are taught the latest technologies and thinking in the field.

Your Industry Advisory Board

Members of the Industry Advisory Board for this degree are: Neptune Energy, TechnipFMC, Lloyd's Register, Aramco, Apache Corporation, Repsol Sinopec Resources UK, Dassault Systems UK, CNRL Aberdeen, BP Solutions, Chevron, SGS, Perenco UK, and Subsea UK.

Representatives from these companies ensure your degree content is informed by the latest industry needs and developments.

Assessment

This degree is assessed online.

We'll use several types of assessment throughout your studies, including:

• coursework
• reports, including lab reports
• numerical tests
• online exams, including open-book exams

Study Hours

Hours for taught courses

If you plan to study part-time, we recommend you take no more than 30 credits per term. Students typically take one or two 15-credit short courses per term.

• 15 credits: Around 150 hours of study and assessment time to complete. You'll study 10 – 15 hours per week per term, plus more at assessment times.
• 30 credits: Around 300 hours of study and assessment time to complete. You'll study 20 – 30 hours per week per term, plus more at assessment times.

Hours for 60-credit projects and dissertations

A 60-credit project or dissertation is around 600 hours of study time.

This is around one term of full-time study.

You can dedicate a full term to your project or dissertation and work on it full-time. Or you can complete it part-time, spreading the hours you dedicate to it over two terms.

Support

Our first-class support structure will ensure that you aren't alone in your studies. You'll have contact with your coordinator via email, MyAberdeen and Microsoft Teams. You can use social media and discussion boards to chat with your fellow students too.

We provide a wide range of services to support you in your studies and beyond:

• Careers and Employability Service
• Disability support
• IT support
• Library support
• Student Support Service – help with finances, stress, wellbeing and non-academic issues
• Student Learning Service – study support, with advice sessions available via phone or Skype
• Aberdeen University Students' Association (AUSA) – run by students for students
• Toolkit – clever apps and free training that can make your study life easier

Where This Will Take You

Your MSc qualification

You'll graduate with a respected MSc in Advanced Mechanical Engineering from the University of Aberdeen, one of the UK's six ancient universities.

You'll receive exactly the same degree qualification online as you would on campus. Your degree title will not mention online or distance learning.

Your MSc qualification will be recognised by employers and educational institutions around the world, opening up international opportunities.

Careers

You'll graduate from this degree prepared to take on leadership roles in a range of technical and professional fields, as well as academia and research organisations.

Your MSc will help you pursue a career in sectors including:

• manufacturing
• defence
• automotive
• aerospace
• energy
• engineering consultancy
• sustainability consultancy
• governmental and non-governmental organisations, and
• academia.

Fees and Funding

Master of Science

• 180 credits: £14,620

This indicative cost is based on 180 credits of study over three years, starting in September 2025.

The fee quoted above is based on you starting your studies with us in the 2025/26 academic year.

Our tuition fees will rise by 3% for the 2026/27, 2027/28 and 2028/29 academic years. Our indicative cost includes a 3% fee rise each year.

Pay as you go

This is a pay-as-you-go qualification.

You do not have to pay the full tuition fee upfront.

You can spread the cost and pay as you go, term by term.

How it works

• You decide how many credits to study for each term.
• At the start of term, you pay only for the credits you're taking that term.
• This gives you control over your costs and workload for each term of your qualification.

Your personalised cost breakdown

Use the degree scheduler to plan your studies and see your cost breakdown, term by term.

Additional costs

• Learning resources: Access to all the essential books and resources you need are included in your tuition fee. They'll be made available to you online and you do not have to buy your own copies.
• Printing: You may want to set aside a small budget for printing, depending on how you like to work.

Entry Requirements

MSc

Our minimum entry requirements for this MSc are:

• a 2:2 UK honours degree (or equivalent) in Mechanical, Civil, Materials, Chemical, or Aerospace Engineering.

Key subjects you must have covered: Mathematics and mechanical subjects.

International students

• Entry requirements: We welcome students from all over the world. See the minimum entry requirements above. If you do not have qualifications from the UK, check equivalent qualifications from your country.
• Visa requirements: You do not need a student visa to study online with us.
• English language requirements: Teaching is delivered in English. If English is not your first language, use our English requirements checklist to see if you need to provide evidence of your English language skills when you apply.

English language tests and scores

If you do need to provide English language test scores, these are the tests and minimum scores we accept for this course or degree.

These are our Postgraduate Standard requirements.

• IELTS Academic, IELTS UKVI Academic, or IELTS Online (not IELTS Indicator or IELTS General Training): 6.5 overall, 5.5 for listening, reading and speaking, 6.0 for writing
• TOEFL iBT or TOEFL iBT Home Edition: 90 overall, 17 for listening, 18 for reading, 20 for speaking, 21 for writing, TOEFL DI code is 0818
• Cambridge English: B2 First, C1 Advanced, or C2 Proficiency: 176 overall, 162 for listening, reading and speaking, 169 for writing
• LanguageCert Academic / LanguageCert Academic SELT: 70 overall, 60 for listening, reading and speaking, 65 for writing
• Oxford ELLT Digital – English Language Level Test Online: 7.0 overall, 5.0 for listening, reading and speaking, 6.0 for writing
• PTE Academic (online test not accepted): 62 overall, 59 for listening, reading, speaking and writing
• Skills for English: SELT: B2 pass with merit
• Duolingo – tests taken from 1 July 2024 onward: 120 overall, 95 for listening, reading and speaking, 105 for writing
• University of Aberdeen English Pre-sessional Programme (PSE): Pass, valid for one year. Refresher can be offered if out of date
• Pre-sessional academic English preparation programmes undertaken at other UK universities: Pass at an equivalent of 6.5 (C1), B2 in all four skills, certification must be within one year prior to the start of your course

How to Apply

You apply through our online Applicant Portal. It allows you to upload relevant qualifications and documents.

What you need to apply for this degree

• Degree transcript
• Personal statement
• Degree certificate
• CV / Resume

Apply now

Start with our step-by-step guide. It explains degree transcripts, what to write in your personal statement and how to use our Applicant Portal.

When to apply

You can apply to start in either September or January.

Apply as early as you can. This is so we have time to review your application and get a decision to you. We also want to ensure you have time to enrol before teaching starts.

September 2025 intake

For our September 2025 intake, the application deadline is 8 September 2025.

You will need to accept your offer and provide any outstanding documents to meet the conditions of your offer by 15 September 2025.

Teaching starts on 22 September 2025.

January 2026 intake

Teaching starts on 26 January 2026.

Application deadlines will be announced in due course.

IT Requirements

You will need access to:

• A computer (PC, laptop or Mac) with an up-to-date operating system: Most teaching materials are smartphone- and tablet-friendly. But we recommend a proper laptop or desktop for completing assignments comfortably.
• Reliable internet access: We recommend a wired connection, a minimum download speed of 2 Mbps so you can take part fully in live sessions.
• Speakers or headphones: We recommend a headset with built-in microphone and earphones if you're likely to study in an environment with background noise. A webcam is optional, but you may like to use one for some interactive sessions.
• Software: We'll give you access to Office365 applications. This means you can use online versions of Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneDrive and install these programs on up to five personal devices.

If your course requires specialist software, we'll provide you with access to this and a licence that lasts throughout your studies.

See our detailed IT requirements for more information.