Program Overview

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Mechanical Engineering

MSc

Overview

By combining theory and hands-on learning, our postgraduate Mechanical Engineering master’s degree helps you get ready for a career in the field. Our facilities, which include our High Voltage Energy Storage lab and Joining Technology Research Centre, double as teaching and research spaces.

Use your dissertation and extra-curricular activities to explore your passion and sharpen your skills, and let visiting professionals from the industry show you what a career in this discipline has to offer.

You’ll analyse and test your designs using industry standard CAD and simulation packages, before moving onto design implementation. Our tutors are experts in their fields, and their collective research spans design and simulation, sustainable engineering, materials and joining technology. This course is accredited by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) and the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET).

Why Oxford Brookes University?

• Taught by experts
• Brand new facilities
• Hands-on research
• Meet recruiters
• Dive into your passion
• Accreditation(s)

This course is accredited by the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) for the purpose of meeting the further learning requirement for registration as a Chartered Engineer. This course is also accredited by The Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE). We are seeking re-accreditation with IET and IMechE in October 2025.

Course details

Course structure

You’ll study specialist mechanical engineering subjects, including Composite Design and Impact Modelling, Advanced Strength of Components and Advanced Mechanical Engineering Design. You’ll learn to improve component durability, predict fatigue and fractures and apply the Theory of Inventive Problem Solving (TRIZ). Also you’ll gain and build knowledge of business management as you progress your own enterprise.

For your dissertation, you’ll get to study an area of mechanical engineering that fascinates you at a deep level, and develop research, planning and project management skills in doing so.

Previously there have been industry-sponsored projects from companies such as Far-Axon, Tranquillity Aerospace and Norba or you can undertake your own project and work closely with the commercial or research organisation of your choice.

Learning and teaching

Teaching methods include:

• lectures and seminars to provide a sound theoretical base
• practical work designed to demonstrate important aspects of theory or systems operation.

Most of our teaching staff are from the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Mathematical Sciences. In addition we invite visiting speakers from business and industry to provide further input to your learning.

Assessment

Assessment is continuous and includes:

• coursework exercise
• essays
• presentations
• laboratory exercises
• examinations.

Study modules

Taught modules

• Engineering Business Management (20 credits)
• Composite Design and Impact Modelling (20 credits)
• Advanced Strength of Components (20 credits)
• Advanced Mechanical Engineering Design (20 credits)
• Noise, Vibration and Harshness (20 credits)
• Real-time Embedded Systems (20 credits)

Final project

• MSc Dissertation (60 credits)

The Dissertation (core, triple credit) is an individual project on a topic from mechanical engineering, offering an opportunity to specialise in a particular area of your choice. In addition to developing a high level of expertise in a particular area of mechanical engineering, including use of industry-standard software and/or experimental work, the module will also provide you with research skills, planning techniques, project management. Whilst a wide range of industry-sponsored projects are available (e.g. Far-Axon, Clayex/Dymola, Tranquillity Aerospace, Norbar, etc.), students are also able undertake their own projects in the UK and abroad, to work in close co-operation with a research, industrial or commercial organisation.

Research

Our research groups produce high-quality research for the real world. Staff have close links with industry through research projects and consultancies.

You can find out more on our department research pages.

The results of the most recent REF (2014) exercise showed that 96% of research in the department is internationally recognised. 57% was judged to be of world leading quality or internationally excellent, compared with 45% in 2008. More specifically, 50% of the impact case studies returned were judged to be internationally excellent, and 72% of the research outputs were judged to be internationally excellent or world leading.

Careers

You’ll find your mechanical engineering knowledge is useful for many other disciplines outside of engineering. We’ve seen students go to work across the aerospace, manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, and finance sectors.

Graduates work for companies such as:

• Lentus Composites
• Dyson
• Capgemini Engineering
• Airbus
• PRF Gas Solutions
• MHI Vestas Offshore Wind
• Caterpillar.

Entry requirements

Specific entry requirements

You should normally hold a first degree equivalent to at least a British lower second-class bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering or a related discipline. Applicants with relevant professional experience will also be considered.

English language requirements

If your first language is not English you will require a minimum IELTS score of 6.0 overall with 6.0 in all components.

OR

An equivalent English language qualification acceptable to the University.

Tuition fees

2025 / 26

• Home (UK) full time: £10,800
• Home (UK) part time: £5,400
• International full time: £18,950

2026 / 27

• Home (UK) full time: £11,250
• Home (UK) part time: £5,625
• International full time: £19,600

Funding your studies

Financial support and scholarships

Featured funding opportunities available for this course.

• Part-Time UK Faculty Scholarship
• Postgraduate Master's Loan - England

Additional costs

Compulsory costs

• Personal protective equipment for engineering labs: £25-40

Optional costs

• Travel and associated costs if relevant when undertaking work placements: £30-700 per year
• It’s your responsibility to cover print / binding costs where coursework submission is required: From £30
• You may choose to purchase books to support your studies: £20-60 per book
• Accommodation fees in Brookes Letting (most do not include bills): £94-265 per week
• Accommodation fees in university halls (bills included, excluding laundry costs): £122-180 per week
• Graduation costs include tickets, gowning and photography: Typically £0-200
• Students are responsible for their own travel to and from university for classes: From £10