Mechatronics MSc/PG Dip/PG Cert

About the course

Taught by experienced and enthusiastic staff engaged in a wide range of research, this is the longest established and most successful specialist mechatronics course in the UK. Integrate your subject knowledge and develop an interdisciplinary approach to problem solving and engineering product development.

This advanced course focuses on enabling you to become proficient in communicating across a range of different disciplines and delivering optimised engineering solutions using an integrated multidisciplinary mechatronics approach. You will be exposed to a broad range of engineering disciplines, be able to solve multidisciplinary mechatronics problems and develop the skills to apply a mechatronic approach to the solution of technical problems.

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Key facts

UKPASS course code: H73071

Duration: One year full-time (with optional one year placement available), three years part-time

Start Date: September or January (please contact the Admissions Team for further information)

Entry and admission criteria

You should have the equivalent of a British Honours degree (2:2 minimum) in a relevant subject.

We are happy to consider equivalent qualifications from anywhere in the world.

If English is not your first language an IELTS score of 6.0 or equivalent when you start the course is essential. English Language tuition, delivered by our British Council accredited Centre for English Language Learning|, is available both before and throughout the course if you need it.

If you have no formal academic qualifications but do have extensive industry experience we will consider your application on an individual basis.

If you feel you would like to talk to us about your qualifications before submitting an application please do not hesitate to call or email using the contact details below.

Teaching and assessment

Teaching is delivered through a variety of methods including lectures, tutorials and laboratories. You will be expected to undertake self-directed study.

Course modules

First semester (September to January)

Broadening studies (12 weeks plus three weeks assessment). Four modules with an emphasis on case studies:

• Electromechanics provides an insight into the fundamental theory and application underpinning electronics, mechanics, and mechatronic systems engineering. It also introduces the principles of MicroMechatronics/MEMS.
• Mechatronic Systems: Engineering and Design introduces you to system engineering and the philosophies of design. It provides the basic tools and rules for analysis of systems and integrated design concepts and evaluation techniques. Exposes you to rational assessment of a range of studies of electro-mechanical system design.
• Engineering Business Environment and Energy Studies provides an awareness of the commercial environment and the need for operational efficiency within manufacturing businesses. The use of sustainable approaches to production will also be examined.
• Programming and Software Engineering develops the knowledge of efficient programming approaches to software engineering with an emphasis on the development of practical programming skills. Modular programming in C provides the basis for many signal and image processing software and programming techniques.

Second semester (February to May)

Advanced studies (12 weeks plus three weeks of assessment). Four modules intended to deepen knowledge of some of the tools required by practising mechatronic engineers:

• Machine Vision, Robotics and Flexible Automation provides both conceptual and detailed knowledge in the area of robotics, machine vision and flexible automation. Also builds upon the fundamental philosophy of mechatronics in the context of flexible automation technologies and applications.
• Engineering Systems: Dynamics and Control develops your ability to critically analyse engineering problems involving dynamics and control issues, as well as your experimental and theoretical skills. Control and dynamics are key technologies in the mechatronics design approach.
• Microprocessor Applications and Digital Signal Processing provides knowledge for the application of microprocessor systems, aimed at single-chip embedded solutions as being appropriate to a product-orientated treatment. Also provides the knowledge of DSP algorithms and systems and an understanding of implementation technologies, designs and application areas.
• Research Methods introduces the fundamentals of research methods in an engineering context. It will prepare you for the individual research project through undertaking lectures, seminars and assignments that introduce and develop the concepts, organisational structure and deliverables of a research project.

Individual Project (Stage three)

This research can be industrially-based or linked to an industrial partner, attached to one of the mechatronic-related research teams within the faculty or in other collaborating institutions. The research project should be in an area relevant to Mechatronics, where clear evidence of the ability to solve a real multidisciplinary problem is demonstrated. The project assessment involves a formal presentation, production of a technical paper and a thesis.

Academic expertise

Research is carried out by the Mechatronics Research Centre, which holds a considerable number of UK and EU research project grants and has collaborative research links with more than 100 national and international organisations. The group is internationally regarded and specialises in machine design, control and simulation, fluid power systems and motion control. As part of your studies, you will be offered opportunities to work on projects with research groups within the faculty who are engaged in high class, leading-edge research and industrial collaboration and consultancy.

During the project element of the course, the Intelligent Machines and Automation Systems (IMAS) Research Laboratory provides access to dedcated research facilities.

Graduate careers

Graduates enjoy exciting career opportunities from a wide range of industries. These include robotics and automation, machine vision, manufacturing, automotive, aerospace, consumer products, material processing, energy and power. They are likely to be employed as engineers, senior engineers and project leaders or managers for roles in design and development, research and development, electromechanical, automation and control, manufacturing, product development, field support and maintenance, system integration, commissioning and installation, test and verification, or any engineering role where understanding interdisciplinary issues with insights is vital. You will also be prepared to undertake PhD study.

Fees and funding

Annual Tuition Fees for Higher Education Courses from 1st September 2013 to 31st August 2014.

Full-time UK/EU Postgraduate Courses Standard Fees £4,200 Postgraduate Placement Year Fee £650 Students Equivalent or Lower Qualification Status* £5,000 Overseas
Postgraduate Courses Standard Fees £12,200 Postgraduate Placement Year Fee £750 Part-time (where available) Part-time fees are charged on a credit basis, you will need to complete 180 credits over the course of an MSc programme. 15 Credits £350 Students Equivalent or Lower Qualification Status* 15 Credits
£420 Continuation Fee** £150

For more information please take a look at our Funding| section.

* ELQ Student definition - If you are a Home or EU status student and you already have a qualification at or above the level of the programme you wish to study from any country you will be considered as an Equivalent or Lower Qualification (ELQ) student. In 2008 the UK Government decided to stop funding universities for student in this situation and therefore the following fees will apply £5,000. Students from outside the EU are not affected by the policy.

** A fee that is charged on a periodic basis where PG or Research students need to extend their registration to complete the course.

Scholarships

Are you a DMU Alumni? Receive up to £2000 off your Tuition Fees*

As part of the University’s on-going commitment to enhance the personal and career development of graduates, we are pleased to announce that from this September the University will be introducing The Faculty of Technology Alumni Scholarship| which will allow graduates to receive up to £2000 off tuition fees* for Postgraduate study.

Facilities

Mechanical

The main mechanical lab is a large open-plan space designed to accommodate the study of thermo-fluids, solid mechanics and dynamics. It also has an area with machine tools for manufacture of student designs.

There is a purpose built engine testing facility with full instrumentation to measure engine performance and emissions. This facility is normally used by our final year engineering and research students. Typical student projects include running the engine with alternative fuels such as bio-fuels and water-in-diesel emulsified fuels to improve performance and emission characteristics.

Electronics

Electrical and Electronic experimental facilities are divided into five main areas: general electronics and assembly, digital electronics and microprocessor engineering, power electronics, control systems and communications engineering. Each facility is equipped with state of the art experimental equipment appropriate to the corresponding areas of study and research. An additional CAD design suite shared with the Mechanical and Design programmes provides access to computing facilities with specialist electronics CAD tools including Microsoft Office, OrCAD and PSpice.

A specialised area incorporating a spacious radio frequency reverberation chamber and Faraday cage allows for experimentation in radio frequency engineering and electromagnetics, while our digital design suite is equipped with the latest 8 and 32-bit embedded microprocessor platforms together with high speed programmable logic development environments. Power generation and conversion, industrial process control and embedded drives is provided for while our communications laboratory is additionally equipped for R.F. engineering.