Engineering Projects & Systems Management MSc
Why choose this course?
Many engineering companies to date operate on a global business platform, and many are constantly driven by new initiatives such as new products, projects or services to sustain their business growth. Thus engineering graduates who are equipped with both technical and management skill sets are particularly sought after. This course, accredited by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE), provides an excellent opportunity to improve your current technical portfolio with a spectrum of engineering operations and project management skills. As a result, you will enhance your employment prospects and your ability to apply for senior engineering management roles.
This course examines the elements of a successful engineering business and how to find solutions to critical engineering management problems. Using management techniques and resource optimisation, you will be able to boost operations, productivity and competitiveness.
You will learn to develop and manage projects effectively and use e-commerce and It to expand a business. Activities include interactive lectures, problem-based learning, laboratory work, team building and case studies. Through an individual project, you will gain expertise in a chosen field to suit your career.
| Mode | Duration | Attendance | Start date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full time | 1 year | Delivered in one-week blocks | January 2023 and September 2023 |
| Full time | 2 years including professional placement | Delivered in one-week blocks plus placement year | January 2023 and September 2023 |
| Part time | 2 years | Delivered in one-week blocks | January 2023 and September 2023 |
| Location | Roehampton Vale |
Reasons to choose Kingston University
- This course meets the exemplifying academic benchmark requirements for registration as a chartered engineer. So, if you have an accredited BEng (Hons), this MSc will fulfil the overall educational base for Chartered Engineer (CEng) registration.
- Industry speakers will keep you up to date with challenges and developments in the real world.
- You will use specialist software in operation management, quality analysis, business decision modelling, supply chain management and resources simulation.
Accreditation
The MSc will meet, in part, the academic benchmark requirements for registration as a Chartered Engineer. Accredited MSc graduates who also have a BEng(Hons) accredited for CEng, will be able to show that they have satisfied the educational base for CEng registration.
It should be noted that graduates from an accredited MSc programme, who do not also have an appropriately accredited honours degree, will not be regarded as having the exemplifying qualifications for professional registration as a chartered engineer with the Engineering Council; and will need to have their first qualification individually assessed through the individual case procedure if they wish to progress to CEng.
- Further learning details are available on the Institution of Mechanical Engineers website
- All accredited degrees are displayed on the Institution of Mechanical Engineers website
Accreditation is a mark of assurance that the degree meets the standards set by the Engineering Council in the UK Standard for Professional Engineering Competence (UK-SPEC). Some employers recruit preferentially from accredited degrees, and an accredited degree is likely to be recognised by other countries that are signatories to international accords.
Please check the Engineering Council website for more information.
What you will study
You will learn how to apply advanced project management and resource optimisation skills, and will be able to identify, evaluate and recommend solutions to critical engineering management problems that need improvement. You will study the important ingredients of running a successful business, and how to improve its operations, productivity and competitiveness by using different management techniques specific to engineering companies. You will be able to develop and manage new projects more effectively and within the given constraints in functions, cost and time. You will also learn how to expand your business through using the latest e-commerce and IT techniques.
Throughout the course you will have many hands-on sessions to practise what you have learned in the classroom. You will gain practical skills through using specialist software in operation management, quality analysis, business decision modelling, supply chain management and resources simulation. The project dissertation will allow you to develop a chosen field of knowledge which will complement your career ambition. Teamwork, group presentations, case studies and industrial speakers are other highlights of the course, enhancing your learning experience and employability.
Your MSc project will give you the opportunity to further specialise in a chosen field. We provide careful consultation to make sure you choose the right project topic (from a wide-ranging list) for your career ambitions. Many projects are company-oriented, which means that you have the opportunity to deal with real-world problems in your chosen subject.
Please note that this is an indicative list of modules and is not intended as a definitive list.
For a student to go on placement they are required to pass every module first time with no reassessments. It is the responsibility of individual students to find a suitable paid placement. Students will be supported by our dedicated placement team in securing this opportunity.
Core modules
Option modules (choose one)
Core modules
Engineering Projects and Risk Management
30 credits
This module is designed to equip you with the essential project management techniques so that you can take leadership in initiating and managing new projects in engineering companies. Such projects include new products, new services, setting up international collaborations, establishing supply chains, and to name but a few. Many successful organisations use project management as a core management tool to drive their business forward and to explore new territories.
The module is skill-driven and provides a comprehensive learning platform for you to master not only the theoretical techniques of project management, but also assess their applications through a variety of structured hands-on practical sessions and discussion forums. You will study and analyse reasons of success and failure of real projects through a series of case studies, and will learn how to establish and mitigate potential risks associate with a new project. Project and risk management is a sought-after subject area by industry and this module enhances the your employability potential in a wide spectrum of national and international industrial organisations.
Industrial Operation Management and Resources Simulation
30 credits
This module explores various management techniques commonly used in industrial companies to improve operation efficiency, overall productivity and competitiveness. You will gain an in-depth understanding in operational issues related to industrial organisations worldwide. In particular the module focuses on how these techniques are to be applied appropriately in the engineering sector. The module addresses global operational issues faced by engineering companies including design and management of products, processes, services and supply chains. Issues such as acquisition, process development, and resource utilisation will also be considered and analysed.
The content covers both strategic and operational issues including plant location, supply chain management, distribution logistic, customer service process, include production scheduling and control, inventory management, quality control, productivity and performance measurement, materials handling, equipment maintenance policies, etc. The module further aims to identify the resource constraints in its operation through the use of discrete simulation modelling and other software techniques so that a company's overall performance and competitiveness can be improved. The main focus of the module is to provide you with a set of technical skills enabling you to apply your knowledge within an industrial setting, hence enhancing your employability potential.
Engineering Research Techniques, Entrepreneurship and Quality Management
30 credits
Engineering Research Techniques, Entrepreneurship and Quality Management is a core module for engineering students on various taught MSc programmes. The module is designed to provide the student with the research skills and techniques necessary to select and justify a research topic, plan project execution, use various resources to carry out a literature search and successfully complete the project and other module assignments on the course. It also addresses issues related to presentation of technical reports at MSc. level and for the purpose of wider publication in learned media.
The module further develops the students' knowledge and skills in business and management, with a particular focus on entrepreneurship and innovation. It supports students in producing proposals for enterprise ideas such as new products or services, or innovations in existing processes or organisations. Concepts of total quality management to enhance quality of products and processes in an industrial setting are presented and application of supporting quality tools and techniques are discussed.
The module content is designed to enhance the students' employability potential in a variety of national and international industrial organisations, or career opportunities in research and development arena. It also equips students with a set of skills to set up their own business in an engineering innovation area should they wish to do so.
Engineering Individual Project
60 credits
This is a core module for MSc courses in the School of Mechanical and Automotive Engineering, forming a capstone experience for students on these courses. The module allows you to research and study an engineering topic which is of personal interest, thus allowing you to demonstrate the mastery of your subject, and develop your ability to analyse and evaluate specific areas that may not have been previously covered in-depth in the course.
The vigorous structure of the module provides you with an opportunity to identify an industry-based (or research-focused) project area, establish a feasible hypothesis, find creditable solutions, analyse results and offer recommendations. The module enables you to acquire and appraise new knowledge and apply individual judgement to solve new and often complex engineering problems using cutting-edge technology. It also allows you to demonstrate high levels of responsibility, organisational capability and effective communication with others including the supervisor, wider research community and other stake holders. The module also encourages you to recognise, question and deal with the ethical dilemmas that are likely to occur in engineering professional practice and research.
The project applications can be individually tailored to support your career plan and prepare you to tackle real industrial problems with maturity and rationality hence enhancing your employability potential.
Core modules
Green Engineering and Energy Efficiency
30 credits
This option module deals with the criteria and practice of sustainable development within engineering industries. To be able to critically assess energy sources as to usage performance of engineering systems, components and processes in order to minimise industrial waste, scrap and pollution through the use of analytical methods; leading to recommendations for the design, specification and manufacture of environmentally benign products.
On successful completion of the module, you will be able to:
- Recognise the importance of National and European regulations in relation to renewable technologies in the construction and automotive industries.
- Discuss environmentally related technologies and materials that are fundamental in a range of industries including construction, structural mechanics, automotive and environmental operations.
- Discuss environmental issues related to resource provision and consumption necessary for the manufacture of engineered products, and analyse potential for the application of alternative energy sources.
- Analyse manufactured product design in relation to materials and other resource requirements and apply key concepts to redesign or design products to be recyclable, sustainable with a minimisation of waste.
- Specify and develop energy efficient and environmentally conscious products.
- Critically evaluate the life cycle assessment in incorporation of sustainability at the conceptual design stage.
Mechatronic Design and Automation
30 credits
This module provides high level view on the design of mechatronic and automation systems. Applications and types of such systems are discussed. Main components of mechatronic design are introduced, including mechanical design through specialised software, sensors and actuators, control design, and software development for real-time implementation. A strong feature of this module is the delivery by the academic staff from the Industrial Control Research Group. Theoretical material is illustrated by practical laboratory sessions on real-time design, using industrial standard, state-of-the-art equipment. A range of transferable skills gained in this module is aimed to help with the work on the final project and extra-curricular activities available within the school.
E-Engineering Systems
30 credits
With rapid advances in communication technology companies of all sizes have to compete not only with competitors in their own country, but also with others on a global scale. This module is especially designed for students from different engineering disciplines who want to enhance and broaden their knowledge in the applications of Information Technology and Electronic-Commerce.
The module is skill-focused and provides a comprehensive learning platform for engineering students to master not only the knowledge of the essential aspects of Information Systems and E-Commerce, but also to design and to build a live web site populated with product engineering data. The end product will facilitate interactive engineering and product design activities contributed by engineers in different locations across the world via the internet. The well balanced theoretical and practical content offered in this module will allow students to truly appreciate the benefits of adequate IT deployment in the engineering sector, and to apply what they have learnt in the lecture through developing a realistic web server with specific engineering design functions. As a result of this sought after skill set the students' employability potential in a wide spectrum of national and international industrial organisations will be greatly enhanced.
Professional Placement
120 credits
The Professional Placement module is a core module for those students following a masters programme that incorporates an extended professional placement. It provides students with the opportunity to apply their knowledge and skills in an appropriate working environment, and develops and enhances key employability and subject specific skills in their chosen discipline. Students may wish to use the placement experience as a platform for the major project or future career.
It is the responsibility of individual students to find and secure a suitable placement opportunity; this should not normally involve more than two placements which must be completed over a minimum period of 10 months and within a maximum of 12 months. The placement must be approved by the Course Leader, prior to commencement to ensure its suitability. Students seeking placements will have access to the standard placement preparation activities offered by Student Engagement and Enhancement (SEE) group.
Read more about the postgraduate work placement scheme.
The information above reflects the currently intended course structure and module details. Updates may be made on an annual basis and revised details will be published through Programme Specifications ahead of each academic year. The regulations governing this course are available on our website. If we have insufficient numbers of students interested in an optional module, this may not be offered.
Work placement scheme
Many postgraduate courses at Kingston University allow students to take the option of a 12-month work placement as part of their course. The responsibility for finding the work placement is with the student; we cannot guarantee the placement, just the opportunity to undertake it. You may find securing a professional placement difficult as they are highly competitive and challenging, but they are also incredibly rewarding. So it is very important to prepare and apply yourself if this is the route you wish to take. Employers look for great written and oral communication skills; and an excellent CV/portfolio. As the work placement is an assessed part of the course, it is covered by a student's Student Route visa.
Find out more about the postgraduate work placement scheme.
Entry requirements
Women in Engineering
The faculty champions the excellent work our female staff contributes across engineering and encourages women from all backgrounds into the field.
"Please go for STEM courses if they interest you. Don't step back due to gender, race or religion.
Girls' brains are equally capable of doing math, building a circuit board or repairing a broken computer, I promise!
The world needs more and more creative brains to come up with sustainable solutions and losing 50% of the population (women) won't do.
The more women engineers out there, the more this ‘all-male' system will adjust."
Ratuja Patil, MSc Engineering Projects and Systems Management
Teaching and assessment
Who teaches this course?
The course is taught by the Department of Mechanical Engineering. Staff have a wide range of experience across research and industry and continue to practice and research at the cutting edge of their discipline. This ensures that our courses are current and industry informed ensuring you get the most relevant and up to date education possible.
The Department has strong links with industry leaders, including Delphi, Lotus Engineering, MAN and Thales. Many of our innovative, hands on projects involve students as well as academics and receive national and global coverage.
Our applied approach to teaching is supported by dedicated laboratories for mechanical, automotive and motorsport engineering, including wind tunnels, state-of-the-art rapid prototyping and manufacturing machinery, a fully equipped materials lab, engine test cells, an automotive diagnostics lab featuring the latest industrial software packages, and a modern electronics/robotics lab with the recent addition of a robot and electronic equipment from National Instruments.
Our courses encompass applications from all areas of engineering, providing our students with the knowledge and flexibility they need to work across many industries, both in the UK and overseas.
Postgraduate students may run or assist in lab sessions and may also contribute to the teaching of seminars under the supervision of the module leader.
Facilities
There is a wide range of facilities for practical work at our Roehampton Vale campus, where this course is based. You will have access to a modern environment with the latest technology, including:
- large-scale wind tunnels that enable testing in winds of up to 90 miles per hour;
- a Learjet 25, providing a real-world environment for gaining practical engineering skills;
- engine-testing facilities, plus several display engines, such as a V6 Ford Cosworth and a 3-cylinder orbital direct injection engine; and
- industry-standard test and experimental equipment for metrology, robotics, rapid prototyping, fatigue and quality control.
We also have a dedicated postgraduate workroom with high spec PCs and a range of software. Computer-aided design facilities include:
- a range of CAD/CAM packages, such as Ideas, SolidWorks and AutoCad;
- finite element analysis
- computational fluid dynamics; and
- virtual instrumentation.
The recently enlarged library at Roehampton Vale provides collections of specialist engineering books and journals. The Graduate Centre, exclusively for postgraduate students, provides space for private study, meetings and socialising.
The £4 million Hawker Wing, which opened in December 2007, provides three floors of extra space for students and staff at Roehampton Vale, including improved learning and teaching facilities
Fees for this course
Additional costs
Depending on the programme of study, there may be extra costs that are not covered by tuition fees which students will need to consider when planning their studies. Tuition fees cover the cost of your teaching, assessment and operating University facilities such as the library, access to shared IT equipment and other support services. Accommodation and living costs are not included in our fees.
Where a course has additional expenses, we make every effort to highlight them. These may include optional field trips, materials (e.g. art, design, engineering), security checks such as DBS, uniforms, specialist clothing or professional memberships.
Careers and recruitment advice
The Faculty of Science, Engineering and Computing has a specialist employability team. It provides friendly and high-quality careers and recruitment guidance, including advice and sessions on job-seeking skills such as CV preparation, application forms and interview techniques. Specific advice is also available for international students about the UK job market and employers' expectations and requirements.
The team runs employer events throughout the year, including job fairs, key speakers from industry and interviews on campus. These events give you the opportunity to hear from, and network with, employers in an informal setting.
Where this course will take you
The market for graduates of the MSc Engineering Projects & Systems Management is continually growing. This programme, with its balanced diet of theoretical and practical contents, will prepare graduates well for the senior technical and management positions in a range of industry such as:
- oil and gas resources management;
- avionics logistics management;
- project management;
- supply chain and logistics management;
- changed management;
- factory and plant operation management;
- public sector and education;
- manufacturing management;
- production control and inventory management;
- transportation systems design;
- warehouse and logistics simulation;
- resources management and simulation; and
- software development.
Graduates roles include:
- Project leaders and managers.
- Manufacturing plant engineers/managers.
- Operation managers.
- Business IT consultants.
- Quality managers.
- Profession in higher education.
- Research and development engineers.
- Opportunity to undertake further research for a PhD qualification.
What our students say
Abdulla is a Lebanese student from Dubai in the United Arab Emirates who came to Kingston University to study an MSc in Engineering Systems Management.* Here he talks about his course and why he chose to come to Kingston University.
*Engineering Systems Management was the original name for the Engineering Projects and Systems Management MSc
Find out more details on what this course covers
This course provides the key skills you need to apply the principles of project and resources management within an engineering field. You will also learn how to identify, evaluate and propose solutions to critical engineering systems management areas that need improvement.
Once you are equipped with this knowledge, you will be able to deal with real-world challenges, including how to:
- improve overall productivity;
- identify key staff and resources for new projects;
- develop new products;
- construct new manufacturing facilities;
- implement changes in organisational structure;
- create factory simulation models for operation improvement;
- manage company resources more effectively; and
- apply quality assurance procedures for engineering processes.
You will gain an understanding of business efficiency and international marketing appropriate to engineering fields. There will be plenty of opportunities to engage in hands-on software workshops and group activities. Learning about how to implement appropriate hardware and software systems into engineering companies will improve your operational efficiency and production performance.
You will also:
- learn how to devise and evaluate logical procedures to implement proposed design solutions;
- study the analytical techniques used to deal with engineering constraints and maximise company profits; and
- become familiar with the concepts of entrepreneurship, total quality management, financial systems and risk analysis - all of which are very important aspects in any decision-making process in an engineering environment.
Your MSc project gives you the opportunity to further specialise in a chosen field. We provide careful consultation to make sure you choose the right project topic (from a wide-ranging list) for your career ambitions. Many projects are company-oriented, which means that you have the opportunity to deal with real-world problems in your chosen subject.
How the engineering staff work with industry partners
Our excellent industrial links have developed over many years and throughout many countries. Some examples include work with:
- Matra-Marconi Space Ltd;
- Ericsson;
- Balfour Beatty;
- The National Health Service; and
- British Gas.
Our Industrial Advisory Committee reviews and advises industrial activities. The Committee acts as a forum for discussing teaching, research and consultancy to industry.
Benefits from this course
The course is designed with close consultation with the School's Industrial Advisory Board, hence taking on board the latest requirements of industry for graduates. Employability skills are developed throughout the delivery of the modules, particularly as part of capstone individual project. Furthermore, students are equipped with business, management and entrepreneurial skills to enhance their employability potential globally.
Delivery of many modules involves industrial speakers, who introduce students to latest industrial requirements.
Throughout the course students have access to a dedicated employment coordinator, attend specially arranged employer seminars, university career workshops and research seminars, to prepare them for the world of work once graduated.
Our Strong Industrial Advisory Board, including industry leaders such as National Instruments, Thales and industrial bodies such as The IET, SEMTA and the IMechE, ensure that the course content reflects the changing needs of industry and provides support in terms of course content and equipment.
Throughout this course, you will have the chance to:
- visit sponsoring engineering companies and attend industrial exhibitions;
- listen to outside speakers who will keep you informed of the latest developments in industry; and
- work on industrially-orientated case studies and projects so you can learn from real-world examples.
What this course offers you
- This course covers systems management concepts and techniques that can be implemented in many engineering disciplines.
- It will develop your professional, analytical and management skills, as well as improving your technical skills and knowledge. For example, you will gain communication, teamwork, IT and problem-solving skills.
- Each module combines a stimulating mix of lectures, practical laboratory work, group work and presentations.
- We use a wide range of industrial case studies so that you can learn from real-world examples.
- Your project allows you to build on your academic knowledge and extend your in-depth knowledge in your area of specialisation. It can be an excellent selling point when looking for a job or promotion.
- Input from industry experts complements the academic teaching throughout the course. You will also have the chance to visit sponsoring engineering companies and industrial exhibitions.
- You can choose to study the course full-time, full-time with work placement, or part-time to suit your circumstance. The two intakes of September and January start dates will give you extra flexibility.
- We regularly review all our postgraduate courses to make sure that they are up-to-date, reflect industry needs and are comparable to other university courses.
- Graduates from this course will have a range of employment options open to them.
- This course is accredited by the IMechE. It will meet, in part, the exemplifying academic benchmark requirements for registration as a Chartered Engineer.
Extra activities for this course
There are always interesting activities taking place at Kingston and exciting opportunities to take advantage of.
Our lively research culture is reflected in our regular seminars. Recent examples include:
- International Conference on Autoclaved Aerated Concrete;
- Recent Advances in the Micromechanics of Ductile Fracture;
- Environmental Degradation in Adhesively Bonded Structures;
- Modelling of Deformation and Failure of Polymers: Why is Bridging of Length and Time Scales Necessary?; and
- Why Bolt It When You Can Bond It? The Gluing Evolution.
