Automotive Engineering MSc (Eng)

Course overview

Traditionally, the sector has been associated with high-volume vehicle manufacture, but the past decade has seen the landscape shift towards automotive component manufacturers and specialist design and consultancy.

Our Automotive Engineering MSc gives you the knowledge and skills to meet the needs of the automotive industry in the advanced areas of analysis, design and manufacture.

This course will prepare you to work in a range of different settings. Core modules will develop your knowledge of key areas in industry, alongside the chance to choose from advanced professional skills modules and other optional modules on topics that suit your own interests and career intentions.

This means that, once you graduate, you’ll be fully equipped with the most up-to-date practices and industry-relevant knowledge to pursue an exciting career in this area.

Why study at Leeds:

• Learn the latest innovations in mechanical engineering from our world-leading research conducted right here on campus that feeds directly into the course.
• Benefit from our School’s close links with organisations like Leeds Institute for Fluid Dynamics and Robotics Leeds.
• Advance your knowledge and skills in key areas of automotive engineering like electric and hybrid drivetrain engineering and chassis engineering.
• Tailor the degree to suit your specific interests with a large selection of optional modules to choose from, with everything from design optimisation to vehicle systems engineering – plus many more.
• Put theory into practice and conduct a team design project, using multi-disciplinary approaches to achieve a solution to a programme-specific and industry-relevant design problem.
• Access our School’s impressive range of specialist facilities including a brake test area, measurement lab and industry-standard software.
• Experience expert theoretical and practical teaching delivered by a programme team made up of academics and researchers who are making breakthroughs in their fields and work within the School’s research institutes and groups.
• Enhance your career prospects and join our successful alumni who have secured jobs in many excellent organisations, including Jaguar Land Rover, Bentley Motors Ltd. And Honda Cars.
• Get involved with Leeds Gryphon Racing, the University’s Formula Student team.

Accreditation

Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE)

This course is accredited by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) under licence from the UK regulator, the Engineering Council.

Course details

Core modules will give you a solid knowledge base in key areas of automotive engineering. You’ll build your understanding of how vehicle and product systems are designed and developed, as well as automotive driveline and chassis engineering.

This foundation will allow you to gain specialist knowledge in areas that particularly interest you when you choose from our range of optional modules. You could focus on topics such as computational methods, tribology, combustion in engines or applications of mechatronics among many others.

Throughout the course, you’ll complete your professional project – an independent piece of research on a topic within mechanical engineering that allows you to demonstrate your knowledge and skills.

In semester 2, you’ll review the literature around your topic and plan the project, before completing the design, analysis, computation, experimentation and writing up in the summer months. You could even get involved with the Formula Student race car through your project.

Project work

The professional project allows you to apply what you’ve learned to a piece of research focusing on a real-world problem, and it can be used to explore and develop your specific interests.

Recent projects for MSc Automotive Engineering students have included:

• Regenerative braking systems – Impact on fuel consumption and vehicle stability in HEVs
• Design of Autonomous Vehicle for Formula Student competition
• Thermo-mechanical analysis of disc brake for vehicle rollaway
• Designing, Measuring and Modelling of Vehicle Dynamics

A proportion of projects are formally linked to industry and can include spending time at the collaborator’s site over the summer. You can also get involved with projects linked to the design, construction and testing of the Leeds Gryphon Racing team race car.

Course structure

The list shown below represents typical modules/components studied and may change from time to time. Read more in our terms and conditions.

For more information and a full list of typical modules available on this course, please read Automotive Engineering MSc (Eng) in the course catalogue

Year 1 compulsory modules

Year 1 optional modules (selection of typical options shown below)

Want to find out more about your modules?

Take a look at the Automotive Engineering module descriptions for more detail on what you'll study.

Learning and teaching

Our groundbreaking research feeds directly into teaching, and you could have the opportunity to be taught by academics who are at the forefront of their disciplines. You’ll have regular contact with your teaching staff through lectures, seminars, tutorials, small group work and project meetings.

Independent study is also important to the course, as you develop your problem-solving and research skills as well as your subject knowledge.

You'll be assigned a personal tutor, who will maintain contact with you throughout the year and offer pastoral guidance. They will help you to settle into the university and clarify any procedures, as well as helping you prepare for employment on graduation.

Specialist facilities

You’ll benefit from working in world-class specialist facilities for different aspects of automotive engineering. These include a brake test area and measurement lab, as well as the latest industry-standard software for computational fluid dynamics and finite element modelling of systems and materials.

High-level CNC and wire EDM facilities are available in the Faculty workshop, and we have cutting-edge tribology facilities to study wear on engine parts. There’s even a ‘stirred bomb’ for characterising fuel ignition and advanced engines with optical access. If you get involved with Formula Student race car, you’ll also use our dedicated car build area including computerised engine test bays, Engine mapping based on MoTeC ECU, ADAMS and OptimumG software is also available for suspension simulation and Ricardo Wave for engine simulations.

Our Virtual Learning Environment will help to support your studies: it’s a central place where you can find all the information and resources for the School, your programme and modules.

You can also benefit from support to develop your academic skills, within the curriculum and through online resources, workshops, one-to-one appointments and drop-in sessions.

Active research environment

Specialising in engineering systems and design, thermofluids, surfaces and interfaces, medical devices and regenerative medicine, our School is at the heart of solving real world problems through high-quality research.

Throughout your degree you'll be taught by experts who are leaders in their fields and be directly engaged with their cutting-edge research.

Programme team

The Programme Manager, Dr Kris Kubiak, has a wide variety of research experience across manufacturing and fluid dynamics to experimental and numerical research in automotive engineering. He is also the Faculty Advisor for Leeds Gryphon Racing.

The wider programme team is made up of academics and researchers from across the School of Mechanical Engineering, who work within the School’s research institutes and groups.

On this course you’ll be taught by our expert academics, from lecturers through to professors. You may also be taught by industry professionals with years of experience, as well as trained postgraduate researchers, connecting you to some of the brightest minds on campus.

Assessment

You’ll be assessed using a range of techniques including case studies, technical reports, presentations, in-class tests, assignments and exams. Optional modules may also use alternative assessment methods.

Applying

Entry requirements

A bachelor degree with 2:1 (hons) in a relevant engineering discipline. Successful applicants will have strong grades in relevant modules including advanced mathematics, fluid mechanics, strength of materials and dynamics. We may ask for further detailed module information if these are not clear on your transcript.

We accept a range of international equivalent qualifications. For more information please contact the Admissions Team.

English language requirements

IELTS 6.5 overall, with no less than 6.0 in any component. For other English qualifications, read English language equivalent qualifications.

Improve your English

International students who do not meet the English language requirements for this programme may be able to study our postgraduate pre-sessional English course, to help improve your English language level.

This pre-sessional course is designed with a progression route to your degree programme and you’ll learn academic English in the context of your subject area. To find out more, read Language for Engineering (6 weeks) and Language for Science: Engineering (10 weeks). 

We also offer online pre-sessionals alongside our on-campus pre-sessionals. Find out more about our six week online pre-sessional.

You can also study pre-sessionals for longer periods – read about our postgraduate pre-sessional English courses.

How to apply

The ‘Apply’ link at the top of this page takes you to information on applying for taught programmes and to the University's online application system.

If you're unsure about the application process, contact the admissions team for help.

Read about visas, immigration and other information in International students. We recommend that international students apply as early as possible to ensure that they have time to apply for their visa.

Admissions policy

University of Leeds Taught Admissions Policy 2024

This course is taught by

School of Mechanical Engineering

Contact us

Postgraduate Admissions Team

Email: pgmech@leeds.ac.uk
Telephone:

Fees

UK: £13,000 (total)

International: £28,000 (total)

Read more about paying fees and charges.

For fees information for international taught postgraduate students, read Masters fees.

Additional cost information

There may be additional costs related to your course or programme of study, or related to being a student at the University of Leeds. Read more on our living costs and budgeting page.

Scholarships and financial support

If you have the talent and drive, we want you to be able to study with us, whatever your financial circumstances. There may be help for students in the form of loans and non-repayable grants from the University and from the government.  Find out more at Masters funding overview.

Career opportunities

This course will give you the opportunity to not only build automotive engineering skills but specialise in an area that suits your interests through optional modules from across the different areas of the discipline. This will open up career opportunities across different sectors of the automotive and motorsport industries.

By the time you graduate from this MSc, you'll be an all-rounded automotive engineer with a specialist skill set and the in-depth knowledge sought after by many employers in industry.

Plus, the University of Leeds is in the top five most targeted universities in the UK by graduate recruiters, according to High Fliers’ The Graduate Market in 2022 report.

Here’s an insight into some of the job positions and organisations previous graduates in automotive engineering have secured:

• Graduate Body Design and Engineer, Toyota Motor Europe
• Design Engineer, NBHX Automotive R&D Co. Ltd.
• Honda R&D India, Honda Cars India
• Vehicle Test Engineer, Wise vehicle Testing Solutions Pvt Ltd
• Test & Measurement Engineer (Contractor), Bentley Motors Ltd
• Product Design Engineer, Ariens Company Ltd
• Development Engineer, Ricardo
• Application Engineer, Best Engineering Aids and Consultancies Private Limited
• Specialist Engineer, Stability Control Systems, Jaguar Land Rover
• Service Engineer, MAN Trucks & Buses - Department of Transport Buses
• Design Engineer, Bendix Spicer Foundation Brake LLC

Careers support

At Leeds, we help you to prepare for your future from day one. Our wide range of careers resources — including our award-winning Employability team — are on hand to offer guidance and support, ensuring you are prepared to take your next steps after graduation and get you where you want to be.

• Employability events — we run a full range of events including careers fairs in specialist areas and across broader industries — all with employers who are actively recruiting for roles. 
• MyCareer system — on your course and after you graduate, you’ll have access to a dedicated careers portal where you can book appointments with our team, get information on careers and see job vacancies and upcoming events.
• Qualified careers consultants — gain guidance, support and information to help you choose a career path. You’ll have access to 1-2-1 meetings and events to learn how to find employers to target, research before interviews and brush up on your interview skills.
• Opportunities at Leeds — there are plenty of exciting opportunities offered by our Leeds University Union, including volunteering and over 300 clubs and societies to get involved in.

Find out more about career support.

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