Railway Engineering with Project Management MSc (Eng)

Combining core railway knowledge with project management, our Railway Engineering with Project Management MSc (Eng) will prepare you to construct and operate the world’s new rail lines. Considering the huge global growth in new railway lines, this presents exciting opportunities for graduates. In particular, industry growth has created a shortage of skilled railway engineers and thus salaries have grown rapidly in recent years.

This Masters degree is unique due to its focus on multidisciplinary teaching. The core technical material covers the entire railway system, rather than focusing on an individual engineering area. It is then complimented by engineering management material that is at the forefront of the discipline. Teaching combines expertise across two of the University of Leeds’s world leading institutes: the Institute for High Speed Rail and System Integration and the Institute for Transport Studies. Furthermore, the project management modules are delivered by the same academics who teach on the internationally leading Engineering Project Management MSc.

Throughout the programme, you'll be taught by staff who are professionally experienced and have the latest research expertise, equipping you with the practical and professional skills that employers want.

Course highlights

• Our courses are shaped by our world-leading research in areas such as signalling, railway track design, transport investment appraisal and project management.

• You’ll be taught by internationally renowned academics working at the forefront of their fields, who are passionate about the subjects they teach.

• Project work enables you to develop skills as a researcher, asking and answering important questions about the way our world works.

• Throughout your studies you’ll benefit from a structured support system, with a personal tutor who will offer help and advice.

• You will join our Engineering Project Management MSc students to study the latest trends in project management.

• You will study the effects of climate change and how they might affect railways in the future.

Programme team

The Programme Leader, Dr David Connolly, is an Associate Professor in Railway infrastructure engineering. His research interests focus on railway track dynamics, settlement, ground-borne vibration, critical velocity and soil-structure interaction.

Active research environment

You will be taught by a team of academics and researchers who are actively engaged in cutting-edge research and part of the Institute for High Speed Rail and System Integration, the Institute for Transport Studies, and Project Management research group.

In the first part of the programme, a series of compulsory modules will develop your knowledge across the breadth of railway engineering, and also in project and risk management. In the second part you will build upon your initial modules and study more in-depth and technical railway engineering content. This will prepare you for, and culminate in the dissertation.

The dissertation project is one of the most satisfying elements of this course. It 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. This is a chance to demonstrate the knowledge and skills you’ve gained and specialise in a research area that relates to your career ambitions.

Project work

The dissertation project is one of the most satisfying elements of this course. It 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.

Example projects for Railway Engineering with Project Management MSc students have included:

• The role of Internet of Things, and sensor technologies in Rail

• Novel railway track materials and designs

• Optimisation of railway timetables

• A comparison of Hyperloop vs high speed rail

• Optimising signalling and train control systems

• Railway noise and vibration

• The effect of track properties on transition zone performance

Want to find out more about your modules?

Take a look at the Railway Engineering with Project Management module descriptions for more detail on what you will study.

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 Railway Engineering with Project Management MSc (Eng) Full Time in the course catalogue

For more information and a full list of typical modules available on this course, please read Railway Engineering with Project Management MSc (Eng) Part Time in the course catalogue

Modules

Year 1

Learning and teaching

Our ground-breaking research feeds directly into teaching, and you’ll have regular contact with staff who are at the forefront of their disciplines. You’ll have regular contact with them through lectures, seminars, tutorials, small group work and project meetings. Independent study is also important to the programme, as you develop your problem-solving and research skills as well as your subject knowledge.

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.

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.

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.

Entry requirements

A bachelor degree with a 2:1 (hons) in civil engineering or a related engineering, science or mathematical discipline where relevant subject areas have been studied. Applications from professionally qualified and experienced candidates will also be considered.

A bachelor degree with a 2:2 will be considered for candidates with at least one year’s relevant experience.

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 in all components. 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 Civil Engineering (6 weeks) and Language for Science: Civil Engineering  (10 weeks).

We are now offering online pre-sessionals alongside our on-campus pre-sessionals.  To find out more, read Online Academic English pre-sessional (10 weeks) and Online Academic English pre-sessional (6 weeks).

Read about differences between our online and on-campus summer pre-sessionals.

If you need to study for longer than 10 weeks, read more about our postgraduate pre-sessional English course.

How to apply

Application deadlines

Applicants are encouraged to apply as early as possible.

29 July 2022 - international applicants

9 September 2022 - UK applicants

Apply (Full time)

Apply (Part time)

This link 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 2023

Fees

• UK: £11,500 (total)
• International: £25,750 (total)

Read more about paying fees and charges.

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

Part-time fees
Fees for part-time courses are normally calculated based on the number of credits you study in a year compared to the equivalent full-time course. For example, if you study half the course credits in a year, you will pay half the full-time course fees for that year.

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 about additional costs.

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.

A degree from Leeds and the experience you'll gain here will give you the edge to find the career you want. Your course will give you the experience and knowledge that employers are looking for to help you secure a job.

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.

Upon graduation you may expect to find employment in a range of roles across the railway construction industry, as a railway engineer, planning engineer or project manager among many others. Opportunities also exist with multidisciplinary consulting organisations, while many of our graduates return to work for government agencies and other large client organisations.

Examples of graduate destinations:

• Ministry of Prisons KSA

• Ove Arup and Partners Hong Kong

• African Development Bank

• Ghana Highways Authority

• TATA Steel

• Network Rail

• Turner & Townsend

• Mace Group

• M+W Shanghai Co.

• Damac Properties

• China State Railways

• Keller Ground Engineering

Read profiles of our alumni to find out more about where some of our graduates are working.

Careers support

At Leeds we help you to prepare for your future from day one. Our Leeds for Life initiative is designed to help you develop and demonstrate the skills and experience you need for when you graduate. We will help you to access opportunities across the University and record your key achievements so you are able to articulate them clearly and confidently.

You’ll have access to the wide range of careers resources and support from your Careers Service. You’ll have the chance to attend industry presentations, book appointments with qualified careers consultants and take part in employability workshops and webinars. Our careers fairs provide further opportunities to explore your career options with some of the UKs leading employers.

You will also have full access to the University’s Careers Centre, which is one of the largest in the country.

There are also plenty of exciting ways you can volunteer during your time at Leeds. Find out more at the Leeds University Union website.