Masters Degrees (Mems)

Research profile

The Institute for Integrated Micro and Nano Systems (IMNS) brings together researchers from integrated-circuit design, system-on-chip design, image-sensor design, bioelectronics, micro/nano-fabrication, microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), micromachining, neural computation and reconfigurable and adaptive computing.

Research interests include low-level analogue, low-power, adaptive and bio-inspired approaches, system-on-chip computing and applications from telecommunications to finance and astronomy. There is also a research focus on integrating CMOS microelectronic technology with sensors and microsystems/MEMS to create smart sensor systems. We also have a strong and growing interest in applications relating to life sciences and medicine, with particular focus on bioelectronics, biophotonics and bio-MEMS.

IMNS has laboratory facilities that are unique within the UK, including an advanced silicon and MEMS micro-fabrication capability coupled with substantial design and test resources. The Institute has an excellent reputation for commercialising technology.

Training and support

The development of transferable skills is a vital part of postgraduate training and a vibrant, interdisciplinary training programme is offered to all research students by the University’s Institute for Academic Development (IAD). The programme concentrates on the professional development of postgraduates, providing courses directly linked to postgraduate study.

Courses run by the IAD are free and have been designed to be as flexible as possible so that you can tailor the content and timing to your own requirements.

Our researchers are strongly encouraged to present their research at conferences and in journal during the course of their PhD.

Every year, the Graduate School organises a Postgraduate Research Conference to showcase the research carried out by students across the Research Institutes

Our researchers are also encouraged and supported to attend transferable skills courses provided by organisations such as the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC).

Masters by Research

An MSc by Research is based on a research project tailored to a candidate’s interests. It lasts one year full time or two years part time. The project can be a shorter alternative to an MPhil or PhD, or a precursor to either – including the option of an MSc project expanding into MPhil or doctorate work as it evolves. It can also be a mechanism for industry to collaborate with the School.

Facilities

The Institute has laboratory facilities that are unique within the UK, including a comprehensive silicon and MEMS micro-fabrication capability coupled with substantial design and test resources.

The Institute has an excellent reputation for commercialising technology.

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Queen's University Belfast is ranked among the top 100 in the world for Electrical and Electronic Engineering (QS World Rankings) and we are also consistently ranked top 10 in UK University League tables for these subjects. 

Our world-class Masters (MSc) in Electronics will develop your skills and expertise in cutting edge technologies such as Digital Signal Processing, High Frequency Communication, Technology and Design, Intelligent Systems and Control, MEMS Devices and Technology, Wireless Communication Systems and Wireless Sensor Networks.

Our £40m Institute of Electronics, Communications and Information Technology specialises in key areas of advanced digital and communications technology.

ECIT is also home to the Centre for Secure Information Technologies (CSIT), a £30m innovation and knowledge centre, which develops secure solutions to problems such as the protection of mobile phone networks and the creation of secure “corridors” for the seamless and rapid transit of people.

Our facilities have recently undergone a £10m refurbishment and include laboratories for Microengineering, Electronics, Communications, Circuits, Instrumentation, Virtual Reality, Software Engineering, Renewable Energy, Power and Machines. The Queen's Advanced Micro-engineering Centre (QAMEC) is a Centre of Excellence for research and development employing silicon technology and MEMS technology.

Electrical and Electronic Engineering at Queen's is ranked among the Top 10 in the UK for research, with 93 per cent of research rated as either 'World-leading' or 'Internationally Excellent' (REF 2014). An example of our research includes our work in the area of space technologies, where we are involved in a number of projects with the European Space Agency, the new UK Space Applications Catapult Centre, the European High Power Radio-Frequency Space Laboratory and companies such as Astrium, Thales and QinetiQ.

Aim

This programme is designed as a specialised extension to the study of electronics at undergraduate level. The programme provides students with specialist expertise across a wide range of electronic subjects including microelectronics, hardware design, communications, computer design and digital hardware. The programme is normally full-time, starts at the end of September and lasts for 12 months. Electronics with Professional Internship students have the opportunity to complete an industrial placement of up to six months as part of their studies.

Programme Content

Modules for both programmes are selected from the list below:

• Digital Signal Processing
• Intelligent Systems and Control
• High Frequency Technology and Design
• Microelectronic Devices & Technology
• MEMS Devices & Technology
• Wireless Communications Systems
• Wireless Sensor Systems

In any given year further specialist topics may be available for selection or listed topics may not be offered.

Assessment

Assessment for MSc in Electronics: Coursework and written examination in six modules, dissertation on project.

Postgraduate Diploma: Coursework and written examination in six modules.

Career Opportunities

Our graduates have found that holding a prestigious MSc qualification from one of the UK's top engineering schools has significantly enhanced their job opportunities and employment prospects.

Graduates typically find employment in a wide range of fields including with semiconductor companies, electronic equipment manufacturers, design and service providers, software houses and in other electronic engineering-based industries.

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The Mechanical and Systems Engineering MPhil allows you to deepen your theoretical understanding of your chosen topic but also improve your technical skills and analytical capabilities. Research degrees are offered through four research groups: Bioengineering, MEMS and Sensors, Fluid Dynamics and Thermal Systems, and Design, Manufacture and Materials.

The School of Mechanical Engineering is one of the top 10 Mechanical Engineering research schools in the UK (RAE 2008). As a postgraduate researcher you will be welcomed as a junior academic colleague rather than a student. In this role we ask you to play a full and professional role in contributing to the School’s objective of international academic excellence.

The School, the Faculty of Science, Agriculture and Engineering, and your supervisory team will support you to develop your research capabilities. We will help you progress with your higher degree and attain a unique skill set, through international conference attendance and research paper submissions.

Research in the School falls into four main fields. You can find more detailed information regarding each research group and suggested PhD projects on the School website:
-Bioengineering - group leader Professor Thomas Joyce
-MEMS and Sensors - group leader Professor Peter Cumpson
-Design, Manufacture and Materials – group leader Professor Kenneth Dalgarno
-Fluid Dynamics and Thermal Systems – group leader Professor Nilanjan Chakraborty

NewRail

NewRail is our centre for railway research at Newcastle and is part of the design, manufacture and materials research group. Through this centre you have the opportunity to research the organisation, management and economics of train movement. The subject looks at innovative concepts for sustainable rail transport with a particular focus on system services, production patterns and rail system designs.

Your scientific work will contribute to the modernisation of the rail sector as a whole, integrating knowledge from a variety of disciplines such as systems engineering, economics and marketing. You will have the opportunity to work with railway experts from local and international rail-focused organisations, such as Network Rail, Railfuture, Tyne and Wear Metro, Port of Tyne and the Tyne and Wear Freight Partnership. Our research areas include
-Demand patterns and models
-Supply patterns and models
-Grants and contracts
-Service execution
-Customer satisfaction
-Business generation

Delivery

Our research programmes are based in the Stephenson Building on the central Newcastle campus.

Attendance is flexible and depends on the requirements of the research project and is subject to our School Safety policy. You are expected to undertake 40 hours of work per week with annual holiday entitlement of 35 days (this includes statutory and bank holidays)

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Microsystems Engineering is one of the most dynamic and interdisciplinary engineering fields. The Master of Science program in Microsystems Engineering (MSE) provides the educational basis for your success in this field. The MSE program is designed for highly qualified graduate students holding a Bachelor degree in engineering or science.

In the first year 12 mandatory courses provide the fundamental theoretical framework for a future career in Microsystems. These courses are designed to provide students with a broad knowledge base in the most important aspects of the field:

• MSE technologies and processes
• Microelectronics
• Micro-mechanics
• MSE design laboratory I
• Optical Microsystems
• Sensors
• Probability and statistics
• Assembly and packaging technology
• Dynamics of MEMS
• Micro-actuators
• Biomedical Microsystems
• Micro-fluidics
• MSE design laboratory II
• Signal processing

As part of the mandatory courses, the Microsystems design laboratory is a two-semester course in which small teams of students undertake a comprehensive, hands-on design project in Microsystems engineering. Requiring students to address all aspects of the generation of a microsystem, from conceptualization, through project planning to fabrication and testing, this course provides an essential glimpse into the workings of engineering projects.

In the second year, MSE students can specialise in two of the following seven concentration areas (elective courses), allowing each student to realize individual interests and to obtain an in-depth look at two sub-disciplines of this very broad, interdisciplinary field:

• Circuits and systems
• Design and simulation
• Life sciences: Biomedical engineering
• Life sciences: Lab-on-a-chip
• Materials
• Process engineering
• Sensors and actuators

Below are some examples of subjects offered in the concentration areas. These subjects do not only include theoretical lectures, but also hands-on courses such as labs, projects and seminars.

Circuits and Systems
• Analog CMOS Circuit Design
• Mixed-Signal CMOS Circuit Design
• VLSI – System Design
• RF- und Microwave Devices and Circuits
• Micro-acoustics
• Radio sensor systems
• Optoelectronic devices
• Reliability Engineering
• Lasers
• Micro-optics
• Advanced topics in Macro-, Micro- and Nano-optics


Design and Simulation
• Topology optimization
• Compact Modelling of large Scale Systems
• Lattice Gas Methods
• Particle Simulation Methods
• VLSI – System Design
• Hardware Development using the finite element method
• Computer-Aided Design

Life Sciences: Biomedical Engineering
• Signal processing and analysis of brain signals
• Neurophysiology I: Measurement and Analysis of Neuronal Activity
• Neurophysiology II: Electrophysiology in Living Brain
• DNA Analytics
• Basics of Electrostimulation
• Implant Manufacturing Techologies
• Biomedical Instrumentation I
• Biomedical Instrumentation II

Life Sciences: Lab-on-a-chip
• DNA Analytics
• Biochip Technologies
• Bio fuel cell
• Micro-fluidics 2: Platforms for Lab-on-a-Chip Applications

Materials
• Microstructured polymer components
• Test structures and methods for integrated circuits and microsystems
• Quantum mechanics for Micro- and Macrosystems Engineering
• Microsystems Analytics
• From Microsystems to the nano world
• Techniques for surface modification
• Nanomaterials
• Nanotechnology
• Semiconductor Technology and Devices

MEMS Processing
• Advanced silicon technologies
• Piezoelectric and dielectric transducers
• Nanotechnology

Sensors and Actuators
• Nonlinear optic materials
• CMOS Microsystems
• Quantum mechanics for Micro- and Macrosystems Engineering
• BioMEMS
• Bionic Sensors
• Micro-actuators
• Energy harvesting
• Electronic signal processing for sensors and actuators


Essential for the successful completion of the Master’s degree is submission of a Master’s thesis, which is based on a project performed during the third and fourth semesters of the program. Each student works as a member of one of the 18 research groups of the department, with full access to laboratory and cleanroom infrastructure.

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This unique interdisciplinary programme provides the opportunity for intensive historical, literary and art-historical study.

The MA provides a thorough grounding in the skills required for advanced study in the medieval and early modern periods. It challenges you to engage with the evidence and methods of different disciplines in order to equip you with the wide range of research techniques crucial for studying the period.

The Centre for Medieval and Early Modern Studies (MEMS)

We are an interdisciplinary centre for the study of Medieval and Early Modern periods. Our 28 teaching staff are drawn from English, History, Architecture, Classical & Archaeological Studies, History & Philosophy of Art, and the Canterbury Archaeological Trust.

MEMS offers a successful, interdisciplinary MA programme, which attracts students from across the world. A thriving community of enterprising, supportive graduate students study for research degrees and benefit from the Centre’s involvement in the prestigious EU-funded Erasmus Mundus doctoral programme, Text and Event in Early Modern Europe (TEEME). We have close relationships with Canterbury Cathedral and the Archaeological Trust, which allow our students access to a wide range of unique historical, literary and material evidence.

National ratings

School of English -

In the Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2014, research by the School of English was ranked 10th for research intensity and 15th for research power in the UK.

An impressive 100% of our research-active staff submitted to the REF and 95% of our research was judged to be of international quality. The School’s environment was judged to be conducive to supporting the development of world-leading research.

School of History -

In the Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2014, research by the School of History was ranked 8th for research intensity and in the top 20 in the UK for research power.

An impressive 100% of our research-active staff submitted to the REF and 99% of our research was judged to be of international quality. The School’s environment was judged to be conducive to supporting the development of world-leading research.

Course structure

As well as a compulsory module in disciplinary methods and an exciting and varied range of optional modules. In addition, you produce a final dissertation of 12-15,000 words, for which you receive one-to-one supervision.

Modules

The following modules are indicative of those offered on this programme. This list is based on the current curriculum and may change year to year in response to new curriculum developments and innovation. Most programmes will require you to study a combination of compulsory and optional modules. You may also have the option to take modules from other programmes so that you may customise your programme and explore other subject areas that interest you.

MT864 - Reading the Medieval Town: Canterbury, an International City (30 credits) - https://www.kent.ac.uk/courses/modules/module/MT864
HI874 - Religion and Society in Seventeenth-Century England (30 credits) - http://www.kent.ac.uk/courses/modules/module/HI874
MT859 - Word and Image in Tudor England (30 credits) - https://www.kent.ac.uk/courses/modules/module/MT859

Assessment

Assessment is by coursework and dissertation. The skills modules are assessed by a combination of coursework and examination.

Programme aims

This programme aims to:

- provide you with a thorough grounding in the techniques and approaches necessary for advanced research in the medieval and early modern periods
- introduce you to a wide range of literary and historical sources and to encourage you to identify and develop your own interests and expertise in the medieval and early modern periods
- enable you to undertake interdisciplinary work
- enable you to understand and use a variety of concepts, approaches and research methods to develop an understanding of the differing and contested aspects between and within the relevant disciplines
- develop your capacities to think critically and to argue a point of view with clarity and cogency, both orally and in written form
- develop your abilities to assimilate and organise a mass of diverse information
- offer you the experience of a variety of teaching, research and study skills
- develop your independent critical thinking and judgement
- promote a curriculum supported by scholarship, staff development and a research culture that provides breadth and depth of intellectual inquiry and debate
- assist you to develop cognitive and transferable skills relevant to your vocational and personal development
- offer you learning opportunities that are enjoyable, involve realistic workloads, are pedagogically based within a research-led framework and offer appropriate support for students from a diverse range of backgrounds.

Careers

The transferable skills gained from this postgraduate programme are enhanced by the University of Kent’s employability initiative and careers advice service. Many of our recent graduates have gone on to careers in heritage, museum or archivist work. Some go on to pursue research in the area, many continuing with PhDs at Kent or other higher education institutions.

Learn more about Kent

Visit us - https://www.kent.ac.uk/courses/visit/openday/pgevents.htmlhttps://www.kent.ac.uk/courses/visit/openday/pgevents.html

International Students - https://www.kent.ac.uk/internationalstudent/

Why study at Kent? - https://www.kent.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate/why/

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We are interested in hearing from students with research proposals covering all aspects of medieval and early modern history, life and culture.

Academic staff interests include: early modern material culture; late medieval art history; medieval and early modern religious history; Anglo-Saxon archaeology and liturgy; early modern politics; medieval and early modern drama; and textual editing.

At present, research topics include: the Reformation; visual and manuscript culture; community; the plays of John Lyly; medieval ecclesiastical architecture; female sexuality and transexuality; priory management; deviant and vernacular language; and kingship. You will be part of a vibrant and varied community of researchers from different disciplines.

Visit the website https://www.kent.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate/152/medieval-and-early-modern-studies

The Centre for Medieval and Early Modern Studies (MEMS)

We are an interdisciplinary centre for the study of Medieval and Early Modern periods. Our 28 teaching staff are drawn from English, History, Architecture, Classical & Archaeological Studies, History & Philosophy of Art, and the Canterbury Archaeological Trust.

MEMS offers a successful, interdisciplinary MA programme, which attracts students from across the world. A thriving community of enterprising, supportive graduate students study for research degrees and benefit from the Centre’s involvement in the prestigious EU-funded Erasmus Mundus doctoral programme, Text and Event in Early Modern Europe (TEEME). We have close relationships with Canterbury Cathedral and the Archaeological Trust, which allow our students access to a wide range of unique historical, literary and material evidence.

Study support

- Postgraduate resources

Canterbury Cathedral Archives and Library have unparalleled holdings of manuscripts and early printed books. Kent’s Templeman Library holds a good stock of facsimiles, scholarly editions, monographs and journals, and we are within easy reach of the British Library, The National Archives, and other London research libraries. There are good online computing facilities across campus and, in addition, our students have special access to postgraduate computer terminals and the postgraduate student room provided by the School of History.

The Centre runs a weekly research seminar, and special termly, public lectures to which we welcome distinguished speakers. These events are at the heart of the Centre’s activities. We also run a full programme of conferences and colloquia.

- Dynamic publishing culture

Staff publish regularly and widely in journals, conference proceedings and books. Among others, they have recently contributed to: Historical Research; English Historical Review; Renaissance Studies; Medium Aevum; Transactions of the Royal Historical Society; and Studies in the Age of Chaucer.

- Researcher Development Programme

Kent's Graduate School co-ordinates the Researcher Development Programme (http://www.kent.ac.uk/graduateschool/skills/programmes/tstindex.html) for research students, which includes workshops focused on research, specialist and transferable skills. The programme is mapped to the national Researcher Development Framework and covers a diverse range of topics, including subjectspecific research skills, research management, personal effectiveness, communication skills, networking and teamworking, and career management skills.

Research areas

The research interests of our staff cover areas as broad as: religion, ideas, material culture, theatre and performance culture, gender, economy, food and drink, legal history, war, visual culture, politics, architecture, history of books and manuscripts, environment and travel, art history, and literature.

Careers

The transferable skills gained from this postgraduate programme are enhanced by the University of Kent’s employability initiative and careers advice service. Many of our recent graduates have gone on to careers in heritage, museum or archivist work. Some go on to pursue research in the area, many continuing with PhDs at Kent or other higher education institutions.

Find out how to apply here - https://www.kent.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate/apply/

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The Master’s Programme in Micro- & Nanotechnology Enterprise is an exciting opportunity in which world-leading scientists and successful entrepreneurs are brought together to deliver a one-year Master’s degree combining an in-depth multidisciplinary scientific programme with a global perspective on the commercial opportunities and business practice necessary for the successful exploitation in the rapidly developing fields of nanotechnology and micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS).

The programme is intended for those with a good first degree in the physical sciences and engineering who wish to develop research skills and a commercial awareness in micro- and nanotechnology. It combines cutting-edge science with business practice skills, giving students knowledge and experience of a range of disciplines. This should enable students graduating from the course to evaluate the scientific importance and technological potential of new developments in the field of the field of Micro and Nanotechnology and provides an unparalleled educational experience for entrepreneurs in these fields.

See the website http://www.graduate.study.cam.ac.uk/courses/directory/pcmmmpmne

Course detail

Students will:

- be able to develop a discipline-specific terminology to describe and discuss relevant aspects of Micro and Nanotechnology, as well as Business;
- be able to develop their scientific writing skills through lab reports, literature survey, project dissertation, and scientific communication skills through oral presentations;
- be able to develop independence and critical thinking, as well as project management skills;
- have the opportunity develop team project skills.

Format

The programme is modular in structure and lasts ten months. It is envisaged that students attend all modules, which consist of no more than 16 hours of lectures per module with additional discussion groups and personal study time. The students will be examined on all core modules and may select which elective modules they are examined on. The modules are taught in the first two terms and will be followed by formal examinations. The modules are drawn from Science and Technology, Business Management and Innovation strands and so cover the many complexities involved in the processes of discovery and exploitation.

Written or oral feedback is provided after completion of assessed course work. In addition students must sit a mock exam at the beginning of the Lent Term; detailed individual feedback is provided by the Course Directors, who are also available for consultation throughout the academic year.

Assessment

A dissertation of not more than 15,000 words in length (including tables, figure legends and appendices, but excluding bibliography) on a major project, involving (i) in-depth scientific research (following a literature survey in the same scientific field), or (ii) an in-depth case study concerned with a topic in science, business, ethics, law or policy (related to the topic covered during the literature survey). The assessment will include a viva voce examination.

No more than eight essays, each of not more than 3,000 words in length, covering the fields of science, ethics, law, and policy, and the interface of micro- and nanoscience and business.

A literature survey report of not more than 5000 words in length on a scientific topic, to be followed by either a major research project in the same field, or a business, ethics, law, or policy-related case study, concerning the scientific topic.

Course work, which may include written work, group work, and class participation.

Two unseen written examination papers, which may cover all core and elective scientific subjects prescribed in the syllabus.

Five practical assessments.

How to apply: http://www.graduate.study.cam.ac.uk/applying

Funding Opportunities

There are no specific funding opportunities advertised for this course. For information on more general funding opportunities, please follow the link below.

General Funding Opportunities http://www.graduate.study.cam.ac.uk/finance/funding

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Nanoscale Science and Technology research students in nanoLAB cross the traditional disciplinary boundaries of medicine, engineering and the physical sciences. This gives you the chance to thrive on interdisciplinary challenges, collaborate with industrial partners and even create your own spin-off company to commercialise the results of your research.

MPhil supervision is available in:

-Micro and nanoscale design, fabrication, manufacturing and manipulation

-Top-down and bottom-up fabrication

-Nanoscale materials and electronics

-Applications of nano and microelectronics in medical science, including cell biology, neuroscience, human genetics and ageing

-Polymers

-Self-assembly

-Chemistry of nanoscale systems

-Biomolecular engineering - microfluids, bioprobes and biosensor systems, MEMS/NEMS-based sensors and devices

Many research projects cross the disciplinary boundaries of medicine, engineering and the physical sciences. Depending on the source of funding, your project may involve collaboration with an industry partner or you may work in a team with a number of students to develop an idea to the point where, following your degree, you can create a spin-off company to commercialise the results of your research.

There are opportunities for you to develop your business awareness and skills, with training in topics such as intellectual property protection. nanoLAB also hosts regular research seminars, conferences and workshops.

HOW TO APPLY:

Use our Applicant Portal to apply for your course. We have a step-by-step guide to help you.

Research supervisor

Before you apply you need to find and contact a research supervisor. Your specific area of research will determine which graduate school you work with and how you find your research supervisor:

• Medical Sciences Graduate School Office - find a research supervisor
• Science, Agriculture and Engineering Graduate School - find a research supervisor

Start dates

There are usually three possible start dates, although in some circumstances an alternative start date can be arranged:

• January
• April
• September.

There is no application closing date for this course, but specific deadlines for funding may apply. We may offer studentships to high-quality applicants from June onwards, so early application is recommended. 

We suggest international students apply at least two months before the course starts. This is so that you have enough time to make the necessary arrangements.

Deposit

If you live outside the UK/EU you must:

• pay a deposit of £1,500
• or submit an official letter of sponsorship

The deposit is payable after you receive an offer to study at Newcastle University. The deposit is non-refundable, but is deducted from your tuition fees when you register.

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This course teaches numerate graduates knowledge and skills in the field of nanotechnology and microfabrication. The course takes an immersive approach to learning both the principles and practices of nanotechnology and microfabrication with much of the material based around examples and practical exercises. Students completing this course will have a firm grasp of the current practices and directions in this exciting area and will have the knowledge and skills to enable them to design and build microscale devices.

Taught Modules:

Introduction to Nanotechnology & Microsystems: Focuses on the device fabrication techniques at the nano and micro scale, as well as introducing some of the diagnostic tools available to test the quality and characteristics of devices.

Modelling and Design: Focuses on the simulation and design of electronic devices using an advanced software package – COMSOL. This powerful commercial software package is extremely adaptable and can be used to simulate and design a very wide range of physical systems.

Advanced Sensor Systems: Provides students with an understanding of more complex sensor systems and a view of current developments in specific areas of sensor development. Applications of these systems and their main producers and users are also discussed.

Mini Project: Focuses on applying the skills and techniques to a mini project, whose theme will form the basis of the research project.

RF and Optical MEMs: Introduces the use and benefits of miniaturisation in RF and optical technologies. The module will investigate improvements in component characteristics, and manufacturing processes. Applications of RF and optical nano and microsystems will be discussed using examples.

Microengineering: This module provides an introduction to the rapidly expanding subject of microengineering. Starting with a discussion of the benefits and market demand for microengineered systems, the module investigates clean room-based lithographic and related methods of microfabrication. Micro manufacturing issues for a range of materials such as silicon, polymers and metals will be discussed along with routes to larger scale manufacture. A range of example devices and applications will be used to illustrate manufacturing parameters.

Further Microengineering: This module builds on the knowledge of microengineering and microfabrication gained in module IES4003 Microengineering and provides practical microfabrication experience. The module examines a broad range of advanced manufacturing process including techniques suitable for larger scale production, particularly of polymer devices. The module also examines specialist fabrication methods using laser systems and their flexibility in fabricating macroscopic and sub micron structures.

Masters Project Preparation: To place computing and engineering within a business context so that students relate the technical aspects of their work to its commercial and social dimensions and are able to prepare project plans which take into account the constraints and limitations imposed by non-technical factors.



Research Project
After the successful completions of the taught component of the MSc programme, the major individual project will be undertaken within the world-leading optoelectronics or optical communications research groups of the School. Students will then produce an MSc Dissertation.

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If you have a general engineering and/or science background, this course will provide you with the additional knowledge and skills required to become a power engineer.

If you already have an electrical engineering or electronics background, the course enables you to update your knowledge to include the latest developments in renewable energy (including energy from the environment) and smart grids, making use of modern sensing, communication and signal- processing technologies.

The programme consists of five core taught modules, covering the fundamental aspects of the modern power systems and energy conversion technologies that are core in renewable generation and energy storage. You’ll also select three modules (from a choice of six options) to study ‘non-electrical’ technologies that are crucial to the safe and reliable operation of power and energy systems. Alongside the taught modules, you’ll carry out a supervised research/development project that is relevant to real-world industrial needs.

Course Structure

The MSc degree (totalling 180 credits) comprises:
-Eight taught modules (15 credits each), five core modules and three optional modules (see below)
-A research project worth 60 credits (see below)

Core modules

-Electrical Machines and Drives
-Fuel Cells and Energy Storage
-Operation and Control of Power Systems
-Power Electronic Converters and Devices
-Renewable Energy from the Environment

Optional modules (choose 3)

-ASICs, MEMS and Smart Devices
-Heat Transfer Theory and Design
-Optical Communication Systems
-Signal & Image Processing
-Systems Modelling and Simulation
-Antenna, Propagation and Wireless Communication Theory

Individual project

The individual research project is an in-depth experimental, theoretical or computational investigation of a topic chosen by you in conjunction with an academic supervisor.

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This course aims to give suitable graduates an in-depth understanding of the technology, and the drivers for the technology, in the area of Broadband and mobile communications. The course will also provide exposure to current research activity in the field.

Upon completing of the course, students will have a detailed understanding of the current practices and directions in this topic, and will be able to apply them to the task of continuing the roll-out of advanced communication services across the globe.

Course Topics
Data networks and communications, project foundations and management tools, broadband communication systems, technologies for Internet systems, introduction to distributed systems mobile systems, project and dissertation.

Taught Modules:

Data Networks and Communications: This module will provide an in-depth understanding of how real communication networks are structured and the protocols that make them work. It will give the students an ability to explain in detail the process followed to provide an end-to-end connection.

Modelling and Design: focuses on the simulation and design of electronic devices using an advanced software package – COMSOL. This powerful commercial software package is extremely adaptable and can be used to simulate and design a very wide range of physical systems.

Masters Mini Project: focuses on applying the skills and techniques already studied to a mini project, the theme of which will form the basis of the research project later in the year.

Broadband Communication Systems: This module aims to provide students with an in-depth understanding of current and emerging broadband communications techniques employed in local, access and backbone networks. Particular emphasis will be focused on the following aspects: 1) Fundamental concepts, 2) Operating principles and practice of widely implemented communications systems; 3) Hot research and development topics, and 4) Opportunities and challenges for future deployment of broadband communications systems.

Mobile Communication Systems: This module will provide an in-depth understanding of current and emerging mobile communication systems, with a particular emphasis on the common aspects of all such systems.

RF and Optical MEMS: This module aims to introduce the use and benefits of miniaturisation in RF and optical technologies. The module will investigate improvements in component characteristics, and manufacturing processes. Applications of RF and optical nano and microsystems will be discussed using examples.

Advanced Sensor Systems: This course aims to provide students with an understanding of more complex sensor systems and a view of current developments in specific areas of sensor development. Applications of these systems and their main producers and users are also discussed.

Masters Project Preparation: To place computing and engineering within a business context so that students relate the technical aspects of their work to its commercial and social dimensions and are able to prepare project plans which take into account the constraints and limitations imposed by non-technical factors.

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Electronic engineering defines the very fabric of today’s modern technologically advanced society. A myriad of consumer electronic products - televisions, CD and DVD players - are in daily use by practically everyone on the planet. Mobile phones and computers enable global communications on a scale unimaginable even a few decades ago. Yet electronic engineering continues to develop new capabilities which will shape the lives of future generations.

This programme aims to provide a broad based Electronic Engineering MSc which will enable students to contribute to the future development of electronic products and services. The course reflects the School’s highly regarded research activity at the leading edge of electronic engineering. The MSc will provide relevant, up-to-date skills that enhance the engineering competency of its graduates and allows a broader knowledge of electronic engineering to be acquired by studying important emerging technologies, such as, optoelectronics, bioelectronics, polymer electronics and micromachining. The course is intended for graduates in a related discipline, who wish to enhance and specialise their skills in several emerging technologies.

Course Structure
This course runs from 29 September 2014 to 30 September 2015.

The course structure consists of a core set of taught and laboratory based modules that introduce advanced nanoscale and microscale device fabrication processes and techniques. In addition, device simulation and design is addressed with an emphasis placed on the use of advanced CAD based device and system based modelling. Transferable skills such as project planning and management, as well as, presentational skills are also further developed in the course.

Taught Modules:

Introduction to Nanotechnology & Microsystems*: focuses on the device fabrication techniques at the nano and micro scale, as well as introducing some of the diagnostic tools available to test the quality and characteristics of devices.

Modelling and Design: Focuses on the simulation and design of electronic devices using an advanced software package – COMSOL. This powerful commercial software package is extremely adaptable and can be used to simulate and design a very wide range of physical systems.



Advanced Sensor Systems: Provides students with an understanding of more complex sensor systems and a view of current developments in specific areas of sensor development. Applications of these systems and their main producers and users are also discussed.

Masters Mini Project: focuses on applying the skills and techniques already studied to a mini project, the theme of which will form the basis of the research project later in the year.

RF and Optical MEMs*: Introduces the use and benefits of miniaturisation in RF and optical technologies. The module will investigate improvements in component characteristics, and manufacturing processes. Applications of RF and optical nano and microsystems will be discussed using examples.

Microengineering*: Provides an introduction to the rapidly expanding subject of microengineering. Starting with a discussion of the benefits and market demand for microengineered systems, the module investigates clean room-based lithographic and related methods of microfabrication. Micro manufacturing issues for a range of materials such as silicon, polymers and metals will be discussed along with routes to larger scale manufacture. A range of example devices and applications will be used to illustrate manufacturing parameters.

Further Microengineering*: This module builds on the knowledge of microengineering and microfabrication gained in the Microengineering module. The module examines a broad range of advanced manufacturing process including techniques suitable for larger scale production, particularly of polymer devices. This module also examines specialist fabrication methods using laser systems and their flexibility in fabricating macroscopic and sub micron structures.

Mobile Communication Systems*: This module will provide an in-depth understanding of current and emerging mobile communication systems, with a particular emphasis on the common aspects of all such systems.

Broadband Communication Systems: This module provides students with an in-depth understanding of current and emerging broadband communications techniques employed in local, access and backbone networks. Particular emphasis will be focussed on the following aspects: 1) fundamental concepts, 2) operating principles and practice of widely implemented communications systems; 3) hot research and development topics, and 4) opportunities and challenges for future deployment of broadband communications systems.

Data Networks and Communications*: This module will provide an in-depth understanding of how real communication networks are structured and the protocols that make them work. It will give the students an ability to explain in detail the process followed to provide end to end connections and end-user services at required QoS.

Masters Project Preparation: To place computing and engineering within a business context so that students relate the technical aspects of their work to its commercial and social dimensions and are able to prepare project plans which take into account the constraints and limitations imposed by non-technical factors.

*optional modules

Research Project
After the successful completion of the taught component of the MSc programme, the major individual project will be undertaken within the world-leading optoelectronics or optical communications research groups of the School. Students will then produce an MSc Dissertation.

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Research in biotechnology at Newcastle spans the Faculty of Medical Sciences (FMS) and the Faculty of Science, Agriculture and Engineering (SAgE). We invite proposals for MPhil and PhD projects in biotechnology across the fields of medical sciences, biological, agricultural and environmental sciences, and marine science and technology.

We offer MPhil supervision in the following research areas:

Medical sciences

In medical sciences our research focuses on translational medicine, from drug discovery and development to effective product commercialisation and process optimisation. Our key areas are:
-The development of drugs for the treatment of cancer and psychiatric disorders
-Novel antibiotic innovation
-Design and development of integrated electrochemical and bio-microelectromechanical (bio-MEMS) sensors for application to point-of-care diagnosis of disease processes and sensor technologies for real-time, high content intracellular analysis using polymer-based nanosensor systems

Biological, agricultural and environmental sciences

In biological, agricultural and environmental sciences our research focuses on:
-The search and discovery of commercially significant natural products
-The production of crops with novel traits
-The fundamental role played by micro-organisms in the turnover of pollutants and the production of high value novel compounds, including pharmaceuticals and pesticides.

Marine science and technology

Our work has led to pioneering advancements in developing novel antibiotics and omega-3 oils from plankton. We also explore the industrial applications of marine organisms such as the development of environmentally friendly antifouling coatings.

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Our MSc in Analogue and Digital Integrated Circuit is aimed at future integrated circuit (IC) designers with in-depth knowledge of analogue, mixed signal and digital circuits.

You will gain experience in both the practical issues of device-level design and system-level performance requirements.

A key feature is the balanced approach to both analogue and digital IC design, and the in-depth treatment of low power circuits and embedded systems.

We cover issues that are related to digital system design using modern programming languages, to embedded systems and their OS, to the design of high performance systems based on GPUs and FPGAs, to the design of low power and high performance analogue circuits, as well as issues related to communication of systems (optical and RF) and to MEMS and nanotechnology.

Further information

For full information on this course, including how to apply, see: http://www.imperial.ac.uk/study/pg/electrical-engineering/analogue-digital-circuit/

If you have any enquiries you can contact our team at: [email protected]

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This new, innovative programme offers graduates excellent career prospects in a broad field of mechanical engineering-related industries. It will also provide excellent preparation for those wishing to undertake a PhD. The MSc Advanced Mechanical Engineering is a broad-based programme covering an important and industrially-relevant portfolio of mechanical engineering modules, such as Biofuels and Combustion, Manufacturing Processes, MEMS, and Automation and Robotics. 

All the teaching is delivered by highly experienced and qualified members of academic staff who are at the cutting-edge of research in their respective fields. This programme will be attractive to graduates of mechanical engineering or related subjects.

With leading research into Advanced Mechanical Engineering, the University of Birmingham is the ideal location for bright graduates, looking for a solid and well-respected postgraduate qualification which will act as a springboard for a successful future. 

• 120 credits of taught modules studied during October-April
• 60 credits of project-based module carried out during June-September
• Assessment methods include a range of examinations, assignments and projects

The MSc Advanced Mechanical Engineering is fully accredited by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) for both of its full-time and part-time modes of study.

Course details

The programme will include 9 subject-specific technical modules of 10 credits each covering vehicle engineering, mechanics, thermal systems, energy, computational geometry, manufacturing processes, robotics, biomechanics, and micro electro-mechanical systems. A 20-credit synoptic mechanical engineering module has been integrated into the programme and provides research-focused teaching of selected novel case studies from various research areas being carried out within the School in order to enhance the relevant knowledge base of the students. 

A further 10 credit module covering research skills, project management and business enterprise will provide the necessary training to enhance the competencies in professional skills that modern mechanical engineers are expected to possess. The latter part of the programme will include a 60 credit summer project module. The project can either be based at the University, or be carried out in industry.

Related links

• Postgraduate degree courses -School of Mechanical Engineering

Learning and teaching

The modules will be delivered through a combination of lectures, seminars, tutorials, project-based and laboratory-based teaching and learning methods, providing a well-rounded educational experience and an opportunity to further develop skills prized by employers.

There will be a strong emphasis on enquiry-based learning throughout, further enhancing students’ ability to think independently and creatively.

Employability

The graduates of this programme will be ideally placed to gain employment in a wide field of careers in mechanical and related engineering. The typical functional roles include design, consultancy, maintenance, operations, and R&D in a spectrum of industrial sectors such as manufacturing, aerospace, energy, automotive, micro/nano technology, nuclear and defence

University Careers Network

Preparation for your career should be one of the first things you think about as you start university. Whether you have a clear idea of where your future aspirations lie or want to consider the broad range of opportunities available once you have a Birmingham degree, our Careers Network can help you achieve your goal.

Our unique careers guidance service is tailored to your academic subject area, offering a specialised team (in each of the five academic colleges) who can give you expert advice. Our team source exclusive work experience opportunities to help you stand out amongst the competition, with mentoring, global internships and placements available to you. Once you have a career in your sights, one-to-one support with CVs and job applications will help give you the edge.

If you make the most of the wide range of services you will be able to develop your career from the moment you arrive.

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