Reliability Engineering and Asset Management is a critical field of managerial and technical importance to UK and International industry. It is estimated that 10% of annual typical plant cost is spent maintaining plant. Maintenance costs are likely to influence competitiveness on a global scale and this allows Maintenance Managers to make major impacts on their companies' bottom line.
The programme is a key element in increasing industrial competitiveness and is a sophisticated discipline which embraces management techniques, organisation, planning and the application of substantial electronic, engineering and analytical knowledge to manufacturing processes, transport, power generation and the efficient operation of industrial, commercial and civic buildings. The aim of the programme is to give companies the technical and managerial expertise to thrive in the global marketplace.
On completion of the course students will be able to obtain one of the following degrees: MSc, Postgraduate Diploma (PGDip), Postgraduate Certificate (PGCert).
Course Content
The programme consists of course units which include various aspects of applied management and technology in the field of REAM. It is designed such that after enrolment participants already working in industry will benefit from the structure and content of the course in order to enhance their capability in Reliability Engineering and Asset Management. Our teaching staff are internationally recognised professionals with years of experience working in industry and academic institutions.
The course is offered as indicated below:
HOME/EU
MSc - Full time 1 year; Part time in attendance 3 years*; Distance Learning 3 years**
PG(Diploma) - Full time 1 year; Part time in attendance 2 years*; Distance Learning 2 years**
PG(Certificate) - Part time in attendance1 year*; Distance Learning 1 year**
*4 x 1 week teaching blocks per year; **Attendance = 1 day residential course per module; 2 modules per term - attendance not compulsory but recommended
International
MSc - Full time 1 year; Distance Learning 3 years**
PG(Diploma) - Distance Learning 2 years**
PG(Certificate) - Distance Learning 1 year**
** Attendance = 1 day residential course per module; 2 modules per term - attendance not compulsory but recommended
Accreditation
The course is fully accredited by The Institution of Mechanical Engineers and approved by The Society of Operations Engineers.
Student Experience
Read what students say about the course.
Reliability Engineering & Asset Management offers a flexible approach to learning as follows:
Full-time in attendance ( Direct Taught )
Students undertake eight units. Each taught unit lasts one week and is followed by time for coursework and revision for examinations. Students start work immediately on their project and the programme is completed in one year.
Part time in attendance ( Direct Taught )
Students undertake eight units. Each taught unit lasts one week and is followed by time for coursework and revision for examinations. Students start work on their project in the final year and this option is completed in three years.
Part time by Distance Learning
Students undertake eight units, all in distance learning format, each of about three months duration. Teaching will begin with a short introduction allowing students to acclimatise to the Virtual Learning Environment, Blackboard 9. The programme is complete after three years. Students undertake their project in the final year.
The coherent atmosphere in the classroom is to maintain high standards and quality and as such places are limited. Our teaching methods are similar to knowledge transfer concepts as well as case studies without involving much mathematical theories.
Teaching style
Direct Taught - Full and Part time
Each course unit runs for an intensive week-long period and tuition takes place at the University.
Distance Learning
For part-time Distance Learning students, the entire course is delivered via Blackboard, an online virtual learning environment. Two course units per semester are undertaken on-line accessing web-based teaching material which will include text, images, video and animation in parallel, over a three month period. Most importantly web-based teaching generates an interactive environment with real, active communication between students and staff and between groups of students throughout the programme. Distance Learning students will need to visit the University for a 2-day residential per semester for face-to-face discussion with their Unit leader .
Each taught unit of the programme is followed by an assignment which is applied in the work place for part-time students or at the university for full-time students plus an examination either at the University or at higher education institute or British Council in the student's home country.
Assessment is by written examination and assignment. The assignment, which follows the taught element of the unit, accounts for 50% of the total marks, the examination 35% and an in-unit assignment the remaining 15%.
Examination period
Semester 1 - 2nd and 3rd week of January
Semester 2 - 2nd and 3rd week of May
Dissertation Project
The dissertation project is intended to address a real issue in Reliability Engineering and Asset Management and is studied in depth, relating problems in the field to theory, case studies and solution reported in the literature, and often creating innovative proposals and field trials. All students have access to laboratory resources where appropriate.
REAM is a modular programme which consists of eight units, some of which include field and lab work followed by a major project. The earlier units address the management of the maintenance process, including such topics as asset management and maintenance strategy; asset maintenance systems and condition monitoring. Later more specialised units deal with auditing, advanced vibration monitoring, reliability and risk. Units on the full time programme are direct taught, however, part time students can choose either direct taught or web-based distance learning.
All delivery modes cover the same syllabus and lead to the same qualification. View examples of programme structures of individual degree programmes; Full-time , Part-time and Distance Learning . Please see examples of past dissertation projects .
Practical support and advice for current students and applicants is available from the Disability Advisory and Support Service. Email: [email protected]
The English Language and Literature MA aims to allow you to explore the interconnections between language and literature. It will provide you with a thorough understanding of the linguistic features of English from a wide range of perspectives (theoretical and applied, synchronic and diachronic), as well as leading you to explore a wide array of texts in connection with the social, historical and political circumstances from which they emerge. Furthermore, the MA will equip you with the intellectual perspectives and the scholarly skills that will prepare you to conduct independent research.
The MA is suitable for students who have taken English language and/or literature modules at undergraduate level, and others who have taken allied disciplines such as TESOL. It is of particular interest to those wishing to pursue further study and those teaching English who wish to gain a further qualification and investigate recent and current developments in the field.
If pursuing the degree full-time, you will study 180 credits in one academic year; if part-time, you will normally complete 180 credits in two academic years. You will study four core modules (including a 60-credit dissertation on a topic of English language and/or literature), as well as two modules from the list of options. The core modules Subjectivities: Modern and Contemporary Fictions and Institutions and Histories examine classic and contemporary critical texts on literature in relation to ideas in larger contexts, such as history, the visual image, gender, psychoanalysis and post- colonialism, while the module English Language in Use will help you acquire the scholarly tools necessary for the stylistic interpretation of literary and non-literary texts.
The teaching is mainly through weekly two or three hour sessions for each module, which include tutorials, seminars, practical sessions and workshops. There is also independent self-directed study, and you will be prepared for the Dissertation via structured sessions in research methodology. Assessment methods include submitted coursework such as essays, reviews and exercises; there are no formal examinations.
The following modules are indicative of what you will study on this course.
Core modules
Option modules
The English Language and Literature MA will provide you with sophisticated analytical skills and a widely applicable knowledge base, which will enable you to study at MPhil or PhD levels with a view to pursuing an academic career. The course is also particularly relevant to teaching English as a first or foreign language, and to a range of professions involving the study and use of language and literary texts.
While studying the MA, you will also benefit from the careers workshops organised by the departmental employability coordinator.
This course addresses the need to propel information-gathering and data organisation, and exploit potential information and knowledge hidden in routinely collected data to improve decision-making. The course, which builds on the strength of two successful courses on data mining and on decision sciences, is more technology focused, and stretches the data mining and decision sciences theme to the broader agenda of business intelligence.
You will focus on developing solutions to real-world problems associated with the changing nature of IT infrastructure and increasing volumes of data, through the use of applications and case studies, while gaining a deep appreciation of the underlying models and techniques. You will also gain a greater understanding of the impact technological advances have on nature and practices adopted within the business intelligence and analytics practices, and know how to adapt to these changes.
Embedded into the course are two key themes. The first will help you to develop your skills in the use and application of various technologies, architectures, techniques, tools and methods. These include warehousing and data mining, distributed data management, and the technologies, architectures, and appropriate middleware and infrastructures supporting application layers. The second theme will enhance your knowledge of algorithms and the quantitative techniques suitable for analysing and mining data and developing decision models in a broad range of application areas. The project consolidates the taught subjects covered, while giving you the opportunity to pursue in-depth study in your chosen area.
Teaching approaches include lectures, tutorials, seminars and practical sessions. You will also learn through extensive course work, class presentations, group research work, and the use of a range of industry standard software such as R, Python, Simul8, Palisade Decision Tools, Hadoop and Oracle.
Taught modules may be assessed entirely through course work, or may include a two-hour exam at the end of the year.
The following modules are indicative of what you will study on this course.
Core modules
Option modules
This programme is accredited by BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT, for fully meeting the further learning educational requirement for Chartered IT Professional (CITP) status and for partially satisfying the underpinning knowledge requirements set by the Engineering Council in the UK Standard for Professional Engineering Competence (UK-SPEC) and the Science Council for Chartered or Incorporated Engineer (CEng or IEng) status. Note that there are additional requirements, including work experience, to achieve full CITP, CEng, or IEng status. Graduates of this accredited degree will also be eligible for professional membership of BCS (MBCS).
The BCS accreditation is an indicator of the programme’s quality to students and employers; it is also an important benchmark of the programme’s standard in providing high quality computing education, and commitment to developing future IT professionals that have the potential to achieve Chartered status. The programme is also likely to be recognised by other countries that are signatories to international accords.
Graduates can expect to find employment as consultants, decision modelling or advanced data analysts, and members of technical and analytics teams supporting management decision making in diverse organisations. Typical employers include local authorities, PLCs (e.g. GlaxoSmithKline, British Airways, Santander and Unilever), public sector organisations (e.g. the NHS and primary care trusts), retail head offices, the BBC, the Civil Service, and the host of banks, brokers and regulators that make up the City, along with all the specialist support consultancies in IT and market research and forecasting, all of whom use data for the full range of decision making.
Our Work Placement Teams are based in your Faculty Registry Office and can help you find a suitable placement, as well as support you in making applications, writing CVs and improving your interview technique.
More details on work placements can be found on our Work placements page.
This Creative Writing: Writing the City Masters course is the first to focus entirely on the city of London. It will allow you to explore the city as subject matter from a range of perspectives and across all genres. It will also give you a theoretical and practical platform from which to develop your understanding, and become part of the London writing scene.
Taught by professional writers and researchers, the course offers plenty of opportunities to network with other writers, agents, TV producers and performance poets. You will be based in the University's headquarters building at 309 Regent Street, which means you will be writing about the city in the heart of London, with ready access to the capital's excellent academic, social and cultural opportunities, including the vibrant West End theatre scene.
If studying full-time, you will normally take three modules in Semester One and tree modules in Semester Two. You can begin in January or in September. Part-time students take two modules in each semester. The availability of option modules will depend on overall demand and staff availability, but you will normally be told which options are on offer at the beginning of your course. You can choose one 'free choice' option module from other Master courses at Westminster, subject to timetabling constraints and the approval of the project during the first semester an submit it after all other modules have been attempted.
To receive your Masters award, you will need to complete taught modules for a total of 120 credits, and the 60-credit Writing Project (giving a total of 180 credits). If you do not meet the requirements for a Masters award, you will be eligible for the award of a Postgraduate Diploma or a Postgraduate Certificate.
The workshop-based structure of the course will allow you to learn through interactive practice. Modules are taught by one two-hour or tree-hour seminar/workshop per week, depending on your subject. Teaching will also include visits to selected London institution to support certain aspects of writing, and you will be encourage to use various archives, theatres and galleries. Assessment methods include coursework portfolios (allowing you to experiment in a variety of genres, reflective logs, essays, and workshop leadership) as well as the 10-12,000-word writing project. There are no formal examinations.
The following modules are indicative of what you will study on this course.
You can choose either one of the below option modules or a further core module.
Core modules
Option modules
The course will enable you to develop sophisticated critical and creative skills and a widely applicable knowledge base that can be adapted to various fields of creative practice and writing business.
This course is intended to move you to a new level in your career as a writer by developing your skills as a sophisticated critical practitioner, and your knowledge of literature about the city as well as the writing business.
You will be encouraged to network with other writers and identify useful opportunities for career development, partly through a wide range of extra-curricular activities, including writers’ events and talks.
The critical and practical skills you will acquire by the end of the course will make you a strong candidate in many areas, including arts management, copy editing, education, freelance writing, journalism, media, publishing, theatre and performance-based writing, and research and academia.
Knowledge of corporate finance law is essential for lawyers, bankers and financiers who are keen to develop professional skills in corporate fundraising, deal structures and transactional management. This course offers an enhanced qualification for professionals working or planning to work in a technically demanding and dynamic global industry. It will appeal to both recent graduates and practitioners considering various fields of work, including law, investment banking, corporate finance, private equity, securities, investments, financial regulation, government agencies and international financial authorities.
You will focus on learning how the financial markets work, from the primary markets involving the issuance of equity, debt and derivatives, to the secondary markets involving trading and investments, as well as very large financial transactions in the international capital markets. Importantly, you will also learn how to take account of legal and regulatory risks facing financiers and bankers, and structure financial instruments to suit commercial priorities and social welfare policies.
This course aims to give you a comprehensive understanding of the practical processes and innovative products of the international corporate finance market, including equity and debt capital, derivatives, structured finance, risk management and investment portfolio products. It also develops the soft skills you will need in this area of practice, including negotiations and network building, with meetings with senior lawyers and directors of major companies.
The following modules are indicative of what you will study on this course.
The option modules are recommended if you are looking to specialise in the financial industry. If you opt for the dissertation you must select four option modules. If you opt for the project you must choose five option modules.
Please note that option modules are subject to student demand and staffing availability, therefore not all modules will be offered in the same academic year.
Core modules
Option modules
This course will be of benefit if you are seeking to work in any of the range of disciplines involved in corporate finance law, including accountancy, corporate banking, corporate finance, corporate law, investment banking, private equity and venture capital, as well as in related fields.
Nutrition has long been recognised as a vitally important determinant of health status within both industrialised and industrialising countries. Significant changes are occurring in the profile of nutritional problems. Many countries continue to face problems of malnutrition and micronutrient deficiencies, but countries in economic transition also face the public health challenge of rising rates of diet-related chronic disease, such as obesity and coronary heart disease. Also, many industrialised countries now face problems of food insecurity among low-income groups. These challenges have led to growing political resources to address nutrition.
There is now an increased need for trained public health nutritionists, to work in a range of contexts, to control and prevent diet-related problems. The United Nations Secretary General has declared 2016–2025 the Decade of Nutrition. What better time to develop your skills in this crucial area?
This course will give you the specialist scientific knowledge and practical skills to take an active role in global public health nutrition in a range of different settings.
You will be introduced to policy making, leadership and governance frameworks. You will be encouraged to explore and debate the political and social influences underpinning policy implementation and impact.
Your modules will explore the relationship between diet and disease, the nutrition science underpinning these factors, public health nutrition epidemiology, research methods for health science, nutritional assessment tools and how to develop and manage nutrition programmes.
The course will introduce you to stakeholders and skills that can enhance your professional competency, employability and development as a public health reflective professional.
The following modules are indicative of what you study on this course.
Core modules
The course is accredited by the Association for Nutrition as part fulfilment of the requirements for registration as an associate Public Health Nutritionist.
We have close links with organisations such as Save the Children, Results, and Action against Hunger.
We are also developing a new link between the World Food Programme and Save the Children to run a training course on their Cost of Diet Analysis.
There are numerous career paths our graduates follow, from working with Public Health England in writing policies, to acting as nutrition advisers to the Department of Health or other nutrition-focused organisations.
Many of our graduates go on to work in international development with organisations such as Save the Children, Action against Hunger, UNICEF, GAIN, FAO, WFP and WHO.
Other graduates continue their academic studies by moving on to a PhD or becoming a lecturer.
For health care professionals from diverse backgrounds who wish to expand their knowledge of theoretical and practical aspects of oncology, including:
A full-time programme is also available.
The aim of this programme is to give you a scientific understanding of the cellular basis of cancer. We will then discuss how understanding the molecular pathology of the disease can help in stratifying patients to personalised cancer therapeutic approaches and disease management.
Aiming to allow you to understand the research process, this programme draws on examples from within this renowned research Institute and its associated Clinical Trials Unit. A key part of this Masters programme is the planning, execution and reporting of a piece of independent study leading to submission of a dissertation.
At all levels we aim to encourage interactive rather than didactic learning and lecturing. Therefore, in addition to assembling and learning facts you will also to consider some of the philosophical challenges which underlie the treatment of cancer.
The programme is studied part time over 2.5 years and includes a taught element plus a work place based dissertation. During the first year you normally study 4 taught modules (5 weeks of attendance), whilst in the second year you normally study 3 taught modules (3 weeks of attendance) plus start your dissertation. The programme however is intended to be flexible and other patterns of study are permitted (please discuss with the programme lead (Dr Jean Assender).
You can opt for a Postgraduate Diploma on completion of the core modules and 30 credits of optional modules, or an MSc on successful completion of the taught programme and an independently researched dissertation.
As a Birmingham student, you will be joining the academic elite and will have the privilege of learning from world-leading experts, as well as your peers. From the outset you will be encouraged to become an independent and self-motivated learner. We want you to be challenged and will encourage you to think for yourself.
This programme is delivered via one or two 5 day blocks of teaching from Monday to Friday approx 9am-5.30pm. You will participate in a range of teaching styles such as lectures, eLectures (Surgical Oncology sample), small group tutorials, presentations, peer group learning, self-study etc.
You will have access to a comprehensive support system that will assist and encourage you, including personal tutors and welfare tutors who can help with both academic and welfare issues.
So you can get an idea of what some of our students have to say about the programmes we have been in touch with them and compiled some of their comments into student profiles for you to have a look at:
Dr Selvi Radhakrishna, a recent graduate from the PG Diploma in Clinical Oncology programme here at the University of Birmingham, has written a book that presents the various cultural issues an Indian woman might face when diagnosed with breast cancer. This New Indian Express article tells the story.
Careers Support for Postgraduate Students
Careers Network – We can help you get ahead in the job market and develop your career
We recognise that as a postgraduate student you are likely to have specific requirements when it comes to planning for your next career step. Employers expect postgraduates to have a range of skills that exceed their subject knowledge. Careers Network offers a range of events and support services that are designed for all students, including postgraduates looking to find their niche in the job market. The Careers Network also have subject specific careers consultants and advisers for each College so you can be assured the information you receive will be relevant to your subject area. For more information visit the Careers Network website.
The Energy and Environmental Change MA is an interdisciplinary degree that combines international relations, law, business and sustainability studies. As such it provides a comprehensive examination of energy security, energy markets and climate change from global, regional and local perspectives. The degree equips students with knowledge of key intellectual frameworks and critical issues. The course offers a holistic approach to the dynamics governing energy-transition to a low-carbon economy nexus. Students are required to complete five interconnected core modules and may select one option module.
The course combines expertise from:
The following modules are indicative of what you will study on this course.
Core modules
Our Work Placement Teams are based in your Faculty Registry Office and can help you find a suitable placement, as well as support you in making applications, writing CVs and improving your interview technique.
More details on work placements can be found on our Work placements page.
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