Railway businesses rely on advanced technical and operational systems to carry vast numbers of passengers in densely populated areas and large quantities of goods over long distances. The Master of Research (MRes) programme in Railway Systems Integration prepares postgraduates for careers in research and development (R&D) in railway businesses and companies supplying railways with advanced technical and operational systems. The programme can also serve as a stepping stone to doctoral studies by developing candidates’ analytical skills and research know-how.
The MRes offers a unique opportunity for students to undertake a research-based Masters degree together with technical study in a relevant railway systems or engineering subject. Students benefit from participating in both the fundamental and applied research carried out within the Birmingham Centre for Railway Research and Education, and from the world-leading educational programmes offered by the Centre. The programme comprises 3 classroom taught technology oriented modules and a research skills module that consists of three main elements, namely, reviewing literature, analysing data and modelling the behaviour of technical systems. Two thirds of the period of study are devoted to independent research that is documented in a substantial thesis. Part-time students follow the same syllabus as full-time students but complete the taught modules and the thesis in a sequence that best suits their work commitments. Part-time study allows for work and research to take place alongside each other, contextualising research research activities directly into the employer's organisation.
This is an interdisciplinary programme that combines a major research project with technical studies that build on prior academic study or industrial experience in a relevant subject area. It gives students the opportunity to benefit from the fundamental and applied research being conducted in the Birmingham Centre for Railway Research and Education. The programme allows students to research a technical, social or economic problem associated with the railway industry. Projects are usually undertaken in collaboration with industry, making them highly attractive for applied R&D projects. At the same time, students learn more about specific technical and management issues relevant to the railway industry. Key benefits include the broad range of research topics available, from highly-technical projects to those focusing on business/policy issues.
As a result, students will gain an understanding of the most recent developments in railway research; the industry’s needs for new and emerging technologies; and techniques in which to apply these developments.
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The Birmingham Centre for Railway Research and Education is a cross-disciplinary centre, mainly involving staff from the Schools of Civil, Electrical and Materials Engineering, and also staff from a number of other Schools across the University. Its purpose is to carry out fundamental and applied research in railway science and technology and to provide high level educational opportunities in these fields.
The centre’s research activities include high speed railways, traffic management and operations simulation, power and energy, railway data integration, climate change resilience and extreme weather response, smart conditioning monitoring and railway aerodynamics. It also offers MSc programmes in Railway Systems Engineering and Integration, and in Railway Risk and Safety Management, and provides high level CPD programmes for the railway industry.
The MRes in Railway Systems Integration is an exciting programme that combines technical study with training in research methodology and a major research project. The aims of the programme are:
to develop students' understanding of the specific requirements of complex technologies and concepts that are applied in the context of the railway industry;
Graduates of this programme are in demand to implement new technologies and policies within the railway or related industries. They are also sought-after by academic and commercial institutions for further research and development.
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.
Railway businesses rely on advanced technical and operational systems to carry vast numbers of passengers in densely populated areas and large quantities of goods over long distances, economically, safely and in a timely manner. The taught postgraduate programme in Railway Systems Engineering and Integration has a strong focus on developing postgraduates’ railway engineering knowledge and know-how, their systems integration skills and their understanding of the complex interactions between subsystems. It develops participants’ ability to work in multi-disciplinary project teams and is strongly supported by railway practitioners.
Graduates of the programme design, build, operate and manage successfully the sophisticated subsystems and complex interfaces characterising existing and new railways. The full-time programme comprises 8 classroom taught modules and 2 coursework modules, scheduled over a period of 8 months. Part-time students follow the same syllabus as full-time students but complete the taught modules in a sequence that best suits their work-commitments. The MSc strand requires the submission of a dissertation that is based on a significant amount of independent research.
This programme is designed to provide the knowledge, knowhow and skills required to design and manage successfully the highly specialised subsystems and complex interfaces that characterise existing and new railways. The programme has a strong focus on developing your railway engineering knowledge, system integration skills and your ability to work in focused project teams.
Many participants are experienced railway engineers and managers, sponsored by their employers, but the programme also allows new entrants to the railway industry to familiarise themselves with the specialist disciplines involved in railway systems engineering, while also gaining an insight into the complex interactions between subsystems.
The 3 week Terminology and Communications for Railways course provides those with less experience with key information and prepares them for their forthcoming studies.
The taught part of the programme is built around 8 assessed modules of 10 credits each, 2 coursework modules attracting 20 credits each, totalling 120 credits, suitable for PG Diploma and MSc candidates. MSc students also undertake an integrating project that leads to a dissertation, attracting 60 credits, all at Masters level. The modules are assessed individually to allow flexible study.
Technology oriented modules cover the principles of rolling stock design, railway traction systems, infrastructure and track systems, railway control systems, as well as systems engineering principles.
Management focused modules complement the range of subjects taught in the technology-oriented modules and include the strategic management of railway operations, railway technology strategy and economics, as well as ergonomics and human factors.
Modules include lectures, tutorials, team exercises and industrial visits. The programme also features a European study tour.
Distance-learning Study Mode
The distance-learning mode involves attendance in Birmingham only for the taught weeks over a period of 2-3 years. This means you can combine work with study and visit Birmingham 5 or 6 times for periods of, typically 3 weeks at a time.
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The Rail Systems Engineering and Integration programme is built around eight taught modules and four coursework based modules of 10 credits each and an individual research project attracting 60 credits. Each taught module involves about 27 hours of teaching, 10 hours of tutorials, a major team exercise and a minor assignment. Each research module involves about 60 hours of independent study to complete two major assignments.
The assessment of students’ learning is based on class tests, coursework, presentations and end of year examinations. All modules are assessed individually to allow flexible study.
For students participating via part-time or distance-learning mode, the reserach project may be taken in their employer's company.
Our graduates go on to design, build, operate and successfully manage the sophisticated subsystems and complex interfaces characterising existing and new railways. Many of our graduates now occupy senior positions around the world in the railway industry.
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.
Railway risk and safety management are both vitally important worldwide, for not only the ongoing operation of existing railways, but also for the design and the development of new systems. Much work is being done by companies involved in both mainline and urban transportation systems to improve safety, for the public, their passengers and their workforce. The prevention of the loss of life and livelihood associated with railway crashes and incidents are high priorities for all organisations involved.
This programme in Railway Risk and Safety Management (RRSM) is the first of its kind in the UK and is jointly delivered by the Universities of Birmingham and York. You will benefit from the expertise of two leading UK universities and spend around half of your time with the Birmingham Centre for Rail Research and Education(BCRRE) and half at the High Integrity Systems Engineering Group (HISE) in York.
The programme will give you a deep and robust understanding of the approaches to managing safety and risk in transport systems and related projects. The York modules are highly structured around the general topics of risk and safety management, while the Birmingham portion of the programme focuses on railway systems and the application of risk management principles in this sector. As a result, this course will give you a thorough education and knowledge which can take you into many areas of engineering and business management, as well as in safety-specific functions of railway or transportation organisations.
The development of the RRSM programme was sponsored by the Lloyd’s Register Foundation.
The Railway Risk and Safety Management programme is delivered jointly by the Birmingham Centre for Railway Research and Education (BCRRE) at the University of Birmingham and the High Integrity Systems Engineering (HISE) Group at the University of York. We recognise that each transport sector and mode has its own specific features but seek to ensure that a common approach is taken to the generic issues involved in ensuring dependable operations. As a result, you will develop a deep and robust understanding of approaches to manage safety and risk in transport systems and projects, taking advantage of expertise from two leading UK universities.
The programme consists of a series of taught modules which cover the topics of safety and risk management, safety systems, railway technologies, railway systems and operation, ergonomics and business management for the railway industry. These are supported by learning about research skills and then followed by an individual research project, supervised by academic experts in the specific field of the project. Part-time and distance-learning students follow the same syllabus as full-time students but complete the taught modules in a sequence that suits their work-commitments.
The full-time study periods are:
Teaching takes place in week-long blocks of time which allows for deep learning to be achieved from immersion in the subject. The primary method is classroom-based lectures and these are enriched by industrial speakers, group exercises, assignments, site visits, study excursions and working weekends throughout the year. A several day European study tour is also part of the MSc programme.
BCRRE is privileged to work with many colleagues from the railway industry who regularly contribute seminars and talks. Not only do these enrich amd embed your learning, they provide excellent opportunities for networking with others in the industry.
Several lectures are given by industrial speakers. Further learning is achieved through individual literature review, as part of assignments, or in group exercises.
This postgraduate programme is intended for those who wish to establish or enhance their career in the safe operation of transport systems. Companies employing graduates include mainline railways, metros, tram systems and automated people movers. Safety is high on the agenda of transport operators around the world and our graduates are in high demand.
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.
There has been a huge global growth in the number of new railway lines, leading to a shortage of the skilled railway engineers required to construct them. This has caused railway salaries to grow rapidly in recent years.
The course is taught by the world leading schools of Civil Engineering and the Institute for Transport Studies. 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.
A series of compulsory modules will develop your knowledge and skills in a range of areas. You’ll gain an understanding of the wider issues surrounding railway engineering, economics in a railway context and project management.
You’ll understand engineering responses to railway planning, track design, integration and resilience. You’ll also consider the operation of railway systems and develop an understanding of risk management on rail infrastructure.
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.
Get paid to do a Masters with the Centre for Global Eco-Innovation at Lancaster University, University of the Year 2018, and Digital Rail Ltd.
One year enterprise-led funded Masters by Research, Ref. No. 90
· Get paid £15,000 tax-free
· Have your tuition fees reduced. Your partner company pays £2,000 towards your fees, meaning UK/EU students pay £2,260, and international students pay £15,945.
· Be part of the multi award winning Centre for Global Eco-Innovation with a cohort of 50 talented graduates working on exciting business-led R&D.
· The Centre is based at Lancaster University, so you will gain your Masters from a Top Ten University, recognised as The Sunday Times University of the Year 2018.
· Finish in a strong position to enter a competitive job market in the UK and overseas.
Transport is one of the fastest growing contributors to climate change. Rail travel produces lower carbon emissions than travelling by car and offers an efficient alternative for those looking to reduce their carbon footprint. This project will work to understand and increase the efficiencies of railway networks to improve this even further.
This project will utilise Artificial Intelligence (AI), data analysis and modelling techniques to identify and predict problem areas of the UK rail network. These are areas which do not have the resilience and capacity to withstand common problems which lead to train service delays. The associated economic and environmental cost of this is huge, with the need for additional rail services, replacement buses and network maintenance. This project will identify indicators of concern and build a prediction model. This will allow Digital Rail Ltd to work with rail networks to increase efficiencies and direct resources to the most appropriate areas.
This project would suit a graduate with a background in engineering or computer science who is capable of coding and developing advanced APIs.
Enterprise and collaborative partners
This Masters by Research is a collaborative research project between Lancaster University, with supervision by Dr Paul Rayson, and Digital Rail Ltd.
Digital Rail is a business that develops products for railway safety and resilience using advanced technologies in machine learning. It owns intellectual property and patents on several products such as Machine Vision and Big Data analytics. Digital Rail Ltd also provides services and training to railway clients including Independent Safety Assessment (ISA).
Apply Here
To apply for this opportunity please email [email protected] with:
· A CV (2 pages maximum)
· Application Criteria Document
This project is part funded by the European Regional Development Fund and is subject to confirmation of funding. For further information about the Centre for Global Eco-Innovation, please see our website.
Deadline: Midnight Tuesday 19th June 2018
Start: October 2018
Our MSc Transportation Planning and Engineering (Infrastructure) course focuses on the design, engineering and operation of land transport systems, with modules looking in detail at road and railway systems.
This MSc is appropriate for students interested in a career in the transport industry. The infrastructure pathway is differentiated through the compulsory study of highway and traffic engineering, and railway engineering and operations.
Whilst this pathway is very suitable for engineers; graduates from other disciplines - science, mathematics, planning and geography – would be welcome on this course.
Whether you are interested in starting a career in the transport industry, or an experienced transport professional keen to enhance your skills, our MSc in Transportation Planning and Engineering (Infrastructure) is the masters course for you. Covering everything from the fundamentals of modelling and economics through to the application of software and planning tools using real life examples from around the world, it is the perfect way to improve your capabilities and employability in the transport sector.
The one year full-time course starts in September each year and includes two semesters of taught modules and a summer period devoted to your individual project, from which you produce a Dissertation. Lectures take place on Tuesdays and Thursdays each week – allowing the course to be undertaken on a part-time basis over 2 years, with attendance on one day each week. The course includes a 2 day residential field trip which in the past has featured behind-the-scenes site visits, museum trips, and a 'transport challenge' competition.
Now running for over twenty five years, the MA in Children’s Literature is recognised internationally as a benchmark programme in the field and is delivered by the award-winning National Centre of Research in Children’s Literature.
On this acclaimed MA/PG Dip in Children’s Literature you will explore landmark books such as The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe or The Railway Children, alongside the contemporary innovations of Patrick Ness or Emily Gravett.
You will work alongside staff with international reputations in areas such as adolescence, critical theory, landscape, and philosophy. Plus, many of you will have the chance of working with Roehampton's Chancellor and renowned author Professor Dame Jacqueline Wilson.
As a Children’s Literature student you will become a member of the National Centre for Research in Children’s Literature (NCRCL), regarded as the premier institution for children’s literature research in Britain. NCRCL has close links with organisations that work to further the study and teaching of children's literature, including The International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY), Seven Stories (The National Centre for Children’s Books) and Booktrust. The centre also hosts and co-organises an annual one-day British IBBY/NCRCL MA Conference and runs a biennial NCRCL Conference, showcasing themes from members' research interests. Keynote speakers have included Michael Rosen, Matthew Grenby, Emer O’Sullivan, Neil Gaiman, and Julia Eccleshare.
The University is the exclusive Creative Partner of Barnes Children’s Literature Festival, London’s largest event dedicated to children’s writing. The partnership provides paid and voluntary work experience opportunities for students at the festival, as well as opportunities to attend events for free.
Roehampton also hosts a number of Children’s' Literature collections in our library containing 3,000 critical, theoretical, bibliographical and reference works and approximately 40 specialist children's literature journals. We are also home to the Richmal Crompton Collection. This includes her personal library, editions and translations of her famous Just William stories and scripts including short stories and radio plays.
This stimulating programme allows for the exploration of a range of literary texts from medieval learning materials, through landmark books such as Treasure Island, The Tale of Peter Rabbit or The Eagle of the Ninth, to the contemporary innovations of Mark Haddon, Shaun Tan or Jackie Kay.
Although this is a literature programme, study is not limited to children’s books. You will also examine the relationship (both historical and ongoing) between children’s books and social constructions of childhood.
The creative writing modules, which currently include ‘Writing for a Child Audience’ and ‘Creative Dissertation’, represent exciting additions to the programme, recognising the fact that many of our students have ambitions to write for children.
MA students will complete the course by undertaking either a dissertation or creative dissertation. The dissertation is a supervised research project involving an in-depth study of an aspect of children’s literature that interests you. For the creative dissertation, you will produce a creative portfolio that could include short stories, picturebook scripts, poems, or a novella, alongside a critical reflections of your work.
Modules
Here is some of the varied range of modules we currently offer:
Teaching, children’s publishing and arts management.
The overall objective of this course is to add value to your first degree and previous relevant experience by developing a focused, integrated and critically aware understanding of underlying theory and current policy and practice in the field of control systems engineering.
The course is control systems focused, with the emphasis on control systems theory together with a range of control applications including industrial control (SCADA), intelligent control, flight control and robotic control. The control systems approach provides continuity in learning throughout the one year of study.
This course has been awarded accredited status by both the Royal Aeronautical Society (RAeS) and the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) for 2010 to 2014 intake cohorts as meeting the exemplifying academic benchmark for registration as a Chartered Engineer (CEng) for students who also hold an accredited BEng Honours degree. Candidates who do not hold an appropriately accredited BEng Honours degree will gain partial exemption for CEng status; these candidates will need to have their first qualification individually assessed if they wish to progress onto CEng registration.
Professional registration and Institution membership will enhance your career in the following ways:
On completion of the course you should have a critical awareness and understanding of current problems in control engineering, techniques applicable to research in the field of control systems and how established techniques of research and enquiry are used to create and interpret knowledge in the field of control systems. You should also be able to deal with complex issues both systematically and creatively, make sound judgments in the absence of complete data, and communicate your conclusions clearly to specialist and non-specialists.
Teaching will be delivered through a combination of lectures, tutorials, computer workshops and laboratory activities.
Mechanical Lab – This lab is used to understand material behaviour under different loading conditions and contains a tensile test machine and static loading experiments – typical laboratory sessions would include tensile testing of materials and investigation into the bending and buckling behaviour of beams.
Aerodynamics Lab – Contains low speed and supersonic wind tunnels – typical laboratory experiments would include determining the aerodynamic properties of an aerofoil section and influence of wing sweep on the lift and drag characteristics of a tapered wing section.
Composite Material Lab – This lab contains wet lay-up and pre-preg facilities for fabrication of composite material test sections. The facility is particularly utilised for final year project work.
Control & Dynamics Lab – Contains flight simulators (see details below) and programmable control experiments – typical laboratory sessions would include studying the effects of damping and short period oscillation analysis, forced vibration due to rotating imbalance, and understanding the design and performance of proportional and integral controllers.
Flight Simulators
Merlin MP520-T Engineering Simulator
Elite Flight Training System
A wide range of control and automation opportunities in manufacturing and engineering companies, opportunities in the aerospace sector.
There are opportunities to go on to further research study within our CASE control and Intelligent Systems Research Centre.
Research themes in the Centre include:
The intercollegiate Transport with Business Management MSc, offered in conjunction with Imperial College London, brings together the transport research and training capabilities of the civil engineering departments of the two universities. Students benefit from the multidisciplinary expertise of both departments and their 50 years' experience as leaders in this field.
Students gain a systematic understanding of the causes, motivations and means of personal travel and goods movement; techniques for analysing and resolving transport problems; and methods of evaluating transport projects, plans and policies, recognising the need for public consultation and the political, social, commercial and financial issues involved.
Students undertake modules to the value of 90 ECTS Credits.
Core modules
Optional modules
Options may include the following:
Dissertation/report
All students undertake an independent research project which culminates in a special project of 12,000 words.
Teaching and learning
The programme is delivered through a combination of lectures, seminars, computer-based work and coursework. Assessment is through unseen written examinations, coursework, an individual literature review, presentations and the dissertation focusing on the final project.
Further information on modules and degree structure is available on the department website: Transport with Business Management MSc
Transport graduates find employment with transport operators, consultancies, local and central governments in various countries, and in supranational organisations. Many graduates are employed by companies involved in the manufacture of instrumentation, and in companies specialising in software and other services for the engineering industry.
Employability
Successful completion of this MSc meets the academic requirements for corporate membership of the Institute of Logistics and Transport.
The Centre for Transport Studies is an energetic and exciting environment. Students benefit from engaging with the teaching staff who are actively involved in internationally leading research, and advising local, national and international governments and transport agencies.
Both universities are located in the centre of one of the world's most exciting cities, near to relevant professional institutions and transport agencies. London provides a living laboratory in which students can observe many of the systems that they are studying, analyse the success or failure of current approaches to design, and operate and manage them.
