Masters degrees in Biosensors equip postgraduates with the skills to design and develop devices that detect, record and transmit information about the body. This includes tracking physiological change in the body, and the presence of chemical or biological materials.
Courses range from taught MSc and Meng (Master of Engineering) degrees, to research-based MRes and MPhil programmes. Entry requirements normally include an undergraduate degree in an appropriate science, engineering or technology subject.
The Masters in Biomedical Engineering is an interdisciplinary programme that will equip you for employment within the biomedical engineering sector. This programme addresses all the key aspects of biomedical engineering.
Modes of delivery of the MSc in Biomedical Engineering include lectures, seminars and tutorials and allow students the opportunity to take part in lab, team work and study trips in the UK. You will undertake an MSc project working on a specific research area with one of the academics.
Career opportunities include positions in rehabilitation engineering, biomaterials for reconstructive surgery, biosensors, device and implant design and development, and biosignal processing.
This Masters in Sensor and Imaging Systems (SIS) focuses on the technologies and techniques that underpin a vast range of societal, research and industrial needs. It is delivered and awarded jointly by the Universities of Glasgow and Edinburgh. Sensing and sensor systems are essential for advances in research across all fields of physics, engineering and chemistry and are enhanced when multiple sensing functions are combined into arrays to enable imaging. Industrial applications of sensor systems are ubiquitous: from mass-produced sensors found in modern smart phones and every modern car to the state-of-the-art, specialist high-value sensors routinely used in oil and gas recovery, scientific equipment, machine tools, medical equipment and environmental monitoring. This is an industry-focused programme, designed for people looking to develop skills that will open up opportunities in a host of end applications.
The programme comprises a mix of core and optional courses. The curriculum you undertake is flexible and tailored to your prior experience and expertise, your particular research interests, and the specific nature of the extended research project topic provisionally identified at the beginning of the MSc programme.
Graduates receive a joint degree from the universities of Edinburgh and Glasgow.
You will gain an understanding of sensor-based systems applicable to a whole host of markets supported by CENSIS.
Career opportunities are extensive. Sensor systems are spearheading the next wave of connectivity and intelligence for internet connected devices, underpinning all of the new ‘smart markets’, e.g., grid, cities, transport and mobility, digital healthcare and big data.
You will graduate with domain-appropriate skills suitable for a range of careers in areas including renewable energy, subsea and marine technologies, defence, automotive engineering, intelligent transport, healthcare, aerospace, manufacturing and process control, consumer electronics, and environmental monitoring.
Globally, the market for sensor systems is valued at £500Bn with an annual growth rate of 10%. The Scottish sensor systems market is worth £2.6Bn pa. There are over 170 sensor systems companies based in Scotland (SMEs and large companies), employing 16,000 people in high-value jobs including product R&D, design, engineering, manufacturing and field services.
The Integrated Photonic and Electronic Systems MRes, taught at the University of Cambridge and at the UCL Centre for Doctoral Training in Integrated Photonic and Electronic Systems, aims to train students to PhD level in the skills needed to produce new integrated photonic systems for applications ranging from information display to ultra-fast communications and industrial materials processing.
The programme offers a wide range of specialised modules, including electronics and biotechnology. Students gain a foundation training in the scientific basis of photonics and systems, and develop a good understanding of the industry. They are able to design an individual bespoke programme to reflect their prior experience and future interests.
Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits.
Students take two compulsory research projects (90 credits), one transferable skills module (15 credits), three optional modules (45 credits) and two elective modules (30 credits).
Optional modules
Students choose three optional modules from the following:
Elective modules
Students choose a further two elective modules from the list below:
Dissertation/report
All students undertake two research projects. An independent research project (45 credits) and an industry-focused project (45 credits).
Teaching and learning
The programme is delivered through a combination of lectures, tutorials, projects, seminars, and laboratory work. Student performance is assessed through unseen written examination and coursework (written assignments and design work).
Further information on modules and degree structure is available on the department website: Integrated Photonic and Electronic Systems MRes
Dramatic progress has been made in the past few years in the field of photonic technologies. These advances have set the scene for a major change in commercialisation activity where photonics and electronics will converge in a wide range of information, sensing, display, and personal healthcare systems. Importantly, photonics will become a fundamental underpinning technology for a much greater range of companies outside the conventional photonics arena, who will in turn require those skilled in photonic systems to have a much greater degree of interdisciplinary training, and indeed be expert in certain fields outside photonics.
Employability
Our students are highly employable and have the opportunity to gain industry experience during their MRes year in large aerospace companies like Qioptiq, medical equipment companies such as Hitachi; and technology and communications companies such as Toshiba through industry placements. Several smaller spin-out companies from both UCL and Cambridge also offer projects. The CDT organises industry day events which provide an excellent opportunity to network with senior technologists and managers interested in recruiting photonics engineers. One recent graduate is now working as a fiber laser development engineer; another is a patent attorney.
The University of Cambridge and UCL have recently established an exciting Centre for Doctoral Training (CDT) in Integrated Photonic and Electronic Systems, leveraging their current strong collaborations in research and innovation.
The CDT provides doctoral training using expertise drawn from a range of disciplines, and collaborates closely with a wide range of UK industries, using innovative teaching and learning techniques.
The centre aims to create graduates with the skills and confidence able to drive future technology research, development and exploitation, as photonics becomes fully embedded in electronics-based systems applications ranging from communications to sensing, industrial manufacture and biomedicine.
The Research Excellence Framework, or REF, is the system for assessing the quality of research in UK higher education institutions. The 2014 REF was carried out by the UK's higher education funding bodies, and the results used to allocate research funding from 2015/16.
The following REF score was awarded to the department: Electronic & Electrical Engineering
97% rated 4* (‘world-leading’) or 3* (‘internationally excellent’)
Learn more about the scope of UCL's research, and browse case studies, on our Research Impact website.
This industry-focused programme - run jointly by the universities of Edinburgh and Glasgow - focuses on the principles, methods, techniques and technologies that underpin a vast range of needs in applications spanning from research to industry to medicine.
The programme is designed for students looking to develop the skills and knowledge that will open up opportunities in the many companies developing sensor and image based solutions.
Sensing and sensor systems are essential for advances in research across all fields of physics, engineering and chemistry and can be enhanced when multiple sensing functions are combined into arrays to enable imaging.
Industrial applications of sensor systems are ubiquitous: from mass-produced sensors found in modern smartphones and cars to the state-of-the-art, specialist high-value sensors routinely used in oil and gas recovery, scientific equipment, machine tools, medical equipment and environmental monitoring.
This programme is run over 12 months. The first semester of taught courses is run at the University of Glasgow and the second at the University of Edinburgh. The taught courses are followed by a research project, carried out at either university, leading to the production of your masters thesis.
Semester 1
Semester 1 is delivered at the University of Glasgow.
Semester 2
Semester 2 is delivered at the University of Edinburgh.
Two compulsory courses:
Two to four (depending on course weighting) optional courses in engineering and/or chemistry:
Sensor and imaging systems (SIS) underpin a vast range of societal, research and industrial needs. Sensing is essential for advances in capability across all fields of physics, engineering and chemistry and is enhanced when individual sensing units are configured in arrays to enable imaging and when multiple sensing functions are integrated into a single smart system.
If you want to study Medical Physics with applications in nuclear medicine, radiotherapy, electronics and MRI University of Aberdeen has an world renowned historic reputation within major global innovation in this health area. Did you know the first MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) scanner was invented at Aberdeen over 30 years ago? Major innovations to this technology are still being researched at Aberdeen today. You learn everything you need to know as an advanced grounding in medical physics such as understanding anatomy and how cells are altered by disease. You look at the engineering behind MRI and other visual scanning techniques to understand how applications are made in areas such as nuclear, Positron, Tomography, Radio diagnosis (X-ray), MRI and Ultrasound. You understand radiation and you apply electronics and computing to medical physics. The degree ensures plenty of practical understanding and application and you learn MRI within the department that built it.
If you want to work within imaging and medical physics to pursue a medical career in hospitals, industry and healthcare and diagnose disease by different methods of imaging the degree in Medical Physics will help you towards this goal. You can also develop your own research portfolio and PhD from this MSc and work within academia to pursue innovation in the discipline.
You receive a thorough academic grounding in Medical Physics, are exposed to its practice in a hospital environment, and complete a short research project. Many graduates take up careers in health service medical physics, either in the UK or their home country. The MSc programme is accredited by the Institute of Physics & Engineering in Medicine as fulfilling part of the training requirements for those wishing to work in the NHS. You can also work as a researcher, risk manager, radiation physics specialist and within the medical device industry in product development and innovation.
Semester 1
Semester 2
Semester 3
Find out more detail by visiting the programme web page
Find out about fees
*Please be advised that some programmes have different tuition fees from those listed above and that some programmes also have additional costs.
View all funding options on our funding database via the programme page
Find out more about:
Find out more about living in Aberdeen and living costs
If you are interested in medical imaging and highly sophisticated ways of assisting in diagnostics visually the medical imaging programme comes from a long heritage of major world innovation which was led by research at Aberdeen. Did you know researchers at Aberdeen invented the first MRI scanner (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) for instance? Since this time much has been done to further work on the MRI scanner and deliver some of the most advanced forms of body visualisation tools available to the health area. If you have ever wondered how X rays work or you are interested in the latest radiotherapy techniques to provide therapeutic tools from radiographic equipment and advances this programme not only gives you the theory and practice in applying imaging in a health setting, it also gives you opportunities to think about the technologies involved and the applications. There is a lot of Physics and Maths required behind the different technologies involved in medical imaging so if you have these subjects and a life science background plus engineering or similar science disciplines this will make the programme more accessible.
By the end of the MSc programme you will have received a thorough academic grounding in Medical Imaging, been exposed to the practice of Medical Imaging in a hospital Department, and carried out a short research project. The MSc programme is accredited by the Institute of Physics & Engineering in Medicine as fulfilling part of the training requirements for those wishing to work in the NHS. There are wide ranging career possibilities after graduation. You may wish to go straight into clinic settings to apply your skills within diagnostics or you may wish to study further for a PhD towards teaching or researching. There have also been spin out companies as a result of understanding and applying imaging technologies towards innovative applications. This subject also aligns with some major innovations in Photonics and other areas of medical science which you may like to explore further if you are interested in invention and innovation at the Scottish Innovation Centres: http://www.innovationcentres.scot/
Semester 1
Semester 2
Semester 3
Find out more detail by visiting the programme web page
Find out about fees
*Please be advised that some programmes have different tuition fees from those listed above and that some programmes also have additional costs.
View all funding options on our funding database via the programme page
Find out more about:
Find out more about living in Aberdeen and living costs
The programme focuses on biological and artificial interfaces that are of utmost importance and interest in the field of biomedical science.
This is an excellent opportunity for you who has a bachelor’s degree in life sciences and would like to advance your skills in biomedical science. The programme offers theoretical as well as practical skills, beyond traditional teaching in biomedicine, biology and chemistry. The education combines cell and molecular biology with surface and colloid chemistry. It offers unique knowledge, useful in biotech applications such as: drug delivery systems, implants, bio-assays, medical nano-technology and food technology. Arranged in close collaboration with regional industry, it provides an up to date overview of research and development in the field of biomedical surface science.
The program creates a platform for understanding the involvement of surface science in biomedicine and biotechnology. You will get theoretical knowledge and practical skills in the areas of biomedical activities which require expertise beyond traditional disciplines of biomedicine, chemistry or biology.
The program is carried out in close collaboration with regional industry, and provides up to date overview on research and development work in the area of biomedical technology. Education is conducted by researchers and teachers who are participants of an industrially relevant research network called Profile “Biofilms – research center for biointerfaces”. Our experimental facilities combine chemistry, cell and molecular biology, and bioanalytical laboratories.
We use different pedagogical forms, with a strong focus on research questions in development of biomedical products. The collaboration with surrounding biomedical industry is conducted through CDIO, Conceive - Design - Implement - Operate projects.
Biomedical surface science refers to the knowledge and understanding of the theoretically and practically integration of surface chemistry in applied aspects of cell biology, immunology, molecular biology and nanotechnology.Biomedical surface science refers to specialised knowledge of surface chemistry in applied areas of cell biology, immunology, molecular biology, nano-biotechnology and colloid chemistry, as well as substantially knowledge on integration of these subject in biomedical surface science.
Drugs and biotechnology
Devices and diagnostics
Course list:
Master's Degree (120 credits).
After the education on the programme is accomplished the requirements for the master degree in Biomedical Surface Science are fulfilled.
The degree certificate states the Swedish title Masterexamen i biomedicinsk ytvetenskap (120 hp)and the English title Degree of Master of Science (120 credits) with a major in Biomedical Surface Science.
Biofluid Mechanics applies engineering, mathematical and physical principles of fluids to solve complex and multifaceted problems, primarily in biology and medicine, but also in aerospace and robotics.
This newly-launched MSc course is the first one-year taught course dedicated to Biofluid Mechanics. It covers a wide range of multidisciplinary training on the kinematics and dynamics of fluids related to biological systems, medical science, cardiovascular devices, numerical modelling and computational fluid dynamics.
The one-year full-time programme offers you a unique opportunity to lead the next generation of highly-skilled postgraduates that will form a new model worldwide for academia – with world-class research knowledge, industry – with highly-competitive skills in both biomedical engineering and fluid dynamics, and for society – with better training to work with clinicians.
The course is taught by the Department of Biomedical Engineering, with input from other departments across the Faculty of Engineering and the wider University. You'll be supported throughout the course by a strong team of academics with global connections. You'll benefit from a unique training and an innovative teaching and learning environment.
In Semesters 1 and 2, you'll take compulsory classes and a choice of optional classes. The remaining months are dedicated to project work, submitted as dissertation (Diploma students) or as a research thesis (MSc students).
Compulsory Classes
Optional Classes
The project provides MSc students with the opportunity to experience the challenges and rewards of independent study in a topic of their own choice; the project may involve an extended literature review, experimental and/or computational work.
The dissertation is likely to take the form of an extended literature review. Your project work will have been supported by a compulsory research methods module and specialist knowledge classes throughout the year designed to assist with technical aspects of methodology and analysis.
Classes are organised in lectures, laboratory demonstrations, practical exercises and hands-on experience with industrial software on real biofluid mechanics problems. In addition to the classes, you'll benefit from invited academic and industrial speakers, departmental seminars and knowledge exchange events.
Assessment methods include exams, coursework and the research project/thesis.
Graduates will be highly employable in the following markets and related sectors/companies, among others:
Key providers have been identified in each of the above markets. Creating links with the relevant industry and monitoring the market and employability trends will enable us to tailor the course content appropriately, and to enhance graduates’ employability.
We've already established strong partnerships with industrial companies that have offered their support, eg through the provision of software licenses, teaching material and/or collaborative research projects, including:
Biofluid mechanics applies engineering, mathematical and physical principles of fluids to solve complex and multifaceted problems primarily in biology and medicine, but also in aerospace and robotics.
Our new MRes course covers a wide range of multidisciplinary training on the kinematics and dynamics of fluids related to biological systems, medical science, cardiovascular devices, numerical modelling and computational fluid dynamics (CFD), focusing on research. The MRes differs from an MSc in that you'll have the opportunity to perform multidisciplinary research for a longer time, preparing you for a research career and equipping you with world-class research knowledge.
The course is taught by the Department of Biomedical Engineering, with input from other departments across the faculty and the University.
During the course, you'll be supported by a strong team of academics with worldwide connections and you'll be offered a unique training and innovative teaching and learning environment.
This one-year programme consists of compulsory and optional classes in the first two semesters. Each class has timetabled contact hours, delivered mainly in lectures, laboratories and tutorials. The MRes research project will be chosen and started in semester one with guidance from a supervisor. Throughout the year you'll be working on your project.
Compulsory classes
Elective classes
The new MRes course aims to train students in the Biofluid Mechanics field, targeting primarily the academic research market, but also the Medical Devices and Simulation/Analysis software industries and other related and new emerging markets.
Our postgraduates will benefit from acquiring world-class training and competitive skills in both biomedical and fluid dynamics disciplines that will make them highly employable at the following markets and related sectors/companies:
We've identified the current key vendors in each of the above markets and aim to create links with the relevant industry and monitor the changing market and employability trends, in order to adjust teaching modules and approaches and to enhance employability of our graduates.
We've already established strong partnerships with industrial companies that have offered their support, eg through the provision of software licenses, teaching material and/or collaborative research projects, including:
