Engineering Management - MSc

This course develops the combination of technical knowledge and management expertise that are required to successfully deliver multi-million pound engineering projects.

Course overview

This Masters-level course equips you to be the type of person who can lead a technical team to deliver on time and on budget. You will build on your technical background while adding business and management skills. These skills include project control, supply chain management, risk management and quality optimisation.

Our supportive tutors also help you develop the ‘soft’ skills of working with others and leading projects. For example, you will gain expertise in negotiation and collaboration, effective communication, handling conflict and politics, and managing change.

Modules include ‘Engineering Operations Management’, ‘Project Risk and Quality Management’ and ‘Decision Support for Management’. Your Masters project will involve a real-world project that is supported by a sponsor. It will include both a research and a practical element, and it is an opportunity to impress not only your academic assessors but also potential employers.

Sunderland has long-standing expertise in engineering management and strong links with employers. We host the Institute for Automotive & Manufacturing Advanced Practice (AMAP) which provides problem-solving solutions to manufacturers of all capabilities. We are a leading research group in automotive, manufacturing and maintenance engineering. This research informs our teaching and facilitates your own research as part of your Masters project.

Course content

The course mixes taught elements with independent research and supportive supervision. At MA level, responsibility for learning lies as much with you as with your tutor.

Modules on this course include:
-Research Skills and Academic Literacy (15 Credits)
-Project Management and Control (30 Credits)
-Engineering Operations Management (15 Credits)
-Decision Support for Management (15 Credits)
-Managing People and Project Leadership (15 Credits)
-Project Risk and Quality Management (15 Credits)
-Advanced Maintenance Practice (15 Credits)
-Masters Project (60 Credits)

Teaching and assessment

We use a wide variety of teaching and learning methods which include lectures, group work, research, discussion groups, seminars, tutorials and practical laboratory sessions.

Compared to an undergraduate course, you will find that this Masters requires a higher level of independent working. Assessment methods include individual written reports and research papers, practical assignments and the Masters project.

Facilities & location

The University of Sunderland has excellent facilities with specialist laboratories and modelling software.

Engineering facilities
Our specialist facilities include laboratories for electronics and electrical power, and robotics and programmable logic controllers. We also have advanced modelling software that is the latest industry standard. In addition, the University is the home of the Institute for Automotive and Manufacturing Advanced Practice (AMAP), which builds on Sunderland’s role as a centre of excellence in the manufacturing and assembly of cars.

University Library Services
We’ve got thousands of books and e-books on engineering topics, with many more titles available through the inter-library loan service. We also subscribe to a comprehensive range of print and electronic journals so you can access the most reliable and up-to-date academic and industry articles.
Some of the most important sources for engineers include:
-British Standards Online which offers more than 35,000 documents covering specifications for products, dimensions, performance and codes of practice
-Abstracts from the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers and Institution of Engineering and Technology. These include journals, conference proceedings, technical reports and dissertations. A limited number of articles are full-text
-Science Direct, which offers more than 18,000 full-text Elsevier journals
-Archives of publications from Emerald, including over 35,000 full-text articles dating back to 1994 that span engineering and management subjects

IT provision
When it comes to IT provision you can take your pick from hundreds of PCs as well as Apple Macs in the David Goldman Informatics Centre and St Peter’s Library. There are also free WiFi zones throughout the campus. If you have any problems, just ask the friendly helpdesk team.

Location
The course is based at our Sir Tom Cowie Campus at St Peter’s. The Campus is on the banks of the River Wear and is less than a mile from the seaside. It’s a vibrant learning environment with strong links to manufacturers and commercial organisations and there is a constant exchange of ideas and people.

Employment & careers

This course equips you for a wide range of engineering management roles throughout the engineering and manufacturing sector. Employers recognise the value of qualifications from Sunderland, which has been training engineers and technicians for over 100 years.

As part of the course, you will undertake a project that tackles a real-world problem. These projects are often sponsored by external clients and we encourage and support you to find your own client and sponsor. This relevant work experience will enhance your skills, build up a valuable network of contacts and further boost your employability.

Potential management roles include:
-Project manager
-Design engineer
-Manufacturing engineer
-Mechanical engineer
-Electrical engineer
-Product engineer
-Maintenance engineer

Engineering management provides good career prospects with salaries ranging from £30,000 up to around £80,000. A Masters degree will also enhance opportunities in academic roles or further study towards a PhD.