Founded in 1826 as the Original University of London and located in the heart of one of the worlds great cities University College London is one of the highest ranked universities in the UK. The Department of Mechanical Engineering is over 150 years old and was the first to be founded in England. The department has an International reputation for research and teaching excellence and has just benefited from large investments in it fluids and thermodynamics laboratories. It is situated within the main UCL campus which adjoins the leafy squares of Bloomsbury and is not far from the British Museum. Covent Garden, Theatreland and the West End are all within walking distance of UCL.

The central London location is a huge benefit for research as most learned societies are nearby and many international companies have their headquarters in London as does the International Maritime Organisation. The world renowned British Library is ten minutes walk away.

For comprehensive details on UCL's application procedures, sources of funding and general information about life at UCL please visit the UCL Undergraduate or Graduate web pages. Contact details for further information can be found here.

Undergraduate programmes

Masters programmes

• Mechanical Engineering Marine Engineering - Mechanical & Electrical options Naval Architecture Systems Engineering Management 2 year masters programs and the entrepreneurship package MPhil/PhD Research Studies
  
  Short Courses
• Submarine Design

MSc in Marine Engineering
Duration: Full time for 12months.
Start date: late Sept.
Entry: A good first degree in Mechanical or Marine Engineering. Candidates with qualifications in other subjects such as Physics will be considered.

This course covers a wide range of engineering subjects that are relevant to the design, development and procurement of maritime engineering systems. The programme material is presented in two forms: elements of engineering aimed at increasing the student's knowledge, and material specifically designed to increase the student's ability to apply this knowledge in a systematic and effective manner. The degree is divided into three major elements.

Lectures: subjects include Applied Thermodynamics and Turbo machinery; Auxiliary Systems and Shafting; Vibrations, Acoustics and Control; and Applied Computer Applications. Students choose an option, Mechanical (M) or Electrical (E). The M option students study Materials and Fatigue; and Heat Transfer. The E option students study Electrical Machines and Power Electronics; and Marine Electrical Power and Propulsion Systems.

Ship Design Exercise: This three month project is team based with groups of students, including students on the MSc Naval Architecture programme, designing a ship from a set of outline requirements. Previous designs have included Offshore Support Vessels, Cruise Liners, Naval Frigates and multi-hullform ship designs such as catamarans and trimarans.

Individual project: For the final three months students choose from a wide list of relevant titles, there is the opportunity to work during this time in industry, for example Rolls-Royce or Lloyds Register.

The programme has attracted newly qualified and practising engineers from all over the world, many of whom are sponsored by organisations. Those who are self funding usually find no difficulty of gaining employment in industry, design and procurement organisations, regulatory authorities, and government authorities.

MSc in Naval Architecture
Duration: Full time for 12months.
Start date: late Sept.
Entry: A good first degree, this need not be in Naval Architecture, candidates with degrees in Mechanical, Civil or Aero engineering are regularly accepted onto the course. Candidates with other numerate degrees may also be considered.

This course offers an opportunity for study at an advanced level of the full range of naval architecture theory, analysis and design procedures for naval and merchant ships. A novel feature is that direction and a significant portion of the teaching are carried out by staff seconded from the UK Ministry of Defence with recent experience of leading ship design teams. The degree is divided into three major elements.

Lectures: These provided with the necessary advanced analytical skills covering the naval architectural disciplines of ship structures, ship dynamics and hydrodynamics as well as seminars in ship design and general engineering. This is culminates in formal written examinations. This phase lasts about six months. Ship design exercise: This is undertaken in small interdisciplinary teams of Naval Architecture and Marine Engineers. Students design ships from a customer's outline requirements, the ships cover both naval and merchant types, including advanced marine vehicles. This phase of the course last three months and consists mainly of design room work but is also supported by lectures.Individual project: The subject of the project, which last three months, can be either experimental or theoretical in nature. The main areas of interest are hydrodynamics, structures and ship design. Projects are often done in collaboration with industry, for example BMT or Vosper Thornycroft.

There is a national shortage of Naval Architects in UK and N America, hence job prospects are good.

MSc Mechanical Engineering
Duration: Full time for 12months.
Start date: late Sept.
Entry: A good first degree in Mechanical Engineering. Candidates with qualifications in other subjects will be considered.

This programme in is designed to offer an advanced level of study in specific aspects of mechanical engineering that are in demand from industry. The first two academic terms consist of taught modules culminating with examinations just before Easter. The months from Easter to September are given over to working on the individual project. The taught part of the course comprises 7 subject modules, 6 compulsory and one optional

Each module is assessed by a combination of examination and coursework except for group project. Some modules require oral presentation of project/assignment work.

The second part of the programme (after Easter) is spent on pursuing an individual project under the supervision of a member of academic staff. The student normally selects the project from a list of projects proposed by the Department’s staff and in the majority of cases the work has some input from industry. In some cases the outcome of the projects has led to technical papers in leading journals.

MSc Systems Engineering Management
Duration: Part time for 24 months.
Start date: late Sept.
Entry: A minimum of lower second (upper second preferred) or equivalent, in an Engineering or Science subject. Candidates with a good first degree in other subjects will be considered.

Many industries are responsible for designing and building large, complex, and fully integrated systems. Systems Engineering represents the process involved, from the identification of requirements through to operations, maintenance and sometimes even obsolescence. This MSc course has been tailored for those involved in or newly undertaking a career in such industries.

The course is given as a series of intensive, one or two-week modules. From a broad portfolio, six are selected and taken in conjunction with a project, which is normally carried out in the delegate’s usual workplace. Assessment is by course work assignments, written examinations and a project dissertation.

2 year MSc
For those students requiring two years study at Masters level we can offer a number of options
Extended project leading to an MPhil.
The Entrepreneur package, a pair of separate, but linked MSc courses. Take the first MSc within the Mechanical Engineering Department and then follow this with a second MSc in Technology Ventures and Foundations of Entrepreneurship. The first MSc provides the technical background and the project is use to research a technological idea. The second MSc trains you in the business skills required to develop this idea commercially.

MPhil/PhD
At any one time in the department there are approximately 35 students engaged in research leading to the MPhil/PhD degrees. Such a degree course involves attending specialist MSc course modules in the department on appropriate subjects combined with carrying out an individual research project under the supervision of a member of academic staff. The average length of study for the MPhil is two years while the PhD normally takes at least three years of study. Both of these degrees are examined by thesis. A wide range of research projects are available please check the Department’s web site for current subjects and funding opportunities.

Submarine Design Course
Duration: Full time for 9 weeks.
Start date: mid October
Entry: No specific qualifications are required; however, students are expected to be at least of graduate level in engineering in an appropriate discipline.

This course introduces Naval Architects and Marine Engineers to the basic elements governing the design of submarines. Starting from a consideration of the operating requirements, it provides an approach to developing conceptual solutions and thence to establishing the feasibility and preliminary design details of the selected option. The course shows how the various mobility elements of the vehicle, speed, endurance, diving depth and control interact and how the demands of the equipment required to perform the vessel's operational function govern the choice of vehicle and its configuration. Whilst primarily intended for students at the beginning of their career, it provides an overview of the total design influences for those with some previous experience in submarine system and equipment design and development.

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Further information
For comprehensive details on UCL's application procedures, sources of funding and general information about life at UCL, please visit the UCL Graduate study site for full details on admission procedures, a downloadable application form and sources of funding.
For a departmental graduate prospectus please contact our Graduate Tutor:
email graduate-info@meng.ucl.ac.uk
The Graduate Tutor
Department of Mechanical Engineering
University College London
Torrington Place
London WC1E 7JE
UK

graduate-info@meng.ucl.ac.uk
tel: +44 (0)20 7679 3907
fax: +44 (0)20 7388 0180