MSc Process Systems Engineering

Candidates should be graduates with a minimum 2.2 honours degree (or equivalent) in an engineering, science or related subject. Practitioners with suitable qualifications and relevant experience in engineering, science or technology are also welcome to apply.

English language requirements

IELTS minimum overall: 6.5

IELTS minimum by component: 6.0

All fees are subject to increase or review for subsequent academic years. Please note that not all visa routes permit part-time study and overseas students entering the UK on a Tier 4 visa will not be permitted to study on a part-time basis.

Compulsory Modules

Advanced Process Control

Automatic control is an essential technology to maintain the safe, economic and environmentally benign operation of manufacturing processes. Process control is increasingly needed and challenging because modern plants have become more difficult to operate as the result of complex and highly integrated processes. This module, therefore, aims to provide an introduction to process control, while balancing theory and practice.

Process and Energy Integration

This module develops your understanding of process integration, highlighting solution strategies for the synthesis of energy recovery networks in the context of the overall chemical flowsheet.

Process Systems Design

This module develops your understanding of how to systematically synthesise and design chemical process systems. It will cover process synthesis and integration technology that can be applied in order to improve the economic efficiency and reduce the environmental impact of chemical processing plants.

Optimisation and Decision-Making

In this module you will develop your understanding of the technology available to optimise process systems, business models and operations. You will be provided with state-of-the-art versions of modelling and optimisation approaches in order to understand both the potential and the limitations of available techniques.

Supply Chain Management

This module provides knowledge about the latest trends in the management of product supply chains and enterprise resource planning. You will learn the basic constituents of supply chains, followed by the systems engineering aspects of supply chain monitoring, simulation and optimisation.

Process Modelling and Simulation

This module provides an introduction to the concepts and tools for mathematical modelling and simulation of refinery, petrochemical and other process systems. Specifically, you will acquire knowledge of types of modelling tools and gain experience of applying the standard simulation tools commonly employed in the industrial workplace.

Optional modules include:

• Renewable Energy Technologies
• Knowledge-based Systems and Artificial Intelligence
• Introduction to Petroleum Production
• Software Development
• Technology, Business and Research Seminars
• Process Safety and Operations Integrity
• Biomass Processing Technologies
• Refinery and Petrochemical Processing[?]
• Process Modelling and Simulation
• Petroleum Exploration and Production

Dissertation

The project provides an opportunity for you to pursue a single topic in depth and to demonstrate evidence of research potential for the master’s award. You will be encouraged to either research a new concept or apply existing technology in a new field. A number of dissertations are carried out in collaboration with industry. Upon successful completion of the module, you will be able to approach an open-ended topic to research new ideas and experiment with new technologies.

Programme Structure

We offer a set of optional modules that will allow you to tailor the programme to suit your individual needs, whilst the compulsory modules provide the fundamental knowledge and skills needed in industry today.

Graduate students will find the programme of substantial benefit in developing the knowledge and skills acquired in their undergraduate programme. For practising process engineers with professional business experience, the programme is an opportunity to update their knowledge of current design practice and also to familiarise themselves with developments in codes and methods of analysis.

Successful completion of four modules is required to gain a Postgraduate Certificate and eight modules for a Postgraduate Diploma. To be awarded the MSc, you will need to take eight modules and successfully complete a dissertation.

Each module is worth 15 credits. The majority of modules are provided by University academic staff. In addition, the business and research seminars and renewable technologies and business modules are coordinated and supervised by University academic staff but delivered by experts from industry, research institutions and business organisations. The majority of modules run for ten weeks and comprise approximately 30 hours of class time (three hours per week) and 120 hours of self-study and assignments.

There is a wide selection of modules on offer within the programme, covering the most relevant areas in the sector of business and technology in the process industry. At the end of the programme, you will have an opportunity to pursue a single topic in depth and to demonstrate evidence of research potential through the project dissertation.

Academic support in the form of consultations is constantly available to enable further knowledge and skill comprehension.