Master of Engineering in Robotics, Autonomous and Interactive Systems

at Heriot-Watt University - Edinburgh Campus United Kingdom

If you want to start your career with a year's work experience in hand, then you should consider this course. It combines the rigorous studies of the BSc (Hons) in Mathematical, Statistical and Actuarial Sciences with a year-long work placement in level 4. The work placement gives you experience of working in an organisation in the financial sector. The Diploma in Industrial Training is gained through successful completion of this work placement. The work placement helps you to develop specific work-related skills, giving you the opportunity to apply and build upon the theory you learn in your studies. It allows you to take on real responsibilities, enhance your interpersonal skills through teamwork and communication and experience workplace culture.

The Diploma is available to all students, including those from overseas, as it does not require a work visa. If you are planning to come to the UK using a student visa you should check the Tier 4 Student Visa Policy Guidance to confirm you are permitted to undertake a work placement as part of your studies. It is your responsibility to find a suitable work placement; acceptance onto the course does not guarantee you a placement. If you are registered on the course and are unable to find a suitable work placement before the end of level 3 then you can transfer to the standard BSc (Hons) in Mathematical, Statistical and Actuarial Sciences degree.

Chemistry is a dynamic and exciting subject which makes many important contributions to the world. It is a major contributor to the Scottish and UK economies and as such is a secure career pathway. Chemistry plays a crucial role in developing new medicines, materials and energy sources using greener methods for a better future.

At Heriot-Watt University, we make sure the theory we teach is linked to these practical applications so that when our students graduate, they are ready to address the biggest of global challenges. Heriot-Watt University is ranked first in Scotland for chemistry in the Guardian University Guide 2020.

The courses within our five-year MChem Chemistry include extensive laboratory work throughout. They provide students with hands-on experience and opportunities to link theoretical knowledge from lectures to the real world. As a result, our students develop practical lab experience as well as much needed teamwork, problem solving and communication skills.

Climate change is recognised as having potentially huge impacts on the environment and on human society. This programme is designed to give students an understanding of climate change causes, impacts, mitigation and adaptation measures from a life science perspective. Students will also develop a wide variety of mathematical modelling skills that can be used to investigate the impacts of climate change.

The programme closely follows the structure of our Applied Mathematical Sciences MSc. Two of the mandatory courses will specifically focus on the issues related to climate change and are taught by expert staff from the University's School of Life Sciences.

Our BSc Computer Systems degree is designed for students looking for a sound foundation and applied skills in computing in addition to other professional skills which will enable them to communicate clearly, work independently and co-operate effectively.

This is a 2-year MSc progamme, offering practical application as well as advanced teaching, design and research in mechanical engineering. It is specifically for graduates with an engineering degree looking to enhance their career opportunities. Students will gain the technical, scientific and managerial abilities essential for a career as a professional mechanical engineer. The programme enables students to obtain an MSc as well as gaining practial experience in an industrial setting.

The programmes delivered by Mechanical Engineering are accredited by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers.

This degree offers a thorough grounding in the major branches of Civil Engineering but with a focus on aspects most relevant to Structural Engineering. The aims of the programme are similar to those for Civil Engineering but with a stronger emphasis on the analysis, skills and knowledge appropriate to Structural Engineering design. In addition, this degree aims to cultivate skills for the creative development of designs for construction projects. An unrivalled range of specialist options is available in Year 5 and students complete a professional design project.

All Structural Engineering degrees are supported by the Civil Engineering Industry Advisory Committee, which includes representatives from major multi-national employers offering advice, guidance and work placement opportunities.

This International Marine Science course offers students with a background in marine biology, geology or geography the opportunity to integrate their expertise in the wider marine science context.

The highly interdisciplinary field of Marine Science aims to understand the biology, chemistry, geology and physics of this dynamic system so central to all our lives. It also considers the overarching influence of climate change and how policy can be brought to bear on managing the resources of the ocean as part of the Blue Economy.

The course has two core courses in Oceanography and GIS and offers a wide variety of options with maximum flexibility allowing students to pursue their studies either at our Orkney Campus or in Edinburgh. Furthermore the course offers an online study, through our Distance Learning option, with field work options in Malaysia and Orkney. Depending on the courses selected, Distance Learning students will be required to complete practical lab sessions in Edinburgh – students are responsible for meeting the costs of the travel and maintenance during these periods.

The MSc in Reservoir Evaluation and Management (REM) teaches students how to be successful subsurface geoscientists and engineers, able to build models that can provide good predictions of hydrocarbon reservoir behaviour. The success of these models requires a good understanding of both the geology and engineering of the reservoir. The REM programme, with its combination of geoscience and engineering, provides students with the ability to identify those aspects of the reservoir which have the greatest impact on hydrocarbon recovery. Our graduates typically go on to careers in petroleum geology, geomodelling or reservoir engineering.

Most development decisions in oil companies are based on the predictions of computer models of the subsurface. We teach our students the most effective ways to combine the geology, geophysics and reservoir engineering disciplines in order to develop and run computer models which provide the most robust predictions. The programme has been designed so that graduates are technically well prepared for, and have a sound knowledge of, the reservoir geoscience and engineering aspects of the upstream petroleum industry. The unique combination of geoscience and engineering in the REM programme means that our team projects contain the complete workflow of a field development, from geology to engineering and economics.

Graduates of the REM MSc will be in a unique position of having a thorough understanding of the both the geosciences and engineering issues relevant to hydrocarbon reservoir behaviour. The programme is deliberately intensive, typically consisting of working a full 5 days per week of lectures and practical work, including labs or tutorial exercises designed to teach practical skills in addition to learning theory. The programme includes two field trips to observe geology in the field, both for those with and without prior geological experience.

The most challenging and fulfilling aspect of our programme is the project work, particularly the team project, where students are tasked to propose a development plan for real field. The project integrates all the learning in reservoir geosciences and engineering disciplines and reinforces learning through team work.

The programme shares 6 taught courses with MSc Petroleum Engineering and MSc Applied Petroleum Geoscience as illustrated in this diagram.

The postgraduate course in Urban Strategies and Design is delivered jointly by the Edinburgh School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture (ESALA) of the University of Edinburgh and Heriot-Watt University.

This course addresses the current need for interdisciplinary knowledge. It encourages the adoption of a comprehensive approach towards the delivery of socially-sustainable urban transformation, from local-specific to strategic metropolitan and regional interventions. Students study the wide and diverse range of social, economic, and political processes that determine the contemporary urban environment, and acquire the tools and skills to propose urban projects of diverse scales and specificities.

The City of Edinburgh offers an urban laboratory for project- and site visit-based exploration of current urban design issues in the UK. Furthermore, the city’s historic 'Geddesian' planning links, and contemporary international links with urban-focused institutions and bodies provide a strong platform from which to support student-led, location-based research projects.

This degree combines material from the Mathematics and Actuarial Science courses, together with specialist actuarial and statistical skills. It also takes a wide-ranging approach to other areas of advanced mathematics. Year one focuses on core topics in algebra, calculus and statistics, along with an introduction to finance and economics. Year two builds upon this by introducing topics in actuarial science. The third and final years offer a range of options – allowing you to choose a combination which best suits your interests.