A specialist MSc in the design and analysis of advanced lightweight and composite structures for application in aerospace, automotive, motorsport, marine and renewable energy industries. The course covers key topics in composite structural design and analysis, impact and crashworthiness, materials characterisation and failure and advanced simulation.
Delivered with a unique focus on industry challenges and concerns, this course will equip you with strong experimental, numerical and analytical skills in structural mechanics for both composite and metallic components. This will help you to practically apply this knowledge to solve real engineering problems including automotive and aircraft structural design through to lightweight composites for use in wind turbines. Established in 2003 this postgraduate course has double accreditations with the Institute of Mechanical Engineering and the Royal Aeronautical Society, graduates secure exciting roles with globally renowned companies around the world.
Who is it for?
This course will equip you with the specialist knowledge and skills required by leading employers in aerospace, automotive, motorsport, marine and renewable energy industries to design and develop next generation environmental-friendly and structural-efficient advanced lightweight and composite materials and components.
It is suitable for graduates with engineering, science, applied science or related degrees, who are keen to pursue careers as the design engineer, stress engineer, research and development engineer, numerical code developer, consultant, and academic researcher.
Why this course?
Understanding how advanced lightweight metallic and composite materials and structures perform over their life cycles under static and dynamic loading, including crash and bird strike, requires expertise in a range of areas. As new simulation and material technologies emerge, there is a strong demand for talented employees with a sound understanding in structural analysis, together with competent technical skills in numerical simulation.
Combined with Cranfield University’s long-standing track record for delivering high-quality Masters' programmes in both advanced materials and structures, this course equips students with the knowledge and skills in the design and analysis of advanced lightweight metallic and composite materials and structures to solve a wide range of industrial challenges for weight saving, sustainability and carbon reduction without compromising structural reliability and safety.
Our course receives strong support from the aerospace and automotive industries including Airbus, Rolls-Royce, Safran, Jaguar Land Rover, Aston Martin, and McLaren. There is a strong emphasis on applying knowledge in the industrial environment with the group and individual projects commonly sponsored by industry, which gives you highly relevant context to your studies and practical work and prepares you to successfully launch your career.
Accreditation
The MSc in Advanced Lightweight and Composite Structures is accredited by Royal Aeronautical Society (RAeS) and the Institute of Mechanical Engineers on behalf of the Engineering Council as meeting the requirements for further learning for registration as a Chartered Engineer (CEng). Candidates must hold a CEng accredited BEng/BSc (Hons) undergraduate first degree to show that they have satisfied the educational base for CEng registration.
