MSc Engineering Design
- Study Mode: Part Time
- Location: High Wycombe
- Duration: Two Years
- Start Date: September 2025
This MSc in Engineering Design will build on your current skillset and knowledge to ensue you are delivering engineering projects efficiently and to a high-standard. You’ll gain an advanced critical understanding of theoretical concepts to help you solve problems in existing and emerging technologies.
Upon graduating from this course you will be able to seamlessly use creative techniques, analytical skills and engineering principles to solve design challenges.
Engineers not only make things but also manage products, facilities or services. The engineering discipline offers intellectual challenge and the high level of satisfaction that comes from problem solving. There is a shortage of engineering skills in the UK and the demand for engineers is growing.
With sustainability, innovation, and emerging technologies at the core of this postgraduate degree’s curriculum, you’ll graduate with a crucial industry insight, that will help you to step into a managerial position.
With a history of delivering engineering design or related course for more than 25 years, Buckinghamshire New University is the perfect place to reach your full potential and thrive.
During your time on the course you’ll have access to our state-of-the-art and brand-new Engineering and the Built Environment facilities, including;
- Mechanical/Structural Lab, to include different Structural Test kits that will measure Deflection of Beams & Cantilevers, Bending Stress and Bending Moments etc.
- Materials and Manufacturing Lab, to include 3D Metal Printer, Hardness Tester, Universal Tensile Testing, Impact Tester, Milling and Drill machines
- Fluids and Hydraulics Lab, to include Digital Hydraulic Bench, Axial Flow Pump, Recirculating Flume, Hydro-electric Turbine and Surface Tension Balance.
- Process and Energy Lab to include HVAC unit, Air Conditioning Trainer, Process Trainer, Wind Turbine Dynamics and Photovoltaic Cells
- Concrete & Geotechnical Testing Lab, to include Slump Test, Concrete Density, Porosity, Flexural and Compression Testing, Soil Shear, Grading and Moisture Tests.
- Electrical and Electronics Lab, to include Power and Energy Electronics, Modern Electrical Machine Systems, Three Phase Power Systems
- Automation Lab to include Dobot Smart Industry 4.0 Workstation, pneumatic, electro-pneumatic, PLC systems
- Immersive Virtual Reality Lab to include 3D interactive screen for virtual learning environment
- CAD Lab to include high spec computers for engineering design and simulation
Led by a dedicated and experienced course team, you’ll benefit from their industry knowledge, industrial collaborations, and research in related fields, which will feed into your teaching and learning experience. As well as this you’ll have direct access to the professional network they bring with them.
Our array of industry practitioners and working alumni will be involved in delivering guest lectures, masterclasses and workshops, site visits and where possible, contribute to the assessment of your work.
As part of the School of Engineering and the Built Environment you'll benefit from our academic partnership CABE (Chartered Association of Building Engineers).
You’ll study in a close-knit tutor group where everyone’s input is recognised and valued. Not only will you make friends for life, you’ll also make important connections that will last through your career, and you’ll form a network, just like you’d find in the working-world.
With London only a short train ride away, you’ll have the opportunity to visit galleries, museums, and sites of historical and contemporary interest.
What will I study?
Engineering provides a rewarding career with exciting roles using science and creativity to make new things or improve on existing ones in a variety of fields such as food, medicines, cars, aeroplanes or buildings, bridges and roads - aimed at the betterment of society and life in general.
In this evolving industry you must have a well-rounded knowledge of the state-of-the art design practices and technologies in engineering, and be able to deliver engineering projects efficiently, sustainably, ethically, and safely. This course offers modules which covers these areas, ensuring upon graduation you have a comprehensive knowledge in key areas that employers look for, from project management to Manufacturing Automation, Robotics and IoT.
This MSc Design Engineering course is designed to give students who have achieved an undergraduate degree in Engineering or equivalent the opportunity to extend their engineering skills and develop further understanding and knowledge on how to employ management and technical tools, and the skills and confidence to spearhead and manage the development of new products and projects within the engineering industry.
You’ll learn to identify business issues and develop systematic, original, and creative intellectual skills to formulate solutions. Taking a holistic approach, you’ll investigate issues or problems on a topic of professional relevance. Using your learnt skills and knowledge you’ll show how these issues can be resolved through design engineering.  
On this course you’ll look at the key themes of Design/Technology, Project Management, Business Alignment and Complex Problem Solving in an engineering context. extends knowledge and skills in specialist and contemporary areas of design and technology to deal with complex engineering problems 
The transferable skills you learn with this degree provides you with an understanding of commercial/financial management and modern tools and processes required for competitive product design and manufacture. It will also help you develop both project and people management skills.  In addition, you'll gain the enterprise skills necessary to launch brand new products to market.                                    
Upon graduating this course you’ll be capable of evaluating business needs and constraints covering both strategic and operational issues, through the application of an enhanced understanding of technical sign-off responsibilities.
We believe that BNU fills a vital role in providing further education. Instron has had a long-term relationship with the University. We regularly hire apprentices and graduates in many different disciplines. From the workshop to marketing, some have stayed on to become valuable members of our team.Peter Fuller Sales and Applications Engineer at Instron.
How will I be taught and assessed?
To ensure you have the necessary base and study skills to benefit fully from the course, we hold a comprehensive induction programme for the first month of the course.
During this degree, a variety of assessment vehicles will be used as appropriate to the modules you take, including assignments carried out in your own time, in-class assignments, workshops and presentations. Assessments will be appropriate to the task, achievable, motivating and vocationally focussed, forming a constructive part of your learning process.
We also aim to provide industry brief opportunities for you to apply your knowledge, skills and understanding into real-world contexts. The theoretical underpinning of practice encourages the development of critical perspectives in relation to the language of design.  At all levels of the course, employability skills have been built into the programme to prepare learners to gain work experience and acquire skills to secure employment on graduating.
Delivered through lectures and tutorials, each of the modules you study will focus on empowering you to think critically and learn how to analyse and evaluate solutions to complex, real-life problems.
You'll also learn through:
- seminars
- online resources
- independent learning
- laboratory exercises 
- practical CAD/CAM sessions
- Dissertation
This course is delivered on a part-time mode, which allows the delivery, with some self-directed learning, for a period of 18 months followed by the project. This means that it would take two academic years to complete the programme of study.  
ÌìÃÀÓ°ÊÓ our Engineering blogs
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Why choose a career in Engineering?
Engineering is one of the fastest growing and broadest sectors within the UK, meaning it is crucial to our economy and critical that employers find graduates who are ready to step into hands-on and innovative roles.
What are the course entry requirements?
Applicants must have an undergraduate degree in Engineering Design or other relevant engineering degrees with 2:2 or higher.
The University will consider all such applications and will have the final decision whether to accept the candidate for entry to the programme.
Modules
This provides a guide of the modules that make up your course. You can find more information about how your course is structured on our Academic Advice section.
What are the tuition fees
Home
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Home, Academic Year 2025 - 2026: £5,730 per year *
International
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Overseas/International, Academic Year 2025 - 2026: £7,800 per year *
Following the Government’s announcement of 4 November 2024, we will be increasing our full-time undergraduate tuition fees for UK students to £9,535 per year from the start of the 2025/26 academic year. Our part-time fees for UK undergraduate students will increase to £7,145 per annum. Please visit , on the Government’s website, for more information about the changes.
Tuition fees for Home undergraduate students (including with foundation year) may increase in subsequent years for both new and continuing students in line with an inflationary amount determined by the Government.  
Tuition fees for both new and continuing international students may be subject to an inflationary increase based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for the 12-month period to 31 January each year.  
Tuition fees for postgraduate courses and CPD may be subject to an inflationary increase based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for the 12-month period to 31 January each year. This increase will apply to both new and continuing students.  
We understand, and really appreciate, the significant financial commitment our students make when they choose to study at BNU. We take our responsibilities to our students very seriously, and are ambitious for each to reach their full potential and succeed in their chosen career. Our fees help us to continue providing our students with a high-quality education, and to invest in the services and facilities which create an excellent student experience at BNU.
The following factors will be considered by the University when we set the annual fees: measures of inflation such as the retail price indices; projected increases in University costs; and any changes in the level of funding for teaching received from the Government.
What are my career prospects?
Throughout your time with us we’ll support you on the route to your chosen career. We’ll help you to develop crucial skills, encouraging you to become enterprising, employable and good leaders.
After graduating from this postgraduate degree, you'll be able to progress to a range of careers within the Engineering sector, such as;
- product design
- product development
- production or manufacturing engineering in electrical engineering companies
- production or manufacturing engineering in mechanical engineering companies
- Project management
Course leader
