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Engineering software development is one of the key areas in the European information technology sector. It is a fast moving subject of crucial importance to industry and forms the basis for a wide and ever growing variety of applications.

This course with its blend of skills-based and subject-specific material, has the fundamental objective of equipping you with the generic hands-on skills and up-to-date knowledge adaptable to the wide variety of applications that this field addresses.

Choose from four specialist options:


Overview

  • Start dateSeptember
  • DurationOne year full-time, two-three years part-time
  • DeliveryTaught modules 40%, group project 20%, individual research project 40%
  • QualificationMSc
  • Study typeFull-time / Part-time
  • CampusCranfield campus

Who is it for?

If you intend to make a career in software development, whether it is in the data centre, on the desktop or in the rapidly expanding mobile application space, you need to have a strong basis in software engineering. The MSc in Computational and Software Techniques in Engineering is unique in that it combines software engineering with high performance computing, giving you the tools and techniques that employers are looking for and an advantage in the job market.

Why this course?

This course produces well-qualified graduates, ready to take on professional roles without additional training on the job. Due to this, our graduates are in high demand with industry leaders visiting Cranfield to showcase their graduate roles.

In addition to the software/computational topics, we deliver a core module entitled Management for Technology, which focuses on those aspects of management which will enable you to fulfil a wider role in an organisation more effectively.

We are very well located for visiting part-time students from all over the world, and offer a range of library and support facilities to support your studies. This enables students to complete their qualification whilst balancing work/life commitments. This MSc programme benefits from a wide range of cultural backgrounds which significantly enhances the learning experience for both staff and students.

Informed by industry

The course is directed by an Industrial Advisory Panel who meet twice a year to ensure that it provides the right mix of hands-on skills and up-to-date knowledge suitable for to the wide variety of applications that this field addresses.

A number of members also attend the annual student thesis presentations which take place at the end of July, a month or so before the end of the course. This provides a good opportunity for students to meet key employers.

The Industry Advisory Panel includes:

  • Black & Veatch Ltd,
  • Stone Rock Advisors,
  • Rolls-Royce,
  • Airbus,
  • Factset,
  • Cambridge Consultants,
  • Industrial Vision,
  • STFC,
  • Excelian,
  • SOLV3 Engineering Ltd,
  • Red Bull Technology,
  • L3 Harris,
  • Autonomous Devices,
  • Immense,
  • The Manufacturing Technology Centre.

Course details

You will complete a number of compulsory modules that are common across options, followed by specialist modules from your selected MSc option. In addition to the taught component, you will complete a group project and an individual research project. The course is delivered via a combination of structured lectures, tutorial sessions and computer-based workshops. Please refer to each option for further information.

Course delivery

Taught modules 40%, group project 20%, individual research project 40%

Group project

The group design project is intended to provide you with invaluable experience of delivering a project within an industry structured team. The project allows you to develop a range of skills including learning how to establish team member roles and responsibilities, project management, delivering technical presentations and gaining experience of working in teams that include members with a variety of expertise and often with members who are based remotely.

Part-time students are encouraged to participate in a group project as it provides a wealth of learning opportunities. However, an option of an individual dissertation is available if agreed with the Course Director.

Group project subject areas include:

  • Applications of computational engineering design,
  • Applications of DSP and computer vision,
  • Applications in computational intelligence,
  • Applications in high-end computing.

Individual project

The individual research project allows you to delve deeper into an area of specific interest. It is very common for industrial partners to put forward real world problems or areas of development as potential research thesis topics. It is common for part-time students to undertake their research thesis in collaboration with their place of work.

Modules

Keeping our courses up-to-date and current requires constant innovation and change. The modules we offer reflect the needs of business and industry and the research interests of our staff and, as a result, may change or be withdrawn due to research developments, legislation changes or for a variety of other reasons. Changes may also be designed to improve the student learning experience or to respond to feedback from students, external examiners, accreditation bodies and industrial advisory panels.

To give you a taster, we have listed the compulsory and elective (where applicable) modules which are currently affiliated with this course. All modules are indicative only, and may be subject to change for your year of entry.


The reason why I wanted to come to Cranfield is because it's one of the best ranked schools. I really like coding and using computational tools to solve engineering problems. I think the course is really relevant and useful for today's digital era.
I applied for this course as I wanted to be more refined in the computer software field. Beyond the course, I can apply what I have learned in the modules, so that I can achieve a sense of accomplishment in my study. In addition, there are many choices in the topic of the thesis which combines interest and professionalism.
While studying civil engineering, I believed that digitalisation is the future of the construction industry and decided to pursue a MSc related to computer and machine vision. This Cranfield course offered me a valuable opportunity to learn the latest artificial intelligence techniques. This well-arranged modules, high-quality course content and industry-oriented research projects helped me develop fast. The timescale was intense but extremely exciting and very fulfilling. The fact that Cranfield is highly ranked guarantees the best education and research.

Accreditation

The Computational and Software techniques in Engineering MSc is accredited by the Institute of Engineering Technology 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.

Your career

The MSc in Computational and Software Techniques in Engineering is designed to equip you with the skills required to pursue a successful career working in the UK and overseas. This course attracts enquiries from companies in the rapidly expanding engineering IT industry sector across the world who wish to recruit high-quality graduates.

This course is meeting the industry demand for personnel with expertise in engineering software development and for those who have strong technical programming skills in industry standard languages and tools.

Some of our graduates go on to undertake PhD degrees. Project topics are most often supplied by individual companies on in-company problems with a view to employment after graduation – an approach that is being actively encouraged by a growing number of industries.

In recent years, our graduates have been employed in the following positions:

Analyst, Morgan Stanley, Asset Management Engineering, EON UK,
Computer Science Engineer, Sopra Group, Design Manager, Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd,
Design Manager, Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd, Financial Software Developer, Bloomberg,
IT Architecture Consultant, Solucom, Mathematical Software Engineer, Arithmetica Ltd,
PLM Consultant, PCO Innovation, Research Engineer, CASSIDIAN,
Research Engineer, CASSIDIAN, Research Engineer, Moodstocks SAS,
Software Developer, CAE Engineering, Software Developer, Mandara Capital,
Software Developer, Ocado, Software Engineer, Commerzbank,
Software Engineer, IBM, Software Engineer, Oracle,
Software Engineer, Techtalk, Trainee Engineer, Arcelor Mittal.

 

Cranfield’s Career Service is dedicated to helping you meet your career aspirations. You will have access to career coaching and advice, CV development, interview practice, access to hundreds of available jobs via our Symplicity platform and opportunities to meet recruiting employers at our careers fairs. Our strong reputation and links with potential employers provide you with outstanding opportunities to secure interesting jobs and develop successful careers. Support continues after graduation and as a Cranfield alumnus, you have free life-long access to a range of career resources to help you continue your education and enhance your career.

How to apply

Click on the ‘Apply now’ button below to start your online application.

See our Application guide for information on our application process and entry requirements.