ObjectivesYou'll be able to deal with a range of real design issues with an emphasis on case studies relevant to manufacturing and process industries. Where relevant, parallels will be drawn between the needs of traditional industry and the exploitation of new and expanding markets.
Entry requirementsApplicants should normally have an honours degree (at least 2.2) in an appropriate related discipline, professional membership of an appropriate chartered institution or an equivalent relevant qualification. Holders of an appropriate higher national diploma plus several years' relevant experience may also be accepted.
Academic titleMSc Control and Electronics
Course descriptionMSc Control and Electronics
This course is designed to provide you with a thorough knowledge of, and ability to implement, effective signal processing, conditioning, transmission and storage integrity.
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Stage 1
Introduction and Professional Studies
This module is designed to introduce you to the issues related to studying beyond undergraduate level. It applies to students on taught postgraduate courses and those who are embarking on a programme of research. The module encompasses issues such as enrolment, health and safety, using Blackboard, report writing and referencing, ethics, plagiarism, time management and numerical techniques. You will also examine discipline specific areas pertinent to your pathway, which will offer you a particular grounding, skills base or understanding required at the early stage of your study. You will be introduced to personal development planning, by keeping a formal log book.
Linear Control Systems
In this module you will discuss some of the problems encountered in SISO (single input single output) and MIMO (multiple input multiple output) control systems. The module then goes on to show how model based control and multivariable control techniques can overcome some of the problems.
Electronic Signal Conditioning
This module explores the circuit technologies required to make sensitive and precise measurements. Such systems form the signal-conditioning stages of most industrial, commercial and scientific equipment and have to present the raw signal from the sensor in a suitable format for digital signal processing.
Stage 2
System Identification and Adaptive Control
This module develops the methods and techniques associated with system identification from first principles. It then shows how these techniques can be used in formulating adaptive control schemes. Finally you will consider the practical implementation of these control schemes.
EDA and Rapid Prototyping
This module builds on your existing knowledge of digital circuits analysis, designing and developing an understanding of EDA technology and VLSI/ASIC/FPGA design and implementation methodology. From studying a range of elementary methods such as top-down design method, EDA design framework and tools, VHDL modelling and a rapid prototyping, you will gain a technical competence and an appreciation of the capabilities and limitations of modern digital systems design and implementation.
Project Management and Enterprise
This module is designed to equip you with the necessary skills to successfully project manage new product developments focusing on project management skills and processes, quality assurance issues, new product development processes and statistical analysis techniques. It provides you with an opportunity to develop a project plan for a programme of research based on scientific literature, with particular reference to key concepts such as innovation, enterprise and originality. This fundamental project management basis is interlinked with developing an understanding of entrepreneurial best practices to enable you to transfer your ideas into the commercial arena. This element of the module will focus on intellectual property rights, legal, regulatory and ethical issues, business start up processes and will include an element of foresight thinking.
Stage 3
Research Project
This is the culmination of the programme of studies. You will undertake a challenging problem related substantially to your discipline. The project is linked where possible to an industrial or external partner organisation, which may even host your work and substantially direct the activity. Where this is not possible, a real or simulated real problem may be chosen as subject for the work. It is, however, expected that even where the problem is simulated or hypothetical, it will be treated as if real. The project outcomes project should be at a publishable standard.
Course structure
Core modules include Linear Control Systems, Electronic Signal Conditioning, System Identification and Adaptive Control, EDA and Rapid Prototyping, and Project Management and Enterprise.
Careers
Graduates can expect to be employed in areas within petrochemicals, chemical engineering, manufacturing, research, transport and infrastructure, entertainment and domestic products.
Industrial experience
On this Master's degree you'll complete an industrially-related project. This, along with the involvement of industrialists, practitioners and academics in the delivery of this course, ensures that it is relevant to the demands of the process manufacturing industries.
Intermediate awards
Our master's degrees can lead to the award of a postgraduate certificate at Stage 1 (60 credits - 3 modules), a postgraduate diploma at Stage 2 (120 credits - 6 modules) or, on completion of a research project, the MSc.
Block release study
The course is available on a block release basis: you'll study for one week between 9.00am and 6.00pm with follow-up days in the next four weeks and accompanying assignment work.
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