Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering (STEM)

at Birmingham City University - City Centre Campus United Kingdom

Do you want to turn your passion for video games into a rewarding career? Apply for one of the only video games degree courses of its kind in Europe, designed to produce ‘work ready’ graduates for the industry. With access to PlayStation 4 developer kits and real games briefs, this two-year fast-track degree can prepare you to work for companies such as Sega and Sony.

Interactive entertainment and video games development are key sectors for contemporary culture, economic growth and employment, whether that be locally, nationally or globally.

Our BSc (Hons) Video Game Development course responds to this growing and innovative sector by developing skilled, team-orientated, reflexive graduate professionals ready to succeed in the sector. On the course you will learn the most important programming languages for game development, as well as industry-standard game development tools such as Unity and Unreal.

This accelerated two-year course gives you a guaranteed video game development placement in our in-house studio, taking place over the summer term of the course. The work-place simulation approach of our department (School of Games, Film and Animation) has been championed by the influential 2009 Livingstone, Hope Next Gen Report which cited us as a national best practice example for developing new talent.

Do you want a fashion degree that will enable you to pursue a career within the industry, specifically fashion communication and branding?

Then this course is for you. Its unique mix of both fashion communication and branding will give you the skills you will need to be a creative, confident, well-informed fashion communicator, ready for the industry.

What's covered in this course?

You will be taught by an industry-experienced teaching team and by visiting industry professionals. There is also the opportunity to participate in live industry-based projects and competitions, such as working with Textile View 2 magazine, and L’oreal Brand Storm.

You will develop visual and written communication skills across a broad range of creative media (creative direction and styling, art direction and graphics, print and digital design, branding strategy and journalistic writing) associated with the fashion industry. There will also be the chance to showcase your final-year work to industry leaders, at events such as Graduate Fashion Week in London.

Based at our City Centre Campus, you will have access to photography studios and equipment, relevant software and computer equipment, as well as a faculty of creative students to collaborate with. You can also take part in the international Erasmus exchange program and choose to follow our four-year sandwich option, which features a one-year industry internship.

On this innovative course you will develop the professional skills necessary for a successful event and exhibition management career. The first of its kind in the UK, this exciting course has been developed with The National Exhibition Centre (NEC), meaning you'll learn straight from top industry professionals.

This course has a real emphasis on gaining practical skills and utilising your creativity. Our graduates have gone on to work for the NEC group, established event production companies both in the UK and abroad.

Professional Placement option

The Professional Placement version of the course is optional and is offered as an alternative to the standard version of the course.

This will allow you to complete a credit-bearing, 20-week Professional Placement as an integral part of your Master’s Degree. The purpose of the Professional Placement is to improve your employability skills which will, through the placement experience, allow you to evidence your professional skills, attitudes and behaviours at the point of entry to the postgraduate job market. Furthermore, by completing the Professional Placement, you will be able to develop and enhance your understanding of the professional work environment, relevant to your chosen field of study, and reflect critically on your own professional skills development within the workplace.

If your ambition is to gain a senior site management role within the construction industry, our Construction Management BSc will set you on the right path.

In the UK, the construction industry employs over two million people and there’s never been a better time to gain exposure to every aspect of the built environment in Birmingham, as it is currently undergoing a huge and exciting regeneration period.

What's covered in this course?

Our Construction Management course matches the needs of the industry, preparing you to be able to manage a construction project from inception and design through to occupation by developing your skills in management to enable you to deliver projects safely, on time, on budget and to the highest possible quality.

The complexity of construction projects requires construction professionals who have expertise in construction management and can work effectively with people from different cultural backgrounds and construction disciplines.

You will learn about the immediate and long-lasting effect which construction activities have on the environment, and discover sustainable and environmentally sound construction methods and innovative management practices. This course has social innovation embedded in its core. You will learn through creative social problem solving, working with our industrial partners to develop your intellectual and practical competence, as required by professional bodies such as CIOB and RICS.

After completing this course, you will have a broad range of knowledge of the legal, technical, managerial, economic, social and environmental aspects of construction projects, and be able to confidently manage both commercial and civil engineering projects.

The MSc User Experience Design course will provide you with in-depth theoretical knowledge and hands-on practical experience in designing, developing, and evaluating digital products across a range of platforms and state-of-the-art technologies. The course places a strong emphasis on the development of professional technical skills that are in high industry demand and will position you well for careers around the field of user experience (UX).

What's covered in this course?

The course has been designed to support graduates from a wide range of disciplines (including those with technical and non-technical backgrounds) who wish to specialise in the area of user experience (UX) and Human-Computer Interaction (HCI). The key topics taught on the course include interaction design (techniques for user-centered design), front-end development (using industry-standard development environments), visual design (creating interfaces with strong aesthetics), accessibility (methods for supporting inclusive design), and usability testing (collecting and analyzing data via user evaluations). You will also have the opportunity to consider and create user experiences for technologies such as virtual and augmented reality, eye gaze tracking, speech interfaces, mid-air gesturing, haptic systems, and brain-computer interfaces.

The course philosophy is focused around industry and research-led activities, supported with assignments that are closely aligned to the development of essential knowledge and technical skills used in practice. You will therefore have the opportunity to work closely with academics, researchers, and industry partners on real-world project briefs thus supporting you in developing a strong portfolio of work (which is essential for gaining employment in this field). The course will also provide opportunities to collaborate with academics based in the School of Computing and Digital Technology’s Mixed Reality and Human-Computer Interaction research group to work on cutting-edge research projects.

Graduates from the User Experience Design course will be well placed for industry roles that are in high demand including front-end developers, user experience designers/developers, information architects, usability consultants and UX researchers, web designers/developers, and interaction designers.

Professional Placement option

The Professional Placement option will allow you to complete a credit-bearing, 20-week Professional Placement as an integral part of your Master’s Degree. The purpose of the Professional Placement is to improve your employability skills which will, through the placement experience, allow you to evidence your professional skills, attitudes and behaviours at the point of entry to the postgraduate job market. Furthermore, by completing the Professional Placement, you will be able to develop and enhance your understanding of the professional work environment, relevant to your chosen field of study, and reflect critically on your own professional skills development within the workplace.

Accredited by the Chartered Institute of Marketing, our BA (Hons) Marketing degree gives you the practice-based skills needed to succeed in the ever-changing discipline of marketing.

This approach not only gives you the marketing knowledge needed but also the personal skills employers demand, allowing you to make an immediate impact upon graduation. This experience is further enhanced by the opportunity to undertake a year-long placement.

Businesses value marketing more than ever due to its ability to identify opportunities, shape experiences and drive profits. It is an ever-evolving discipline, constantly responding to changes in technology and consumer behaviour.

To be successful in this exciting area not only requires a depth understanding of the core principles, but also relies on having the acumen and practical abilities to apply and adapt this knowledge in a wide variety of scenarios. This in-demand course has been designed to give you the practical and professional skills that employers seek through our practice-based learning approach.

The Business Management course will offer you a practical-based degree applicable to a wide range of sectors. You will be able to contribute to critical debates on industry-related contemporary issues and understand the dynamic needs of business managers in the 21st century to reflect current knowledge and best practices.

You will gain specialist knowledge on a number of core functions of management, building your self-confidence to prepare you for a progressive and successful career in management. Exciting opportunities including integrated work projects and business placements in the UK or abroad are all featured in your course, therefore your career can start whilst achieving your qualification. You will have the benefit of renowned industry speakers and live projects to inspire and help you to develop.

This course gives you an opportunity to undertake specific modules designed for those who seek a deeper insight into the operation and complexity of the supply chain. You will explore contemporary supply chain initiatives and review corporate strategy, globalisation, international alliances and the key features of procurement and outsourcing.

This program provides you with the opportunity to examine the tools and techniques used to sustain and develop global supply networks. If you are successful you will be able to apply for modular exemptions, should you wish to pursue the professional qualifications of the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply (CIPS).

The international focus of the course is derived through a variety of means including the student body, the teaching team and the use of international teaching materials. Moreover, students can choose to spend a year or a full semester studying their modules overseas at a partner institution. Similarly, the Business Management course embeds the UN Sustainable Development Goals as an integral part of the course.

The Business Management with Enterprise course will offer you a practical based degree applicable to a wide range of sectors.

You will be able to contribute to critical debates on industry related contemporary issues and understand the dynamic needs of business managers in the 21st century to reflect current knowledge and best practices.

You will gain specialist knowledge on a number of core functions of management, building your self-confidence to prepare you for a progressive and successful career in management. Exciting opportunities including integrated work projects and business placements in the UK or abroad are all featured in your course, therefore your career can start whilst achieving your qualification. You will have the benefit of renowned industry speakers and live projects to inspire and help you to develop.

The course provides a route for those interested in development and sustainability of new enterprises, offering a route for launching their own enterprise or being entrepreneurial within an organisation. Whether you have an idea in mind or like the idea of launching something new and different, taking the enterprise route maybe for you.

You will be exposed to key enterprise modules which will help you get from idea to launch underpinned by academic theory. This route which will be embedded throughout your programme will look to develop your entrepreneurial skills, abilities and behaviours, provide you with the tools you need to become a future entrepreneur. Similarly, the Business Management course embeds the UN Sustainable Development Goals as an integral part of the course.

Our BA (Hons) Textile Design degree courses nurture fresh thinking and industry-ready creatives through a dynamic and carefully structured three-year program.

Our Print and Surface Design option appeals to students who love drawing, but also those who are intrigued by how pattern can transform a surface. The focus is on exploring the possibilities of image generation by working across hand and digital processes, to become confident with working with a range of dye and print technologies. Students explore the potential of hybrid approaches incorporating heat-treatment and laser-cutting technologies, testing out how pattern can work on a variety of material bases – textiles and beyond. They learn to become confident with creating different design compositions and working with colour.

Studying with us will provide you with the skills, insights and experiences required to succeed in a broad scope of professional textile-related roles. Our Print and Surface Design students secure placements at design studios, trend prediction companies and manufacturers and designer-makers – companies (large and small) where pattern, and its relation to surface are key.

Want to become a civil engineer with construction manager skills? Study our BEng (Hons) Civil Engineering and Construction Management at Birmingham City University.

The BEng (Hons) Civil Engineering and Construction Management course aims to develop graduates with a broad understanding of current technology and practice in civil engineering and construction management, covering the relevant aspects of civil infrastructure, systems, design, analysis, and construction management skills.

This course is designed to meet the requirements of relevant professional bodies, and will give your career in civil engineering and built environment. You will study in a simulated workplace environment. This experience, and our outstanding industry links, will give you a competitive edge, enabling you to progress to a successful career when you graduate.

You will also develop the key transferable skills that modern employers require, such as problem-solving, project planning, presentation and communication. Our strong links to industry enable you to apply your learning to problem-based scenarios, ensuring your intellectual and practical competencies are fully developed.

What's covered in this course?

The course will cover the wide range of Civil Engineering sub-disciplines (structural engineering, geotechnical engineering, civil engineering materials, and environmental engineering).

In addition the course covers different construction management aspects such as health and safety, sustainability, BIM, contracts, project management, and commercial technology. The curriculum is practice-led and cultivates problem-solving skills, improving communication through effective real-life project work, work experience, and cases.

Team working on real life scenarios develop professional competence and prepares students for employment opportunities and career development.