Master of Engineering in Robotics, Autonomous and Interactive Systems

at Heriot-Watt University - Edinburgh Campus United Kingdom

Energy – based on fossil fuels and, increasingly, renewables – is an essential component of our existence. The cost, availability and efficient utilisation of energy are increasingly strong focal points in the strategies of governments world-wide, as they realise that the 'raw material' for most of the energy used today has a finite life.

Large industries and small households alike depend on a reliable provision of energy. Energy includes not only electricity, but also heat and transportation. The course will make you aware of the relationship between demand and supply of energy, a relationship that consists of much more than its technical component. It includes political, economic and social issues and has to be viewed on a global as well as a local scale with respect to energy provision, consumption and the costs it might incur – both in the monetary as well as environmental terms.

We have seen countries go to war over energy supplies and we can see the effect of our energy consumption on the global climate. The concept of sustainable energy moves into focus as the finite nature of our main element in our current energy chain of supply – fossil fuel – becomes more obvious. The Paris Treaty is just one example of international and national policy actions which have subsequent implications for legislation affecting industries and communities.

We try to reflect the broad range of disciplines covering energy in this multi-disciplinary degree, which offers courses relevant to energy resources, power generation, process engineering, environmental legislation and environmental impact assessment, energy in buildings, as well as business courses in collaboration with the Edinburgh Business School.

It is the aim of the Energy MSc/Diploma to provide a balanced, integrated course which will equip the participant with the tools needed to positively influence his/her organisation in to developing new business strategies relevant to 'energy', or in reacting to the growing portfolio of environmental legislation. The course is also supported by industrial suppliers and users of energy, who are committed to an ethical environmental policy.

An optional project and dissertation in an engineering subject, which might be a company-specified topic or one selected by the participant, is also available.

Robotic and autonomous systems are now used in areas such as autonomous vehicle guidance, healthcare, remote surgery, industrial manufacturing and domestic assistance. This multi-disciplined robotics degree brings together electronics, computer software, and mechanics. In the first three years, you’ll be given a background in all three disciplines, along with the opportunity to build integrated systems. In the final two years, you can either continue with a broad-based curriculum, or specialise in particular aspects of contemporary robotics.

The MEng Robotics degree shares a common first three years with the BEng and includes a six-month industry placement, during years 4 and 5. Advanced courses can also be chosen from the three departments: Electronic Engineering, Computer Science, and Mechanical Engineering.

Our teaching philosophy:
The philosophy behind all of our programmes is 'learning by doing'. Our programmes are designed to be practical and allow students to develop skills beyond traditional academic content.

Students work on both individual and group projects from the third year onwards, providing them with valuable hands-on experience. The projects challenge you to solve a 'real life' problem – such as the project in which our students helped design an electronic egg to monitor penguin incubation.

This degree offers a thorough grounding in the major branches of Civil Engineering but with a focus on aspects most relevant to Structural Engineering. The aims of the programme are similar to those for Civil Engineering but with a stronger emphasis on the analysis, skills and knowledge appropriate to Structural Engineering design. In addition, this degree aims to cultivate skills for the creative development of designs for construction projects. An unrivalled range of specialist options is available in Year 5 and students complete a professional design project.

All Structural Engineering degrees are supported by the Civil Engineering Industry Advisory Committee, which includes representatives from major multi-national employers offering advice, guidance and work placement opportunities.

Edinburgh Business School’s MA (Hons) Accountancy and Finance degree is accredited by all major professional bodies in the UK.

This 3-year accelerated degree is suited to those who have completed A-Levels. It prepares students to enter accounting or finance professions and features the use of professional-standard Bloomberg Trading Terminals throughout. As your studies progress through Years 1, 2 and 3 of this accelerated MA (Hons) programme you will study an increasing number of specialist accountancy and finance courses.

An industry-focused degree:
MA (Hons) Accountancy and Finance is an industry-focused degree with extensive professional accreditations that offers the strongest possible foundation from which to launch your career. By studying accredited courses on this degree, students can gain the maximum number of exemptions from professional accountancy exams upon graduation. The course content is designed and delivered by professionals with industry experience and respected academics with expert knowledge across the full range of disciplines related to accounting and finance. Students at the Edinburgh Business School can enhance employability in the area of finance through use of our state-of-the-art Bloomberg Trading Room - a professional-standard facility that provides access to live financial data from global markets and organisations. Use of Bloomberg Terminals is integrated into our courses to develop professionally relevant skills in data analysis, financial reporting, financial risk management and financial modelling.

Cell and Molecular Biology (Biochemistry) is the basic science underpinning our understanding of all life processes. In this course, we cover cell and molecular biological aspects of animals and plants, and provide the broad understanding necessary for a career in the biomedical/pharmaceutical, food and biotechnological industries as well as providing a sound foundation for further research.

Software engineers create and maintain software applications using best practice from computer science, project management, engineering, application domains and other fields. This programme is designed to teach students how to apply state-of-the-art techniques and methodologies to develop high quality software to professional standards at an advanced level.

Students will be able to specialise in particular areas, such as the development of dependable systems, parallel or big data applications, advanced interactive systems like games, or novel applications using biologically inspired models of computing.

In some cases the project can be carried out in collaboration with an outside industrial or academic organisation.

Graduates from the programme can expect to find employment with software houses, IT companies, R+D divisions of companies, financial services organisations, defence contractors or government IT agencies and as researchers or research students within universities.

The psychology component of the course (75% of the curriculum) covers the discipline’s main areas, namely social psychology, developmental psychology, cognitive psychology, biological psychology, individual differences, and research methods, and emphasises their application to various employment-related contexts. The management component (25%) of the course introduces (and allows specialism within) marketing, human resource management, finance, and management.

Teaching is mainly via lectures, but large numbers of tutorials mean that staff and students know one another well. Assessment features a mixture of coursework and examination.

Data Science, as a discipline, sits at the intersection between Computer Science (including Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning), Mathematics (including Advanced Statistical methods) and selected areas of Engineering. The proposed programme aims to combine core elements of all these areas. Successful completion of this programme will allow the graduate to become a graduate data science engineer, enabling their company or employer to benefit from up to date knowledge in this area.

Key areas of the programme:

• The primary focus of the Data Science Graduate Apprenticeship programme is on developing the knowledge, understanding and skills outcomes sought by employers.

Construction Project Management at Heriot-Watt University is one of the longest-running courses of its kind in the UK, equipping graduates with the theoretical knowledge and practical and technical skills to manage people and projects within the construction industry.

To enhance your career prospects and international experience, we are now offering our established and standard one year Construction Project Management Masters over two years through offering a ‘with Industry Placement’ alternative.

This ‘with Industry Placement’ option offers a practical experiential element over the traditional one-year degree structure, allowing you to reflect on theory and practice.

This degree is delivered by the Centre of Excellence in Sustainable Building Design, a leading body recognised by the Royal Academy of Engineering. This is one of four such centres established at UK universities that jointly form a national network to demonstrate and exchange best practice in teaching and research for the sustainable built environment.

This Physics degree covers subjects including dynamics, electromagnetic fields and optics. These areas lead onto the quantum world of subatomic particles, the unique nature of laser light, and the philosophically challenging ideas of quantum physics and astrophysics. Mathematics also plays an important part in understand physical concepts in more depth. In later years, the course will offer you various topics, including Laser Physics, Photonics, Semiconductor Physics, Instrumentation, Nuclear Physics and Elementary Particles.

Through research projects, you’ll be able to develop skills in experimental design or computational modelling. The course will also help with your practical abilities, initiative and teamwork. The Physics degree is mathematically rigorous and suitable if you’re interested in a career in research.