Master of Science in Advanced Mechanical Engineering

at Heriot-Watt University - Edinburgh Campus United Kingdom

Chemistry is a dynamic and exciting subject which makes many important contributions to the world. It is a major contributor to the Scottish and UK economies and as such is a secure career pathway. Chemistry plays a crucial role in developing new medicines, materials and energy sources using greener methods for a better future.

At Heriot-Watt University, we make sure the theory we teach is linked to these practical applications so that when our students graduate they are ready to address the biggest of global challenges.

The courses on BSc Chemistry include extensive laboratory work throughout. They provide students with hands-on experience and opportunities to link theoretical knowledge from lectures to the real world. As a result, our students develop practical lab experience as well as much needed teamwork, problem solving and communication skills.

The subjects available for BSc Combined Studies at the Edinburgh Campus are:

• Actuarial Science
• Biological Sciences
• Building Engineering
• Chemical Engineering
• Chemistry
• Civil Engineering
• Computer Science
• Electrical and Electronic Engineering
• Information Systems
• Mathematics
• Mechanical Engineering
• Physics
• Statistics.

You can also combine the above subjects with one of the following:

• Accountancy and Finance
• Economics
• Languages
• Management.

A Combined Studies degree allows students to design their own degree course from the subjects offered at Heriot-Watt University. Students take a range of subjects not covered by other degree courses and can pick the right set of subjects from the wide range available to meet individual learning goals. Students can adapt their study on a part-time basis or at a distance. With the help of a Director of Studies, students can devise a study course that will support their ambitions.

Our BSc Biological Sciences degree is a broad-based course with a diverse range of topics. In Levels three and four you’ll be able to select from courses ranging from molecular biology and genomics, to marine and environmental topics. Which means you can choose your courses based on your particular interests. Overall, this biology degree aims to provide a flexible package of knowledge and practical skills in the biological sciences. Giving you the chance to maximise your potential and enjoy a successful career – whether it’s in academia, industry or commerce.

MSc Intercultural Business Communication develops skills that will allow you to communicate and work with people from all around the world. 

This degree develops intercultural business skills which are increasingly required by businesses and organisations with globalised workplaces and international stakeholders. 

Throughout this Masters degree, you will learn about key issues related to culture, society, and communication, and apply your understanding to authentic business contexts with a strong emphasis on practical intercultural business communication skills.

You will be taught and assessed entirely in English, which makes it suitable for those who would like to adapt their English language skills for a professional context and develop understanding of intercultural issues in international business.

Professional communication skills

MSc Intercultural Business Communication will give you the opportunity to study culture and communication in an academic setting and apply your learning directly to intercultural business contexts, relevant to international organisations and teams.

Embedded in Heriot-Watt University's highly respected Department of Languages and Intercultural Studies, this programme develops advanced corporate communications skills alongside a broad range of professional transferable skills, so you will be ready to thrive in dynamic workplaces where the ability to communicate, summarise and present information is extremely important

You will learn alongside students from all over the world and find yourself working in multicultural teams to apply your learning in real time. As a result, you will be uniquely prepared for a career in international business and global leadership by the time you graduate.

Our MEng (Hons) Architectural Engineering covers a broad range of engineering-related disciplines including: mechanics, construction, energy, thermal performance, water and wastewater, acoustics, and human behaviour. The degree is designed to give you the knowledge and skills needed by industry to design buildings of the future that not only provide sustainable and low-energy built environments that have a positive influence on the health and wellbeing of the people who use them, but buildings that are also resilient and adaptable to future climate change. The later years of the degree focus on practical inter-disciplinary design and management skills, with an emphasis on your personal development as an Architectural Engineer within the professional environment.

The MEng (Hons) degree provides the opportunity for greater specialism in your preferred subject areas, plus enhanced practical experience of design management and problem solving with a 12-week industrial placement.

Our architectural engineering degrees are supported by the Architectural Engineering Industrial Advisory Board, which includes representatives from major multi-national employers, ensuring our degrees are exactly what industry needs.

Whether you are considering a career as a chartered accountant in professional practice, industry or the public sector, or you are looking to work in other professional, commercial and industrial areas, our MA Accountancy programme has been designed to ensure you have the knowledges and skills that employers most value.

Over the course of studying our MA Accountancy programme, students can expect to develop a broad understanding of the context in which modern accounting operates, as well as developing accounting expertise in several areas including, but not limited to:

• Recording and summarising business transactions
• Preparing and analysing financial statements
• Analysing and making decisions on business operations
• Conducting financial analysis
• Producing and reporting projections
• Conducting audit
• Analysing governance issues
• Gaining awareness of the importance of business ethics.

In addition to these key accounting skills, our MA Accountancy programme allows students to expand their overall skillset through a combination of individual and group work, written reports, presentations and examinations. Throughout this programme, we will develop skills such as:

• Analysis
• Leadership
• Teamwork
• Communication
• Negotiation
• Conflict resolution
• Presentation delivery.

On the whole, our MA Accountancy programme provides students with a solid foundation for their future career in accountancy, business or beyond.

Data Scientist has been dubbed the 'sexiest job title' (Harvard Business Review, 2012) with IBM predicting a 28% growth of jobs by 2020. The UK government has set out their strategy for the UK to be a world leader in data science to enable the growth of the UK economy. Data Scientists require a combination of statistical analytical skills, the ability to process large volumes of data efficiently, c.f. Big Data, and then to generate visualisations to explain the results.

This two year programme offers an opportunity for graduates looking to transition to a new career path in Data Science, yet coming from a background outside Computing. Whether your experience lies in Science, Technology, Mathematics or the Arts, this pathway programme is a rare opportunity to become well-versed in the advanced, challenging field of Data Science.

This programme of study responds to the global demand for graduates with science or engineering backgrounds who can provide technical consultation and deliver specialist solutions to improve sustainability. 

Graduates from MSc Global Sustainability Engineering will work at the forefront of sustainable development. They will be able to call on engineering knowledge to identify existing unsustainable processes and practices and implement strategies for improvement. 

Programme aims

In developing this degree, Heriot-Watt University has built on over 30 years of experience in researching and teaching sustainable engineering. We have taken inspiration from the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and want our graduates to be advocates of change; to understand how both incremental and disruptive approaches can be harnessed for effective sustainable development.

Courses will break down the barriers between disciplines and promote synergy between different branches of learning so that a holistic view of problems and solutions can be developed.

The MSc in Business Analytics and Consultancy is designed to equip you with the decision skills you need to develop and excel as an effective leader and manager of transformational change in an era of Big Data and rapid innovation.

The MSc Business Analytics and Consultancy program created by Heriot-Watt University will give you the skills most highly valued by today’s employers who increasingly seek graduates with the decision skills to inform and manage transformational change, including the use of data-driven, evidence-based approaches to management decision-making in complex business environments.

There are several core elements of this MSc program that will set you apart in the corporate world, these include the core skills you will gain on our Business Analytics course followed by our research-led Big Data Analytics course, the Network Analysis course and a new course in Management Consultancy.

Data science today is becoming increasingly important within the actuarial field, and Heriot-Watt has developed this unique new programme to meet this growing actuarial demand.

Taking our MSc in Actuarial Management with Data Science is a great way to speed your progress to this most prestigious of careers - it's designed to take you almost all of the way to qualification. Our MSc in Actuarial Management is an established and successful programme covering the more advanced actuarial subjects.The MSc in Actuarial Management with Data Science introduces exciting new opportunities for actuaries of the future.

Entry to the actuarial profession is by a demanding series of examinations, but the rewards after qualifying are great. The Institute and Faculty of Actuaries in the UK has four levels of examinations to qualify. The first level, the Core Principles (CS, CM and CB) subjects, are taught in our BSc or MSc in Actuarial Science and lead to exemptions from subjects CS1, CS2, CM1, CM2, CB1 and CB2. Students will typically study CP1, CP2, CP3, two SP subjects (two SP subjects are needed to satisfy the profession's requirements) and two courses on data science applied to insurance.

Actuarial data science combines advanced statistical modelling and analysis with modern computational techniques in order to analyse potentially large datasets arising in insurance and finance. These analyses have the ability to improve forecasts and enhance decision making in an uncertain environment where rapid advancements in technology and data availability are transforming fields of actuarial work. Additionally, they are building synergies with new sectors such as medical and healthcare. This is an area of science and technology that is attracting significant interest and that will continue to grow for the foreseeable future, as more and more industries adopt data-driven and data-centric approaches.

Students graduating from the MSc will have excellent employment prospects that are not restricted to any one narrow sector of financial services. By their choice of IFoA subjects, they may target the life, pensions, asset management, investment and risk management sectors. They will be in demand in quantitative risk management roles in both banks and insurance companies, as well as fund management companies, hedge funds, consultancies, software vendors and regulatory authorities. The market for graduates with actuarial qualifications complemented with data science skills is growing fast and we expect that it will continue to grow for the foreseeable future.