Find out more about studying Advanced Structural Engineering, MSc at University of Aberdeen? We've gathered all the key details, entry requirements, modules, fees, and more. Take the next step by booking an open day to explore it for yourself.
MSc - Master of Science
Old Aberdeen Campus
Full Time
Sep 2027
1 Year
This advanced programme offers a broader range of courses compared to most structural engineering programmes, allowing you to design your course of study to suit your background and career interests and to tackle environmental, economic and social challenges far beyond the construction industry. Unlike most other programmes in structural engineering that focus on the construction industry, the MSc Advanced Structural Engineering at Aberdeen has been developed to ensure engineers from any background - including civil, mechanical, aerospace, automotive and energy - can contribute to the advancement of society on a global scale. In particular, we focus on topics such as advanced composite materials, lightweight structures and engineering optimisation – skills and knowledge that are crucial for engineers interested in pursuing careers in aerospace, automotive or wind energy sectors where lightweight structures made of advanced composite materials and highly optimised for their performance play a key role. Almost all industry sectors are experiencing a period of tremendous change with technological developments in areas such as 3D printing, robotics, artificial intelligence and machine learning. This advanced programme is designed to produce the next generation of structural engineers who can embrace these opportunities to tackle the challenges of sustainable development, climate change, pollution and waste. Our teaching is informed by our industry partners and our research. The School of Engineering is highly regarded its research in civil engineering and has one of the best hydraulic laboratory facilities in Scotland associated with a high-level research profile. The Structures Research group in particular investigates fundamental and applied aspects of the design and analysis of structural systems, components, connections and materials, and evaluates the performance, condition and health of existing structural systems. This programme is accredited by both the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) and the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, ensuring that the curriculum is designed and delivered to the highest professional standards.
This course is one of the key courses for the MSc Advanced Structural Engineering. The aim of this course is to provide students with knowledge and skills of analysis and design of lightweight structures for mechanical, civil, aerospace, automotive and wind energy applications.
Ever wondered how Excel is able to draw an optimal line through a set of points? This course looks at how typical engineering problems that cannot be described mathematically (or are difficult to do so) can be solved so that the optimal solution is found. The course contains a range of examples to show how the techniques are applied to real world problems in different engineering disciplines. The course will show how to develop computational algorithms from scratch, with a fundamental understanding of how the algorithms function, both mathematically and then in real time on a computer.
Advanced Structural Engineering Individual Project is a compulsory course for the programme MSc Advanced Structural Engineering. This course offers the student the opportunity to put acquired technical knowledge and skills into practice by delivering an independent project. The dissertation should contain a degree of original work.
Advanced materials underpin many industry sectors and are viewed as one of the key enabling technologies that can help address environmental, economic and social challenges the society is facing. Lightweight materials such as composites applied to vehicles, structures and devices can help reduce energy consumption and emissions, and increase energy efficiency. The aim of this course is introduce students to the mechanical behaviour of composite materials and the design of structures made of composites.
The need for understanding dynamics in modern structural engineering arises from the fact that structures are often subjected to dynamic loads such as waves, wind, earthquake, blast and impacts. The structural engineer must therefore be able to understand and quantify dynamic loads and their effects. This course reviews the fundamentals of structural dynamics and explains more advanced concepts and methods (including analytical and numerical), as well as their applications to practical design and analysis problems. The theoretical concepts are illustrated by worked examples and numerous tutorial problems and assignments will enable students to gain confidence in their use.
