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Introduction
Why choose this course?
Course structure
The course features specialist motorsport modules including Advanced Vehicle Dynamics and Aerodynamics. You’ll discover how to design, test and model motorsport vehicles in crash scenarios, create race engineering strategies and learn about motorsport sponsorship and management.
For your dissertation, you will research an aspect of motorsport engineering that you’re passionate about. And you will hone your project management, planning and research skills in doing so.
You can work on your own project, collaborating with a research or commercial organisation of your choice. Or you can take on an industry-sponsored project from a company such as AVL.
Overview
On our postgraduate Motorsport Engineering course, you’ll get the right blend of practical experience and theory to prepare you for a career in motorsport. You will have full access to our specialist automotive labs, which double as your research and learning spaces.
You’ll also want to get the most out of our facilities, including the High Voltage Energy Storage lab, driving simulator, the Joining Technology Research Centre, and #OxfordMetaverse, our virtual reality space. And you can explore your interests through research groups and extra-curricular activities like Formula Student.
Many Formula One and Formula E teams are near Oxford, in the UK’s motorsport valley. You’ll have unrivalled access to the industry. Speakers will visit and share up to date insight on what’s going on in motorsport. You can apply their experience and expertise in technology, production and management to your projects.
This course is accredited by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) and the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET).
Modules
Compulsory modules
• Composite Design and Impact Modelling (20 credits)
This module will give you an understanding of materials, components and their structural behaviour when subjected to medium to high impact events. This includes the design, testing and modelling of motorsport components and vehicles.
• Advanced Vehicle Aerodynamics (20 credits)
This module focuses on the problem of how to design vehicle shapes and aerodynamic packages that enhance the race vehicle performance.
• Lap time Simulation and Race Engineering (20 credits)
This module looks at advanced race vehicle performance subjects, including laptime simulation, data acquisition, instrumentation and telemetry. You will learn to assess the performance of racing cars, develop strategies to race engineer them and determine their ultimate performance using leading professional laptime simulation software.
• Engineering Business Management (20 credits)
This module provides you with an understanding of the management skills and knowledge that are important in engineering industries.
• Advanced Vehicle Dynamics (20 credits)
This module will give you a thorough understanding of the relevant theoretical and practical considerations associated with optimising motorsport vehicle performance. You will learn to apply advanced vehicle dynamic analysis techniques such as the derivative method, learn how to optimise suspension using advanced software methods and then verify your solution on our four-post rig.
• Electric Vehicles (20 credits)
This module develops comprehensive understanding of electric vehicles with the focus on advanced vehicle propulsion technology. It covers the analysis, modelling, simulation and control of various electric vehicle architectures with the focus on the powertrain and associated electronics.
Final project
Compulsory modules
• MSc Dissertation (60 credits)
The Dissertation is an individual project on a topic from motorsport engineering, offering an opportunity to specialise in a particular area of motorsport. In addition to developing high level of expertise in a particular area of motorsport, including use of industry-standard software and/or experimental work, the module will also provide you with research skills, planning techniques, project management. Whilst a wide range of industry-sponsored projects are available (e.g. Dallara, VUHL, Base Performance, McLaren, AVL), students are also able undertake their own projects in the UK and abroad, to work in close co-operation with a research, industrial or commercial organisation.
Research
The emphasis in our research groups is producing high-quality research for the real world. Our industry focused research includes an award-winning project with Yasa Motors and BMWi development.
Staff have close links with industry through research projects and consultancies. This includes the Dallara single-seater electric racer design project. You can find out more on our department research pages.
The results of the most recent REF (2014) exercise showed that 96% of research in the department is internationally recognised, and 57% was judged to be of world leading quality or internationally excellent. More specifically, 50% of the impact case studies returned were judged to be internationally excellent, and 72% of the research outputs were judged to be internationally excellent or world leading.
Entry Criteria
ENTRY REQUIRED DOCUMENTS
Home Office Share Code
For EU students only.
IF no Qualification
Please provide CV with at least 2 years of work experience, and employee reference letter.
Entry requirements
Specific entry requirements
You should normally hold a first degree equivalent to at least a British lower second-class bachelor's degree in mechanical, automotive or motorsport engineering or a related discipline. Applicants with relevant professional experience will also be considered.
Our standard entry requirement is three A-levels or equivalent qualifications. In some cases, courses have specific required subjects and additional GCSE requirements. In addition to A-levels, we accept a wide range of other qualifications including:
 the Welsh Baccalaureate
 the Access to Higher Education Diploma
 a BTEC National Certificate, Diploma or Extended Diploma at a good standard and in a relevant subject
 the International Baccalaureate Diploma
 the European Baccalaureate Diploma
 Scottish qualifications – five subjects in SCE with two at Higher level or one at Advanced Higher level, or three subjects in Scottish Highers or two at Advanced Higher level
 a recognised foundation course
 T-levels*.
 * T-levels are a relatively new qualification but are already included in the UCAS tariff. We welcome prospective students who are taking this qualification to apply. For some programmes with specific required subjects, particular subject areas or occupational specialisms may be required.
English language requirements
If your first language is not English you will require a minimum IELTS score of 6.0 overall with 6.0 in all components.
OR
An equivalent English language qualification acceptable to the University.
The university’s English language requirements in IELTS levels are as follows:
Course IELTS level
All other undergraduate courses 6.0 overall with 6.0 in reading and writing, 5.5 in listening and speaking
Law, Architecture, Interior Architecture, English Literature (including combined honours), English Literature and Creative Writing 6.5 overall with 6.0 in reading and writing, 5.5 in listening and speaking
Health and Social Care courses 6.5 or 7.0 overall with 6.5 or 7.0 in all components (see individual entries for course details)
Nutrition BSc (Hons) 6.5 overall with a minimum of 6.0 in each component
Built Environment Foundation,
Computing Foundation,
Engineering Foundation 6.0 with 6.0 in reading and writing, 5.5 in listening and speaking
International Foundation Business and Technology,
International Foundation Arts, Humanities and Law 5.5 overall with 5.5 in all skills
International Foundation Diploma 5.0 overall with 5.0 in all skills
If you need a student visa you must take an IELTS for UKVI test.
International Foundation Diploma (Extended pathway) 4.5 overall with 4.5 in all skills
If you need a student visa you must take an IELTS for UKVI test.
Assessment
ASSESSMENT METHODS
1. INTERNAL ENGLISH TEST if you don't have an English accredited certificate
2. Academic Interview
Learning and teaching
Teaching methods include:
 lectures and seminars to provide a sound theoretical base
 practical work designed to demonstrate important aspects of theory or systems operation.
We also invite visiting speakers from business and motorsport industry to provide valuable insights to your learning.
Assessment
You will be assessed with individual and group continuous assessment, including:
 coursework exercises
 essays
 presentations
 laboratory exercises
 examinations.
Career Opportunities
Careers
Our graduates are enjoying success working for national and international companies. These include:
 McLaren Formula One,
 Red Bull Formula One,
 Scuderia Ferrari,
 Mercedes AMG HPP,
 Williams Advanced Engineering,
 Xtrac,
 Triumph Motorbikes,
 Hyundai World Rally Team.
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