Description

Contents

This course will combine modules in automotive and motorsport engineering to develop graduates who are well equipped with the knowledge and skills to work in the multi-discipline area typically encountered in the automotive and motorsport engineering industry. The programme will help students attain the imaginative and creative skills necessary for a successful career in this field both at national and international levels. The course will allow students the option of specialising in automotive engineering or motorsport engineering.

Every student also produces a group project, usually carried out with four or five other students. The group project involves the design, manufacture, assembly, and testing of a single seater racing vehicle that will take part in the Annual Formula Student Competition in July with over 70 teams competing in the event.

Students will have the opportunity to spend a few days at Ricardo Motorsport during the course.

Compulsory Modules

Research Planning and Methodology

Practical research issues: research processes and strategies; researcher/supervisor roles and relationships; writing, communicating and disseminating research; principles of good research practice. Information retrieval: objectives; sampling methods; data analysis; when and how to apply statistics; statistical methods; preparing and sorting data; parametric and non-parametric tests; computer software for statistical analysis. Risk management: Risk analysis and decision support, financial indicators;
Innovation: Brainstorming, value engineering, intellectual property protection.

Racing Team Management and Vehicle Testing

Develops the necessary skills in racing team management and understanding of a race season and race planning, and introduces and familiarise students with racing vehicle testing. Main topics include: team management; marketing concept; ethical business; leadership; risk management; employment; vehicle testing.

Advanced Vehicle Dynamics, IC Engines, Materials and Manufacturing

Main topics include: principles of multi-body dynamics; the mixture preparation methods and combustion process in direct injection SI engines; overview of the principal property requirements for materials used in racing car structures; theories of fibre-reinforcement in materials; performance of engineering plastics; composition and properties of high performance elastomers and rubbers; advanced processing and joining technologies for the manufacture and construction of racing vehicle components from high performance polymers; physical and metallurgical properties of high strength steels, aluminium, titanium, nickel and magnesium alloys; metal matrix composites; fabrication of metallic components; failure modes and non-destructive evaluation techniques; composition, properties and processing methods for engineering ceramics used in racing vehicle construction.

Group Project

Students work in groups of 4 to 6 to design, manufacture and assemble a racing vehicle (single seater) that takes part in at least one international student competition. The project mimics the real world industry in every shape and form. It is not only an engineering exercise but one of business and team management as well. The teams are created with a hierarchical structure not dissimilar to professional racing teams. They also work to a schedule and budget and are expected to promote their own team image through marketing and sponsorship.

Dissertation

Students will work independently on a project within given resources and time constraints. Students often choose project topics from a list provided by the module co-ordinator or after having discussions with academic members of staff. Some projects may be part of the research activities undertaken by various research groups within the school. Some project topics may be initiated by organisations external to Brunel though supervision from within Brunel is necessary in all cases. The nature of projects may be predominantly design, experimental, computing and/or analysis, or sometimes a critical literature survey. Many projects combine several of these aspects.

Optional Modules

Block 1

Advanced CAD and Manufacturing

• Finite Element Analysis:
  Two-dimensional elements: triangular, quadrilateral and isoparametric; applications to steady and transient heat transfer; applications to two-dimensional stress analysis
• Optimisation:
  Types of optimisation problems; objective function; constrained and unconstrained optimisation; multivariate search methods, penalty function, Lagrange multipliers; applications to linkage synthesis.
• Manufacture:
  Computer applications in manufacturing practice, optimisation in design for manufacture, management procedures and quality requirements, application to company practice.
• Design:
  Use and application of Computer Aided Engineering Software in engineering manufacture. The integration of computer aided engineering and manufacturing methods in company practice.

Advanced Thermofluids

Main topics include: methods and instruments in fluid flow measurements: laser doppler anemometry (LDA), particle image velocimetry (PIV), hot-wire anemometry (HWA); fluid flow and heat transfer simulations by Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) modelling, large eddy simulation (LES) and direct numerical simulation (DNS).

Block 2

Racing Legislation, Finance and Sponsorship

Main topics include: introduction of legal topics appropriate to engineering careers; contract; tort, company and environmental law; property law, licensing; employment law. Costing; tendering strategy; decision analysis; value engineering. Motorsport industry regulation; competitions; sponsorship and advertising.

Racing Vehicle Design and Performance

Main topics include: racing vehicles and systems operation, design principles; vehicle body and structure; power unit and transmission; suspension and steering, geometry and loads; brakes and braking systems; parameters influencing vehicle performance; performance optimisation; vehicle safety.

Requirements

A UK first or second class Honours degree or equivalent internationally recognised qualification usually in engineering; science; technology; or related disciplines. Other qualifications and relevant experience will be assessed on an individual basis.

English Language Requirements

• IELTS: 6 (min 5.5 in all areas)
• TOEFL Paper test: 550 (TWE 4)
• TOEFL Internet test: 79 (R18, L17, S20, W17)
• Pearson: 51 (51 in all subscores)
• BrunELT 60% (min 55% in all areas)

Brunel also offers our own BrunELT English Test and accept a range of other language courses. We also have a range of Pre-sessional English language courses, for students who do not meet these requirements, or who wish to improve their English.

English Language Requirements

Funding

Scholarships, studentships and bursaries

Postgraduate Academic Excellence Scholarships

The scholarship is available for PGT courses at Brunel starting from September 2013 and focuses on two key audiences, namely high calibre prospective PG students and our alumni who wish to undertake further postgraduate study at Brunel. It is available to both Home/ EU and International students.

In order to attract high calibre students and encourage them to undertake postgraduate study we intend to offer a discount of 15% off the fees for anyone who has obtained a first class undergraduate degree from a UK University, either in the UK or abroad.

Whilst Brunel has always offered a reduction in PG fees for Brunel alumni we intend to further incentivise Brunel students to take up postgraduate education by increasing the discount to 15%.

These two discounts are not exclusive and therefore a Brunel alumnus who has a first class undergraduate degree can receive both.

Doctoral research scholarships and studentships

Research scholarships may be available across the full range of our research activity. Please note that award numbers and amounts vary each year and in each School, and only a very small number – or none at all – may be available for your programme. Check the web pages for your School or Research Institute for details and eligibility information.

PhD studentships may consist of a cash scholarship, payment of your tuition fees, a wage for teaching or a combination of the three. For vacancies and details of eligibility and how to apply, see Job vacancies or check the web pages for your School or Research Institute.

The Brunel International Scholarship

The Brunel International Scholarship is an annual award scheme designed to promote talent and encourage excellence in scholars coming to Brunel from around the globe. Partial scholarships are available to both undergraduate and postgraduate students who have been offered a place on a full-time course at Brunel. Please refer to the International Scholarship web pages for more details.

Brunel Soudavar Scholarship Fund

The Soudavar Scholarship has been established by the Soudavar family and is open to students of current or recent Iranian nationality, or Persian extraction, to follow a research degree at Brunel University. The criteria are academic merit and applications are assessed by a board. The award provides: 3-years full PhD fees scholarship; maintenance grant as determined by the awarding board in line with Research Councils UK guidelines. The scholarship will be awarded for the academic year 2012/13 and will then be offered again when the interest accrued on the capital allows, this is to be decided by the Scholarship panel. See terms and conditions. For more information email: housam.abdalla@brunel.ac.uk

Sid Richardson Scholarships

The Union of Brunel Students offers these scholarships in honour of the late Sid Richardson, Life Vice President of, and a major benefactor to, the Brunel Rugby Club. If you have been offered a place at Brunel for September or are a current undergraduate or postgraduate student, and you are an outstanding rugby player, you may apply for one of the scholarships. Awards will be in the region of £1,000. For more information email genevieve.dewez@brunel.ac.uk

Extra-curricular Scholarships

Extra-curricular scholarships do not cover living costs or tuition fees. They are available to both taught and research students.

A number of Music Awards to help cover music tuition costs are made each year to students who are not studying music performance as part of their academic course. For further information, visit the Arts Centre pages.

The Brunel University Sports Scholarship Programme has a history, spanning over 60 years, of supporting talented student athletes. Past Brunel graduates have reached the highest achievements possible in their sport, Olympic gold medals; World, European and Commonwealth titles are among our honours boards. Our Sports Scholarship Programme has helped 100’s of students over many different sports because we have a comprehensive programme that provides the best possible support to athletes who are studying in higher education. The Brunel Sports Scholarship provides more than just financial assistance; it is designed to help elite performance athletes by supporting their academic study and sporting needs simultaneously. Anyone who has fulfilled the entry conditions of a course and subsequently been given a confirmed place at Brunel can apply. All applicants must be able to demonstrate sporting achievement at Junior International level or equivalent. Please note that competition for scholarships can be very high and applicants must be able to show evidence of their sporting achievements. For more information, email sports-scholarships@brunel.ac.uk.