Subsea Engineering - Taught Programme

Programme Details

Fully accredited by the The Institute of Marine Engineering, Science & Technology (IMarEST) and Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE), the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE), the Institution of Structural Engineers (IStructE), the Institute of Highway Engineers (IHE) and the Chartered Institution of Highways & Transportation (CIHT).

AVAILABLE AS BOTH FULL-TIME AND DISTANCE LEARNING OPTIONS

27 MONTHS PART-TIME DISTANCE LEARNING
12 MONTHS FULL-TIME (ON CAMPUS) STUDY

The part-time, distance learning programme is studied entirely online through the University's Virtual Learning Environment.

Aims

The Master of Science in Subsea Engineering seeks to prepare highly-trained, highly-qualified, business-aware graduates that can make an immediate impact in their chosen career, and who can address the need for key skills in the subsea industry. Subsea Engineering at the University of Aberdeen has a unique relationship with the subsea industry both locally and internationally, and the programme receives contributions from local industrial organisations in terms of relevant and up-to-the minute contributions to teaching, and support in the specification of group and individual projects.

From the Heart of the European Oil & Gas Industry

Aberdeen is the heart of the European oil and gas industry, an international hub for companies engaged in Subsea Engineering. A degree from the University of Aberdeen puts you in a unique position to develop business links alongside of learning and developing international skills within the flexible, modular programme.

Full-Time or Part-Time (Distance) Study

The programme is available as both full-time and part-time (distance learning) study. Distance learning students make use of the University's online virtual learning environment to study via the internet. No attendance at the University is required making it a fully internationally available programme and one which can be studied alongside your career.

About the Programme

The programme seeks to best address the needs of the industry today in terms of subject areas of fundamental importance. The programme objectives are to provide students with:

• Increased technical depth and breadth of knowledge and understanding of the development and operation of subsea technologies and systems, from wellhead to topside structure interconnections.

• Intellectual and practical skills so that they can apply sound engineering principles and analysis methods to the design and installation of subsea systems, and can use and adapt appropriate analysis tools and techniques, specialist design software and Standards for design improvements and performance optimisation.

• The opportunity to further enhance their transferable and personal skills in self-study, communication, report writing, project and time management, and problem solving.

• An awareness of the roles and challenges of a practising subsea engineer based on course contents which are tailored to the current and future needs of industry, and therefore provides students with the knowledge and understanding and skills necessary for technical leadership and managerial responsibility.

Contact Information

For further information about the programme or to discuss your application, please contact the Graduate School Admissions Unit.

Syllabus

Full-time students study for one year: September - September as shown below:

September to January

• Fundamental Safety & Risk Management Concepts
• Project Management
• Subsea Integrity
• Subsea Controls

February to May

• Subsea Construction, Inspection & Maintenance
• Pipelines & Soil Mechanics
• Riser Systems & Hydrodynamics
• Flow Assurance

June to September

• Individual Project

Part-time students study for two years: September to May (year 1) and September to December (year 2) as shown below:

September to January

• Fundamental Safety & Risk Management Concepts
• Project Management

February to May

• Subsea Construction, Inspection and Maintenance
• Pipelines & Soil Mechanics

September to January

• Subsea Integrity
• Subsea Controls

February to May

• Riser Systems & Hydrodynamics
• Flow Assurance

June to December

• Individual Project

Assessment

The modules are assessed by a combination of coursework and written examination. The distance learning coursework is submitted to the course tutor through the web-site and marks and comments will be sent back, also via the web, on campus submission is either by email or in person at teaching sessions. Each module has a timetable which details when the coursework is due and when the exam is scheduled to take place. Arrangements can be made for examinations to be taken at a convenient place for you. Distance learning students near to Aberdeen are able to take their examinations at the University.

Examinations are usually held towards the end of January and the end of May. Students sit the examination within their own timezone (e.g. 9am local time).

Teaching

The courses are completely modular in structure and have been carefully developed to articulate to each other to provide a variety of levels of provision, suiting the needs of the participants. A choice of exit levels is provided to suit the needs of the participants thus leading to the award of a postgraduate Certificate, Diploma or MSc qualification. Each level is a necessary requirement for entry to the next one. Full-time students complete 4 modules per half session while part-time students complete up to 2.

Courses

• Subsea Integrity (15 credits)
  Focus on materials design, defects, corrosion and stress failures, together with design standards implications for testing and acceptance, reliability assessment, fault finding and problem solving.
• Project Management (15 credits)
  Introduced to provide students with an understanding of the principals, fundamental concepts and strategies of Project Management.

• Subsea Safety and Reliability Management (15 credits)
  Considers natural and man-made hazards, measures of safety and reliability, accident and failure statistics, societal risks, technical versus human reliability, safety management systems, and risk assessment.
• Subsea Controls (15 credits)
  Studying subsea control systems including: Subsea control systems, umbilicals and control lines, power management, subsea electrical submersible pumping (ESP) and compression, as well as pre-commissioning and condition monitoring.
• Subsea Construction, Inspection and Maintenance (15 credits)
  Attention towards subsea installation methodologies and planning, including vessel types, detailed load analysis, inspection and survey techniques design and installation planning.
• Pipelines and Soil Mechanics (15 credits)
  Fundamentals of pipeline system design, including hydrodynamic loading and interaction with seabed materials. This will include design for insulation pressure, stability and buckling, including installation techniques.
• Riser Systems & Hydrodynamics (15 credits)
  Fundamentals of riser and mooring system design including hydrodynamic response, displacement and load and fatigue analysis.
• Flow Assurance (15 credits)
  To review the processes and problems associated with the flow of hydrocarbon product through subsea systems, with a particular emphasis on fundamentals of system modelling and design.

• Individual Project (60 credits)
  All students who satisfactorily complete the core modules will undertake an individual project after the final exams. Projects will normally be specified in collaboration with industrial partners, and overseas students may undertake their projects with sponsoring companies in their own countries.

Requirements

Our minimum entry requirement for this programme is a UK Honours degree (or an honours degree from a non-UK institution which is judged by the University to be of equivalent worth) in any branch of Engineering at a 2:1 (upper second) class or above.

Applicants with slightly lower qualifications (e.g. a UK equivalent 2:2 (lower second) class honours degree) may be considered if they can demonstrate they have 5, or more, years of professional experience judged by the University to be of direct relevance to the programme.

It is important when submitting an application that you ensure you have completed all the necessary sections and enclosed all the relevant documentation to ensure that your application can be processed as quickly as possible.

Even if you have been educated in the medium of English you must meet our English Language requirements. These are located at www.abdn.ac.uk/sras/international/english.shtml. This programme requires that you meet the 'Postgraduate Standard' level of English proficiency. If you are in doubt about your proficiency in English, contact the British Council office or its equivalent in your country. If your first language is not English, it is important that your proficiency in English is good in order for you to study successfully at the University of Aberdeen . Without this ability you will find great difficulty in understanding lectures, producing written work and sitting examinations.

We have one intake of students each year in September. Late applications may be asked to wait until the next intake should the programme coordinator feel there is insufficient time to consider the application. Prospective students who require a visa to study in the UK are advised to apply as early in the year as possible to secure a place. Applications received after 30th June from students who need to apply for a visa to study in the UK will not be processed for entry in September of that year but may be considered for entry the following year as appropriate.

It is important to note that the programmes of postgraduate study at the University of Aberdeen are very competitive and the entry requirements stated are a guide to the minimum requirements, but do not guarantee entry.

Fees

Information on tuition fees, including the current fee level, can be found on the University Registry website.

Funding

Funding opportunities can be found in our searchable Funding Database. You are advised to search the database as a broad range of funding exists much of which you may be eligible for.

A list of funding opportunties is also maintained on the College of Physical Sciences Funding Page.

No Boundaries. Just Possibilities.

Thanks to additional funding from the Scottish government this programme has funded places for Scottish and EU Students. More Information.  

University of Aberdeen Alumni Discount Scheme

The University of Aberdeen is very pleased to offer a 20% discount on postgraduate tuition fees for all alumni who have graduated (or about to graduate) with a degree from the University of Aberdeen. More Information