MSc Advanced Electrical and Electronic Engineering with Extended Research

2 Years On Campus Masters Program

University of Nottingham

Program Overview

This two‑year MSc programme blends an advanced taught year with a full year devoted to a major research or development project, giving you both deep technical breadth and a strong research profile. It’s ideal for engineering graduates who wish to advance their expertise in electrical & electronic engineering and prepare for either an industrial R&D role or further research (e.g., a PhD).

Curriculum structure

Year one (taught semesters):
In the first year, students engage with core modules such as Holistic Engineering Design and Project Design and Development, equipping them with professional‑level design thinking and project planning skills. They then select from a range of advanced optional modules — for example Advanced Power Electronics, Advanced Control, Digital Signal Processing, Advanced Electrical Machines, Optical and Photonics Technology — providing flexibility to tailor study to their interests.
Year two (extended research project):
The second year is entirely focused on an extended individual research/development project (120 credits) spread across two parts: Part 1 initiates the work (e.g., literature survey, initial experimentation) and Part 2 completes it, culminating in a research paper and an oral viva‐voce.

Focus areas

Advanced power electronics · Electrical machines & drives · Control systems · Computational engineering & signal processing · Optics/photonics · Research & development in electrical & electronic engineering

Learning outcomes

Graduates will be able to: design and analyse complex electrical and electronic systems; conduct independent research and development projects; apply advanced control, computational and measurement techniques; and communicate technical results effectively in both industrial and academic settings.

Professional alignment (accreditation)

This MSc is accredited by the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) on behalf of the Engineering Council as meeting the requirements for Further Learning for registration as a Chartered Engineer (CEng).

Reputation (employability rankings)

The University of Nottingham is ranked 10th in the UK for Electrical & Electronic Engineering in the 2025 Guardian University Guide.
Within the Department of Electrical & Electronic Engineering, 93.1% of postgraduate students secured graduate‑level employment or further study within 15 months of graduation; the average starting salary was £35,766.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

The MSc Advanced Electrical and Electronic Engineering with Extended Research at University of Nottingham supports hands‑on, real‑world learning.

Students in this two‑year programme begin by building an advanced technical foundation in the first year, then move into a year‑long individual research or industrially oriented project in the second year — giving them authentic experience of engineering practice and independent investigation.

In particular, students benefit from:

Use of industry‑standard engineering software and simulation tools in taught modules such as Advanced Power Electronics, Advanced Control, Digital Signal Processing and Advanced Electrical Machines — enabling them to model, simulate and analyse complex electrical and electronic systems.
Structured research/project design modules, such as “Holistic Engineering Design” and “Project Design & Development” in year one, ensuring students gain project‑planning, risk‑assessment, literature review and team‑working skills ahead of their major project.
A two‑part extended MSc project in year two: Part 1 (60 credits) focusing on project planning, literature survey and preliminary work; Part 2 (60 credits) focusing on completing the project, producing a research‑paper‑style output and defending it via viva voce. This gives students strong experience of independent engineering research or development work.
Access to the Department of Electrical & Electronic Engineering’s excellent facility base: collaborative teaching labs, electronics workshops (including PCB fabrication and 3D printing), project‑spaces and specialised research laboratories such as the Power Electronics & Machines Centre (PEMC) – helping students work in realistic, high‑level engineering environments.
Pedagogy that blends lectures, tutorials, practical classes, workshops, lab sessions, supervised project work and independent study, ensuring theory is tightly coupled with application and students become competent users of both equipment and software.

Progression & Future Opportunities

Graduates from this programme are well‑prepared for roles including Research & Development Engineer, Systems Design Engineer, Embedded Systems Engineer, and Power/Energy Systems Specialist. Because of the large (2‑year) research component, they’re particularly suited for cutting‑edge development work, industrial innovation or further academic study. This qualification is accredited for Further Learning toward Chartered Engineer status, giving strong long‑term professional value.

Here’s what the university offers and how this degree supports your career:

Careers and employability support: The University offers individual postgraduate careers support including CV‑help, interview coaching, employer fairs, and access to an online vacancy service with over 1,100 employers per year.
Employment outcomes: Within the Department of Electrical & Electronic Engineering, 93.1 % of postgraduates secured graduate‑level employment or further study within 15 months of graduation; the average starting salary was £35,766.
University–industry partnerships & research strength: The programme is aligned with the renowned Power Electronics, Machines & Control (PEMC) research group at Nottingham, which engages in industry‑funded research and gives students access to real‑world engineering problems.
Accreditation and long‑term value: The degree is accredited by the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) on behalf of the Engineering Council, meeting requirements for Further Learning toward Chartered Engineer (CEng) registration (assuming the candidate holds a CEng‑accredited bachelor’s).
Strong graduation outcome: The extended research project component (120 credits in year two) gives students hands‑on, deep learning, making them more competitive for R&D roles or PhD tracks.

Further Academic Progression:
After completing this MSc, students could move into a research degree (e.g., MRes or PhD) in areas such as advanced electrical machines, power electronics, embedded systems, or smart grids. Alternatively, the MSc opens the pathway to full Chartered Engineer status (CEng) once combined with appropriate industry experience, and positions graduates for leadership roles in engineering, research management or technical consultancy.