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Smart, Connected and Autonomous Vehicles (MSc) (2021 Entry)

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  • Course Code
  • P-H1SE
  • Course Type
  • Postgraduate Taught
  • Qualification
  • MSc
  • Duration
  • Full-time: 1 year
  • Part-time: 3 years
  • Department of Study
  • WMG
  • Location of Study
  • University of Warwick


WMG at Warwick has established a legacy of leading automotive research in collaboration with industry. Smart, Connected and Autonomous Vehicles MSc aims to address the knowledge gap in machine learning, automated control strategies, connectivity, cyber-security protocols and much more.


With intelligent vehicles on the horizon of technical advancements, the automotive industry is facing a developmental challenge. How do we develop a robust technical infrastructure to support the anticipated explosive growth in smart vehicular functions, communications systems, and driverless cars? This demands a comprehensive understanding of the technology and a bottom-up approach ensuring robustness and dependability of Electronics, Communications and Control Systems. Through this MSc, we aim to address the knowledge gap in the areas of machine learning, automated control strategies, connectivity, and communication infrastructure, cyber-security protocols, emerging automotive networks and robust automotive embedded systems within the context of smart, connected and autonomous vehicles. This programme has extensive industrial support with the Industry Advisory Board consisting of Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) and RDM among others. This course is pending accreditation 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. Candidates must hold a CEng accredited BEng/BSc (Hons) undergraduate first degree to comply with full CEng registration requirements.


Core Modules

  • Fundamentals of Automotive Research, Development, and Management
  • Automotive Sensors and Sensor Fusion
  • Robust Automotive Embedded Systems
  • Networks and Communications for the Connected Car
  • Machine Intelligence and Data Science
  • Human-Technology Interaction

Elective Modules

One elective module should be selected from the following list to allow you to gain further specialist understanding:

  • Fundamentals of Electrification
  • Programming and Fundamental Algorithms for Scientists and Engineers
  • Modelling and Simulation of Systems
  • Systems Engineering and Functional Safety

Teaching

This course has two components – taught modules account for two thirds of your time and effort and your research project accounts for one third.

For the taught component, we blend lectures with workshops, practical exercises, demonstrations, case studies, problem classes, syndicate exercises, and a review. Most modules are delivered intensively over one full week or two half weeks, with the ‘Fundamentals of Automotive Research, Development, and Management (30 CAT points)’ being a longer introductory module.

Class sizes are kept small with 20-25 students in each.

Our module leaders have extensive industry experience. Guest speakers from industry also contribute regularly, bringing real-world insight into your learning experience.

Assessment

At the end of each module, you will be given a Post Module Assignment (PMA) based on the learning objectives of that module. This is a piece of assessed written work which should take around 110 hours to complete. Many modules also have some in-module assessed work.

For the research component, each student undertakes a major individual project, which will develop your research and analytical skills and enable you to specialise. This project accounts for 33% of your overall credits and is submitted in the form of a dissertation of approximately 20,000 words, which may be followed by an oral examination or viva at the end of the year.

Leveraging the close partnerships that WMG has with key organisations within the automotive supply chain, it is envisaged that your project will have an industrial sponsor and be closely aligned with overcoming a real-world problem in the areas of vehicle electrification and sustainability. Many of the projects will feed directly into larger research programmes and will require you to liaise directly with senior academics, researchers, and industry partners.


Minimum requirements Mid 2:ii undergraduate degree (or equivalent) in STEM subjects, particularly Electronics, Electrical Engineering, Control Systems, Computer Science, Communications, Physics, or Mathematics

English language requirements Band A
IELTS overall score of 6.5, minimum component scores not below 6.0

International Students
We welcome applications from students with other internationally recognised qualifications. For more information please visit the international entry requirements page.


For up-to-date information concerning fees, funding and scholarships for Home, EU and Overseas students please visit Warwick's Fees and Funding webpage.

Scholarships

The WMG Excellence Scholarship is a merit-based award open to offer-holders across all full-time WMG programmes. Over 50 scholarships ranging from 10% to 50% tuition fee discount will be awarded for 2021 entry.


Graduates from the MSc in Smart, Connected and Autonomous Vehicles will understand a myriad of factors contributing towards the performance and dependability of connected and autonomous vehicles and will be well placed to continue professional work within R&D.

Our department has a dedicated professionally qualified Senior Careers Consultant offering impartial advice and guidance together with workshops and events throughout the year. Previous examples of workshops and events include:

  • Warwick careers fairs throughout the year
  • WMG Future Fest
  • Options in Engineering sector event
  • Careers for experienced hires
  • Careers in Cyber Security
  • Careers in healthcare
  • Careers in project management

There are a number of different ways to visit the University of Warwick throughout the year. We host bespoke PG visits, where you can talk directly with your chosen department and explore our campus through a personalised tour. WMG also organises events for prospective students including a weekly Live Chat so you can connect directly with the department to speak with staff and students from WMG. For more about university wide open days and tours, visit our Postgraduate Visits page.