Teaching
This course has two components – a taught component accounting for two thirds of your time and effort, and a research component accounting for one-third.
For the taught component, we blend synchronous and asynchronous lectures with workshops, practical exercises, demonstrations, case studies, problem classes, syndicate exercises, and a review. aClass sizes are kept small with 20-25 students in each, to facilitate and encourage interaction.
Our module leaders have extensive industry experience. Guest speakers from industry also contribute regularly, bringing real-world insight into your learning experience.
In addition to your taught modules, you will undertake a major project as part of your Master's degree, which will develop your research and analytical skills and enable you to specialise. This is nominally 600 hours (60 CATS points) of learning, mainly taking place during the Spring and Summer terms. You will be expected to engage regularly with your Project Supervisor and to provide progress updates and drafts of your work to an agreed schedule.
Class sizes
The typical intake for this course is around 48 students, divided into two groups of 24 students for most modules.
Typical contact hours
Module delivery patterns vary, but most will be delivered in a short learning block of up to 4 weeks, allowing your focus to be on one module at a time. Each module nominally accounts for 150 hours, which includes scheduled classroom time and online sessions as well as your independent study and assessments.
WMG runs a SPA module (Study, Professional and Analytical Skills) designed to meet the complex learning and professional needs of postgraduate students. This is a blended module delivered throughout the year alongside your modules. Whilst it is an unaccredited module for SAE students, your participation in the lectures, workshops and online sessions is strongly encouraged. There may be occasions where you will be required to attend evening or weekend sessions.
Assessment
Modules are predominantly assessed by way of written Post Module Assignments (PMA), but assessment can also be in other formats. Most modules will also have a degree of In-Module Assessment (IMA), which will vary by module and may take the form of presentations, on-line tests, self-reflection or a range of other methods.
For the research component, you will undertake a major project. 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.
Project submission is likely to include both a written and a presentation element, accounting for 33% of your overall academic grade.
Your timetable
Core modules will be allocated to students at the end of the first week of term - you will then be able to view your individual module schedule for the rest of the year via the WMG module selection system.
Elective modules will be bookable through the same system later in the term.
Modules will include scheduled classroom time and online sessions as well as your independent study and assessments, and will usually be delivered within a 4 week timeframe. Occasional classes and study skills sessions may be held at weekends or in the evenings.
As a Master's student, you are expected to manage your own time appropriately. On average, you are expected to commit 38-40 hours of study each week, in order to successfully achieve your Master’s degree.
This is a full-time postgraduate course - undergraduate term dates do not apply. Whilst there are no holidays as such, there will be no teaching scheduled when the University is officially closed, during the two weeks over Christmas and New Year.
