Advanced Propulsion MSc

About this degree

UCL Chemical Engineering, situated in the heart of London, is one of the top-rated departments in the UK, being internationally renowned for its outstanding research. It has pioneered popular Masters-level modules in this field and hosts the Electrochemical Innovation Lab, a world-leading research centre for electrochemical materials and devices. The Advanced Propulsion Lab builds on existing enthusiasm and success, focusing on pack, stack and vehicle engineering and innovation.

The Advanced Propulsion MSc will enable the “Clean Economy” by training you to join the next generation of engineers and scientists specialising in batteries, fuel cells and electric machines on an industrial scale. This highly-skilled workforce is critical to electrifying automotive, marine and air transport and achieving ambitious climate targets (the UK’s Industrial Strategy (Clean Growth (2017) and Road to Zero (2018) initiatives).

You will test and apply your knowledge in an interdisciplinary design project and a research project, and have the option to specialise in one of three routes: materials, electrochemical power sources, or systems.

The course will be delivered at the brand new UCL East campus on the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in Stratford, east London. This is the biggest development in our 200-year history, and our accessible, state-of-the-art facilities will have shared labs and workshop spaces open to all, to facilitate collaboration across different disciplines. The Park around the campus is a living landscape of biodiversity and a testbed for ground-breaking innovation.

At UCL East, the Advanced Propulsion Lab (APL) is significantly expanding on our existing enthusiasm and success in this area to industrially relevant levels, focusing on pack, stack and vehicle engineering and innovation. Your academic flexibility and freedom are built into the APL MSc through three distinct programme routes and blended learning options. This also serves to maximise the diversity of experiences and viewpoints needed to tackle these truly global challenges.

This innovative and highly interdisciplinary programme has been designed and is delivered in collaboration with industry partners, giving you the core technical, transferable and translational skills you will need to succeed. Further, you benefit from an industry-led steering committee to ensure that the content (both in taught modules and more open-ended design and research projects) remains relevant and at the cutting-edge of this fast-paced, competitive sector.

Importantly, the APL contains large-scale fabrication and testing equipment which will give you hands-on experience, in addition to taught content by world-leading academics and industry experts in the electric propulsion sector.

The APL MSc programme addresses the national and global skills shortages and training priorities associated with the development and deployment of advanced propulsion technologies. Thus, this MSc programme is central to establishing the UK as a leader in electric propulsion technology and ushering in a cleaner and more sustainable transport sector.

The MSc programme starts in September and lasts for 12 months, during which you will undertake taught modules and a substantial individual research project. Key topics such as sustainability, safety, and ethics as well as skills including presentations and group working are woven throughout.

Three routes are available for students wishing to specialise in Materials, Electrochemical Power Sources or Systems. To invoke a given route, 2 of 3 optional modules should be taken from that route (further information on modules and routes can be found below).

The Advanced Propulsion MSc will train the next generation of engineers and scientists to address the challenges of Net Zero in the areas of batteries, fuel cells and electric machines. This innovative and highly interdisciplinary programme in new state-of-the art facilities has been designed in collaboration with industry partners, giving you the edge in a fast-paced and competitive sector.

A minimum of an upper second-class Bachelor's degree in relevant subject from a UK university or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard.

The English language level for this programme is: Level 1

UCL Pre-Master's and Pre-sessional English courses are for international students who are aiming to study for a postgraduate degree at UCL. The courses will develop your academic English and academic skills required to succeed at postgraduate level.

Further information can be found on our English language requirements page.

Students on the Advanced Propulsion MSc gain in-depth knowledge of the fundamental science and engineering which governs the development of advanced propulsion technologies. In addition, they will explore the wider challenges associated with the adoption of batteries, fuel cells and electric machines with a particular focus on the sustainability of these devices.