Instrumentation and Control Engineering (with Advanced Practice)
MSc

Advanced Practice is normally undertaken over a one semester period and has been developed to enable a student to gain real-world practical experience to enhance their employability and academic learning. Students will receive preparatory sessions to enable them to apply to internship opportunities, which normally include:

Vocational internships with external organisations based offsite
Research or development internships based on campus
Employer-led internships based on campus
Students will undertake an appropriate advanced practice opportunity to meet their skill set and aspirations, related to their course.

All students will be assigned an academic supervisor to provide academic and pastoral support throughout their internship. Students will be assessed through a reflective report on a pass/fail basis. This module does not count towards the overall classification of the degree.

You are introduced to the theorem, principles and techniques of data acquisition and digital processing including sampling, digital signal analysis in time and frequency domains. You also focus on the impact of digital technologies on the design of modern industrial measurement systems. The industrial software for measurement systems will also be introduced with a series of real measurement applications.

You develop your knowledge of digital circuit analysis and design as well as an understanding of digital control circuits/systems design methodology and implementation technology. You study a range of methods such as top-down design method, design automation framework and tools, VHDL modelling and rapid prototyping. You gain a technical competence and an appreciation of the capabilities and limitations of modern digital control circuits/systems design and implementation. You study through a series of lectures and labs, that are used to explain theory and discuss applications. Practical sessions involve the use of design tools, modelling of digital components and systems, circuit simulation and implementation.

This module explores the circuit technologies required to make sensitive and precise measurements. Such systems form the signal-conditioning stages of most industrial, commercial and scientific equipment and have to present the raw signal from the sensor in a suitable format for digital signal processing.

You investigate an area of engineering and work independently to a level recognised to be at the forefront of the discipline. The topic can be in the form of a research project or a design project. Key skills in research and in knowledge application and creation will be developed through keynote lectures and self-managed independent study. You are required to demonstrate the capacity for a comprehensive and objective analysis, and for developing innovative and constructive proposals for the solution to the project topic.

This module develops, from first principles, the methods and techniques associated with system identification. The module shows how these techniques can be used in the formulation of adaptive and model based Control schemes. Finally, the practical implementation of these control schemes is considered.

The module is delivered through a series of weekly lectures. These are used to explain theory and to discuss applications. Practical sessions supported by MatLab and SimuLink are used to reinforce the lecture material and provide an opportunity to develop the required practical skills.

The module is assessed through a combination of in-course assignment and a computer based end examination using MatLab and SimuLink.

In this module the robust control problem is discussed. The module describes the QFT approach to robust control and how to apply this to typical engineering problems. You then discuss the use of expert systems/fuzzy logic solutions as an alternative. The module is delivered through a series of weekly lectures. These are used to explain theory and to discuss applications. Practical sessions supported by MatLab and SimuLink are used to reinforce the lecture material and provide an opportunity to develop the required practical skills. The module is assessed through a combination of in-course assignment and a computer based end examination using MatLab and SimuLink.

You will investigate how the role of the engineer is becoming more focused on serving society as well as industry and to recognise the impact of engineers’ decisions on society and the environment.

As engineers of the future, you will need to have a sustainable worldview, acknowledging international, cultural, and diversity issues in society. In addition, you will also be expected to solve complex problems with consideration for multi-perspective views, long-term effects, risk, and the impacts of decisions on society.

This module will examine the key topics surrounding sustainability in the context of engineering applications across a range of disciplines and key future challenges such as energy, transport, and construction.

The subjects will be taught through a combination of lectures and seminars. Lectures will develop key concepts and knowledge. Seminars will allow more focused examinations of important issues and approaches.