About Motorsport Engineering Meng/beng (hons) in Coventry University

With sales of £9 billion in the UK alone, the motorsport industry is a dynamic, highly competitive industry reliant on the skill and expertise of engineers to optimise all aspects of the design, build and testing of racing cars and bikes.

Accredited by the Institute of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE), this integrated Master’s course responds to the demand for motorsport engineers with strong analytical and problem solving skills to ensure the industry remains at the cutting edge of innovation.

With extensive links to well-known automotive companies like Jaguar Land Rover and Lotus, Coventry University has a long and prestigious automotive, transport and engineering heritage.

Why Coventry University?

An award-winning university, we are committed to providing our students with the best possible experience. We continue to invest in both our facilities and our innovative approach to education. Our students benefit from industry-relevant teaching, and resources and support designed to help them succeed. These range from our modern library and computing facilities to dedicated careers advice and our impressive Students’ Union activities.

Course information

Motorsport engineers can work on the design, testing and production of performance vehicles or become part of a racing team responsible for improving performance before, during and after a race.

This course aims to further your analytical skills and knowledge of the fundamental scientific and managerial concepts of engineering required to carry out a comprehensive range of mechanically related tasks, in areas such as stress, temperature, kinematics and dynamics.

In the first year, you will have the opportunity to study subjects that have been designed to broaden your perspective and understanding of the underlying engineering principles to bring you to a level where the detailed work in motorsport can be studied.

You will then have the chance to specialise in performance engineering, covering design for performance, construction and operation of competition vehicles, alongside related aspects of materials science, aerodynamics, structural analysis, vehicle systems. We also aim to provide you with a sound understanding of the commercial context of motorsport engineering, together with the commercial and technical risks associated with innovation. The Formula project provides an all-round experience – from undertaking full cost analysis and producing the business and manufacturing case to designing a vehicle and planning a limited production run. Working to a set of international rules with fixed delivery targets and deadlines, you gain practical experience in planning, executing and reporting on a motorsport project. You will also have the opportunity to improve your digital literacy by submitting CAD models, technical drawings, design posters, as well as a couple of technical reports on their designs.

Throughout your study of this course, you should be able to develop an awareness of the wider responsibilities to society, especially in terms of issues relating to ethics, health, safety and sustainability. We will share the corporate context of engineering, alongside the commercial and technical risks associated with innovation, enabling you to deal with new and unusual challenges in automotive engineering.

You will have the opportunity to participate in individual and group projects in the final year that can be selected according to your personal interests or future aspiration. Group projects have involved JLR, TEREX, Formula Student, Shell Eco Marathon and Horiba MIRA. Recent individual projects have included: an examination of linear motor implementation for rear active steering in our Formula Student vehicle; modelling and simulation of active suspension systems with preview, using Simpack; improving air flow through engine inlet air boxes; and optimisation of an automotive component design and manufacturing cycle using latest generation CAE solutions and 3D printing.

We will encourage you to use imagination and creativity to provide innovative solutions, so that you graduate with a set of skills that will enable you to progress rapidly to positions of responsibility providing technical, managerial and entrepreneurial leadership in specialist or interdisciplinary projects.

Career prospects

Fully accredited by the IMechE, the course is as such recognised in industry, providing credibility of the technical standard of our graduates among employers, thus improving your career prospects.

Industry-related projects should give you a feel of what the demands and expectations will be in the workplace, as well as enabling you to practice and apply your skills to real motorsport engineering projects. You will also have the opportunity to gain practical, hands-on experience in preparing, running and analysing results from experimental testing and numerical analysis.

Careers options include becoming a race mechanic or race engineer or roles as a manufacturing assistant engineer, composites laminator, design engineer, dimensional management engineer or operations manager in motorsport engineering or related industries.

This degree meets an identified need for graduate level professionals to work in specialist areas such as vehicle/component design, powertrain and chassis development and testing, as well as supervisory and business roles. Our graduates have secured positions with teams such as Red Bull, Williams, Ducati, Triumph, Pilbeam Racing, McLaren and Prodrive.

When you are ready to find permanent employment, you can also receive support from our award-winning Faculty careers service, EEC Futures, which won the ‘Best Placement Service in the UK’ award at the National Undergraduate Employability Awards in 2015 and 2016.

Coventry University is committed to preparing you for your future career and giving you a competitive edge in the graduate job market. The University’s Careers and Employability team provide a wide range of support services to help you plan and prepare for your career.

90% of our graduates are in work or further study six months after the course

Where our graduates work

Some recent student placements include: Honda, in new product introduction; Aston Martin, in special vehicle projects data acquisition; NP Aerospace, working on the new range of military vehicles; Eaton Trucks, in gearbox design; McLaren Automotive, in software test and evaluation; BMW, in vehicle trim and materials; and Cummins Engines, on engine development and build.

Our International Student Hub offers information on entry requirements for your country, as well as contact details for agents and representatives should you need more advice.

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