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Postgraduate Open Day
Find out more about your course of interest, speak with our academics and discover the opportunities that further study has to offer at our Postgraduate Open Day.
Our next Postgraduate Open Day will be on Saturday 23 November 2024 from 11.00 - 15.00. We offer a range of discounts to help with travel costs.
Visit Herts to learn about:
- Your chosen course: Speak to our friendly teaching staff about courses, module content and delivery methods
- Employment prospects: Understand work placement opportunities, industry connections, and course accreditations
- Support services: Get all the information you need about admissions, accommodation and student finance
- Life at Herts: Hear from our students about their postgrad student experience at Herts
- Explore: Discover our campuses, facilities and accommodation
Book your open day below.
MSc Automotive Engineering with Extended Professional Practice
Why choose Herts?
- Excellent reputation: Every Formula One racing team includes a University of Hertfordshire Automotive Engineering graduate.
- Employment prospects: Our students have worked for organisations including McLaren, Ferrari, and Mercedes.
- Industry connections: Benefit from our long-established links with organisations including BMW, Nissan, and McLaren who support with work placements and attend careers fairs or practical workshops.
Alumni Stories
Katie Dobson
Meet Katie Dobson who is working for the Williams Formula 1 team
Current job role | Aerodynamic Design Engineer |
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Year of graduation | 2017 |
Course of study | MEng (Hons) Automotive Engineering with Motorsport |
Katie knew that she wanted to pursue a career in Motor Sport and saw the course at Herts as the perfect pathway to follow her dream.
She is currently an Aerodynamic Design Engineer with the Williams Formula 1 team and explains a bit more about her role and what it entails, ‘I was lucky enough to join Williams F1 as a Junior Aerodynamic Design engineer after completing my MEng in Automotive Engineering with Motorsport at Herts.
My role involves designing mechanical and aerodynamic components for the wind tunnel. I lead the research and development for the wind tunnel front wing design and work closely with the aerodynamicists to improve design concepts and make wind tunnel tests as streamlined as possible.’
Working in Formula 1
Katie really enjoys the challenge of the role and the industry which is fast-paced on all fronts.
‘Working in Formula 1 is very enjoyable and very rewarding when you see results on the track. Seeing Williams back on the podium and scoring points again in 2021 were particular highlights.
I also enjoy the fast-paced environment and continual research and development required to keep up with technology and rules changes.’.
Why Herts
Katie chose to study at Herts because she was impressed with the large range of studies provided by the Engineering department and the range of facilities which provided crucial hands-on experience to work in industry. She adds, ‘I was particularly impressed with the extra-curricular groups and studies provided by Herts such as the Formula Student team.’
When she talks about the best part of her course she says, ‘It was being able to apply what I had learnt during my A-Levels to further my knowledge of engineering and the knowledge and enthusiasm my lecturers had to further my studies.'
Formula Student
Knowing that hands on practical experience is so important in the industry Katie became a member of the successful Formula Student team at Herts. She is certain that it helped when it came to her career and says, 'Participating in Formula Student particularly aided my ability to gain my current role in industry.
It was able to provide me with this expertise and allow me to broaden my field of study outside of the classroom or lecture hall.’
Favourite memories
Unsurprisingly Katie’s best memories revolve around her experience with the Formula Student Team and the success on and off the track.
‘My favourite memories at Herts were the times spent designing and manufacturing UH19 and UH20 with great friends. My favourite of them being completing at FSUK, FS Czech and FS Germany with the most successful UH FS car of all time as well as winning design at both the UK and Czech competitions.’
The future
Katie has set her sights high when it comes to the future and what it could bring. ‘My future plans are to advance my career further in motorsport, and to hopefully win a Drivers and Constructors Championship in F1.’
Find out more about the Formula Student Team
If you have a great story like Katie's, please contact us!
Alumni Stories
Lee Stretch
Meet Lee Stretch who has achieved great success in motorsport engineering since graduating in 2011. He currently works as a Vehicles Dynamic Engineer for Ferrari's Formula One team.
Current job role | Vehicles Dynamic Engineer |
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Year of graduation | 2011 |
Course of study | MEng (Hons) Automotive Engineering with Motorsport |
Facilities and experience
Lee made his decision to study at the University of Hertfordshire when he attended an open day, which included a visit to the Formula Student automotive workshop. 'The students had designed and built a single seat racing car which they raced against other universities. It blew me away!' His love of Formula Student became the catalyst for where he is today.
Lee felt the course itself was well rounded, covering all aspects of engineering, with a focus on design, which he enjoyed. Crucial moments of Lee's studies, from submitting his final year project, to designing a racing car in parallel with his full-time sandwich year job, taught him what is possible with determination, and a deadline.
This culminated in second place at Formula Student Germany - the best result ever for a UK team. 'Without these experiences, perhaps I wouldn't have had the guts to move to Italy.' He says, 'I've applied so many of the topics I studied at Herts to my career at Formula One. I regularly find myself reaching for my student notes from five years ago!'
Exciting career
After graduating, Lee worked with Mercedes GP as a Performance Simulation Engineer where he worked with some of the most sophisticated lap simulation tools in the industry. 'It was a very hard three years at Mercedes but equally rewarding, with the 2014 World Championship being the icing on the cake.'
Lee's passion and commitment was recognised by the only other team that he would have considered moving to - Ferrari. Lee moved to Italy and spent time learning Italian. After only six months in the role, he had contributed to the next year's cooling system, and developed the team's lap simulation tools.
Despite working in a relatively specialised group of vehicle performance, Lee's role demanded sound mechanical understanding, thermodynamics, practical design considerations and even pure mathematics in simulation. 'Communication is paramount, so all the report writing, presentation and team working skills necessary in the final two years of my degree have proved hugely beneficial.'
Since then, Lee has decided he wants to explore something new. He says, ‘Haas F1 offered me an opportunity to lead an Advanced Simulation team, harnessing my experience to expand the capabilities of their Vehicle Science Group. I'm now creating specialised tools for studying car performance and being fully prepared for the new 2026 regulations.’
Professional Accreditations
The MSc Automotive Engineering course is accredited by IMechE and is accredited as meeting the further learning requirement for Chartered Engineer (CEng) registration for the cohort intakes from 2023 up to and including, the 2025 intake.
About the course
This MSc in Automotive Engineering is specifically designed to enhance the employment and promotional opportunities of graduates in mechanical and automotive engineering. The programme considers in depth key areas of automotive technology. Its integrated design covers both the technical and management aspects of the motor industry. The programme aims to:
- equip you with the theory and the practice of relevant materials, technologies and analytical tools to provide solutions for automotive design and manufacturing problems
- provide the opportunity for you to use creativity and innovation in the application of technology to the development of the automobile
- focus on the links between vehicle programmes and the supporting skills of project management
- develop your skills and application experience through case studies and project work
- enhance your prospects of professional employment within the industry.
The programme offers two award routes that you can choose to study:
- Two years full-time MSc Automotive Engineering with Extended Professional Practice (September entry)
- Two years full-time MSc Automotive Engineering with Advanced Project (September entry)
The Extended Professional Practice award provides you with the opportunity of a placement, working in a relevant engineering environment to further develop the knowledge and skills you gain from the taught modules. The placement takes place during the first two semesters of the second year of enrolment, after which you’ll return to complete your MSc Individual Project. It's up to you to secure a suitable placement, although the Careers and Employment service is here to support you throughout the process.
Why choose this course?
- The University has been running automotive degree courses for almost 40 years and is very well-established within the automotive industry.
- We have some 250 undergraduate and postgraduate students reading automotive engineering so are one of the largest providers of automotive engineering degree courses in the UK.
- We have excellent facilities in automotive engineering technology including in-house engine dyno facilities, a rolling road, a four poster shaker rig and a Cruden driver in the loop vehicle simulator
- 7th for engineering and technology in the Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey (PTES, 2024).
- During your placement year, you'll gain hands-on industrial experience, applying the skills learned during your studies.
What will I study?
The industrial placement award offers the opportunity for you to undertake a period of industrial placement, and so develop your understanding and skills within a professional environment. This award requires the successful completion of at least 30 weeks full-time equivalent placement activity from a maximum of two separate approved placement, neither of which will be normally less than 12 weeks. The Careers and Employment service will actively support you in the placement process, however, the responsibility of securing a suitable placement lies with you. Ultimately, the placement company will select students usually through an interview process.
What will I study?
The School of Physics, Engineering and Computer Science has a reputation for innovation in teaching and learning, where nearly all MSc modules are delivered through a combination of traditional face-to-face teaching and backup tutorials using the University's Canvas web based facility. Canvas allows students to access electronic teaching and learning resources, and conduct electronic discussions with staff and other students. A heavy emphasis is placed on theory and practice, and the School also has a policy of using industrial standard software wherever possible and operates an open access laboratory, and computer policy, that will help students complete coursework and assignments, at a scheduled pace and on time.
Where will I study?
Learn in Spectra, our new state-of-the-art School of Physics, Engineering and Computer Science building, now open, featuring interactive learning zones. Access modeling, simulation, and research labs, our Merlin Flight Simulator, automotive workshop (including electric vehicle facility), wind tunnel, welding bay, and controls testing suite.
Benefit from our Academic Support Hub, designed to enhance your employability and academic skills. Connect with industry mentors offering pastoral support, career guidance, and progression opportunities.
Spectra provides collaborative spaces, including workshops, social areas, and meeting rooms. Designed with the University’s net-zero carbon target in mind, it’s part of our commitment to replacing inefficient older sites.
Further course information
Course fact sheets | |
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MSc Automotive Engineering - Extended | Download |
Programme specifications | |
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MSc Automotive Engineering - Extended | Download |
Additional information | |
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Sandwich placement or study abroad year |
n/a |
Applications open to international and EU students |
Yes |