Understand how complex products and services undertake tasks that pose a risk to human lives, and become a leader in keeping people safe.
2018/19 entry
1 year full-time,
2 years part-time,
3 years part-time
September 2018 (term dates)
Chat with staff and students to find out more about postgraduate study at York.
Register nowThis course will provide you with the educational background required to become a leader in the field of safety critical systems engineering, whether you are currently a practising - or aspiring - professional in this area.
Products and services are taking on more authority over activities that have the capability to pose a risk to human lives. System safety professionals address a web of interlinked contributing factors to assess the safety of these products or services.
This course will equip you to understand the contribution technology, humans and organisations make to product and service safety. You'll learn how to articulate how and why you believe these aspects have been addressed. You will also learn how to discuss the level of confidence it is possible to have in the mitigation and assurance processes undertaken throughout a product or services lifecycle.
Throughout the duration of the course you will increase your skills in systematic thinking about all these issues. You will be challenged to consider the ethical characteristics of the activities you undertake and decisions you make to ensure that you are able to act professionally and competently. You will have the opportunity to assess a range of scenarios addressing multiple aspects of systems, services, and associated processes, across multiple domains and the lifecycle. We will take you out of your experience base to challenge your existing knowledge, skills and behaviours.
The course employs the extensive research and industrial experience of the developers of the work packages you will address. It brings together safety professionals from many different domains (aerospace, military, automotive, railway, nuclear) to ensure your learning is as varied and as comprehensive as possible.
The MSc in Safety Critical Systems Engineering is highly flexible. We even offer the opportunity for you to undertake taster modules before registering for the full programme. In addition, we offer a Postgraduate Certificate or Postgraduate Diploma route through the course, and the ability to transfer between routes. This means that you can pick the best course for you depending on your circumstances and commitments.
This course is also available as a PGDip in Safety Critical Systems Engineering or a PGCert in Systems Safety Engineering.
When you are awarded the MSc in Safety Critical Systems Engineering, you will automatically meet some of the conditions for professional engineering status in the UK. This course is recognised by the BCS, the Chartered Institute for IT, in partial fulfilment of the educational requirement for Chartered Engineer (CEng) registration. It is also recognised by the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) for the purposes of partial fulfilment of the educational requirement for CEng registration.
97% of our students achieve employment or go on to further study within six months of graduating.
In the Times Higher Education's assessment of the 2014 REF, our research ranked 7th overall in the UK, 5th for impact and 6th for environment.
Our staff are at the cutting edge of their fields and we maintain strong links with industry.
The course can be taken on a full or part time basis. If you wish to take the course part-time, you can do this over two or three years, meaning it is very flexible and can easily fit in around work commitments.
Each 10 credit module will require you to attend university for five days. You will undertake intensive teaching sessions based on lectures, case-studies and exercises.
There are 90 credits of taught modules in total throughout the course (both full and part-time options). There is a high degree of flexibility in the order in which you may take the modules. This helps part-time students to fit their study around their professional activities.
If you are taking the course part-time, you will also take 30 credits of critical evaluation, and 60 credits as part of your final project.
If you take the course full-time you will take 90 credits as part of your final project.
The core modules include:
The optional modules include:
Please note, modules may change to reflect the latest academic thinking and expertise of our staff.
Your final project and critical evaluation form part of the independent study module. Critical evaluation is a literature review of around 25 pages in length. The final project is another paper of around 45 pages in length. You will have the opportunity to pick a project from a list of titles of specialisms within the Department, or you can define a title yourself, in agreement with an academic.
You will be given a personal supervisor during this project. If you are taking the course part-time, you'll need to come to York for one week over the six months the critical evaluation takes and two weeks over the one year of the final project. You can also Skype or telephone your supervisor at agreed times if you are based outside of the UK.
Recent examples of projects undertaken include:
Every course at York is built on a distinctive set of learning outcomes. These will give you a clear understanding of what you will be able to accomplish at the end of the course and help you explain what you can offer employers. Our academics identify the knowledge, skills, and experiences you'll need upon graduation and then design the course to get you there. Find out more about our approach to teaching and learning.
| Study mode | UK/EU | International |
|---|---|---|
| Part-time (2 years) Fees for subsequent years are subject to confirmation. | £10,230 year 1 fee | £10,450 year 1 fee |
| Full-time (1 year) | £20,460 | £20,910 |
| Part-time (3 years) Fees for subsequent years are subject to confirmation. | £6,820 year 1 fee | £6,970 year 1 fee |
For courses which are longer than one year, the tuition fees quoted are for the first year of study. Fees for subsequent years are subject to increase (no more than 2% each year).
Text books and resources will be available to you through the University of York library and all course materials are provided. Lunch is provided Monday to Thursday of teaching weeks and refreshments throughout the teaching week as well. You will need to arrange and pay for your own accommodation and travel to York for the teaching weeks and costs associated with this will vary depending on your location and the standard of accommodation you book.
UK/EU or international fees? The level of fee that you will be asked to pay depends on whether you're classed as a UK/EU or international student.
Discover your funding options to help with tuition fees and living costs.
If you've successfully completed an undergraduate degree at York you could be eligible for a 10% Masters fee discount.
You can use our living costs guide to help plan your budget. It covers accommodation costs and estimated social costs.
The vast majority of people who undertake this course are already working in industrial fields such as aeronautical engineering, marine engineering, naval and military fields, automotive applications, gas and electric services engineers. Undertaking this course will equip you to progress within these fields.
You’ll work with world‐leading academics who’ll challenge you to think independently and excel in all that you do. Our approach to teaching will provide you with the knowledge, opportunities, and support you need to grow and succeed in a global workplace. Find out more about our approach to teaching and learning.
The course is taught through a variety of lectures, seminars and case study exercises undertaken in small groups of around six.
The Department of Computer Science is based on Campus East. Teaching takes place in the specialist CPD suite in the Ron Cooke Hub, also on Campus East. This includes a large seminar room and break out rooms, seating area and refreshment facilities.
Our beautiful green campus offers a student-friendly setting in which to live and study, within easy reach of the action in the city centre. It's easy to get around campus - everything is within walking or pedalling distance, or you can always use the fast and frequent bus service.
Each module has an open assessment associated. This means that you undertake the assessment in your own time away from the University. This open assessment, and any associated work packages, is designed to consolidate and further deepen your knowledge, skills and approaches to the subject matter covered in the module. Of course, it is also designed to assess your progress.
| Qualification | Grade |
|---|---|
| Degree | Typically you will have achieved a first degree in a numerate, technical discipline. This course is specifically directed at those with several years of industrial experience. If you do not have a first degree but instead have relevant industrial experience, your application will be considered on a case by case basis. |
| Other qualifications |
If English isn't your first language you may need to provide evidence of your English language ability. For further details of the requirements please see our Postgraduate courses information.
You can apply and send all your documentation electronically through our online system. You don’t need to complete your application all at once: you can start it, save it and finish it later.
We offer a range of campus accommodation to suit you and your budget, from economy to deluxe.
Explore campus and city life and hear what our current students have to say about living here.
Lively, full of culture and beautiful, York is regularly voted one of the best places to live and visit in the UK.
