MSc Ship & Offshore Structures
ApplyKey facts
- Start date: January & September
- Accreditation: RINA / IMarEST
- Study mode and duration: MSc: 12 months full-time
1st in Europe & 3rd in the world for Marine/Ocean Engineering (Shanghai Rankings Academic Ranking 2022)
Study with us
- learn about the factors influencing the dynamic behaviour of offshore institutions
- designed for graduate engineers in naval architecture, offshore engineering, mechanical engineering and other related disciplines
Why this course?
This course was developed in response to the demand for design engineers who can design and assess new ships and offshore structures.
You'll be introduced to ultimate strength, fatigue and design concepts for structural components of ships and offshore floating systems. You'll also gain the knowledge of material behaviour together with factors influencing the dynamic behaviour of offshore installations.
The Department of Naval Architecture, Ocean & Marine Engineering (NAOME), a leading institution in Scotland, offers excellent teaching and research facilities, which will expand your career opportunities in naval architecture, marine, offshore oil and gas industries.
What you’ll study
The programme consists of three components:
- instructional modules
- group project
- individual project
Group project
You’ll be part of a group of three to five people in ‘consultant teams’ for 10 weeks addressing a practical engineering problem. You’ll present the report to a panel of industrial experts.
This project will enhance your team working and communication skills. It also provides valuable access to industrial contacts.
It'll give you a good understanding of all aspects of research work. In addition, the technological study must be accompanied by a survey of the relevance and applicability of the findings to the maritime industries at large.
You'll learn efficient ways to gather information, to distribute workload and to delegate amongst the group, to analyse their results and to appreciate the broader implications of the whole project. In-depth technological studies will be accompanied by increasingly important competence in managerial skills, quality assurance and a sound appreciation of the economic, political, social and environmental issues crucial to professional success.
Individual project (MSc only)
MSc students will take on an individual dissertation on a topic of their own interest. The aim of the individual project is to develop your research skills and to combine many of the aspects learned from other modules within a specific topic. This will be achieved by you carrying out work into a particular topic relating to your chosen theme and preparing a dissertation.
Facilities
We have excellent teaching facilities including:
- Our departmental racing yacht, Catalina
- Kelvin Hydrodynamics Lab – the largest ship-model experiment tank in any UK university
- Towing/wave tank exclusively for teaching purposes
- Marine engine laboratory
- Cutting-edge computer facilities
- Industry standard software
Accreditation
This course is accredited by the Royal Institution of Naval Architects (RINA) and the Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology, (IMarEST) on behalf of the UK Engineering Council.
Course content
A typical selection of modules offered on the programme are outlined below. Please note that these may be subject to change.
Offshore Structural Integrity
This module aims to provide:
- principles and methodologies to analyse and evaluate pertinent issues concerning the use of engineering materials and structural integrity in the marine environment
- practical tools for considering structural integrity and structural fitness-for-service problems throughout the design life cycle in the marine environment
The module will teach the following:
1. Introduction:
- Structural design philosophies
- In service failure modes (fracture, fatigue, creep and corrosion) (overview)
- Application of materials testing (tools of failure analysis)
- Methodologies of materials and process selection
2. Materials specification and sourcing:
- Metallic materials (Steels, Aluminium, and Metal Matrix Composite (MMC))
- Mechanical properties, manufacturing methods, deformation and materials forming, standards and Industrial applications
- Composite (Polymer Matrix Composite (PMC))
- Composite materials in offshore structure
3. Joining and welding:
- Advanced manufacturing process
- Joining and Welding in metals and composites
- Residual stress: origins and measurement of residual stress in Metallic and Composite component
4. Fracture mechanics:
- Stress analysis of cracks
- Fracture toughness
- Connecting the fracture theories, critical crack sizes (ductile vs brittle) & NDE
- Limitations of LEFM, Crack Tip Plasticity
- Mixed-mode fracture problems, KIc testing
- Elastic-plastic fracture mechanics (EPFM), J-Integral, JIc testing, Application Case Studies
- Fractography
5. Fatigue:
- Fatigue life analysis
- Stress-Life and how to develop and use S-N curve
- Cyclic stress/strain behaviour leading to hardening or softening (microstructure origins)
- Fatigue crack initiation, damage tolerant lifetime
- Corrosion fatigue
- Notch effects on fatigue, fatigue crack growth testing
- Fatigue fractography case studies
6. Corrosion:
- Corrosion prevention and mitigation
- Embrittlement mechanisms
- Environmentally assisted crack growth
7. Creep and stress rupture:
- Time-dependent mechanical behaviour
- Mechanisms of creep deformation
- Structural changes during creep
- Creep-fatigue interaction
- Creep under combined stresses
8. Nondestructive evaluation:
- Introduction to methods for determining the presence of defects and their size
- Structural health monitoring
- Inspection reliability
- Defect and remaining life assessment
On completion of the module, you're expected to be able to:
- show a systematic understanding of structural integrity and fitness-for-service issues
- demonstrate an in-depth awareness of the current practice and its limitations in aspects of structural integrity
- develop a critical and analytical approach towards the engineering aspects of structural integrity
- be able to confidently assess the applicability of the tools of structural integrity to new problems and apply them appropriately
Assessment and feedback are in the form of coursework.
Systems Availability & Maintenance
This module aims to provide you with an insight into the qualitative and quantitative systems’ reliability techniques as well as maintenance methodologies with particular emphasis to the maritime industry. The module will give you the ability to formulate, solve, report and present a comprehensive maintenance strategy based on the application of reliability and criticality analysis and assessment tools. The module will also provide you with an insight of the day-to-day operations of ships as well as explore and present features related to ships dry-dockings, inspection, repair and maintenance scheduling, regulatory regime as well as practical case studies on the above.
This module covers:
- introduction to reliability and maintenance (definition of reliability, hazard, risk, maintenance, maintainability, criticality, availability, etc)
- reliability tools (qualitative and quantitative like FMEA, FMECA, FTA, ETA, BBNs, Markov Analysis, HAZOP, HAZID, etc)
- risk and criticality matrices
- corrective, preventive, predictive, condition-based maintenance
- Total Productive Maintenance (TPM), Reliability Centered Maintenance (RCM), Risk Based Inspection (RBI) methods. Condition Monitoring (ConMon) tool, Planned Maintenance Systems PMS, Computerised Maintenance Management Systems (CMMS)
- case studies/applications regarding machinery and hull structure of ships
- regulatory regime in relation to ship operations and maintenance (IMO, IACS, OCIMF, HSE-Safety case/ALARP, etc.)
- research and applications in the maritime sector (i.e. FSA, GBS, TMSA, KPIs etc.)
- preparation for dry-dockings, inspection, maintenance and repairs of ships and offshore structures, quotation lists, etc.
- assessment of ship operational case studies
- seminars/lectures from invited experts (maintenance/condition monitoring experts, ship managers/operators to give seminars on planned maintenance/dry-docking planning, day-to-day ship operations)
At the end of this module you'll be:
- able to understand and apply various reliability software tools, concepts and strategies with application to the maritime/marine industry
- aware of the different maintenance methodologies and their application in the maritime field and carry out maintenance strategy case studies
Assessment and feedback are in the form of the submission of one coursework assignment related to reliability and criticality analysis tools and a final exam associated to the above topics.
Finite Element Analysis of Floating Structures
This module aims to provide you with a theoretical and practical knowledge of the finite element method and the skills required to analyse marine structures with ANSYS graphical user interface (GUI).
This module covers:
- introduction to finite element analysis and ANSYS GUI
- truss elements and applications
- solid elements and applications
- beam elements and applications
- plane stress, plane strain and axisymmetry concepts
- plane elements and applications
- plate & shell elements and applications
- assembly process and constructing of the global stiffness matrix
At the end of this module you'll be able to:
- understand the basics of finite element analysis
- understand how to perform finite element analysis by using a commercial finite element software
- understand specifying necessary input parameters for the analysis
- understand how to visualize and evaluate the results
There is one exam and one coursework assignment. The exam is during the exam period of the first semester. Exam has a weight of 70% and coursework assignment has a weight of 30%.
Advanced Marine Structures
This module aims to provide you with an understanding of the response of surface ships, at both a global and a local level. Structural analysis and design will both be discussed.
This module will teach the following:
- introduction to ship structures and structural design principles
- loads acting on ship structures
- longitudinal strength of surface ships
- analysis and design of columns and beam-columns
- analysis and design of un-stiffened and stiffened plated structures
- design of hull girder mid-ship section components from first principles
On completion of this module, you'll have gained:
- an understanding of the nature of ship hull structures, the role of various components and ship structural design issues
- an understanding of load action and its effects at a local and a global level
- an understanding of how to analyse the global response of surface ships
- an understanding of the basics of ship hull girder analysis at a local level
- an understanding of a systematic ship structural design procedure at a global level
Assessment and feedback are in the form of a two-hour exam. You need to gain an overall mark of 50% to pass the module.
Theory & Practice of Marine Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD)
This module aims to introduce you to the theoretical background of marine CFD using the finite volume method. It also aims to illustrate the key ideas related to discretisation and solution of the fluid flow governing equations for incompressible flows. This module also aims to discuss some key issues related to the use of CFD packages in practical applications
This module covers:
- briefing of basic CFD procedure
- introduce fluid flow governing equations and their simplified forms
- introduce CFD mesh generation
- discretisation of governing equations and boundary conditions
- introduce temporal discretisation
- the solution of discretised equations
- CFD software package use
At the end of this module you'll be able to:
- be familiar with the basis for the key equations of CFD for incompressible flow in finite volume form
- understand in principle how these equations may be discretised and solved numerically
- apply commercial CFD package to simple two-dimensional engineering problem
Assessments are in the form of exam.
Design & Construction of Floating, Production, Storage & Offloading Vessels
This module aims to introduce the shipbuilding technologies and equipment used in the construction of FPSO vessels. It will also provide an introduction to the ship design process as applied to FPSO vessels.
This module will teach the following:
FPSO Construction:
- overview of facilities for shipbuilding
- the shipbuilding process including the integration of hull construction, outfitting and painting
- the role of product definition
FPSO Design:
- functional requirements and design drivers
- typical layouts and sizes
- hullform and marine system arrangements
- platform-topsides interfaces
- comparison of new-build and conversion approaches
- design process and schedules
On completion of the module the you're expected to be able to:
- understand the technologies and processes involved in constructing FPSO vessels
- appreciate the interaction between design and construction of FPSO vessels, especially in relation to conversions
- understand the relationships between functional requirements and design solutions for FPSO vessels
- demonstrate their awareness of the importance of marine systems and the platform-topsides interface in a successful solution
Assessment and feedback are in the form of coursework. You'll carry out the coursework in groups using the knowledge taught during lectures and tutorials and by referring to the other literature resources.
Dynamics of Fixed & Floating Offshore Structure
The module will teach the overview of basic design concepts:
- environmental design considerations
- wave, wind and current induced motions and loads
- second-order wave induced forces and response of floating and compliant structures
- soil-structure interaction
- mooring design and analysis
- riser system selection
The module should:
- provide knowledge in order to understand the factors influencing the dynamic behaviour fixed and floating offshore structures due to environmental forces
- develop skills in order to predict the dynamic motion response of floating offshore platforms
- develop skills in order to design foundations fixed gravity and jacket typed offshore platforms
- develop skills in order to design and analysis of mooring systems
- develop skills in order to select riser systems
On completion of the module the student is expected to be able to:
- predict the environmental forces and resulting motions of semi-submersibles, floating production, storage and offloading systems, tension leg platforms, SPAR buoys and fixed lattice and gravity type platforms
- determine the soil-structure interaction for the design of a foundation for a gravity base structure
- predict the restoring forces acting on floating platforms due to mooring systems
- select and an appropriate riser system for a given floating or fixed offshore oil and gas platform
Group Design Project
The overall aim of the module is to provide you with an enriched experience in the selection, conceptualisation and designing of a novel vessel or an offshore asset. The group projects will also include a thorough market review, concept and focused design studies and techno-economic analysis in a simulated design project environment. It will also provide you with an opportunity to present their project outputs to a panel involving academic/industry staff.
This module covers:
- development of a broad but nevertheless critical review of prospects for techno-economic growth in maritime related activities in a particular context/area of the world
- proposal and evaluation of specific design-related activities with a view to developing a design project to a concept level but with substantial calculations in at least one design objective
- demonstration of analytical ability and understanding of engineering principles and problem-solving techniques, creativity and self-reflection
- the ability to present and defend the design choices to a panel.
At the end of this module you'll be able to:
- identify and prioritize the key-design issues along with their basic interrelations in the context of naval architecture
- materialize a design project according to a given timeline through design steps along the key-design-issues priority path
- work efficiently and openly in a collaborative context involving different cultures and expertise
- choose at each design step the proper rationally-based computation methods
Assessment and feedback are in the form of either design report or presentation. There will be five tasks: each task may include the submission of a design report or an oral presentation followed by questions from the lecturers and the advisory groups.
Risk & Reliability Engineering
This module aims to introduce the principles of risk management and reliability engineering and solve relevant engineering problems through widely applied methods and tools.
The module will teach the following:
- Introduction and Fundamentals of Risk and Reliability Engineering
- Risk Management Process
- Statistics, Probabilities and Mathematics for Risk Analysis
- Failure mode, effects, and criticality analysis (FMEA/FMECA)
- Hazard and operability study (HAZOP) Analysis
- Qualitative Reliability Analysis (FTA/ETA)
- Systems modelling using Reliability Block Diagrams
- Quantitative Reliability Analysis, Introduction to MCS
- Risk Control and Decision Support Systems, Failure Consequences
- Insurance and Certification of Engineering Applications
On completion of the module you're expected to be able to:
- demonstrate a systematic knowledge of the fundamentals of risk management and reliability engineering and a critical awareness of their application on relevant engineering problems
- evaluate and select appropriate techniques for risk analysis (qualitative and quantitative), failure consequences assessment, and methods for control/mitigation through decision support systems and other relevant methods/tools
- develop a critical and analytical approach to the collection and stochastic modelling of data in the application of stochastic modelling
- demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of the development and use of commonly used methods and standards related to asset integrity management (including Reliability-Centred Maintenance and Risk-based Inspection)
Assessment will be in the form of a one-hour closed-book oral exam.
Renewable Marine Energy Systems
This module aims to provide students with principles and methodologies to analyse and evaluate the marine renewable energy sources potential. It also aims to provide students with principles and methodologies to analyse and compare the main offshore wind, wave, and tidal systems available.
This module covers:
- introduction to marine renewable energy systems: context, trends, basic concepts
- offshore wind energy resource characterisation and analysis
- wave energy resource characterisation and analysis
- tidal energy resource characterisation and analysis
- marine Renewable Energy Systems economics: an introduction
- offshore wind turbines: main technologies and modelling approaches
- wave energy converters: main technologies and modelling approaches
At the end of this module students will be able to:
- analyse the potential of the main marine renewable energy sources (offshore wind, wave, and tidal)
- classify and compare, from a techno-economic point of view, the main offshore wind, wave, and tidal energy systems
- propose a preliminary design of a marine renewable energy system for a given geographical area
- discuss on the main challenges of the experimental testing of marine renewable energy systems
- demonstrate an awareness of the wider, multidisciplinary context for marine renewable energy devices
Assessment and feedback are in the form of:
- quick quizzes for formative feedback
- a class test mid-way through the module (40% of the final module mark)
- an exam at the end of the module (60% of the final module mark)
Chat to a student ambassador
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Our Unibuddy ambassadors can answer all the questions you might have about courses and studying at Strathclyde, along with offering insight into their experiences of life in Glasgow and Scotland.
Learning & teaching
There are two teaching semesters of 11 weeks each.
Course modules are delivered in the form of formal lectures supported with tutorials and laboratory experiments.
You’re required to attend an induction prior to the start of the course.
Guest lectures
During term time, we arrange weekly seminars in which leaders and pioneers of the maritime, oil and gas and marine renewables industries visit the department and present to students. This is a great way of supplementing your education with the latest developments and gaining industry contacts for your future career.
Industrial visits are also made to a variety of companies.
Assessment
There are two types of method for module assessment. One is course work assessment only, the other is exam assessment. For examined modules the final assessment mark consists of 30-40% course work marks and 60-70% exam marks.
Student competitions
The Department of Naval Architecture, Ocean & Marine Engineering supports and promotes students in various competitions and awards, from cash bursaries for top performing students to the highest of awards from international organisations.
In recent years, our students have been triumphant in the following high profile competitions:
- Science, Engineering & Technology Student of the Year (SET Awards)
- Best Maritime Technology Student (SET Awards)
- Double winner of BP’s Ultimate Field Trip Competition
- Strathclyder of the Year
Entry requirements
Academic requirements | Normally a first-class or second-class honours degree (or international equivalent) in a relevant subject. |
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English language requirements | If English is not your first language, please visit our English language requirements page for full details of the requirements in place before making your application. |
Pre-Masters preparation course
The Pre-Masters Programme is a preparation course held at the University of Strathclyde International Study Centre, for international students (non-UK/Ireland) who do not meet the academic entry requirements for a Masters degree at University of Strathclyde.
Upon successful completion, you'll be able to progress to this degree course at the University of Strathclyde.
Please note: Previous Maths & English qualifications and your undergraduate degree must meet GTCS minimum entry requirements as well as the pre-Masters course and an interview will be conducted before an offer can be made.
International students
We've a thriving international community with students coming here to study from over 140 countries across the world. Find out all you need to know about studying in Glasgow at Strathclyde and hear from students about their experiences.
Fees & funding
All fees quoted are for full-time courses and per academic year unless stated otherwise.
Please note, for courses that have a January 2025 start date, 2024/25 academic year fees will apply. For courses that have a September 2025 start date, 2025/26 academic year fees will apply.
Fees may be subject to updates to maintain accuracy. Tuition fees will be notified in your offer letter.
All fees are in £ sterling, unless otherwise stated, and may be subject to revision.
Annual revision of fees
Students on programmes of study of more than one year (or studying standalone modules) should be aware that the majority of fees will increase annually. The University will take a range of factors into account, including, but not limited to, UK inflation, changes in delivery costs and changes in Scottish and/or UK Government funding. Changes in fees will be published on the University website in October each year for the following year of study and any annual increase will be capped at a maximum of 10% per year.
Scotland | £10,800 |
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England, Wales & Northern Ireland | £10,800 |
Republic of Ireland |
If you are an Irish citizen and have been ordinary resident in the Republic of Ireland for the three years prior to the relevant date, and will be coming to Scotland for Educational purposes only, you will meet the criteria of England, Wales & Northern Ireland fee status. For more information and advice on tuition fee status, you can visit the UKCISA - International student advice and guidance - Scotland: fee status webpage. Find out more about the University of Strathclyde's fee assessments process. |
International | £27,500 |
Additional costs | Course materials & costsPrinting Services Printing: Prices variable per size Binding: £3 per copy approx. Placements & field tripsTravel to the Kelvin Hydrodynamics Laboratory may be required depending on selected courses. Frequency variable: Average 5 visits if relevant to subjects. Bus fare £2-3 each way. Other costsAccess cards are provided free of charge. £10 charge to replace a lost card. Visa & immigrationInternational students may have associated visa and immigration costs. Please see student visa guidance for more information. |
Available scholarships | Take a look at our scholarships search for funding opportunities. |
Please note: the fees shown are annual and may be subject to an increase each year. Find out more about fees.
Fees & funding
All fees quoted are for full-time courses and per academic year unless stated otherwise.
Please note, for courses that have a January 2025 start date, 2024/25 academic year fees will apply. For courses that have a September 2025 start date, 2025/26 academic year fees will apply.
Fees may be subject to updates to maintain accuracy. Tuition fees will be notified in your offer letter.
All fees are in £ sterling, unless otherwise stated, and may be subject to revision.
Annual revision of fees
Students on programmes of study of more than one year (or studying standalone modules) should be aware that the majority of fees will increase annually. The University will take a range of factors into account, including, but not limited to, UK inflation, changes in delivery costs and changes in Scottish and/or UK Government funding. Changes in fees will be published on the University website in October each year for the following year of study and any annual increase will be capped at a maximum of 10% per year.
Scotland | £11,900 |
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England, Wales & Northern Ireland | £11,900 |
Republic of Ireland |
If you are an Irish citizen and have been ordinary resident in the Republic of Ireland for the three years prior to the relevant date, and will be coming to Scotland for Educational purposes only, you will meet the criteria of England, Wales & Northern Ireland fee status. For more information and advice on tuition fee status, you can visit the UKCISA - International student advice and guidance - Scotland: fee status webpage. Find out more about the University of Strathclyde's fee assessments process. |
International | £30,250 |
Additional costs | Course materials & costsPrinting Services Printing: Prices variable per size Binding: £3 per copy approx. Placements & field tripsTravel to the Kelvin Hydrodynamics Laboratory may be required depending on selected courses. Frequency variable: Average 5 visits if relevant to subjects. Bus fare £2-3 each way. Other costsAccess cards are provided free of charge. £10 charge to replace a lost card. Visa & immigrationInternational students may have associated visa and immigration costs. Please see student visa guidance for more information. |
Available scholarships | Take a look at our scholarships search for funding opportunities. |
Please note: the fees shown are annual and may be subject to an increase each year. Find out more about fees.
How can I fund my course?
Scottish postgraduate students
Scottish postgraduate students may be able to apply for support from the Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS). The support is in the form of a tuition fee loan and for eligible students, a living cost loan. Find out more about the support and how to apply.
Don’t forget to check our scholarship search for more help with fees and funding.
Students coming from England
Students ordinarily resident in England may be to apply for postgraduate support from Student Finance England. The support is a loan of up to £10,280 which can be used for both tuition fees and living costs. Find out more about the support and how to apply.
Don’t forget to check our scholarship search for more help with fees and funding.
Students coming from Wales
Students ordinarily resident in Wales may be to apply for postgraduate support from Student Finance Wales. The support is a loan of up to £10,280 which can be used for both tuition fees and living costs. Find out more about the support and how to apply.
Don’t forget to check our scholarship search for more help with fees and funding.
Students coming from Northern Ireland
Postgraduate students who are ordinarily resident in Northern Ireland may be able to apply for support from Student Finance Northern Ireland. The support is a tuition fee loan of up to £5,500. Find out more about the support and how to apply.
Don’t forget to check our scholarship search for more help with fees and funding.
International students
We've a large range of scholarships available to help you fund your studies. Check our scholarship search for more help with fees and funding.
Careers
Career destinations include:
- Naval Architect
- Marine Engineer
- Graduate Engineer
- Marine Surveyor
- Offshore Renewables Engineer
- Project Engineer
Glasgow is Scotland's biggest & most cosmopolitan city
Our campus is based right in the very heart of Glasgow. We're in the city centre, next to the Merchant City, both of which are great locations for sightseeing, shopping and socialising alongside your studies.
Apply
During the application process, you're required to upload the following supporting documents. If these are not provided, we'll not be able to process your application:
- certified individual semester mark sheets/academic transcript showing subjects taken and grades achieved for all qualifications
- if still studying, provide individual semester mark sheets to date
- certified degree certificate for all qualifications
- if still studying, provide this after completing the qualification
- provide evidence of suitable English language proficiency if English is not your first language, or you're not from a “UKVI recognised "Majority English Speaking" country”; check the University’s language requirements
- if you have been out of full-time education for over two years, provide a CV, detailing employment history, organisations worked for and a brief description of roles and responsibilities
- a copy of your passport containing your photo and passport number
- a copy of your sponsor letter/scholarship award (if appropriate)
- names, job titles and email addresses for two nominated referees
Start date: Jan 2025
Ship and Offshore Structures (January)
Start date: Sep 2025
Ship and Offshore Structures
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Have you considered?
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