The Programme

About the Package

Our students have their fees paid for the duration of the programme and also receive an annual stipend of at least £20,777 (EngD), £16, 277 (PhD). In addition to this they have access to a conference budget of up to £4000 for the duration of the course.

What is an EngD?

An Engineering Doctorate (EngD) is an alternative to the traditional PhD for students who want a career in industry. Our four-year programme combines PhD-level research projects with masters-level technical and MBA courses. Our students spend 75% of their time working directly with a company and 25% on courses.

Each research project is proposed by one of our 35 industrial partners and is normally located at the company’s site. Students are co-supervised by an industrial and academic supervisor and submit a thesis which is examined in a similar way to a PhD.

We are part of the AEngD (Association of Engineering Doctorates), a community of EngD providers, researchers, sponsors, EngD alumni and other stakeholders in the EngD ‘brand’, ensuring the qualification is widely recognised in industry and academia.

What Does the Programme Involve?

The programme duration is four years. All students study 180 credits of postgraduate technical and business courses (SCQF Level 11 NQF/QCF Level 7). Normal entry is in September, with core technical courses delivered in two 60-credit residential blocks, the first from September to December at the University of St Andrews and the second from January to May at the University of Strathclyde and Heriot-Watt. Each block comprises a set of mandatory courses, but elective modules are available from our partner universities.

Selected courses are available in distance-learning format, allowing company employees to pursue an EngD without spending a large amount of time away from the company.

Students progress to their research project in June, with EngD projects located at the company’s site and PhD projects being based in one of our six university partners.

The remaining taught courses are business oriented and are delivered by the Edinburgh Business School at Heriot-Watt University in intensive blocks. These courses run in years two and three.

Forming a strong cohort is an important part of the programme and our students meet regularly for professional and computational skills workshops throughout the duration of the programme.

Typical Course Route

Year 1

Semester 1 (September - December)

Mandatory courses

Photonics Lab (PH5181)	15 credits	University of St Andrews
Optical Imaging Concepts (PH5192)	15 credits	University of St Andrews
Concepts in Signal and Image Analysis	15 credits	University of Strathclyde (delivered at St Andrews)

Semester 2 (January - May)

Mandatory courses

Systems Engineering Lab and Group Project	20 credits	University of Strathclyde
Photonic Sensors from Devices to Systems	15 credits	Heriot-Watt University

Plus 40 credits of elective courses from a wide choice at each partner university.

View full info on first year mandatory and elective courses

Semester 1
Photonics Lab (PH5181)	15 credits	University of St Andrews
Optical Imaging Concepts (PH5192)	15 credits	University of St Andrews
Concepts in Signal and Image Analysis	15 credits	University of Strathclyde (delivered at St Andrews)

Semester 2
Systems Engineering Lab and Group Project	20 credits	University of Strathclyde
Photonic Sensors from Devices to Systems	15 credits	Heriot-Watt University

Elective Courses

University of Edinburgh
Innovation-driven Entrepreneurship (CMSE11202)	10 credits				Semester 2
Solar Energy & Photovoltaic Systems (PGEE11107)	10 credits				Semester 2
Applications of Sensor and Imaging Systems (PGEE11136)	10 credits				Semester 2
Technology and Innovation Management (PGEE11125)	10 credits				Semester 2
Microfabrication Techniques (PGEE11038)	10 credits				Semester 2
Biosensors & Bioinstrumentation (PGEE11040)	10 credits				Semester 2
Lab-on-Chip Technologies (PGEE11042)	10 credits				Semester 2
Nanotechnology (PGEE11153)	20 credits				Semester 2
Heriot-Watt University
Biophysics		5 credits				Semester 2
Zemax		5 credits				Semester 2
Fibre Optics		5 credits				Semester 2
University of St Andrews
Laser Physics (PH5193)			15 credits				Semester 1
Nanophotonics (PH5025)			15 credits				Semester 1
Advanced Data Analysis (AS5001)			15 credits				Semester 1
University of Glasgow
Advanced Devices (ENG5261)				Semester 2
Imaging and Detectors (PHYS5035)				Semester 2
Applied Optics (PHYS5002)				Semester 2
Advanced Data Analysis for Physics and Astronomy (PHYS5001)				Semester 2
Advanced Imaging and Therapy (ENG5285)				Semester 2
Laser Interferometry and Quantum Measurements (PHYS5045)				Semester 1
Computer vision Methods and Applications (COMPSCI4066)				Semester 1
Machine Learning (COMPSCI5014)				Semester 1
Research Methods in Sensing and Measurement (PHYS5043)				Semester 1

Years 2 & 3

Edinburgh Business School at Heriot-Watt University

Mandatory courses

Financial Decision Making	20 credits	Heriot-Watt University
Delivering Successful Projects	20 credits	Heriot-Watt University
Strategic Marketing	20 credits	Heriot-Watt University