Course contact details
Postgraduate Admissions
Email:pgadmissions@abdn.ac.uk
Phone:01224 272090
University of Aberdeen
Directorate of Global Engagement, Marketing and Recruitment
King's College
Aberdeen
AB24 3FX
Safety and Reliability Engineering (Taught)
- MSc
- 12 Months
- Full-time
- 15 September 2025
- Postgraduate
- Main Site
Course summary
This programme provides a thorough understanding of the concepts and tools of safety engineering, reliability engineering and loss prevention. The MSc Safety and Reliability Engineering provides advanced education and training for graduate engineers in the areas of safety engineering, reliability engineering, and loss prevention.
There is a high demand for engineers with specialist knowledge in these areas across many industry sectors including oil and gas, nuclear, defence, transport, aerospace, manufacturing and process industries because of the legal requirements to assess and control industrial risks to people and the environment and also because of the need to create high integrity engineering systems in many industries.
Safety engineering is not a subject which is adequately covered in most undergraduate degrees, so this MSc programme brings together those topics relating to the safety and reliability of engineering products and systems, including the legislative framework, in a unified approach.
You will learn the fundamentals of safety engineering including natural and man-made hazards, safety measures, accident and failure statistics, risk management and risk assessment techniques while also developing your communication, leadership and teamwork skills through a series of tutorials, coursework, technical reports, presentations and group projects.
The School of Engineering is a world-class centre for research and teaching in safety and reliability engineering teaching and research. You will be taught by staff from the School of Engineering as well as industrially-based safety and reliability specialists.
The MSc Safety and Reliability Engineering is accredited by The Energy Institute, the Institute of Marine Engineering, Science & Technology, the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) and the Institution of Mechanical Engineers.
Modules
As well as the key technological, operational and engineering elements, crucial human factors are also taught in relation to safety on the programme.
Assessment method
Continuous assessment and/or written assignment.
Professional bodies
Professionally accredited courses provide industry-wide recognition of the quality of your qualification.
- Energy Institute, The
- Marine Engineering, Science and Technology, Institute of
- Civil Engineers, Institution of
- Mechanical Engineers, Institution of
How to apply
International applicants
When you are thinking about studying overseas, it is important that you understand all the costs involved and budget accordingly. It is essential to budget for your studies prior to leaving your home country and to arrange all your funding for BOTH your tuition fees and your living costs. In addition, it is important to check all immigration requirements regularly and before travelling, as they can change. Students without the necessary visa will be refused entry to the UK. You should allow plenty of time to organise your visa and ensure you are aware of all your responsibilities under the terms and conditions of your visa. Please note that the advice provided via the University is the Student Visa category of the UK's Points Based Immigration Scheme. For further information, please visit the United Kingdom Visas and Immigration (UKVI) website: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/uk-visas-and-immigration.
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Entry requirements
A UK Honours degree at 2:1 (upper second class), or an Honours degree from a non-UK institution which is judged by the University to be of equivalent worth in any branch of Engineering, Mathematics or Physics.
Those with a 2:2 Honours degree in Engineering may also be considered if they can demonstrate 2+ years of relevant Oil & Gas Industry experience.
Key subjects you must have covered: Mathematics and Mechanical subjects such as stress analysis, strength of materials and thermodynamics.
English language requirements
| Test | Grade | Additional details |
|---|---|---|
| IELTS (Academic) | 6.5 | Overall - 6.5 with: Listening - 5.5 or above; Reading - 5.5 or above; Speaking - 5.5 or above; Writing - 6.0 or above. IELTS Indicator or IELTS General Training are not accepted. |
| TOEFL (iBT) | 90 | TOEFL iBT and TOEFL Home Edition: Overall - 90 with: Listening - 17 or above; Reading - 18 or above; Speaking - 20 or above; Writing - 21 or above. DI code is 0818 |
| PTE Academic | 62 | Overall - 62 with: Listening - 59 or above; Reading - 59 or above; Speaking - 59 or above; Writing - 59 or above. Online Test is not accepted |
| Institution's Own Test | Academic English Pre-sessional Programme (PSE) - Pass (valid for one year) Academic English Preparation Programme undertaken at other UK HEI - accredited by BALEAP and within 1 year of start of course |
To study for a postgraduate degree at the University of Aberdeen it is essential that you can speak, understand, read, and write academic English fluently. These skills will allow you to understand lectures, produce high standards of written work, and perform well in examinations.
We can assess your English language proficiency through a variety of means: through your nationality, through the qualifications you gained in high school, through the degree you undertook or are undertaking at university, or through a recognised English language test.
Postgraduate Standard requirements are used by the Schools of Biological Sciences; Engineering; Geosciences; Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition; Natural and Computing Sciences; and Psychology.
Please note certification must be within the two years prior to commencement of your course, unless otherwise stated.
Please use the checklist at the following webpage to determine how you can meet our English language requirements:https://www.abdn.ac.uk/study/international/requirements-pg-266.php
Fees and funding
Tuition fees
No fee information has been provided for this course
Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website.
Additional fee information
Fee information is not yet published for entry in Academic Year 2025/2026. For guidance, the fees on the University Online Prospectus website are for 2024/25.
Sponsorship information
Eligible self-funded international Masters students will receive the Aberdeen Global Scholarship. Visit our Funding Database to find out more and see our full range of scholarships: www.abdn.ac.uk/study/funding/. The University of Aberdeen provides an Alumni Discount Scheme: The University of Aberdeen is very pleased to offer a 20% discount on postgraduate tuition fees for all alumni who have graduated with a degree from the University of Aberdeen.
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