Discover latest techniques to develop new, sustainable superyacht and marine craft designs. Benefit from the combined expertise of Solent's yacht engineering team and Centre for Marine Sustainability.
The MSc Sustainable Marine Craft and Superyacht Design course focuses on equipping you with the engineering knowledge and the analytical and practical technical design skills a future marine craft designer is expected to have on entering the leisure or commercial craft design and production industry, to design marine craft typically between 24 metres and 120 metres in length.
Alongside practical design projects, you will study naval architecture, structural design and system design. For all modules, your design must comply with relevant maritime statutory regulations and must have current sustainability and lifecycle requirements embedded within.
Working in Solent's marine design CAD suite, you will learn to use many commercially available drafting and modelling, and analytical software programs widely used across the marine design industry. You will use industry-standard hull lines fairing software to develop the hull, and CAD packages to develop 2D CAD drawings and 3D computer generated models of your designs.
You will also have access to Solent University’s 60 metres long tow tank, where you will be able to test and analyse the performance of a sailing or motor vessel and then develop the sail or wing plan for a wind assisted vessel, or the powertrain for a powered vessel.
On completion of the course, which may well finish with your dissertation completed alongside a commercial design office or production facility, you will have the design skills to join an exciting worldwide industry. Alternatively, you could complete further research by pursuing a PhD.
This course is for
This course is ideally suited to students who have an undergraduate degree in large ship design, engineering, architecture or technical product design, or for those who have practical seagoing experience of working vessels but who now wish to pursue a career in the marine design industry designing complex sustainable vessels between 24m and 120m in length.
Naval Architecture Structures and Systems
This module covers three main areas: naval architecture, structural design, and systems design. You will learn the principles of stability, resistance, and propulsion, alongside the principles for dimensioning hull plating and scantlings to classification rules. You will also design and position on board the main systems required on board marine craft.
Marine Craft Production Management
In this module, you'll cover the vessel production management process from concept to delivery. Topics covered include specifications, contracts, production programming, costs, the production team, class, flag, owner’s representative, fitout planning, shipyard planning, and large vessel movements. The module also includes real vessel production case studies and shipyard visits.
Powered Craft Design Development
Working in groups, you will develop a large motor vessel in line with a client brief in groups and present the styling and layout of the design to the client midway through the module. The module also involves the technical development of the design, ensuring compliance with statutory and structural regulations. You will also consider alternative CO2 reducing power plants for the vessel.
Sustainable Marine Design
This module examines alternative marine fuels and propulsion system integration. It offers an in-depth insight into the properties, evolution, advantages, and disadvantages, and assesses the performance of vessel emissions elimination solutions to help prepare students for future challenges.
Wind Assisted Vessel Design
You will learn and apply the design and software skills to develop a preliminary design for a 30 to 40 metre sailing or wind-assisted vessel, applying new knowledge gained in other modules. You will also utilise International Maritime Organization (IMO) regulations, ensuring your design meets these. You may also consider novel wind assisted rigs too.
Marine Craft Dissertation
Your dissertation can be either an industry-based design, or production led, or an academic research-based project. The aim is to extend your knowledge beyond the taught syllabus - you will approach a specific topic by developing the project or widening knowledge, using traditional and innovative engineering techniques and design tools.
All international applicants need to be aware that the English language requirements to attend Solent University, and the English language requirements to obtain a visa from the Home Office, may be different. This means that if you meet the Solent University language requirement to gain a place on the course, you may still have to meet additional requirements to be granted with a visa by the Home Office.
We strongly advise all applicants to visit the Home Office website which outlines all the requirements for a successful visa application.
Applicants who do not have English as their first language will be required to demonstrate an approved level of proficiency in the use of the English language. The agreed minimum requirements for this course are:
Qualifications are checked before enrolment, and international students must bring their original certificates or certified copies when coming to study at the University.
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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.
While most course costs are covered by your tuition fees, some essential resources and optional extras may need to be paid for separately. These additional costs are listed below. For advice on budgeting and managing your money, please contact student.funding@solent.ac.uk.
Solent University offers a range of bursaries and scholarships that provide financial assistance or waive fees for tuition or accommodation. Each bursary or scholarship has specific eligibility criteria. Check out our bursaries and scholarships pages to find out more.
Email:admissions@solent.ac.uk
Phone:+44 (0) 23 8201 5066
Email:student.funding@solent.ac.uk
East Park Terrace
Southampton
SO14 0YN
At Southampton, Solent University
