Government funding for 3D printing master’s degree course

Anglia Ruskin University’s new MSc in Additive Manufacturing – the UK’s only dedicated master’s programme with a focus on 3D printing – has received funding from HEFCE (the Higher Education Funding Council for England) under a pilot scheme to promote engineering and computer science conversion courses.

To increase the number of skilled graduates in this rapidly growing area, Anglia Ruskin’s course is open to people who have completed a range of undergraduate STEM degrees, as well as those with an engineering background.

The students will have access to engineering laboratories and workshops at the university’s Chelmsford campus that have benefited from £2million of investment over the last three years.

In particular, the desktop and commercial 3D printers and direct metal laser sintering facilities at Anglia Ruskin’s MedBIC Innovation Centre will provide students with the opportunity to design, develop and test engineering solutions in materials ranging from simple plastics through to high-end metal compounds.

The students will have the opportunity to carry out projects within companies to solve real-world manufacturing problems and deliver appropriate solutions.Graduates will not only possess the engineering skills and competences needed by industry but will also have an understanding of the business and production issues that surround 3D printing projects.

“Our course will help students to develop a career in advanced manufacturing engineering, or improve their skills if they are already working in the industry,” said Dr Habtom Mebrahtu, course leader for the MSc in Additive Manufacturing. “Covering a range of topics from product design to 3D CAD modelling, additive manufacturing strategy to engineering management, the course will equip graduates with the skills required to produce prototypes and products across a range of industries including the biomedical and aviation sectors.”