Obtain a drives MSc from your desk

Working engineers who have previously not had the time to attend lectures, will now be able to study for an MSc in Power Electronics, Drives and Machines from their home or workplace. Three universities have joined forces to develop Web-based, multimedia learning resources to support part-time, industrially based MSc students, who will be able to study at a PC in their own time, at their own pace.

The three universities - Birmingham, Newcastle and Nottingham - have attracted £350,000 in funding from the EPSRC (Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council) to support the course for five years. Each university will produce four modules in their key areas - drives at Nottingham, machines and devices at Newcastle, and power electronics at Birmingham - to allow part-time distance or flexible learning.

Media such as CD-ROMs, videoconferencing and email discussion groups will be used to create a "virtual learning environment". The students will choose eight of the 12 modules on offer and will be able to mix and match them to gain an MSc in their particular areas of interest.