Master of Science in Computational Mechanics

Study Programme and courses

Overview of Study Programme
First Semester
Second Semester
Third and Fourth Semesters
The Masters programme consists two parts. It amounts to 120 ECTS credits and lasts for two academic
years. Part I (first and second semesters) provides basic background in computational mechanics as well as
a practical training component. Part II (third and fourth semesters) includes a series of specialised modules
into a particular field of computational mechanics and a research/dissertation component.

The European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) is a student centered system based on the student workload
required to achieve the objectives of a program, objectives specified in terms of learning outcomes and
competences to be acquired.

The first semester provides fundamental background in computational mechanics with four core modules
amounting to 20 ECTS, as well as transversal modules amounting to 10 ECTS, resulting in a final total of 30
ECTS.

1st Semester modules at

Swansea University & UPC/CIMNE
Compulsory Modules

ECTS

Numerical Methods for Partial Differential Equations

Finite Element Method

Continuum Mechanics

Advanced Fluid Mechanics

Transversal modules (compulsory)

Entrepreneurship for engineers

Communication skills in a foreign language

The second semester provides extra background in computational mechanics with a series of courses
amounting to 15 ECTS into important aspects of solid and fluid mechanics (i.e. plasticity, nonlinear
continuum mechanics, dynamics, computational fluid dynamics). The semester ends with a Practical Training
(15 ECTS) module, which is an essential element in the curriculum providing students with the opportunity
to apply their skills and knowledge in computational mechanics in an industrial context.
Practical training is an essential element in the curriculum of the students and will be developed during the
second academic year (15 ECTS). Professional or R+D profiles will be provided in industry or in applied
research organizations in Europe which are in close collaboration with all institutions in the consortium.This
training can be closely related to the master thesis and will provide inside knowledge in computational
mechanics project development and management.
2nd Semester modules at Swansea University
Structural Engineering Elective Modules

ECTS

Nonlinear Continuum Mechanics

Fluid Structure Interaction

Fluid Structure Interaction

Fluid Mechanics Elective Modules

ECTS

Computational Fluid Dynamics

Reservoir Modelling and Simulation

Computational Electromagnetics

Industrial placement (compulsory)

ECTS

Practical training

15

2nd Semester modules at UPC/CIMNE

Structural Engineering Elective Modules

ECTS

Computational Solid Mechanics

Computational Structural Mechanics and Dynamics

Finite Elements in Fluids

Industrial placement (compulsory)

ECTS

Practical training

15

The third and fourth semesters are pursued in the second host institution. They are organised into
minors, consisting of a set of modules emphasising, or bearing particular relevance to, a specific area in
computational mechanics. The student must choose a partner institution for the second academic year,
different from that where he/she conducted the first academic year. In agreement with the local
requirements of the second institution, the student must select a set of modules adding up to 25 ECTS.
Additionally, the student will enrol on 5 ECTS in transversal skills (i.e. "strategic project management",
"communication skills for engineers").
The Masters Thesis (30 ECTS) can be research or industry oriented. The student carries out the thesis on a
topic related to one of his/her areas of specialisation. The Master thesis includes a seminar series in
computational mechanics developed in each Institution during the 2nd academic year (see for instance
http://www.swan.ac.uk/engineering/seminarseries/c2ec/ ). These seminars will be compulsory for senior
students. The thesis should be submitted by the end of the second academic session. Once completed, the
Masters thesis will be defended in front of a local committee, with the external assessment of at least one
faculty member of another institution of the consortium. The final mark of the thesis will be awarded by the
Board of Studies of the Masters programme during its summer meeting.
3th & 4th semester modules at Swansea University

Structural Engineering Elective Modules

ECTS
(Term1)

ECTS
(Term2)

Dynamics of Structures

Computer modelling

Computational Plasticity

Advanced Structural Analysis

Nonlinear Continuum Mechanics

Fluid Mechanics Elective Modules

ECTS
(Term1)

ECTS
(Term2)

Computational Fluid Dynamics

Reservoir Modelling and Simulation

Computational Electromagnetics

Fluid Structure Interaction

Other (subject to timetable constraints and availability)

ECTS

ECTS

(Term1)

(Term2)

Optimisation

Engineering Design Optimisation

Computational Intelligence in Engineering

Transversal modules (5 compulsory ECTS)

ECTS
(Term1)

ECTS
(Term2)

Strategic project management

Communication skills for research engineers

Master Thesis (compulsory)

ECTS
(Term1)

ECTS
(Term2)

Supervised MSc thesis(*)

15

15

3th Semester at UPC/CIMNE (30 ECTS)

Modules

ECTS

Programming for Engineers and Scientists

Computational Mechanics Tools

Computational Wave Propagation

Advanced Discretization Methods

Multiscale Computational Mechanics

Elective Modules

ECTS

Computational contact Mechanics

Modelling and Analysis in Biomechanics

Optimization

Fluid Structure Interaction

4th Semester at UPC/CIMNE (30 ECTS)

Master Thesis (compulsory)

ECTS (Term2)

Supervised MSc thesis(*)

30

3th semester at Ecole Centrale Nantes (23 ECTS compulsory modules)

Total
ECTS

Structural
ECTS

Extended finite element method and level

3
set techniques

French

Computational
incompressible flows

methods

Materials
modeling
simulations
Numerical methods
coupled problems

for

for

for

numerical

simulation

of

Physical modeling of fluids

Eng. Eng.
Hydrodynamics ECTS

(7 ECTS elective modules)

Total
ECTS

Structural Eng. Eng.

HydroECTS
dynamics ECTS

Computational
damage
and
fracture
3
mechanics for polymers and composites

Domain decomposition and iterative solvers

Fluid-structure interaction and advanced CFD

Model reduction

Multi-scale numerical methods

Numerical
methods
quantification

for

uncertainty

4th semester at Ecole Centrale Nantes

Master Thesis

30 ECTS

3th Semester at Universitt Stuttgart

Electives

ECTS

Computational Mechanics of Materials

Engineering Materials I- Metals, Concrete, Soils

Computational Methods of Shell Analysis

Elements of Nonlinear Continuum Thermodynamics

Multiscale Computational Mechanics

Continuum Biomechanics

Geometrical Methods for Nonlinear Continuum Mechanics

Computational Material Science

Environmental Fluid Mechanics

4th Semester at Universitt Stuttgart

ECTS

Foundation of Single and Multiphasic Materials

Micromechanics and Homogenization Methods

Advanced Computational Mechanics

Boundary Element Methods in Statics and Dynamics

Engineering Materials II- Metals

Numerical Modelling of Concrete Structures

Engineering Materials II- Soils

Implementation and Algorithms for Finite Elements

Introduction to Continuum Mechanics of Multiphase Materials

Smart Structures and Control

Modeling of Hydrosystems

Parameter Identification

Selected Topics in Plasticity and Viscoelasticity

Theoretical and Computer Oriented Materials Theory

Environmental Fluid Mechanics II