Study structural vibrations and dynamics online.
Modern structures are increasingly exposed to dynamic loads such as wind, waves, earthquakes, impacts, and blasts.
Understanding how structures respond to these actions is essential for safe, efficient, and resilient design.
In this Masters-level online short course, you’ll develop the knowledge and skills needed to design and analyse structures subjected to dynamic loading.
With expert guidance, you will:
- gain a solid grounding in the fundamentals of structural dynamics
- learn to use advanced analytical and numerical methods used in engineering practice
- learn to put theory into practice in tackling practical design and analysis problems
- build expertise in handling real-world structural dynamics issues.
In-demand skills for a range of industries
You’ll develop sought-after skills vital for advanced engineering roles across structural, civil, mechanical, aerospace and marine engineering.
This is valuable for careers in industries including construction, renewable energy, and the automotive sector.
Who can join this structural vibrations course?
This online course is designed for:
- graduate engineers
- graduates of the physical sciences, and
- energy and structural industry professionals.
Build credits towards a Masters degree
This course is part of online:
You can use the credits you earn with this short course towards either of these MSc qualifications.
What you’ll study
Structural engineers must be able to understand and quantify dynamic loads and their effects.
In this course, you’ll learn about:
- the fundamentals of structural dynamics
- more advanced concepts and methods, including analytical and numerical, and
- their applications to practical design and analysis problems.
Topics you’ll cover
This course is delivered in five main blocks:
- Rigid body dynamics
- Single-degree-of-freedom and multiple-degree-of-freedom systems
- Transient and environmental dynamic loads
- Vibrations of distributed systems
- Rayleigh-Ritz method
By the end of this course, you’ll be able to...
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Draw free-body diagrams, generate equations of motion, and analyse the vibration of single- and multi-degree-of-freedom systems.
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Analyse the vibration of continuous systems, such as beams and rods, and establish natural frequencies and mode shapes of common structural elements.
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Apply engineering methods to calculate dynamic responses to wind, waves, earthquakes, and impacts.
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Develop solutions to practical problems in structural dynamics, including forced and transient vibration, using numerical methods.
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Demonstrate problem-solving skills applied to structural vibration problems.
Choose the University of Aberdeen for online structural engineering courses
Earn as you learn
We fit around full-time work, so you can build qualifications while you keep earning a salary.
You’re in expert hands
We’ve been training world-class engineers for over 100 years and delivering online learning for decades.
20% alumni discount
University of Aberdeen alumni get 20% off fees for this online course.
How you’ll study
Online learning
This distance-learning structural vibrations course is delivered flexibly, 100% online.
You can learn with us anywhere in the world, no student visa required, and manage your study hours to suit you.
Your teaching
This course is taught at Masters level.
Teaching is delivered through MyAberdeen, our online Virtual Learning Environment (VLE). It holds all the materials, tools and support you’ll need in your studies. Take a look around MyAberdeen.
You can access your learning materials on computer, smartphone and laptop, 24 hours a day. You’ll find a range of resources available, including:
- videos
- pre-recorded video lectures
- online tutorials
- slide shows
- reading materials
- discussion boards with your tutors and peers
- online access to our award-winning Sir Duncan Rice Library.
Online tutorials
This course features a tutorial for each module, which will be released gradually as the course progresses. The tutorials will be recorded so that you can access them after they have taken place.
Your tutors
This course is delivered by our School of Engineering.
You’ll learn from an internationally experienced team of researchers and academics in the field of dynamics.
Industry professionals will be invited to give lectures on relevant topics, too.
This course is assessed online.
You’ll be assessed throughout your studies via:
- your coursework (worth 30% of your final course grade), and
- an online exam (70%).
The course totals approximately 150 hours of study and assessment time. That’s around 10 – 15 hours per week.
This is an indicative guide to the time required for a typical student at this level to achieve the learning outcomes. This includes time for independent study, as well as teaching and assessments.
You can largely set your own study hours each week to cover the materials. MyAberdeen is available 24/7, so you can log in and study when it suits you.
Activities with deadlines
There will be some activities scheduled at fixed times, such as assessments with deadlines, or meetings with your tutor. But otherwise, you can access and work through the course at your convenience.
Our first-class support structure will ensure that you aren’t alone in your studies. You’ll have contact with your coordinator via email, MyAberdeen and Microsoft Teams. You can use social media and discussion boards to chat with your fellow students too.
We provide a wide range of services to support you in your studies and beyond:
- Careers and Employability Service
- Disability support
- IT support
- Library support
- Student Support Service – help with finances, wellbeing, and non-academic issues
- Student Learning Service – study skills support and advice
- Aberdeen University Students’ Association (AUSA) – run by students for students
- Toolkit – clever apps and free training that can make your study life easier
Wherever you are in the world, you’ll feel part of our very special Aberdeen learning community.
Your course coordinator
Dr Vahid Vaziri
Vahid is a Senior Lecturer in our School of Engineering.
He is an active researcher whose research focuses on nonlinear dynamics, vibration control, and wave energy harvesting systems.
Vahid is a subject editor and reviewer of distinguished academic journals, and an educator who leads MSc programmes and supervises PhD students.
View Vahid’s profileWhere this will take you
Towards a Masters
You’ll earn 15 credits at Masters level (SCQF Level 11) with this course. You can use these credits towards the following online degrees.
Masters in Advanced Mechanical Engineering
Earn your MSc in Advanced Mechanical Engineering online. Study flexibly and build the advanced skills demanded by the world’s leading employers in the automotive, energy, defence, aerospace, and manufacturing sectors.
View MSc Advanced Mechanical Engineering
Masters in Advanced Structural Engineering
Prepare for a career in the aerospace, automotive, and energy sectors, as well as civil, structural, and construction, with our flexible online Masters degree.
View MSc Advanced Structural EngineeringCareers
In this course, you’ll develop the critical analytical and practical skills you need for advanced engineering roles.
The course is designed to prepare you for roles involving the design and analysis of structures that are subjected to dynamic loads.
Your new skills will help you to progress within or towards careers in a range of engineering fields and industries, including:
- structural engineering
- civil engineering
- mechanical engineering
- marine engineering
- aerospace
- automotive
- construction
- renewable energy.
Completing this course also opens opportunities for professional recognition, career advancement, and specialised roles in research and development, and consulting.
Continuing Professional Development (CPD)
Your employer or professional institute may recognise this course for CPD hours. Talk to your employer or institute to find out more.
Free career support
Access our free careers service while you study.
- 1:1 appointments
- CV checks
- Interview prep
- Job opportunities
Entry requirements
Entry requirements
We welcome students from all over the world.
This course has no formal entry requirements. You do not need to provide proof of your qualifications.
But you do need to check the entry guidance above to understand the level of teaching delivered, to decide if this course is right for you.
If you do not have qualifications from the UK, check the equivalent teaching level for your country.
Visa requirements
You do not need a student visa to study online with us.
English language requirements
Teaching is delivered in English.
You do not have to provide proof of your English language skills to join this course. But we want to make sure that you can use English well enough to study successfully.
Recommended level of English
For this course, we recommend the following level of English language proficiency.
These are our Postgraduate Standard requirements, and these are minimum scores.
IELTS Academic, IELTS UKVI Academic, or IELTS Online (not IELTS Indicator or IELTS General Training)
- 6.5 overall
- 5.5 for listening, reading and speaking
- 6.0 for writing
TOEFL iBT or TOEFL iBT Home Edition
- 90 overall
- 17 for listening
- 18 for reading
- 20 for speaking
- 21 for writing
- TOEFL DI code is 0818
Cambridge English: B2 First, C1 Advanced, or C2 Proficiency
- 176 overall
- 162 for listening, reading and speaking
- 169 for writing
LanguageCert Academic / LanguageCert Academic SELT
- 70 overall
- 60 for listening, reading and speaking
- 65 for writing
Oxford ELLT Digital – English Language Level Test Online
- 7.0 overall
- 5.0 for listening, reading and speaking
- 6.0 for writing
PTE Academic (online test not accepted)
- 62 overall
- 59 for listening, reading, speaking and writing
Skills for English: SELT
- B2 pass with merit
Duolingo – tests taken from 1 July 2024 onward
- 120 overall
- 95 for listening, reading and speaking
- 105 for writing
University of Aberdeen English Pre-sessional Programme (PSE)
- Pass
- Valid for one year. Refresher can be offered if out of date
Pre-sessional academic English preparation programmes undertaken at other UK universities
- Pass at an equivalent of 6.5 (C1)
- B2 in all four skills
- Certification must be within one year prior to the start of your course
For full information about language requirements, see our English Language Requirements page.
You will need access to:
A computer (PC, laptop or Mac) with an up-to-date operating system
Most teaching materials are smartphone- and tablet-friendly. But we recommend a proper laptop or desktop for completing assignments comfortably.
Reliable internet access
We recommend:
- a wired connection
- a minimum download speed of 2 Mbps so you can take part fully in live sessions.
Speakers or headphones
- We recommend a headset with built-in microphone and earphones if you’re likely to study in an environment with background noise.
- A webcam is optional, but you may like to use one for some interactive sessions.
Software
We’ll give you access to Office365 applications. This means you can use online versions of Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneDrive and install these programs on up to five personal devices.
If your course requires specialist software, we’ll provide you with access to this and a licence that lasts throughout your studies.
See our detailed IT requirements for more information.
When you study with us, you can expect a first-class support structure so that you’re never alone in your studies.
But learning online does mean you have to motivate yourself and manage your own time.
Your most important commitment will be time – the time to work through, reflect on and understand your teaching materials.
Before you start a course that involves a high degree of independent study, we recommend looking at the time you will be able to devote to your studies each week:
- Be realistic
- Create a weekly schedule as a guide
If you have any questions about studying online, get in touch with our friendly team. We’re here to help.
Fee payment
Your course fee needs to be paid in full before you start your course.
We accept payment via Visa Debit, Visa Credit and Mastercard.
Ways to save
You may be able to get help funding this course via:
- discounts – if any discounts are available for this course, they’ll appear in the section below
- employer sponsorship – we accept full and partial fee payments from sponsors.
Find out more about funding options.
Student card
All our students are entitled to a University of Aberdeen student card. This gives you access to a range of student discounts around the city and online.
Learning resources
Access to all the essential books and resources you need are included in your tuition fee. They’ll be made available to you online and you do not have to buy your own copies.
We also provide optional recommended reading lists. Many of these resources are available electronically through our library, although purchases may be required if you wish to read the full list.
Printing
You may want to set aside a small budget for printing, depending on how you like to work.
This course has no formal entry requirements. You decide if it’s suitable for you.
The course is delivered at Masters level. At this level, for this course, you shouuld have at least:
- a 2:2 UK honours degree (or equivalent) in Engineering or the Physical Sciences, or
- relevant professional experience that supports this level of training.
Additional knowledge required
You also need to have a basic understanding of dynamical systems, engineering, mathematics, and computer programming. If you are not sure, you can contact the course coordinator for guidance.
