Key info

Learning mode
Online
Study level
Postgraduate
Credits
15 What are credits?
Duration
11 weeks
Time commitment
10 - 15 hours per week
Start date
22 September 2025
Cost
£1,355

Join a subsea production course you can study flexibly, 100% online.

Develop your understanding of subsea production and control systems.

In this Masters-level online short course, you’ll learn about the design, analysis, and operation of subsea production and control systems for a variety of field development options, including:

  • power and telemetry
  • oil and gas production and control systems.

You’ll build skills for effective management of subsea facilities, either from offshore structures or from shore bases.

You’ll also learn how these systems are maintained and monitored.

Who can join this subsea production and control course?

This distance-learning course is designed for graduates in engineering.

It’s ideal for those already working in the subsea sector, or those keen to move into careers in subsea engineering.

Build credits towards a Masters degree

This short course is part of online:

You can use the credits you earn with this short course towards this Masters qualification.

What you’ll study

In this course, you’ll study various aspects of the design, analysis, and operation of subsea production and control systems for a variety of field development types.

We’ll give you an overview of subsea oil and gas production and control systems.

You’ll develop your understanding of the requirements for, and the design of, subsea electrical, electro-hydraulic, hydraulic and programmable production and control systems.

You’ll also learn how these systems are maintained and monitored.

You’ll cover topics including:

  • an introduction to subsea systems and subsea control
  • subsea trees and manifolds
  • subsea connectors, valves and jumpers
  • topsides and subsea equipment
  • interfaces and introduction to DCV valves, troubleshooting
  • umbilicals and control fluids
  • electrical analysis
  • sensors
  • subsea reliability
  • subsea intervention
  • subsea compression.

By the end of this subsea production course, you’ll be able to...

  • Identify key technical terminology relevant to subsea production and control systems.
  • Design various components of subsea production and control systems, including their basic function, size, and composition.
  • Assess how subsea production and control systems and offshore infrastructure combine to facilitate oil and gas production from subsea reservoirs.
  • Classify the challenges and activities for subsea reliability, intervention, and compression.
  • Evaluate how subsea and offshore infrastructure is maintained, supported, and monitored.
  • Make better-informed hardware-selection decisions.

Choose the University of Aberdeen for online subsea production courses

Fits around full-time work

This online course fits around work, with flexible hours and 24/7 study access.

Pioneering subsea

We’re a founding member of the Global Subsea Universities Alliance, at the forefront of teaching and professional training for ambitious energy engineers.

20% alumni discount

University of Aberdeen alumni get 20% off this online course.

How you’ll study

Online learning

This distance-learning subsea production 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:

  • pre-recorded video lectures
  • reading materials
  • online tutorials
  • discussion boards with your tutors and peers
  • the online resources of our award-winning Sir Duncan Rice Library.

Your tutors

This course is delivered by our School of Engineering.

You’ll learn from academics and other contributors who are active researchers in this area, with expertise in control engineering.

This course is assessed online.

You’ll be assessed throughout your course via:

  • continuous assessment report preparation (worth 20% of your final course grade),
  • an online timed exam (worth 80%).

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 tutors via MyAberdeen. 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:

Wherever you are in the world, you’ll feel part of our very special Aberdeen learning community.

Your course coordinator

Dr Andres San Millan Rodriguez

Dr Andres San Millan Rodriguez

Andres is a Lecturer in Robotics in our School of Engineering.

His expertise and research interests include origami-inspired soft robots, mobile robots, applied control, and mechatronics.

View Andres’ profile

Where 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 our:

Accredited Masters in Subsea Engineering

Become a subsea engineer with our accredited online MSc. Train in the fundamental skills and technical knowledge demanded by the subsea sector today.

View MSc Subsea Engineering

Careers

You’ll complete this course with enhanced, multidisciplinary skills in the areas of petroleum engineering, production engineering, subsea project engineering, and offshore operations engineering.

This course is valuable learning for anyone directly or indirectly involved with subsea equipment, from engineers installing the equipment to procurement staff looking to understand more.

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

See how our careers service can help you.

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. For this course, you’d usually have at least:

  • a 2:1 UK honours degree (or equivalent) in Engineering, or
  • three years’ relevant experience that supports this level of study.

Apply for this course

Start date
22 September 2025
Cost
£1,355
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