Control and Optimisation
Study aspects of control theory and optimisation and their application to the design of automated systems.
Study aspects of control theory and optimisation and their application to the design of automated systems
Develop skills in the use of standard computer packages for control design and optimisation
Carry out a substantial individual research project in an area of specialist interest
Course key facts
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Qualification
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MSc
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Duration
1 year
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Start date
September 2025
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Study mode
Full-time
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Fees
£18,500 Home
£42,900 Overseas
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Delivered by
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Location
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South Kensington
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Minimum entry standard
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First-Class Honours (minimum of 75% overall) in Electrical/Electronic Engineering or a related subject with a substantial Electrical/Electronic Engineering component
Course overview
Explore major aspects of control theory and optimisation on this course.
You’ll learn about its application to the design of automated systems, while developing your skills in the use of standard computer packages for control design and optimisation.
Through your studies, you’ll develop the body of knowledge required to work in all fields of industrial automation, such as robotics and mechanical engineering, chemical process engineering, control of smart grids or control of biomedical systems.
Through individual and team projects, you’ll build your communication, leadership, and interpersonal skills.
You’ll also have the opportunity to develop the knowledge and skills needed to meet the growing demands of the chemical, oil, aerospace, aeronautical, power, transport and defence industries.
Structure
This page is updated regularly to reflect the latest version of the curriculum. However, this information is subject to change.
Find out more about potential course changes.
Please note: it may not always be possible to take specific combinations of modules due to timetabling conflicts. For confirmation, please check with the relevant department.
You’ll take two core modules.
Core modules
Understand best practice in experimental work in this laboratory-based module.
Engage with active areas of research and emerging fields of application to produce an individual project showcasing your knowledge in this area of study.
You’ll also choose eight optional modules - four from Group A, three from Group B, and one from Group C.
Group A
Broaden your knowledge of advanced modern control methodologies and explore topics including Kalman filtering and tracking, fault detection and isolation, and linear matrix inequalities.
Explore the principles for designing linear multivariable control systems to meet a range of practical applications.
Gain a thorough overview of the analysis, control and simulation of discrete-time systems and discover theoretical techniques for studying them.
Understand the concepts and theoretical techniques needed to study the stability and stabilisation of nonlinear control systems.
Learn how to design computer algorithms for finding minima and maxima and discover how to interpret and modify algorithms found in standard computer packages.
Gain an appreciation of the fundamental principles in predictive control, the most widely used advanced control technique in industry.
Analyse different methods for constructing stochastic models of dynamic systems from measurements of input and output signals.
Group B
Become equipped with the tools required to formulate and solve applied optimisation problems and build on your existing knowledge of descent methods and constrained optimisation.
See how learning algorithms can be derived from risk minimisation and exploit these to derive distributed counterparts of the algorithms, both in federated and decentralised settings.
Discover the basic techniques involved in the modelling, analysis and control of discrete event systems and recognise the systems suitable for modelling in a discrete-event setup.
Uncover the theory of optimal control and learn how control laws maximise defined performance measures of linear and nonlinear dynamical systems.
Gain the analytical skills required to study random phenomena in engineering systems and learn how to set up probabilistic models for engineering problems.
Learn the strategy and protective actions that help ensure round-the-clock electricity supply.
Deepen your understanding of advanced modern control methodologies.
Explore theoretical approaches for the modelling and control of multibody mechanical systems, and distinguish between the two main branches of classical mechanics.
Discover a framework for formulating and solving decision-making processes and understand the relevance of game theory to information science.
Group C
Discover the applications, basic formulations and concepts that underpin pattern recognition.
Further your understanding of error-correcting codes and finite fields and expose the connection between coding theory and other topics.
Examine the main concepts of information theory and its effect on communications.
Demonstrate your problem-solving skills as you explore the common issues encountered by a DSP engineer. Perform real-time DSP as part of your coursework.
Develop a conceptual framework for modelling and analysing different communication networks and discover how to set up models and use them for performance analysis.
Advance your understanding of wavelet theory and discover how wavelets extract essential information in a fast and effective way.
Professional accreditation
Accredited by the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) on behalf of the Engineering Council as meeting the requirements for Further Learning for registration as a Chartered Engineer. Candidates must hold a CEng accredited BEng/BSc (Hons) undergraduate first degree to fully meet the CEng registration educational requirements.
Our accreditation agreement with the Institution of Engineering and Technology is renewed every 5 years, and the current agreement runs between 2019 and 2025.
Teaching and assessment
Balance of teaching and learning
Key
- Lectures, seminars and tutorials
- Independent study
- 20% Lectures, seminars and tutorials
- 80% Independent study
Teaching and learning methods
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Lectures
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Problem-solving classes
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Laboratory sessions
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Tutorials
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Virtual learning environment
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Group work
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Individual projects
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Independent study
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Industrial placement
Balance of assessment
Key
- Coursework
- Examinations
- Practical
- 50% Coursework
- 40% Examinations
- 10% Practical
Assessment methods
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Written exams
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Coursework
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Individual project
Entry requirements
We consider all applicants on an individual basis, welcoming students from all over the world.
How to apply
Apply online
You can submit one application form per year of entry. You can choose up to two courses.
Application deadlines – Round 1 closes on Thursday 16 January 2025
We operate a staged admissions process with several application rounds throughout the year.
Apply by 23.59 (UK time) on the closing date of an application round, to ensure you receive a response on your application by the relevant decision date.
Application rounds
Round 1
- Apply by Thursday 16 January 2025
- Decision by Thursday 6 March 2025
Round 2
- Apply by Thursday 27 March 2025
- Decision by Thursday 1 May 2025
Round 3
- Apply by Thursday 15 May 2025
- Decision by Thursday 17 July 2025
There is no application fee for MRes courses, Postgraduate Certificates, Postgraduate Diplomas, or courses such as PhDs and EngDs.
If you are applying for a taught Master’s course, you will need to pay an application fee before submitting your application.
The fee applies per application and not per course.
- £80 for all taught Master's applications, excluding those to the Imperial College Business School.
- £100 for all MSc applications to the Imperial College Business School.
- £150 for all MBA applications to the Imperial College Business School.
If you are facing financial hardship and are unable to pay the application fee, we encourage you to apply for our application fee waiver.
Find out more about how to apply for a Master's course, including references and personal statements.
An ATAS certificate is not required for students applying for this course.
Tuition fees
Home fee
2025 entry
£18,500
You should expect and budget for your fees to increase each year.
Your fee is based on the year you enter the university, not your year of study. This means that if you repeat a year or resume your studies after an interruption, your fees will only increase by the amount linked to inflation.
Find out more about our tuition fees payment terms, including how inflationary increases are applied to your tuition fees in subsequent years of study.
Whether you pay the Home or Overseas fee depends on your fee status. This is assessed based on UK Government legislation and includes things like where you live and your nationality or residency status. Find out how we assess your fee status.
If you're a UK national, or EU national with settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, you may be able to apply for a Postgraduate Master’s Loan from the UK government, if you meet certain criteria.
For courses starting on or after 1 August 2024, the maximum amount is £12,471. The loan is not means-tested and you can choose whether to put it towards your tuition fees or living costs.
The loan is not means-tested and you can choose whether to put it towards your tuition fees or living costs.
Overseas fee
2025 entry
£42,900
You should expect and budget for your fees to increase each year.
Your fee is based on the year you enter the university, not your year of study. This means that if you repeat a year or resume your studies after an interruption, your fees will only increase by the amount linked to inflation.
Find out more about our tuition fees payment terms, including how inflationary increases are applied to your tuition fees in subsequent years of study.
Whether you pay the Home or Overseas fee depends on your fee status. This is assessed based on UK Government legislation and includes things like where you live and your nationality or residency status. Find out how we assess your fee status.
If you're a UK national, or EU national with settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, you may be able to apply for a Postgraduate Master’s Loan from the UK government, if you meet certain criteria.
For courses starting on or after 1 August 2024, the maximum amount is £12,471. The loan is not means-tested and you can choose whether to put it towards your tuition fees or living costs.
The loan is not means-tested and you can choose whether to put it towards your tuition fees or living costs.
How will studying at Imperial help my career?
Develop engineering skills in a wide range of fields that employers highly value.
With specialised knowledge, you'll be highly sought after in a range of sectors.
Electrical engineering and smart grids, chemical and process control engineering, and mechanical engineering are just a few.
Other career paths include aeronautical engineering, smart cities and sustainable engineering.
Further links
Contact the department
- Telephone: +44 (0)20 7594 3123
- Email: eee.pgadmissions@imperial.ac.uk
Course Director: Dr Giordano Scarciotti
Visit the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering website.
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Meet us and find out more about studying at Imperial.
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Terms and conditions
There are some important pieces of information you should be aware of when applying to Imperial. These include key information about your tuition fees, funding, visas, accommodation and more.
You can find further information about your course, including degree classifications, regulations, progression and awards in the programme specification for your course.
Programme specifications