Master’s in Motorsport Cooling and Aerothermal Engineering
Online master's programme of 1,900 hours in motorsport cooling and aerothermal engineering. 12 modules covering thermal balance, heat transfer, radiators, ducting, CFD, coolant circuits, battery cooling, testing and race operation, with an assigned technical tutor.
Take the controls.
Run a real engineering trade-off from this programme. Move the sliders, watch the model react in real time and beat the challenge.
What you will be able to do
Establish the thermal balance of a racing vehicle.
Apply heat transfer to the sizing of radiators and heat exchangers.
Design ducts and intakes that balance cooling and downforce.
Simulate the aerothermal behaviour of the cooling package with CFD.
Define the cooling of batteries and power electronics.
Correlate thermal models with bench and track data.
Manage the thermal configuration according to race conditions.
Who it's for
- Motorsport cooling engineers.
- Aerothermal engineers.
- Thermal CFD engineers.
- Battery cooling system engineers.
- Thermal test engineers.
- Performance trackside engineers.
- Engineering or science graduates seeking to join racing teams.
What you'll work with
- FIA Technical Regulations (cooling and aerodynamics)
- Appendix J to the FIA International Sporting Code
- ASTM D3306 (glycol-based engine coolants)
- SAE J1349 (engine net power rating)
- ISO 6469-3 (electrical safety of electric vehicles)
- ISO 5801 (fan performance testing)
- Simcenter STAR-CCM+
- ANSYS Fluent
- GT-SUITE
- Simcenter Amesim
- MATLAB/Simulink
12 modules
1.1Heat sources: engine, brakes, electronics and battery1.2Energy split and thermal efficiency1.3Heat to be rejected at each circuit1.4Ambient conditions and race scenarios1.5Temperature limits by component1.6Cooling targets by category1.7Zero-dimensional vehicle model1.8Model validation with track data1.9Trade-offs between cooling and aerodynamics1.10Workshop: thermal balance of a single-seater
2.1Conduction in blocks and cylinder heads2.2Forced convection in ducts2.3Nucleate boiling in coolant jackets2.4Radiation in exhausts and hot zones2.5Film coefficients and correlations2.6Thermal resistances in series and parallel2.7NTU effectiveness in heat exchangers2.8Fouling factors and degradation2.9Temperature measurements and their uncertainty2.10Lab: characterisation of a heat exchanger
3.1Core types and fin geometries3.2Cross-flow, counter-flow and multi-pass3.3Pressure drop on the air and liquid sides3.4Characteristic curves and operating point3.5Materials and manufacturing processes3.6Air-to-air charge air coolers3.7Air-to-water exchangers and low-temperature circuits3.8Oil and gearbox coolers3.9Sizing and verification3.10Workshop: selection of a cooling package
4.1Air intakes: pods, NACA ducts and front inlets4.2Diffusers, losses and flow uniformity4.3Air outlets and wake management4.4Effect of the radiator on aerodynamics4.5Cooling drag and its quantification4.6Interaction with the floor and sidepods4.7Brake cooling and dedicated ducts4.8Cockpit and driver ventilation4.9Trade-offs with downforce4.10Case study: redesign of a sidepod
5.1Geometry preparation and simplifications5.2Meshing of ducts and boundary layers5.3Modelling the radiator as a porous medium5.4Suitable turbulence models5.5Realistic boundary conditions5.6Conjugate fluid-solid heat transfer5.7Convergence and quality criteria5.8Post-processing: flow rates, temperatures and losses5.9Correlation with tests5.10Lab: simulation of a complete circuit
6.1Architecture of high- and low-temperature circuits6.2Mechanical and electric pumps6.3Pump curves and operating point6.4Cavitation and circuit pressure6.5Expansion tanks and bleeding6.6Thermostats and flow control6.7Hoses, fittings and sealing6.8Coolant fluids and their properties6.9Protection against freezing and corrosion6.10Workshop: design of a dual circuit
7.1Battery cells and heat generation7.2Direct, indirect and cold-plate cooling7.3Thermal uniformity between cells7.4Thermal management during fast charging7.5Cooling of inverters and electric motors7.6Dielectric fluids and their implications7.7Thermal safety and fault propagation7.8Sensing and BMS control7.9Requirements of the electric category7.10Case study: thermal package of a Formula E car
8.1Thermocouples, RTDs and pressure sensors8.2Flow meters and their calibration8.3On-board data acquisition8.4Engine dyno and wind tunnel testing8.5Track testing and measurement protocols8.6Repeatability and reference conditions8.7Correction for ambient conditions8.8Anomaly detection during a race8.9Test report and decision-making8.10Lab: instrumentation of a circuit
9.1Objective functions and constraints9.2Applied design of experiments9.3Response surfaces and metamodels9.4Multi-objective cooling-aerodynamics optimisation9.5Weight, centre of gravity and packaging9.6Reliability versus performance9.7Manufacturing cost and lead time9.8Technical regulations as a constraint9.9Decision-making with incomplete data9.10Workshop: optimisation study
10.1Thermal strategy by circuit and climate10.2Cooling opening and closing configurations10.3Temperature management under safety car10.4Degradation from dirt and debris10.5Critical readings for the race engineer10.6Overheating protocols10.7Coordination with tyre strategy10.8Post-session logging and analysis10.9Changes between sessions and verification10.10Simulation of a race weekend
11.1Materials and processes in heat exchangers11.2Welding and critical joints11.3Tolerances and fit in the chassis11.4Mountings, insulation and heat shielding11.5Quality control and leak testing11.6Maintenance and cleaning of the package11.7Spares and parts fleet management11.8Component traceability11.9Assembly times and ergonomics11.10Case study: manufacturing plan
12.1Definition of the category and applicable regulations12.2Thermal balance and design targets12.3Sizing of heat exchangers and ducts12.4CFD simulation and correlation12.5Circuit design and pump selection12.6Instrumentation and test plan12.7Analysis of trade-offs with aerodynamics12.8Manufacturing and assembly plan12.9Technical report and defence12.10Master's Thesis: final review with the tutor
How you'll learn
A 100% online programme on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable materials, recorded classes and an assigned technical tutor. There are no fixed timetables: you progress at your own pace within each intake, so it fits around your job.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is Simcenter STAR-CCM+, ANSYS Fluent, GT-SUITE, Simcenter Amesim and MATLAB/Simulink, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Testing is studied through real procedures for wind tunnel testing with internal flow measurement, radiator thermal test benches and on-track temperature acquisition. Assessment is continuous by module, plus the final Master's Thesis.
Standards covered: FIA Technical Regulations, Appendix J to the FIA International Sporting Code, ASTM D3306, SAE J1349, ISO 6469-3 and ISO 5801.
Build it end to end
Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.
Where this takes you
Requirements
- University degree in engineering, science or architecture, or equivalent demonstrable professional experience.
- Internet connection and a computer capable of running the programme's software.
- English sufficient to read technical standards.
Ready to start?
Send your application today. Our admissions team replies within 72 hours with your study plan and funding options.
Frequently asked questions
The programme totals 1,900 hours over 12–14 months. You set your own pace within each intake, and your tutor helps you plan the workload around your job.
You will work with Simcenter STAR-CCM+, ANSYS Fluent, GT-SUITE, Simcenter Amesim and MATLAB/Simulink. Free, academic or evaluation versions are used, and your tutor indicates the free alternative where one exists.
A SEIUM Institute diploma, awarded on passing the continuous assessment and the Master's Thesis. It is SEIUM's own qualification, not an official state degree; its recognition depends on the programme completed and the regulations of each country.
Yes. Modules passed in a course or postgraduate diploma in the same area are recognised in the higher programme. Ask about the recognition policy when you enrol.
A university degree in engineering, science or architecture, or equivalent professional experience; a computer able to run the programme's software; and English sufficient to read technical standards.
Start dates are set by SEIUM's faculty for each intake. Our admissions team will confirm the next available date when you apply.
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