I have been reading your responses here and I know you are a man of great reasoning and intellect. Many of your
off-hand responses have actually been of immense benefit to me.
I recently got a lecturing job as Graduate Assistant in one of the Federal Institutions in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and luckily for me, I have also secured a scholarship award to study for master in the Uk.
But my challenge now is the course to go for as I have two admissions. This is where I need u my chairman!

1. MSc Design of Rotary Machine in a non too recognised wholly postgraduate university, Cranfield University. Rotary Machine knowledge will allow me to start my specialization from now. It consist of gear, bearing, pump and compressor design. This could get me consulting for manufacturing industries including the revered oil and gas sector. I may also go on my own with sales and maintenance of pumps and compressors and if I am to dream big, could manufacture same for the Nigeria market. Proper Local Content Law could help me here esp for contracts

2. Msc Mechanical Engineering in world renown school (UCL). Here, I will be going over all of my undergraduate knowledge again and beyond. this will shapen my delivering at lectures and allow me to understand my department very well before I go on to specialize during PhD. This is the trick. I will like to do my PhD at harvard or MIT. A good result from UCL will get me there, something am not too sure with cranfield. Again, Nigeria seems to attach importance to school either in the industry or academics(this is my thinking! am i wrong?).
So what do u advise chairman? I have till Monday to make this life-changing decision

I'm not the best expert on UK education.
But both Cranfield and UCL are good schools. Which puts it down to the course of study.
I'd say go for a masters in mechanical eng at UCL if you intend to continue on the academic track. I'm sure you can still focus on machine design for your Msc project/dissertation if you choose. I am not sure what edge the specialized masters will bring you.

Thanks very much. Your advices are always on point! I am also connecting with UCL too. Just that I like to have industry experience by the side. In academics, u could take leave of absence up to 10yrs. And was thinking Rotating Machine MSc could do the job finding faster as rotating machine is the single most important machines in the industries especially in the oil and gas sector.

Mayflowa:

Thanks very much. Your advices are always on point! I am also connecting with UCL too. Just that I like to have industry experience by the side. In academics, u could take leave of absence up to 10yrs. And was thinking Rotating Machine MSc could do the job finding faster as rotating machine is the single most important machines in the industries especially in the oil and gas sector.

The truth is, they don't design machines in the oil and gas sector. If you wanted to focus on Rotating Machines, you'd probably be looking for a job with the actual builders of machines, the likes of Rolls Royce, GE, and BMWs of this world. If that is really your passion, go for it. Do the specialist Masters at Cranfield.
But your Harvard-MIT dream makes you sound like a generalist that likes academics. If that is your real desire, just go UCL.

@poster,
I think you need to do your homework very very well before committing to anything. where you found out that Cranfield is not a reputable institution beats me; the school sure offers some serious research programmes.

Kenny_G:

@poster,
I think you need to do your homework very very well before committing to anything. where you found out that Cranfield is not a reputable institution beats me; the school sure offers some serious research programmes.

Sounds more like OP is spoilt for choice

UCL is good only if you re staying within UK. Outside the UK, it makes very little difference, unlike Cambridge and Oxford!