Engineering with Placement Year

In modern engineering there are no distinct boundaries between specialisms, and all engineers require a broad-based knowledge of the fundamental principles to be able to work across multidisciplinary teams. At their core, an engineer is a creative and technically minded individual who can conceive ideas, design and implement them. They are pioneers and problem solvers, innovators and analysers. This is an excellent choice for those who want to experience engineering in its broader sense before choosing a specialism in Year 2.

What to expect
We introduce you to many of the key features of engineering, equipping you with a well-rounded understanding and skill set in areas such as design, programming, mechanics, electronic systems and instrumentation, manufacturing and material science. You’ll share the first year with all our School of Engineering students, regardless of their specialism, and you will gain an appreciation for the interdisciplinary nature of the subject. Not only that, you will already know other engineering students before you move into your specialism in Year 2.

Get ready to use team working, creativity and technical skills to design and build things that solve real-world problems. We have two dedicated engineering buildings which are brand new with lots of cool kit, maker spaces, labs and social spaces.

Choosing your specialism
We offer the following specialisms. Check out their course pages to find out what you will study in Year 2 and beyond.

• Chemical Engineering

• Electronic and Electrical Engineering

• Mechanical Engineering

• Mechatronic Engineering

• Nuclear Engineering

Your 2nd and 3rd years will include the study of a range of modules and group project work where you apply your skills and knowledge to real industry problems.

Your placement
In Year 4, you will undertake a year in industry that will enable you to apply the knowledge and skills learnt so far and gain invaluable experience. We have extensive links built through our leadership in research and have students undergoing placements with multinational corporate companies to smaller specialist SMEs. Once you have completed your placement, you will write an extended reflective piece about your time spent with the company.

Master’s-level training
In your final year of study, you will gain a strong understanding of real-world engineering and hands-on experience in the profession through an industry-linked project, further building your confidence and preparing you for the workforce. You will also complete a comprehensive individual research project alongside specialist technical modules, allowing you to explore your interests and align them with your future career goals. This year will solidify your knowledge, placing you in an excellent position to launch your engineering career and progress toward achieving Chartered Engineer status.

Personal Development
Whichever specialism you choose, you will develop valuable transferable skills that make you highly desirable to future employers. This includes working in collaboration, communication, and the ability to design and implement a system or device. You will grow practical skills in diagnosis and testing, system maintenance, digital proficiencies, and the ability to consider and maintain work safety practices in a range of environments.

3 things our engineering students would like you to know:

• The University is highly regarded for design in research and encourages us to do things differently, so we’re designing and innovating as we learn

• All of us engineers share the same newly-built facilities. You’ll find us designing circuits in B02, using integrated software in the computer labs, or putting the mechanical workshops to good use

• The first year is brilliant for future careers. It’s really beneficial for electronic and electrical engineers to understand heat transfer, or for chemical engineers to understand stress analysis, for example