Mechanical Engineering (With Foundation Year)

This course offers you the in-depth technical training you need to begin your career as a practising mechanical engineer. You practise in our on-campus labs as well as in those belonging to local industry partners, giving you the opportunity to develop or contribute to real-world solutions around transportation, energy, power generation and manufacturing. You gain a thorough background in engineering science, structural mechanics and dynamics before moving onto specialist advanced units including sustainable energy systems.

Foundation Year
In the Foundation year you will study three days per week. The focus will be on academic writing skills and numeracy, plus subject-specific content to fully prepare you for entry to an Undergraduate degree. It provides a balance between content related to your chosen subject and the range of wider skills required for undergraduate study. This is an integrated four-year degree, with the foundation year as a key part of the course. You will be required to pass the foundation year in order to progress to the first year of your degree. This course is ideal for those who do not meet our standard entry requirements or those with a non-standard educational background. It will allow you to graduate with a full undergraduate degree in your chosen subject in four years.

Course accreditation

This course is accredited by The Institution of Engineering and Technology, on behalf of the Engineering Council UK, meaning it fully meets the academic requirement for registration as an incorporated engineer and partly meets the academic requirement for registration as a chartered engineer.

It has been designed to meet the requirements of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE), opening up career opportunities in industries ranging from manufacturing and energy to consultancy and design.

Facilities and specialist equipment

• Access to our modern STEM building with a range of laboratory facilities including electronic engineering

• Specialist mechatronics and product design labs with solder stations, 3D printer and an extensive range of manufacturing tools

• Cutting-edge equipment provided by leading suppliers such as National Instruments and Rohde & Schwarz

• Wind-tunnel testing equipment

• Industry-standard software suites, from AutoCAD and Ansys to MATLAB, DesignBuilder and COMSOL Multiphysics

Career-powered links

Take on real-world work projects in collaboration with industry partners such as The Welding Institute, Jaguar Land Rover and Grippatank. We also have industry links with course-relevant companies such as TecQuipment, Ansys and Gunt Technologies, who supply equipment, run seminars and conduct workshops.

Your student experience

Our hands-on approach gives you both the practical skills and technical knowledge needed to tackle a range of business and customer needs.

Our industry-experienced academics are involved in real-world research and consultancy, keeping their teaching at the cutting edge of developments in the field.

Take part in field trips to industry leaders like Jaguar Land Rover, Jaltek Systems and the London Automotive Show.

Learn from guest speakers at the forefront of the field in our regular interactive demonstrations and lectures.

Take advantage of free IMechE membership, allowing you to use member facilities for free.

Get involved in opportunities such as the UAV payload competition, designed to enhance your analytical and project management skills.

Benefit from the support of dedicated academic success tutors.

Course Modules

Year 1
Introduction to software development – How to model software problems and develop solutions using a high-level programming language. Engineering mathematics – Solve real-world engineering problems using different mathematical approaches. Engineering design and manufacture – Gain understanding and skills in engineering design and manufacture, using industry-relevant software. Mechanics and heat transfer – Explore engineering mechanics and heat transfer, applying your skills to solve problems in heat-transfer systems.

Year 2
Engineering structure, materials and analysis – Understand how structural parts behave under stress and learn to match material properties to engineering needs. Fluid dynamics, thermofluids and modelling – Explore the properties and principles of fluid and flows, thermodynamics and thermofluids. Dynamics, measurements and control – Learn common sensors, actuators, control methods and interfaces, and apply them effectively in complex electromechanical systems. Thermal systems and applications – Gain practical experience in producing designs for a whole thermal system or sub-systems.

Year 3
Power cycles and power systems – Explore a range of power cycles and systems, and optimise their performance. Sustainable energy technologies – Learn sustainable energy technologies – solar, wind, hydropower, biofuel/biomass – and gain experience designing power systems or sub-systems. Research methodologies and project management – Plan your Honours project, using research to back up your proposal. Undergraduate project – Work independently to develop and complete a major project on a topic of your choice, solving a complex problem.

We make every effort to ensure the information here is accurate; however, for the most up-to-date information, visit our website.