Mechanical Engineering at Bristol

Mechanical systems make all our machines work, from satellites to miniature cameras. Mechanical engineers design and implement practical solutions for products and processes, making the best use of new materials and technologies. If you like using science to solve real-world problems and have a flair for design and creative thinking, this is the subject for you.

The research in mechanical engineering covers diverse topics, such as advanced materials for aero-engines, adaptive control systems theory, and energy studies in power stations. You will benefit from teaching influenced by the latest developments and expertise, for example through work with the Bristol Robotics Laboratory, which is the largest robotics lab in the UK.

Unit structure

Many of the department's units are taught across the academic year (known as 'TB4' units), which means they start in September and end in May/June. There are some single-semester classes, but we encourage students interested in this subject to consider studying with us for the full academic year (September–June) so they have more unit choices available to them.

Unit levels

The department offers units across all undergraduate levels of study – Year 1 (Level C/4), Year 2 (Level I/5), and Year 3 (Level H/6) – and selected postgraduate units (Level M/7). Level M/7 units are normally taken by students who have studied the subject for at least 3 years beforehand and are at an appropriate level of study to take postgraduate units.

Unit codes

Unit codes in the Department of Mechanical Engineering begin with 'MENG'. This is followed by a number indicating the year (1, 2, 3). For example:

• MENG10000 = year 1 unit
• MENG20000 = year 2 unit
• MENG30000 = year 3 unit.

For more information about each unit, check the University's unit catalogue for 2022/23. Applicants on all study abroad programmes must review the unit details on the catalogue before listing unit choices on their application form. This includes checking the format of assessment for each unit. The unit catalogue for 2022/23 is updated by April.

Your unit choices cannot be guaranteed. Some units may not have capacity to accommodate all of the unit requests we receive. Registration on a unit also depends on whether you meet the pre-requisite conditions through prior study at your home university.

Study Abroad (Subject pathway)

If you have been nominated to Bristol on the Study Abroad (Subject pathway), you are expected to take the majority of your credits in this department. You may select units from across the School of Civil, Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering should you be based with us for one semester and are encountering issues selecting units from just one department.

Research Project units

The Department offers 2 project units:

• Individual Research Project (TB2) - MENG35000
• Research Project (TB1 or TB2) - MENG30005

IMPORTANT: these units are only available if a supervisor is agreed before arrival. A potential supervisor must be contacted by the student. It will not be offered after arrival if supervision not preliminary agreed. Students can take a maximum of one research project.

Units available on the study abroad programme in 2022/23

The following units from the Department of Mechanical Engineering are open to incoming Study Abroad students.

Application queries

Contact the Global Opportunities Team if you have any queries about the application process for the study abroad programmes:

Phone: +44 117 39 40207
Email: global-opportunities@bristol.ac.uk