BEng Mechanical and Electrical Engineering with a Year in Industry
2025 entry
Course summary
There is a strong industrial demand for skilled engineers capable of spanning the mechanical and electrical engineering disciplines. This degree gives you the fundamental knowledge and tools to satisfy this demand in a unique way.
This course provides the opportunity to spend your third year applying the knowledge gained in your first two years of study in an industrial environment. There is no direct entry onto this course but you can transfer from BEng Mechanical and Electrical Engineering after year two if you reach a high academic standard and are successful at an interview with industry.
During this course, you will study units from the mechanical and electrical disciplines along the following themes:
- design and integration of electro-mechanical systems;
- energy conversion and actuation systems;
- embedded systems and control;
- power electronics and electric drives; and
- energy management.
Years one and two offer a grounding in mathematics, thermal management, dynamics and control, computing, electrical energy technologies, and analogue and digital electronics. Laboratory work and case studies will draw together these interdisciplinary foundations.
Your third year will be spent in industry and you will return in your final year into year three of the BEng in Mechanical and Electrical Engineering programme.
In this final year, as well as classroom-based subjects, you will engage in an individual research project in which you will apply the knowledge and skills that you have developed focussing on a specific topic area from actuation and sensor systems and intelligent adaptable power systems to efficient, clean propulsion technologies.
Mechanical and electrical engineering graduates will be able to innovate technologies in a range of areas. These might include:
- the power flow of renewable energy microgrids, from the wind to the electric generator and the power network to the user in the home;
- actuation systems for motion control or robotics used in healthcare and manufacturing;
- the complete power train of future electric vehicles, from the energy storage system, through to the electric motors, to the mechanical drivetrain and traction system;
- efficient energy storage, allowing sensors to operate in previously inaccessible and far-reaching locations.
A student who completed a year in industry shares how her placement year boosted her confidence, career prospects and appreciation for university life. Find out more about Yasmin's story.
Course structure
First-year students across a broad range of engineering disciplines including students on the Mechanical and Electrical Engineering programme all start their degree with a broad knowledge of the fundamentals and a command of the skills that underpin modern engineering. This gives you plenty more opportunities to broaden your social circle and long-term professional network. Interdisciplinary working is now the norm in industry, and a good understanding of disciplines other than your own will serve you well when you enter the workplace.
In year one you will
- study and practice the fundamental mathematics engineers need to describe and analyse physical processes efficiently;
- learn how to generate and communicate designs and use these skills to work on an interdisciplinary design project, based on global challenges and inspired by Engineers Without Borders;
- bring these skills together to tackle a lab-based electro-mechanical design problem.
As you progress through the course you will move from structured teaching exercises based upon fundamental theory in the areas of energy conversion in the mechanical and electrical domains towards more research-driven, creative and open-ended project-based units. The skills-based approach will provide you with technical and practical abilities, confidence, adaptability and understanding of social/industrial context that will enable you to succeed in your degree and career.
Entry requirements
We accept a wide variety of qualifications and welcome applications from students of all backgrounds. Below is a guide to the typical offers for this course.
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Selection process
- Regulations and codes of conduct we abide by to create a positive environment for learning and achievement are found in the University admissions policies and procedures.
- If applying with extenuating circumstances please see our policy.
- Full information about our selection processes for Mechanical and Electrical Engineering with a Year in Industry can be found in the Admissions Statement:
Admissions statement - The admissions statement above relates to 2024 entry. The statement for 2025 entry will be available in summer 2024.