Mechanical Engineering with Foundation Year

Please check the Sheffield Hallam University website for the latest information

Course summary

- Become a professional mechanical engineer from day one.

- Apply your skills by completing industry-linked projects and placements.

- Develop the techniques to design, analyse, simulate and test mechanical systems.

- Create engineering solutions for the optimal performance of mechanical systems.

- Enhance your versatility with multidisciplinary insights into mechanical engineering.

- Prepare for the full degree with an extra foundation year at the start.

This course prepares you for diverse engineering roles – with a practice-based approach to mechanical science, design, systems, engineering practice, materials, and manufacture. You’ll emerge as a highly-skilled graduate – ready to provide optimal and sustainable solutions to future problems across the industry.

This foundation year course is for those who don't meet the entry requirements for our BEng Mechanical Engineering course or would like extra preparation before starting degree-level study.

How you learn
This course is designed for you to gain experience as a professional engineer from day one, developing technical and professional skills from the very start. The multidisciplinary nature of mechanical engineering means you’ll work collaboratively with professionals from other engineering disciplines, further enhancing your versatility in the field.

You’ll engage in a variety of learning activities as you progress through the course. The balance of these activities changes at each level of study to encourage you to become increasingly independent learners, developing the ability to take the initiative, plan, organise and complete programmes of work – as an individual, a leader and a member of a team.

You learn through:
- Diverse lectures emphasising peer collaboration.

- Tutorials to practise and apply your knowledge ahead of assessments.

- Hands-on lab experience including computational modelling and simulation.

- Q&A and discussions for self-assessment and understanding.

- Support sessions for receiving feedback and preparing for assessments.

- Teamwork activities for collaboration in an innovative environment.

- Project-based learning to apply knowledge, creativity, design, critical analysis and professional skills to real-world projects.

Course topics

The course adopts an applied problem-based and research-informed approach, and is based on core subject areas. These include mechanical engineering design, solid mechanics, dynamics, thermofluids, engineering practice, materials, manufacturing and engineering mathematics.

As you advance in the course, the modules will focus on applying mechanical engineering principles to real-world industrial challenges – emphasising the strength of mechanical systems through design and advanced computational engineering tools.

Your final-year project is your chance to demonstrate independent learning and establish a foundation for your future career.

Applied learning
Work placements

You’ll have the opportunity to arrange a year-long work placement in between your second and third years. This allows you to graduate with an Applied Professional Diploma to add to your CV.

While you’re on placement you’ll develop and apply your skills – from mechanical design to manufacturing, the strength of mechanical components, and from the production to the backend design of mechanical systems.

Previous students have worked at organisations such as Rolls-Royce, Airbus UK, Bentley Motors, Lockheed Martin, BMW Manufacturing and McLaren Racing Limited. Placement years involve an application process to secure your position, which your tutors and our Careers and Employability Team will support you with.