Mechanical Engineering (with placement year)

Mechanical engineering applies the principles of physics and engineering science to the analysis, design, development and maintenance of mechanical systems. It defines how and why mechanical systems work, how long they will work for, and predict when they will fail.

Mechanical Engineers are at the heart of a broad spectrum of UK and international industrial sectors. They design and specify products ranging from heart stents to bullet trains, and work extensively in a large range of differing industrial sectors.

Covering an extensive range of disciplines from dynamics and control, to stress analysis heat transfer and thermodynamics, a diverse array of engineering science-based subjects are experienced, providing technical expertise and integration of skill sets. Mechanical engineering takes advantage of parallel engineering disciplines, blending subjects such as materials science, electronics and software engineering with the core subjects.

What's the difference between MEng and BEng? The structure of the first two years are common between the BEng and MEng and provide you with engineering science core skills, combined with engineering design and computational modules. The application of engineering science and the solution of industrial problems is a strong theme throughout the courses.

The MEng structure is distinct from the BEng course in the third and fourth academic years, providing enhanced opportunities to study your chosen specialist subjects in depth. In addition, MEng students follow extra modules in practical business management, design and microprocessor control systems, and are offered the chance to study a language.

Students studying on the BEng course may have the opportunity to change to the MEng course if their performance in the first and second year is sufficiently strong.