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Mechanical Engineering

Entry requirements


GCSE/National 4/National 5

3 GCSEs including English Language and Science grade C, or grade 4 or above, and Maths grade B or grade 6 or above.

UCAS Tariff

128

from a minimum of 2 A Levels (or equivalent).

About this course


Course option

4years

Full-time | 2024

Subject

Mechanical engineering

So much of our everyday life is influenced by engineered products. Study your Mechanical Engineering MEng (Hons) degree at ARU and learn to design, develop, operate and manufacture products and parts in our specialist lab whether it is in the manufacturing, the design, or even the materials. Our four-year MEng Mechanical Engineering degree course focuses on project-based learning, allowing you to take your in-class theory and apply it in a hands-on project module that will run throughout the year.

Engineering is all about taking a product or system and looking at how it can be improved, whether it is in the manufacturing, the design, or even the materials.

On our four-year Mechanical Engineering course, you'll learn through a wide range of lab sessions. We'll explore manufacturing, 3D printing, thermodynamics, dynamics, and structural analysis so you can analyse, calculate, model, and experience your proposed concepts. As a part of your project-based learning you will work as part of a team, with students from the different areas of mechanical engineering. This will allow you to develop skills that are invaluable to future employers, including analytical and creative problem-solving skills. You’ll also benefit from dedicated support from our experienced staff, who are experienced industry professionals and expert researchers.

This Mechanical Engineering MEng course differs from the BEng as it has an increased emphasis on project work. You’ll also undertake an integrated Major Group Project in your final year where you’ll look to solve real-world industrial problems and as a result, benefit from working with potential future employers.

You’ll also take an individual research module in Year 3 to boost your self-managed learning and research skills. As a MEng student you’ll develop valuable commercial skills in areas such as marketing, Intellectual Property, team working dynamics, leadership, as well as engineering project management.

Our course leads students through computer based advanced design, simulation and modelling practice in various topics including computational engineering, fluid dynamics, stress analysis, and industrial management. You’ll benefit from using our workshop and laboratory facilities including CAD/CAM and engineering computer modelling centre, industrial-scale CNC milling and lathe machines, metal and plastic rapid prototyping machines, scanning electronic microscope, Instron bi-axial fatigue-testing machine, tensile-testing machine, material-preparation facilities, welding equipment, electronic testing and measuring equipment such as oscilloscopes and signal generating and testing facilities, wind tunnel, air compressors, steam engine and many more laboratory facilities used during course and in individual and group major projects.

Due to our new project-based curriculum, we've arranged for IMechE and IET to visit our campus, with a view to re-accrediting this course. Accreditation means it's been approved by a professional body as meeting their level of requirements.

What is the difference between a BEng and an MEng course?
A BEng course will enable to you apply for Incorporated Engineer (IEng) status at the end of your course. To apply for Chartered Engineer (CEng) status you will also need to complete a Masters degree.

A four-year MEng course is a three-year undergraduate degree with a one-year Masters degree in one course. On completing an MEng course you are able to apply directly for CEng status.

Students completing an IMechE accredited degree are deemed to have met, part or all, of the academic requirements for registration as a Chartered or Incorporated Engineer and are in a strong position to move on to achieve professional engineering status after a period of initial professional development in industry.

Modules

Year 1 (level 4) modules:
Introduction to Mechanical Engineering, Engineering Skills, Design and Manufacturing Project, Materials and Mechanical Structures.
Year 2 (level 5) modules:
Ruskin Module, Product Development and Quality Engineering Project, Thermofluids, Advanced Engineering Skills.
Year 3 (level 6) modules:
Engineering Simulation and Optimisation Project, Vibration and Control, Numerical Methods in Engineering, Mechatronics.
Year 4 (level 7) modules:
Individual Major Project, Automation and Robotics, Innovative Product Design and Manufacture, Advanced Materials and Structural Integrity.

Assessment methods

We will use a range of assessment methods to check your academic and practical progress throughout your study. These includes exams, essays and reports, work related to practical classes and demonstrations, log books, presentations, computer models, and posters.

Our focus in assessment is your learning, therefore we thrive to have a clear brief of assessment in all modules. We’ll support you through each semester with formative feedback on your progress and provide a fair assessment procedure.

Tuition fees

Select where you currently live to see what you'll pay:

Channel Islands
£9,250
per year
England
£9,250
per year
Northern Ireland
£9,250
per year
Republic of Ireland
£9,250
per year
Scotland
£9,250
per year
Wales
£9,250
per year

The Uni


Course location:

Chelmsford Campus

Department:

School of Engineering and the Built Environment

Read full university profile

What students say


We've crunched the numbers to see if overall student satisfaction here is high, medium or low compared to students studying this subject(s) at other universities.

59%
Mechanical engineering

How do students rate their degree experience?

The stats below relate to the general subject area/s at this university, not this specific course. We show this where there isn’t enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.

Mechanical engineering

Teaching and learning

59%
Staff make the subject interesting
71%
Staff are good at explaining things
53%
Ideas and concepts are explored in-depth
59%
Opportunities to apply what I've learned

Assessment and feedback

Feedback on work has been timely
Feedback on work has been helpful
Staff are contactable when needed
Good advice available when making study choices

Resources and organisation

65%
Library resources
94%
IT resources
53%
Course specific equipment and facilities
65%
Course is well organised and has run smoothly

Student voice

Staff value students' opinions
Feel part of a community on my course

Who studies this subject and how do they get on?

46%
UK students
54%
International students
93%
Male students
7%
Female students
77%
2:1 or above
16%
First year drop out rate

Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)

C
D
C

After graduation


The stats in this section relate to the general subject area/s at this university – not this specific course. We show this where there isn't enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.

Mechanical engineering

What are graduates doing after six months?

This is what graduates told us they were doing (and earning), shortly after completing their course. We've crunched the numbers to show you if these immediate prospects are high, medium or low, compared to those studying this subject/s at other universities.

£24,000
med
Average annual salary
87%
low
Employed or in further education

Top job areas of graduates

57%
Engineering professionals
14%
Sales assistants and retail cashiers
7%
Draughtspersons and related architectural technicians

We're short of engineers in a lot of areas and mechanical engineering is no exception. Mechanical engineers are in demand across multiple industries, with vehicle manufacturing most popular, with roles especially common in design and manufacturing. Other important sectors include aerospace, the oil and gas industry, consultancy and defence. Jobs are all around the country, with London, the Midlands, Scotland and the South East the most likely places for a new mechanical engineer to find work at the moment, and starting salaries are good. Although large employers are much the most likely place to get work, some of the most challenging, cutting edge jobs are with small niche engineering firms, so keep your eyes peeled if you want something a little different. Bear in mind that a lot of courses are four years long, and lead to an MEng qualification — this is necessary if you want to become a Chartered Engineer.

What about your long term prospects?

Looking further ahead, below is a rough guide for what graduates went on to earn.

Mechanical engineering

The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.

£31k

£31k

£34k

£34k

£34k

£34k

Note: this data only looks at employees (and not those who are self-employed or also studying) and covers a broad sample of graduates and the various paths they've taken, which might not always be a direct result of their degree.

Explore these similar courses...

Higher entry requirements
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UCAS Points: 136-144
Lower entry requirements
Heriot-Watt University | Edinburgh
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MEng (Hon) 5 Years Full-time 2024
UCAS Points: 104-136
Nearby University
University of East London | Newham
Mechanical Engineering
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UCAS Points: 120

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This is what the university has told Ucas about the course. Use it to get a quick idea about what makes it unique compared to similar courses, elsewhere.

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Course location and department:

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Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF):

We've received this information from the Department for Education, via Ucas. This is how the university as a whole has been rated for its quality of teaching: gold silver or bronze. Note, not all universities have taken part in the TEF.

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This information comes from the National Student Survey, an annual student survey of final-year students. You can use this to see how satisfied students studying this subject area at this university, are (not the individual course).

This is the percentage of final-year students at this university who were "definitely" or "mostly" satisfied with their course. We've analysed this figure against other universities so you can see whether this is high, medium or low.

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This information is from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), for undergraduate students only.

You can use this to get an idea of who you might share a lecture with and how they progressed in this subject, here. It's also worth comparing typical A-level subjects and grades students achieved with the current course entry requirements; similarities or differences here could indicate how flexible (or not) a university might be.

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Post-six month graduation stats:

This is from the Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education Survey, based on responses from graduates who studied the same subject area here.

It offers a snapshot of what grads went on to do six months later, what they were earning on average, and whether they felt their degree helped them obtain a 'graduate role'. We calculate a mean rating to indicate if this is high, medium or low compared to other universities.

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Graduate field commentary:

The Higher Education Careers Services Unit have provided some further context for all graduates in this subject area, including details that numbers alone might not show

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The Longitudinal Educational Outcomes dataset combines HRMC earnings data with student records from the Higher Education Statistics Agency.

While there are lots of factors at play when it comes to your future earnings, use this as a rough timeline of what graduates in this subject area were earning on average one, three and five years later. Can you see a steady increase in salary, or did grads need some experience under their belt before seeing a nice bump up in their pay packet?

Have a question about this info? Learn more here