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Mechanical Engineering

Entry requirements


Grade C or above in Mathematics, plus a Pass in one of the following subjects: Biology, Chemistry, Computing/Computer Science, Design and Technology, Electronics, Engineering, ICT, Further Maths, Music Technology, Physics, Statistics. Points from A-Level General Studies and AS-Level subjects (not taken on to full A-Level) can be included towards overall tariff.

15 Level 3 credits at Merit in Mathematics and 15 Level 3 credits at Pass in another Science or Technology subject.

The Mathematics requirement for this course can also be met by Cambridge Pre-U Mathematics at Merit 3.

GCSE/National 4/National 5

Grade C/4 in English and Mathematics, or equivalent.

Grade 5 in Higher Level Mathematics and a Pass at Higher Level in one of the following subjects: Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Design and Technology, Physics, Environmental Systems and Societies.

H2 in Mathematics plus a Pass in one of the following subjects: Biology, Chemistry, Engineering, Physics, Technology.

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)

DMM

One of the following BTEC Diplomas: Aeronautical Engineering, Construction and the Built Environment, Electrical/Electronic Engineering, Engineering, Land-based Technology, Manufacturing Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Operations and Maintenance Engineering. Must include Merit in one of the following units: Further Engineering Mathematics, Further Mathematics for Construction or Calculus to Solve Engineering Problems. Please list the units that you are taking in your application. For further advice on acceptable units, please email us.

Grade D in Advanced Higher Mathematics, plus a Pass in one of the following subjects: Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Design and Manufacture, Engineering, Physics, Statistics.

You must achieve a Grade C in A-Level Mathematics in addition to your T Level qualification. If you have or are looking to partially complete your T-Level you are still required to have the equivalent to 2 full A-Levels as part of our minimum entry requirements. As a result, if you are applying with only the core or occupational specialism, this may be insufficient as a stand-alone qualification.

UCAS Tariff

112

About this course


This course has alternative study modes. Contact the university to find out how the information below might vary.

Course option

3years

Full-time | 2024

Other options

4 years | Sandwich | 2024

Subject

Mechanical engineering

BEng Mechanical Engineering is accredited by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE).

Develop your understanding of stress analysis, dynamics, heat transfer, mechatronics, materials and manufacture, and maths.
Learn to use industry standard software and gain plenty of hands-on experience testing theories in our well-equipped laboratories.

Choose your modules in a way that allows you to specialise, perhaps with your chosen career in mind. Gain an inside track on the profession through factory visits and professional briefings with industry leading organisations across the UK.

This course is developed alongside our partner employers to make sure you're industry ready when you graduate. They also provide you with placement opportunities, as well as advice on CV-writing and interview techniques.

You’ll share modules with aerospace and automotive engineering students in your first year. This means that you can transfer onto one of these courses if your focus changes. Depending on your results, you may also be able to extend your studies by a year to graduate with an MEng in Mechanical Engineering.

Mechanical engineers are sought after for traditional engineering jobs and the product development process. They are also highly regarded in the world of financial business. You’ll also be in demand to help maximise usage of high capital plants and operations such as power stations, oil refineries and hospitals.

The Uni


Course location:

Frenchay Campus

Department:

School of Engineering

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.

78%
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

74%
Staff make the subject interesting
88%
Staff are good at explaining things
66%
Ideas and concepts are explored in-depth
61%
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

68%
Library resources
73%
IT resources
77%
Course specific equipment and facilities
71%
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?

74%
UK students
26%
International students
92%
Male students
8%
Female students
68%
2:1 or above
12%
First year drop out rate

Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)

B
C
B

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.

£25,000
med
Average annual salary
100%
high
Employed or in further education
81%
med
Employed in a role where degree was essential or beneficial

Top job areas of graduates

69%
Engineering professionals
4%
Other elementary services occupations
2%
Business, research and administrative professionals

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.

£26k

£26k

£34k

£34k

£38k

£38k

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.

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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?

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