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Mechanical Engineering

Entry requirements


A level

D,D,E

preferably including Mathematics or Physics

Access to HE Diploma in a Science or Engineering based subject (60 credits) of which a minimum of 45 must be at Level 3 (64 UCAS point equivalence, minimum 15 credits at merit and 30 credits at pass)

Pearson BTEC Diploma (QCF)

MM

in a Science or Engineering based subject.

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

MPP

in a Science or Engineering based subject.

T Level

P

UCAS Tariff

64

About this course


Course option

2years

Full-time | 2024

Subject

Mechanical engineering

This course employs a strong practical focus and a ‘knowledge then practice’ approach to learning, providing opportunity for knowledge gained to be strengthened with practical activities. The University of Wolverhampton, in partnership with South Staffordshire College, boasts mechanical, manufacturing and mechatronic laboratory equipment alongside exemplary design and rapid prototyping suites, facilities which will be put into use across a flexible course, mindful of your abilities, qualifications and aspirations. Led by lecturers with a wealth of industry experience and supplemented by visiting speakers, external visits and real time case based activities, in conjunction with local employers and community organisations offering to develop your skills, attributes and experience, you will be able to take responsibility for your own independent work as an engineering technician.

The educational aims for this course collectively strive to develop independence, creative talent, as well as the capability for continuing professional growth and self-learning. This ensures that graduates are equipped with the appropriate knowledge and enterprising capabilities to practise engineering professionally, ethically and sustainably.

Thus, the course will:

- aim to develop in learners a range of knowledge and skills to enable successful students to operate in their respective fields in industry as Engineering Technicians

- the Fd(Eng) programme also aims to form a foundation on which learners may build on in order to progress to undergraduate level if desired, and attain IEng of CEng status

- aim to develop in learners the transferable skills necessary to operate effectively in industry especially self-reliance, self-discipline and a capacity for collaboration with other members of a team

- aim to develop in learners the analytical and research skills necessary for mechanical engineering design, the ability to interpret results of testing and computer-based engineering analysis and an ability to reflect upon the shortfalls

- inherent in this will be an ability to competently use and apply computer aided engineering design techniques and to manage modern technology

- aim to develop in learners the knowledge and critical understanding of the established principles in Mechanical Engineering and understanding of the limits of their knowledge

- aim to develop in learners the ability to evaluate critically the appropriateness of different approaches to solving problems and to apply these in a work context

- aim to develop in learners the ability to apply their knowledge and skills to new situations, including in the workplace.

The Uni


Course location:

South Staffordshire College (Cannock Campus)

Department:

School of Engineering

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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.

80%
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

80%
Staff make the subject interesting
100%
Staff are good at explaining things
90%
Ideas and concepts are explored in-depth
70%
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

80%
Library resources
80%
IT resources
90%
Course specific equipment and facilities
80%
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?

94%
UK students
6%
International students
93%
Male students
7%
Female students
87%
2:1 or above
15%
First year drop out rate

Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)

C
D
E

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.

96%
med
Employed or in further education

Top job areas of graduates

58%
Engineering professionals
8%
Production managers and directors
8%
Sales assistants and retail cashiers

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.

£27k

£27k

£32k

£32k

£31k

£31k

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 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