BEng (Hons) Engineering with a Foundation Year
Course options
Key Details
- Award
- Degree of Bachelor of Engineering
- UCAS Course Code
- H10F
- Typical Offer
- CCC
- Contextual Offer
- CDD
- Course Length
- 4 years
- Course Start Date
- September 2025
Why you should choose us
Course Overview
Engineering is the pursuit of solutions: solving complex global problems through innovation, imagination, and ingenuity. Engineers create, design, and manufacture, playing a crucial role in shaping the future of society.
At UEA, our engineering course will develop your capacity to tackle society’s biggest challenges. The foundation year will provide the supporting knowledge you’ll need to complete your undergraduate course with confidence. It includes an introduction to the key science underpinning the main degree, alongside a tailored module developing your engineering skills and knowledge. After completing the foundation year, you’ll progress onto the undergraduate engineering course of your choice.
Our first-year integrated programme will give you the knowledge, skills, and industrial connections you need to support your engineering career. From your second year on, you’ll tailor your course to match your interests, with the opportunity to specialise in energy, mechanical, or electrical and electronic engineering. You can also take optional modules in Environmental Sciences or Computing Sciences to broaden your knowledge base and increase your employability skills.
As an engineering student, you’ll have full access to industry-standard facilities in Productivity East, including computer aided design (CAD) stations, 3D printers, subtractive manufacturing technology, and collaborative robots. You’ll also encounter events like our annual Select Partnership Scheme where you can showcase your skill set to industry professionals.
Completing your Engineering foundation year at UEA will set you up to complete any of our wide range of course titles in the School of Engineering, Mathematics and Physics, after which you’ll go on to become a highly-sought after engineer. With the support of an award-winning careers service, UEA Engineering graduates are equipped for a wide range of rewarding careers in sectors like energy, mechanical, electrical and electronic engineering, manufacturing and more.
Accreditations
This course is professionally accredited by the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) and the Energy Institute (EI). It fully meets the academic requirements for the award of Incorporated Engineer (IEng) status, which may be achieved following a period of experiential learning in employment (also known as initial professional development or IPD). Further Master’s level study will be required to register for Chartered Engineer (CEng) status.
Completing an accredited course enables you to demonstrate to employers your knowledge, abilities, skills, and competencies as specified in the Engineering Council's UK-SPEC4.0.
Professionally recognised engineers can benefit from improved career prospects and higher earning potential. This accreditation is an international recognition and can also pave the way to further career opportunities abroad.
Study and Modules
Structure
Our Foundation Year programme develops your knowledge of the key science and skills underpinning modern engineering to prepare you to enter a full degree. This will enable you to feel confident of your academic foundations and excel at the higher-level learning you need to fulfil your future aspirations.
As well as the underpinning scientific modules, you’ll benefit from an introductory engineering module, giving you a grounding in the professional skills you’ll need as an aspiring engineer.
You’ll be assigned an academic adviser who will guide you in your module choices and ensure that you're progressing towards your degree course of choice.
You’ll gain credits for each of your Foundation Year modules, based on a mixture of coursework and examination results. Obtain sufficient credits and you’ll be able to join any of our BEng engineering courses. There is also the potential to transfer onto the MEng range of courses, subject to your academic performance. Throughout your degree, our modules will help you develop transferable skills in areas like communication, team working and problem solving. Such skills are vital to all engineers and in high demand from employers.
For the years of study after the Foundation Year, please see the full BEng Engineering course.
Compulsory Modules
Optional A Modules
(Credits: 40)Whilst the University will make every effort to offer the modules listed, changes may sometimes be made arising from the annual monitoring, review and update of modules. Where this activity leads to significant (but not minor) changes to programmes and their constituent modules, the University will endeavour to consult with students and others. It is also possible that the University may not be able to offer a module for reasons outside of its control, such as the illness of a member of staff. In some cases optional modules can have limited places available and so you may be asked to make additional module choices in the event you do not gain a place on your first choice. Where this is the case, the University will inform students.
Teaching and Learning
Your Engineering degree course will combine lectures, workshops and tutorials. You’ll be asked to apply the knowledge you’ve gained to a research problem or a series of questions, or to solve a design problem. This application of knowledge will enable you to gain a deeper understanding of the material and help you to retain what you have learnt.
Throughout your studies, you’ll develop skill sets in line with the guidance provided by the Engineering Council. That means you’ll graduate with the capabilities you need to get your career off to a flying start, including being an effective communicator, digitally literate, and capable of dealing with problems like insufficient data sets.
You’ll hone your communication skills through written reports, oral presentations, and workshop discussions. Workshops will also give you time to develop digital skillsets in computer analysis and design.
What’s more, we’ll provide you with multiple opportunities to connect with industry, thanks to our broad network of industry partners. From the first year of the undergraduate course, you’ll be encouraged to develop your networking abilities through our annual Select partnership scheme, where you’ll meet with industry professionals for a day of informal speed-interviews. By combining excellence in teaching with wide-ranging industrial connections, we aim to secure your success as you progress through your course and beyond.
Independent study
Independent study will be guided by the requirements of your research projects, design work and problem-solving exercises. You can expect to explore your module content widely, helping you to develop the independent learning skills so highly valued by employers.
Assessment
Your foundation year assessments focus on the acquisition of skills and knowledge to support your entry into the first year of the degree. Assessment, designed to support your learning, will enable you to track your progress through the year.
Entry Requirements
- This course is open to
UK fee-paying students. Choose UK above to see relevant information. The entry point is in September each year.
We welcome and value a wide range of qualifications, and we recognise that some students might take a mixture of different qualifications. We have listed typical examples that we accept for entry.
You should hold or be working towards the specified English and Mathematics requirements and one of the examples of typical entry qualifications listed below. If your qualifications aren’t listed, or if you are taking a combination of qualifications that isn’t specified, please contact Admissions.
- English and Mathematics
All applicants must hold or be working towards GCSEs in English Language and Mathematics at minimum grade 4 or grade C.
We accept a wide range of English Language qualifications, please see our English Language equivalencies page.
- Contextual Offers
UEA are committed to ensuring that Higher Education is accessible to all, regardless of their background or experiences. One of the ways we do this is through our contextual admissions schemes.
- Typical UK Entry Requirements
A levels
CCC.
Contextual offer: CDD.
Not accepted: Critical Thinking and General Studies.
BTEC
Level 3 Extended Diploma: MMM.
Contextual offer: MMP.
Combinations of BTEC and A levels
Diploma: MM plus C at A level.
Contextual offer: MM plus D at A level.
Extended Certificate: M plus CC at A level.
Contextual offer: M plus CD at A level.
Not accepted: Critical Thinking and General Studies.Access to HE Diploma
Pass Access to HE Diploma with 45 credits at Level 3.
T levels
Obtain an overall Pass including a C in the core of the T Level and a Pass in the Occupational Specialism. Any subject is acceptable.
- Further Examples of Typical Entry Requirements
International Baccalaureate
28 points overall.
Irish Leaving Certificate
6 subjects at H4.
Scottish Highers
BBCCC.
Scottish Advanced Highers
DDD. A combination of Advanced Highers and Highers may be acceptable.
- English Foreign Language
Applications from students whose first language is not English are welcome. We require evidence of proficiency in English (including writing, speaking, listening and reading):
-
IELTS: 6.5 overall (minimum 5.5 in all components)
We also accept a number of other English language tests. Review our English Language Equivalencies for a list of example qualifications that we may accept to meet this requirement.
Test dates should be within two years of the course start date.
If you do not yet meet the English language requirements for this course, INTO UEA offer a variety of English language programmes which are designed to help you develop the English skills necessary for successful undergraduate study.
-
- Deferred Entry
We welcome applications from students who have already taken or intend to take a gap year. We believe that a year between school and university can be of substantial benefit. You are advised to indicate your reason for wishing to defer entry on your UCAS application.
- Admissions Policy
Our Admissions Policy applies to the admissions of all undergraduate applicants.
- Recent Study
We would prefer you to be able to demonstrate evidence of recent academic study within 5 years of the start of the course. If your last qualification will have been completed more than 5 years ago by the time the course starts, please contact Admissions.
Fees and Funding
Tuition Fees
View our information for Tuition Fees.
Scholarships and Bursaries
We are committed to ensuring that costs do not act as a barrier to those aspiring to come to a world leading university and have developed a funding package to reward those with excellent qualifications and assist those from lower income backgrounds. View our range of Scholarships for eligibility, details of how to apply and closing dates.
Course Related Costs
Please see Additional Course Fees for details of course-related costs
How to Apply
UCAS Hub is a secure online application system that allows you to apply for full-time undergraduate courses at universities and colleges in the United Kingdom.
Your application does not have to be completed all at once. Register or sign in to UCAS to get started.
Once you submit your completed application, UCAS will process it and send it to your chosen universities and colleges.
The Institution code for the University of East Anglia is E14.
View our guide to applying through UCAS for useful tips, key dates and further information:
Employability
After the Course
Following your Foundation Year, you’ll progress onto one of our Engineering degree courses. These are accredited by a range of professional engineering institutes such as the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) and the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET).
Qualified engineers are highly sought after. As a UEA engineering graduate, you’ll have excellent career prospects in a thriving industry. Employability and transferable skills are embedded into our courses from the start, so you’ll graduate with a skill-set advantage that will help you succeed in the workplace.
The STEM knowledge you’ll have upon graduating could also support a successful career in engineering, accountancy, consultancy, law, teaching, and finance.
You’ll also be well positioned to study for a Master’s degree or a PhD.
Careers
Examples of careers that you could enter include:
- Public or private sector engineering
- Mechanical engineering
- Electrical engineering
- Electronic engineering
- Energy and manufacturing
- Accountancy
Discover more on our Careers pages.