MEng Mechanical Engineering with a Year in Industry
Course options
Key Details
- Award
- Degree of Master of Engineering
- UCAS Course Code
- H1MN
- Typical Offer
- AAB (specific subject requirements apply)
- Contextual Offer
- BBB (specific subject requirements apply)
- Course Length
- 5 years
- Course Start Date
- September 2024
Why you should choose us
Course Overview
Mechanical engineers are involved with the design and manufacturing of almost anything with moving parts, from household appliances to renewable energy systems.
Our accredited five-year BEng in Mechanical Engineering with a year in industry incorporates a range of engineering disciplines including stress analysis, fluid dynamics, computational fluid dynamics, control systems, manufacturing technologies and industry 4.0. You’ll have access to industry-standard software and facilities, helping you develop a well-rounded skill set and become the digital engineer of the future. Regular practical sessions will reinforce this knowledge while group activities will equip you with transferable soft skills like communication and leadership. The year in industry will accelerate your development even further, setting you apart from other engineering graduates.
Our state-of-the-art facilities in Productivity East act as a link between our students and our industrial partners, helping you secure placements and graduate employment.
Our course structure, innovative teaching and assessment, and embedded employability opportunities have all been praised by professional accrediting bodies like the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) and Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET).
Mechanical engineering is a great fit for people who are curious about how things work, have a knack for problem solving, or are simply interested in machines and manufacturing.
You will work in industry-standard facilities in Productivity East, the home of Engineering at UEA. Your curiosity will be encouraged throughout your engineering studies, as you develop the mind-set, tools, experience, and insight you need to pursue a rewarding career in mechanical engineering.
All our engineering courses follow a common first year, to build a foundation of engineering knowledge including problem solving, computer aided design, manufacturing, and engineering, programming, and sketching. At the beginning of the course, you will be tasked with an industrially sponsored group project to develop commercial awareness and soft skills like teamworking and communication which will serve you well in your studies and future career.
You will then deepen your knowledge of solid and fluid mechanics, control systems, thermodynamics, design, and manufacturing. You can tailor the course to your interests with optional modules in electrical engineering, energy storage, solar energy engineering, and nuclear energy engineering.
The pinnacle of the course is a major individual project on a topic of your choice. This could be based on a real-world challenge related to an industrial partner or to the research of your supervisor. This is a unique opportunity to work on something close to your heart and use it as a passionate talking point in job interviews.
Employability is built into your course from day one. Our annual Select partnership scheme is an exclusive opportunity for you to refine your interview skills, build your own professional network, and potentially gain a placement or a permanent position with one of our industrial partners.
Placement Year and Study Abroad
On this course, you’ll graduate with the added advantage of a year’s work experience. You’ll study the same topics as our MEng Mechanical Engineering students, except you’ll spend your third year working in a company related to your chosen discipline, before returning to complete your degree.
A year in industry is a great way to test out career options, hone your skills, gain real-world experience, and make valuable professional contacts.
During your placement year, you’ll be supported by an industrial supervisor and a mentor from the University. You and your industrial supervisor will keep in touch during the placement to ensure that it is progressing well, and your UEA mentor will visit you during the year.
Accreditations
This course is professionally accredited by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) and the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET). It fully meets the academic requirements for the award of Chartered Engineer (CEng) status, which may be achieved following a period of experiential learning in employment (also known as initial professional development or IPD).
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
In our integrated first year, you will learn about the core engineering principles including fluids, thermodynamics, materials, electrical and electronics. You’ll collaborate in group activities with other engineering disciplines like energy and electrical and electronics. These activities will be delivered through active learning involving experimentation, laboratory work, and regular group design exercises. In these design exercises, you will apply your problem-solving skills and engineering knowledge to real-world challenges and issues. You may have the opportunity to participate in an inter-university competition with Engineers Without Borders, where our students regularly excel.
Compulsory Modules
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
From day one, you’ll explore the concerns of today’s engineers and the crucial role mechanical engineers play in shaping society’s response to the challenges of our time. You’ll participate in an inter-university competition in partnership with Engineers Without Borders, and understand how engineers serve society, contributing to national economies while working to protect the environment.
Assessment
Our assessment strategies are as varied as our teaching. We're aware that you might prefer to demonstrate your learning in different ways, so our variety of assessment methods are designed to give you opportunities to shine, whatever your preference. These methods include continuous assessment in the form of frequent coursework across each term, as well as written work, poster presentations, illustrative sketches, and traditional examinations. Our innovative forms of assessment delivery have recently been commended by professional engineering bodies.
From day one, you’ll explore the concerns of today’s engineers and the pivotal role mechanical engineers play in shaping society’s response to the challenges of our time. You’ll participate in an inter-university competition in partnership with Engineers Without Borders, and understand how engineers serve society, contributing to national economies while working to protect the environment.
Structure
Building on your progress from the first year, you’ll deepen your study of mechanical engineering in advanced concepts encompassing solid mechanics, fluid dynamics, vibration and dynamics and heat transfer.
The year-long engineering design project will allow you to flex your Mechanical Engineering skills in solving complex multi-disciplinary problems. For example, you may take on the Greenpower car challenge to design and build an electric car, with the ambition to participate in Formula 24+, a national championship run by the Institution of Engineering and Technology.
You will also have the flexibility to choose additional modules on renewable energy, electrical power engineering, and programming, depending on your interests.
Compulsory Modules
Optional A Modules
(Credits: 20)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
Following the integrated first year, you’ll commence a more specialised study of mechanical engineering in Year 2. You’ll also develop your collaborative skills by working as a small engineering consultancy company to solve a specific design challenge. The breadth of this project will require you to integrate your design solutions across multiple engineering disciplines in order to ensure success.
Assessment
Following the integrated first year, you’ll commence a more specialised study of mechanical engineering in Year 2. You’ll also develop your collaborative skills by working as a small engineering consultancy company to solve a specific design challenge. The breadth of this project will require you to integrate your knowledge and design solutions across multiple engineering disciplines in order to ensure success.
Structure
You’ll spend your third year on industrial placement, working at an organisation of your choice. This opportunity to connect with working engineers and contribute to real engineering projects will immerse you in the dynamic world of the modern engineering industry. You’ll consolidate the knowledge and skills you’ve developed so far in a professional context, picking up plenty of new expertise as you go. A year in industry gives you unparalleled insight into your chosen sector and sets you apart from other engineering graduates. Recent students have undertaken placements in motorsport companies, control system providers and renewable energy companies.
Compulsory Modules
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 year in year in industry: while your experiences will be unique to the nature of the organisation in which you undertake your placement, the learning outcomes from this year will emphasise the development of your professional skill set, your understanding in an applied learning context, and the application of theory gained from your academic experiences to date.
Assessment
In this year of industrial experience, you’ll document your progress throughout the year and submit this as an assessed final report. You will also be assessed on your reflections from the year and how you articulate your learning journey.
Structure
In your fourth, you will study advanced concepts of stress analysis and control systems, manufacturing technologies, and Industry 4.0 principles. The pinnacle of your studies will be your individual project based on your specific interests and skills. This is a significant piece of research and could involve experimentation, computational/numerical modelling, practical prototyping and construction, or circuit assembly. There may be opportunities to link your individual project to a real engineering challenge experienced in industry. For example, recent students have carried out projects on the applications of robotics in agriculture and health care, designing and developing vertical farms, geothermal energy systems optimization, and electric vehicle battery pack thermal management.
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
Year 4 encourages you to explore the full range of options available to you to define your engineering credentials. You’ll also deepen your learning experience through an independent study based in an area of particular interest or relevance to you. You’ll choose what you want to study and define how you wish to study it, with the support of academic staff.
Assessment
Year 4 assessment is dominated by your double-credit engineering project. You’ll apply the skill set that you have acquired to deliver projects combining your computational, software, data analysis, and laboratory skills, depending on the proposal you choose to deliver. You’ll also demonstrate the practical and applied aspects of your learning, as you adopt a reflective and iterative approach to the design of control systems. Beyond this, your independent module selection will determine your remaining assessment types. By this stage in your academic journey, you’ll understand what type of learner you are and be able to identify your preferred methods of assessment. With this insight, you’ll be free to select the optional modules that support your ability to excel.
Structure
In your final year, you’ll consolidate all your learning and undertake a major multidisciplinary design project. This team-based project will encourage you to explore the breadth of your learning in a real industrial context.
The project will typically be based on a real client brief, acquired or adapted from industry, and presented to you in the autumn term. You’ll work within your team to explore the brief, carry out site visits, and develop proposals for your client. You will then present your proposals to professional engineers.
We emphasise employability across the years, embedding project management, teamworking, communication and other soft skills throughout our modules. This combination of soft skills, teaching excellence and commercial awareness means you’ll leave UEA ready to launch your career as a graduate mechanical engineer.
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
In the final year, you’ll consolidate all your learning and showcase your talents to industry through a multidisciplinary design project. You’ll have the opportunity to showcase your development as a mechanical engineer who is a digitally literate, effective communicator, capable of dealing with complex challenges.
Assessment
The engineering group project will be the main focus of the final year of your MEng Mechanical Engineering degree. It combines many of the assessment tools that you will have encountered in previous years of study, such as presentation delivery, report writing, computational work, and data processing. These assessments are an opportunity for you to demonstrate your engineering skill set.
In Year 5, you once again have the freedom to select modules that enable you to demonstrate your full graduate capability. All our courses present a varied assessment strategy, enabling every student to achieve irrespective of your preferred mode of assessment.
Entry Requirements
- A Levels
- AAB including A in Mathematics and A in one of the following subjects: Physics, Further Mathematics, Design Technology, Computing Science, Electronics, Chemistry, Geology or Biology. A-Level General Studies and Critical Thinking are not accepted. Where applicable Science A Levels awarded by an English Exam board require a pass in the practical element. If you are taking an EPQ and three A-levels, we may offer you a one grade reduction on our advertised typical offer alongside an A in the EPQ.
- T Levels
- Obtain an overall Pass including an A in the core of the T Level and a Distinction in the Occupational Specialism. Subjects accepted: Maintenance, Installation and Repair for Engineering and Manufacturing, Engineering, Manufacturing, Processing and Control and Design and Development for Engineering and Manufacturing.
- BTEC
- Extended Diploma: DDD. Modules to include either Calculus to Solve Engineering Problems and Further Mathematics OR Maths for Engineering Technicians and Further Maths for Engineering Technicians. A Distinction will be required in both modules. See below for accepted subjects and combinations.
- Contextual Offer
BBB including Mathematics and one of the following subjects: Physics, Further Mathematics, Design Technology, Computing Science, Electronics, Chemistry, Geology or Biology. A-Level General Studies and Critical Thinking are not accepted. Where applicable Science A Levels awarded by an English Exam board require a pass in the practical element.
Extended Diploma: DDM. Modules to include either Calculus to Solve Engineering Problems and Further Mathematics OR Maths for Engineering Technicians and Further Maths for Engineering Technicians. A Distinction will be required in both modules.
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.
- Scottish Highers
- AAAAA. Only accepted in combination with Scottish Highers Advanced Grade B in Maths and Grade B in Physics, Further Mathematics, Design Technology, Computing Science, Electronics, Chemistry, Geology or Biology.
- Scottish Advanced Highers
- BBC including Grade B in Maths and Grade B in Physics, Further Mathematics, Design Technology, Computing Science, Electronics, Chemistry, Geology or Biology. A combination of Advanced Highers and Highers may be acceptable.
- Irish Leaving Certificate
- 4 subjects at H2 including Maths and Physics, Further Mathematics, Design Technology, Computing Science, Electronics, Chemistry, Geology or Biology, plus 2 subjects at H3.
- Access to HE Diploma
- Pass the Access to HE Diploma with Distinction in 36 credits at Level 3 and Merit in 9 credits at Level 3, including 12 credits in Mathematics and 12 credits in one other Science from Physics, Further Mathematics, Design Technology, Computing Science, Electronics, Chemistry, Geology or Biology.
- International Baccalaureate
- 33 including HL6 in Mathematics and HL6 in Further Mathematics, Physics, Biology, Chemistry, Geology, Design Technology or Computing Science
- GCSE
You are required to have English Language at a minimum of Grade C or Grade 4 or above and Mathematics at a minimum of Grade B or Grade 5 or above at GCSE.
- 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: 6.0 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:
-
- Interviews
Most applicants will not be called for an interview and a decision will be made via UCAS Hub. However, for some applicants an interview will be requested. Where an interview is required, the Admissions Service will contact you directly to arrange a time.
- 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.
- Intakes
This course is open to UK and International applicants. The annual intake is in September each year.
Additional Information or Requirements
Extended Diploma: DDD. Modules to include either Calculus to Solve Engineering Problems and Further Mathematics OR Maths for Engineering Technicians and Further Maths for Engineering Technicians. A Distinction will be required in both modules.
Diploma: DD plus A at A-Level Mathematics.
Extended Certificate: D plus AA at A-Level Mathematics and Further Mathematics, Physics, Biology, Chemistry, Geology, Design Technology or Computing Science.
If you do not meet the academic requirements for direct entry, you may be interested in one of our Foundation Year programmes such as - BEng Engineering with a Foundation Year
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.
We welcome and value a wide range of alternative qualifications. If you have a qualification which is not listed here, or are taking a combination of qualifications, please contact us via Admissions Enquiries.
International Requirements
We accept many international qualifications for entry to this course. View our International Students pages for specific information about your country.
INTO University of East Anglia
If you do not meet the academic and/or English language requirements for direct entry our partner, INTO UEA offers progression on to this undergraduate degree upon successful completion of a preparation programme. Depending on your interests, and your qualifications you can take a variety of routes to this degree:
International Foundation in Mathematics and Actuarial Sciences
International Foundation in Physical Sciences and Engineering
Admissions Policy
Our Admissions Policy applies to the admissions of all undergraduate applicants.
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
Apply for this course through the Universities and Colleges Admissions Services (UCAS), using UCAS Hub.
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
As a UEA Mechanical Engineering graduate, you’ll enjoy excellent career prospects in mechanical engineering and a breadth of other industries. Your commercial awareness and continual collaboration with industrial partners will support your professional and personal development, giving you the confidence to pursue your career goals.
Our industrial partners recognise the potential that UEA students bring to their organisations and are ready to support your development throughout your engineering studies. Across several key sectors, mechanical engineers are in especially high demand—particularly those with the digital skills and industry insight to navigate the challenges of our time.
Upon completion of this course, you may choose to proceed with your academic studies by joining a PhD or research programme. Your mechanical engineering degree could also support a career beyond engineering in accountancy, law, STEM teaching, or finance.
Careers
A degree at UEA will prepare you for a wide variety of careers. We've been ranked 1st for Job Prospects by StudentCrowd in 2022.
Examples of careers that you could enter include:
-
Mechanical engineering
-
Manufacturing
-
Renewable energy
-
Design Engineering
-
STEM teaching
Discover more on our Careers webpages.