Program Overview

About the course

Electronic and Computer Engineering is an exciting and rapidly developing area of technology that has increasingly affected every aspect of our lives. Examples are everyday objects with which we interact, such as mobile phones, tablets and games consoles.  All of these need electronics design and software programming.  This degree combines recent Software and Computer Engineering electronics Hardware technological advances and exposes you to new, much sought-after skills and up-to-date areas of research in a way that neither an electronics or a computer science degree can alone provide.

You will learn the fundamentals of the subject, including Analogue and Digital Electronics, Programming, Software Development and more specialised topics such as Embedded Computer Systems, Intelligent Systems, Mechatronics, Mobile Devices and Robotics. You will experiment and interact with specialist software, hardware interfaces and systems, as well as exotic robots and fabrication facilities. You will be taught by academics whose research is rated as internationally excellent by the latest Research Excellence Framework in areas including Robotics and Intelligent Systems.

The degree has a good balance of academic theory and practical ‘hands-on’ project work. You will work in purpose-built laboratories, using the very latest equipment.

Course structure

Teaching on this degree is structured into lectures, where all students are taught together, seminars of smaller groups of around 15-20 students, and tutorials which typically have no more than 10 students.

In the UK, degree level study equates to a total of 1200 hours, (nominally around 40 hours per week) with part of this time taught within the university and the remainder as private study.

In your first year of study, there are approximately 12 teaching hours each week, which reduces to approximately 10 teaching hours in your second, third and fourth years. As well as teaching hours, you are also be expected to spend a number of hours each week studying independently, as well as in groups to prepare for any group assessments you may have.

Assessment and feedback

During each year you will have a variety of assessments, including coursework, portfolios, tests and written exams that closely relate to the practical aspects you have studied. In your final year, you complete a research project (named a Dissertation) that you will be prepared for by project work in the earlier years of your degree.

You will be given written feedback on your assessments, and you will have the opportunity to discuss this with your tutor in more detail.