Mechanical Engineering with an Industrial Placement Year MEng

Program Overview

This five-year Mechanical Engineering program at the University of Sheffield emphasizes project-based learning, connecting theory to practice. Students specialize in areas of interest during their third and fifth years and gain practical experience through a year-long industrial placement. The program aims to equip graduates with the knowledge, skills, and industry experience to succeed as mechanical engineers.

Program Outline

Degree Overview:

This degree covers the fundamental principles of mechanical engineering and allows students to specialize in areas of interest during their third and fifth years. The program includes a year-long industrial placement between the penultimate and final year, providing practical experience and enhancing employability. The program aims to equip students with the knowledge, skills, and experience necessary to become successful mechanical engineers.

Outline:

The program is structured over five years, with a focus on engineering design and modeling throughout.

Year 1:

• Core Modules:
• Essential Mathematical Skills & Techniques: Reinforces previous knowledge and develops new mathematical techniques for engineering.
• Fundamental Engineering Science: Part 1: Covers statics, solid mechanics, and manufacturing processes.
• Fundamental Engineering Science: Part 2: Covers dynamics, fluids, gases, and thermofluids.
• Autumn Integrative Project: Introduces students to practical engineering problems and integrates fundamental knowledge with engineering skills.
• Spring Integrative Project: Builds upon the Autumn project, further developing a holistic view of mechanical engineering.
• Global Engineering Challenge Week: A faculty-wide project designed to develop academic, transferable, and employability skills, as well as global citizenship.

Year 2:

• Core Modules:
• Engineering - You're Hired: A faculty-wide project week focusing on developing employability skills through real-world problem-solving.
• Dynamics of Structures and Machines: Introduces concepts of structural vibration and rigid body mechanics.
• Mechanics of Deformable Solids: Covers analysis of mechanical components under stress and deformation.
• Design Project Part 1: Integrates analytical, computational, and empirical approaches to design and optimization.
• Accounting and Law for Engineers: Introduces key areas of accounting and legal risk relevant to engineering practice.
• Computational and Numerical Methods: Consolidates previous mathematical knowledge and develops new numerical techniques.
• Heat Transfer: Covers heat transfer mechanisms, including conduction, convection, and radiation.
• Materials Processing: Introduces materials processing for mechanical engineers, emphasizing the relationship between processing, microstructure, and properties.
• Fluids Engineering: Consolidates and extends understanding of fluid flow properties and analysis techniques.
• Design Project Part 2: Builds upon Part 1, focusing on functional analysis and synthesis of design solutions.

Year 3:

• Advanced Engineering Thermodynamic Cycles: Consolidates and expands upon thermofluids engineering, introducing realistic energy conversion and power production processes.
• Manufacturing Systems: Covers concepts and practices used in modern manufacturing organizations.
• Group Design Project: Demonstrates engineering design principles through a group project addressing an industrial problem.
• Control Engineering for Mechanical Engineers: Introduces feedback control of physical processes, covering sensors, actuators, and controllers.
• Mechanical Engineering with Biomechanics with a Year in Industry:
• Integrity of Materials and Components: Same as above.
• Advanced Engineering Thermodynamic Cycles: Same as above.
• Group Design Project: Same as above.
• Advanced Mechanics of Solids: Introduces advanced analytical techniques for studying deformable solids.
• Finite Element Techniques: Covers the principles of the Finite Element Method and its application.
• Computational Fluid Dynamics: Introduces fundamental concepts of Computational Fluid Dynamics and its application to predict fluid flow behavior.
• Control Engineering for Mechanical Engineers: Same as above.
• Fluid Biomechanics: Introduces the field of biomechanics and applies engineering principles to study biological systems.
• Integrated Design Skills: Same as above.
• Aspects of Medical Imaging and Technology: Introduces medical technology, focusing on electromagnetic radiation and its diagnostic role in medicine.
• Mechanical Engineering with a Year in Industry Only:
• Advanced Mechanics of Solids: Same as above.
• Finite Element Techniques: Same as above.
• Computational Fluid Dynamics: Same as above.
• Aero Propulsion: Covers principles of operation of gas turbines, pulse-jets, RAM-jets, and rocket engines.
• Robotic Systems: Introduces control and systems engineering concepts applied to robotics.
• Mathematics (Computational Methods): Introduces numerical methods for solving partial differential equations and optimization problems.
• Renewable Energy: Introduces alternative energy technologies, focusing on solar and wind energy.

Year 4:

• Core Module:
• Year in Industry: A year-long placement in a relevant industrial role, providing practical experience and professional development.

Year 5:

• Streams:
• Mechanical Engineering with a Year in Industry:
• Preparation for Practice: Supports transition into early-career graduate life, focusing on professional responsibilities, values, and development.
• MEng Individual Project: An individual research project under the guidance of a faculty member, allowing students to demonstrate their skills and apply their learning.
• Mechanical Engineering with Biomechanics with a Year in Industry:
• Preparation for Practice: Same as above.
• Introduction to Medical Device Regulation: Explores the principles of medical device regulation and its impact on the industry.
• MEng Individual Project: Same as above.
• Mechanical Engineering with a Year in Industry Only:
• Preparation for Practice: Same as above.
• Industrial Applications of Finite Element Analysis: Covers finite element modeling and its application to solve industrial problems.
• Fundamentals and Applications of Tribology: Introduces fundamental science explaining surface phenomena of wear, friction, and lubrication.
• Railway Engineering and Sustainable Transport: Introduces railway transport and its application in creating a sustainable transport system.
• Advanced Engineering Fluid Dynamics: Covers advanced subjects in fluid mechanics, focusing on the theory and applications of governing physical laws.
• Advanced Dynamics: Explores linear
  onlinear structural vibration and modeling techniques.
• Additive Manufacturing - Principles and Applications: Provides a comprehensive introduction to Additive Manufacturing (3D Printing).
• Mechanics and Applications of Advanced Manufacturing Technologies: Introduces advanced conventional manufacturing processes and their mechanics.
• Computational Biomechanics of Musculoskeletal System: Same as above.
• Engineering Commercial Success: And making the world a better place!
: Students work in teams to create solutions to real problems provided by real customers.
• Advanced Aerospace Propulsion Technology: Enhances foundational knowledge of aero propulsion devices, including rockets, ramjets, scramjets, and electric/hybrid propulsion.
• Sustainable Engineering Design: Enables students to create designs that meet the needs of the present generation without compromising future generations.
• Managing Innovation and Change in Engineering Contexts: Introduces innovation management and its importance in engineering organizations.
• Advanced Energy and Power: Introduces the changing landscape of conventional power generation, including carbon capture.
• Human Factors and User-Centred Design: Introduces human factors and user-centered design within the design process.
• Cardiovascular Biomechanics: Same as above.
• Aviation Safety and Aeroelasticity: Covers aeroelasticity and safety in aircraft design and operation.
• Industrial Automation: Introduces industrial automation, covering sensors, actuators, Human Machine Interfaces (HMI), and Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC).
• Nuclear Reactor Engineering: Introduces the theory and practice of nuclear reactors for power production.
• Design and Manufacture of Composites: Covers the design and manufacture of polymer composites.

Assessment:

Students are assessed through a combination of exams, coursework, and practical work.

Teaching:

• Methods:
• Lectures
• Tutorials
• Practical activities
• Design classes
• Coursework assignments
• Group design project
• Professional development training
• Individual project
• Integrative projects
• Online resources
• Faculty:
• The program is taught by academics who are experts in their fields, with experience and links to industry and research.
• Unique Approaches:
• The program emphasizes project-based learning, connecting engineering theory to practice.
• The department provides access to specialist facilities, such as engineering applications workshops, structures and dynamics laboratories, and thermodynamics and mechanics laboratories.
• The department is home to iForge, the UK's first student-led makerspace.

Careers:

Graduates of this program can pursue careers in a variety of industries and sectors, including:

• Manufacturing
• Transport
• Power
• Research
• Design
• Consultancy

Other:

• The Department of Mechanical Engineering is located in the Sir Frederick Mappin Building and the 1885 Central Wing, as well as the Engineering Heartspace.
• The department is ranked 1st in the Russell Group for student voice, assessment and feedback, and learning resources (National Student Survey 2023).
• The department is ranked 4th in the UK for mechanical engineering (Guardian University Guide 2024).
• The department is ranked 5th in the UK for mechanical engineering (The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2024).
• The University of Sheffield is ranked number one in the Russell Group (National Student Survey 2023).
• 92% of the university's research is rated as world-leading or internationally excellent (Research Excellence Framework 2021).
• The university is ranked in the top 50 in the most international universities rankings (Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2023).
• The university has the number one Students' Union in the UK (Whatuni Student Choice Awards 2024, 2023, 2022, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017).
• The university is ranked number one for teaching quality, Students' Union, and clubs/societies (StudentCrowd 2023 University Awards).
• The university is a top 20 university targeted by employers (The Graduate Market in 2023, High Fliers report).

Please use 2024-25 information as a guide. £9,250Home students 2024 annual tuition fee £29,110Overseas students 2024 annual tuition fee