Program Overview

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Automotive Engineering with a Foundation Year - BEng (Hons)

Overview

Study Engineering in the heart of Birmingham

In today's fast-paced world, technology is advancing at an unprecedented rate. From cutting-edge developments in artificial intelligence to sustainable energy solutions, engineering at BCU is at the forefront of these innovations. Our campus is situated in the heart of the city, providing you with the perfect environment to immerse yourself in the dynamic field of engineering.

The course is designed to equip you with the skills and knowledge needed to tackle real-world challenges. As a BCU engineering student, you'll be positioned to make an impact in various sectors, from civil and automotive to renewable energy and beyond. The demand for skilled engineers has never been higher, and the opportunities are boundless.

Companies are actively seeking graduates with practical skills and critical thinking that is taught on this course. We also have strong ties with industry partners, providing you with invaluable networking opportunities. You'll get to access BCU's cutting-edge facilities and also benefit from using the specialist equipment over at the GBS IoT.

This is where your engineering journey begins. Embrace the possibilities and engineer a future that makes a difference.

Study our Automotive Engineering BEng degree course and join one of the select UK Universities to take part in Formula Student events at Silverstone.

Now is a fascinating time to study automotive engineering as you will have the chance to be at the forefront of developments within the industry. You will get to work in advanced automotive workshops and laboratories equipped with industry-standard equipment, as well as take advantage of more traditional office-based facilities.

We ensure you gain practical experience so that you are equipped to apply engineering science to real-life situations.

What's covered in this course?

The Foundation Year course option enables you to study for our BEng (Hons) degree over an extended full-time duration of four years by including a Foundation Certificate (year one of four). The Foundation Certificate provides a broad study programme that underpins the follow-on degree. In order to progress to the next year of your degree, it is necessary to achieve a pass in all of the modules of the Foundation Certificate.

Our BEng (Hons) Automotive Engineering is designed to develop you as an engineer able to make a significant contribution to the industry as it goes through an important period of transition.

Our engineering courses focus on project-based activities, giving you lots of opportunity to work in teams on projects from design to implementation. This will give you practical experience of applying engineering science to real-world problems, working in multidisciplinary teams to develop your interpersonal skills, and prepare you for a key aspect of modern engineering practice.

You will develop key technical skills, enhance your creative thinking and learn from industry experts, as well as gaining knowledge and application skills in stress analysis, drivetrain systems, suspension, body engineering, design and management.

Our course is structured so that its themes have a direct relevance to the industry’s current and expected future needs, and upon graduating you will have the intellectual, technical and personal qualities necessary to successfully implement new technologies.

Throughout your course you will benefit from our strong industry links with companies such as Jaguar LandRover, Norton Motorcycles or Continental Engineering Services.

You will also have the opportunity to join our BCU Formula Student racing club, which designs and builds a racing car each July to race at an IMechE-sponsored event at Silverstone.

Why Choose Us?

• Industrial placement year option - Gain desirable employability skills and work experience with the option of an industrial placement year, that will take place between your second and final year of the course.
• Employable graduates - Our graduates have progressed into roles with leading companies such as Jaguar Land Rover, Ford Motor Company and Aston Martin Lagonda Ltd.
• State-of-the-art facilities - You will be based at our Millennium Point campus in City Centre, where our facilities have undergone a £6.5 million investment with a new maker area, engineering labs/equipment and IT equipment to provide you with the very best learning experience.
• £1.1 million investment in new facilities from the IoT - The Institute of Technology (IoT) has invested in brand-new equipment and facilities, including an Electric Vehicle (EV) Test Rig, an Additive Manufacturing Machine (3D printer) and a material testing-split zone furnace - all industry-grade technology that will advance your skills, making you more employable.
• Formula Student events at Silverstone - We are one of the select UK universities with access to take part in our international Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) Formula Student event at Silverstone.

EqualEngineers partnership

We work in partnership with EqualEngineers to proactively develop inclusive engineers. This collaboration supports our students to confidently progress into their careers, by providing access to events on campus and guaranteed access to the EqualEngineers Pathway Programme – with industry mentors from under-represented groups.

Entry Requirements

These entry requirements apply for entry in 2025/26.

All required qualifications/grades must have been achieved and evidenced at the earliest opportunity after accepting an offer to help confirm admission and allow for on-time enrolment. This can also include other requirements, like a fee status form and relevant documents. Applicants can track their application and outstanding information requests through their BCU mySRS account.

Essential requirements

80 UCAS Tariff points. Learn more about UCAS Tariff points.

GCSE and other level 2 requirements

In addition to the A Level, BTEC and other level 3 requirements below, applicants for this course also need GCSE Maths at grade C/4 or above. If you do not have this or are not undertaking it, we accept other level 2 equivalents, or we may ask you to pass BCU's GCSE equivalency tests.

A Level, BTEC and other level 3 requirements

Qualification| Entry requirements
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A Level |

• A Level: 80 UCAS Tariff points / CDD (or equivalent)
• AS Level: Must be in a different subject to A Levels
• A maximum of four subjects will be considered

Pearson BTEC (Diploma / Extended Diploma/ Extended Certificate) |

• 80 UCAS Tariff points
• Diploma accepted with one A Level or equivalent level 3 qualifications
• Extended Certificate accepted with two A Levels or equivalent level 3 qualifications

T Level | Pass overall (C or above on the core) All subjects considered
Access to HE Diploma | Pass with 60 credits, 45 credits at level 3
OCR Cambridge Technical qualifications | 80 UCAS Tariff points
NCFE CACHE Level 3 qualifications | 80 UCAS Tariff points
WJEC Level 3 qualifications |

• 80 UCAS Tariff points
• Considered with two A Levels or equivalent level 3 qualification(s)

Irish Leaving Certificate (Highers) | Minimum of 80 UCAS Tariff points, achieved in five Higher level subjects
Scottish Higher / Advanced Higher | 80 UCAS Tariff points from three Advanced Highers (DDD) or two Advanced Highers (DD) plus two Highers (DD)
Welsh Baccalaureate | 80 UCAS Tariff points. Considered with two A Levels or equivalent level 3 qualifications

If you're applying with an International Baccalaureate Diploma or international qualifications, please see further information below.

Mature students

Applications from mature students (21+) with alternative qualifications and/or considerable work experience will be considered on their merits.

International qualifications

International Baccalaureate Diploma

• Obtain a minimum of 24 points overall
• For students who do not already hold a GCSE in Mathematics at Grade C/4 or above, Grade 5 in Maths (Standard level) from the IB Diploma will be accepted.

EU / International students

Please see your country page for further details on the equivalent qualifications we accept. In addition to the academic entry requirements listed above, international and EU students will also require IELTS 6.0 overall with no less than 5.5 in each band.

If you do not meet the required IELTS score, you may be eligible for one of our pre-sessional English courses. Please note that you must have a Secure English Language Test (SELT) to study on the pre-sessional English course. More information on pre-sessional English courses.

If you have a qualification that is not listed, please contact us.

Fees & How to Apply

UK students

Annual and modular tuition fees shown are applicable to the first year of study. The University reserves the right to increase fees for subsequent years of study in line with increases in inflation (capped at 5%) or to reflect changes in Government funding policies or changes agreed by Parliament. View fees for continuing students.

Award: BEng (Hons)

Starting: Sep 2025

• Mode
• Duration
• Fees
• Full Time
• 4 years
• £9,535 in 2025/26
• Apply via UCAS

International students

Annual and modular tuition fees shown are applicable to the first year of study. The University reserves the right to increase fees for subsequent years of study in line with increases in inflation (capped at 5%) or to reflect changes in Government funding policies or changes agreed by Parliament. View fees for continuing students.

Award: BEng (Hons)

Starting: Sep 2025

• Mode
• Duration
• Fees
• Full Time
• 4 years
• £17,690 in 2025/26
• Apply Online

Course in Depth

Foundation Year

In order to complete this course you must successfully complete all the following CORE modules (totalling 120 credits):

• Mathematics for Engineers 1 20 credits
• Engineering Science 1 20 credits
• Practical Skills 1 20 credits
• Mathematics for Engineers 2 20 credits
• Engineering Science 2 20 credits
• Practical Skills 2 20 credits

First Year

In order to complete this course you must successfully complete all the following CORE modules (totalling 120 credits):

• Engineering Principles 1 20 credits
• Mathematical Modelling 1 20 credits
• Engineering Practice 20 credits
• Engineering Principles 2 20 credits
• Mathematical Modelling 2 20 credits
• Integrated Engineering Project 20 credits

Second Year

In order to complete this course you must successfully complete all the following CORE modules (totalling 120 credits):

• Thermodynamics and Fluid Mechanics 20 credits
• Numerical Analysis 20 credits
• Design and Materials 20 credits
• Leading Engineering Endeavours 20 credits
• Design and Manufacture 20 credits
• Mechanical Science 20 credits

Final Year

In order to complete this course you must successfully complete all the following CORE modules (totalling 120 credits):

• Computer Aided Engineering 20 credits
• Vehicle Electronics and Control 20 credits
• Body and Chassis Performance 20 credits
• Powertrain and Hybrid Vehicles 20 credits
• Individual Honours Project 40 credits

Employability

Our course is highly respected by the industry. Our graduates typically enter work with blue chip engineering companies, and are expected to progress to Chartered Engineer status.

When you study with us you’ll learn all the key aspects of automotive engineering that will help you to get a job and you’ll have the intellectual, technical and personal qualities needed to implement new technologies in the automotive engineering sector.

Wherever possible, we involve employers in curriculum planning and many of our lecturers come from and maintain their links with industry, ensuring they maintain their knowledge of the latest developments.

This strong partnership means you benefit throughout your time with us, because you have access to some of the world’s leading car companies, including Bentley, Morgan, Jaguar Land Rover and Ford.

It’s why many of our graduates have gone on to start very successful careers in a wide variety of roles in the industry, in areas ranging from development or design and performance engineering to automotive marketing.

Placements

We aim to have you employer-ready by the time you graduate, and as part of this commitment we encourage you to further enhance your career prospects by including an industrial placement in your course.

You will do your placement after the second year of study, which will extend the duration of your course to four years if you are studying on a full-time basis, and you’ll be supported throughout your time away.

Thanks to our excellent partnerships and strong relationships with industry, you could join the ranks of our students who have gained exceptionally high quality work experience at companies including Bentley.

Facilities & Staff

Our state-of-the-art Engineering labs and workshops provide the perfect setting for practical work with modern-day teaching and learning facilities. We pride ourselves on equipping our students with the skill set that they need not only working on industry standard equipment, but having industrial links, which set them up perfectly for a career in engineering.

We are a partner of the Greater Birmingham and Solihull Institute of Technology (GBSIoT) and have secured £1.1 million of government funding for investment in brand-new equipment and facilities. Funding of £808,000 from the Department for Education has supported our development of an Electric Vehicle (EV) Test Rig, an Additive Manufacturing Machine (3D printer) and a material testing-split zone furnace.

The IoT has enabled procurement of new technologies for material testing, electronics prototyping and production and 3D scanning to compliment computer aided design for manufacture.

Our staff

• Man-Fai Yau
• Florimond Gueniat
• Dr Richard Cornish
• Jens Lahr
• Dr. Md Mostafizur Rahman