Program Overview

Mechanical Engineering with a Year in Industry (BEng)

Overview

Mechanical Engineering with a Year in Industry (BEng) is a four-year full-time degree program that combines imagination and technology to solve real-world problems. The program provides students with the knowledge, skills, and hands-on experience needed to become work-ready mechanical engineers.

Why Study This Course

• The course offers a unique opportunity for students to develop vital skills through group projects with engineering students from other disciplines.
• Students can participate in the design, development, and testing of a proven Formula Student racing car through Cardiff Racing.
• The program includes a professional placement year, where students can gain valuable experience working in a paid role at an organization in the UK or abroad.
• The course is professionally accredited by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers and the Energy Institute on behalf of the Engineering Council.

Accreditations

• Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE)
• Energy Institute (EI)

Subject Area

• Subject area: Engineering
• UCAS code: H301
• Next intake: September 2026
• Duration: 4 years
• Mode: Full time with sandwich year

Entry Requirements

A Level

• AAB-BBB, including grade B in Maths
• Extended/International Project Qualification: Applicants with grade A in the EPQ/IPQ will typically receive an offer one grade lower than the standard offer

International Baccalaureate

• 34-31 overall or 666-665 in 3 HL subjects, including grade 5 in HL Maths or Maths Analysis and Approaches

Baccalaureate Wales

• From September 2023, the Advanced Skills Baccalaureate Wales (level 3) will replace the Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate (Welsh Baccalaureate)

GCSE and Other Essential Requirements

• English language or Welsh language at GCSE grade C/4 or an equivalent
• We do not accept Critical Thinking, General Studies, Citizenship Studies, or other similar equivalent subjects

English Language Requirements

• GCSE: Grade C or grade 4 in GCSE English Language
• IELTS (academic): At least 6.5 overall with a minimum of 5.5 in each subskill
• TOEFL iBT: At least 90 overall with a minimum of 17 for writing, 17 for listening, 18 for reading, and 20 for speaking
• PTE Academic: At least 69 overall with a minimum of 59 in all communicative skills
• Trinity ISE II/III: II - at least two Distinctions and two Merits, III - at least a Pass in all components

Tuition Fees for 2026 Entry

Fees for Home Status

Fees for Overseas Status

Course Structure

• The program is a four-year full-time degree, with largely core modules in Years One and Two
• The third year is spent working in industry
• Year Four has a wide range of optional modules, allowing students to choose subjects to tailor to their personal interests or chosen career path

Year One

• Core modules:
  • Engineering Maths and Computation (EN1211, 30 credits)
  • Fundamentals of Mechanical Engineering (EN1213, 50 credits)
  • Applied Design and Practice (EN1217, 40 credits)

Year Two

• Core modules:
  • Mechanical Engineering Labs (EN2028, 20 credits)
  • Systems and Control (EN2055, 20 credits)
  • Thermofluids 2 (EN2104, 20 credits)
  • Solid Mechanics and Dynamics (EN2105, 20 credits)
  • Engineering Analysis and Computing 2 (EN2107, 20 credits)
  • Design (EN2602, 20 credits)

Year Three: Sandwich Year

• Industrial Training (EN3095, 120 credits)

Year Four

• Core modules:
  • Industrial Project Management (EN3026, 10 credits)
  • Project (EN3100, 30 credits)
  • Product Design (EN3906, 10 credits)
• Optional modules:
  • Materials and Manufacturing Systems (EN3027, 20 credits)
  • Energy Studies (EN3036, 10 credits)
  • Solid Mechanics (EN3037, 10 credits)
  • Thermodynamics and Heat Transfer (EN3042, 10 credits)
  • Fluids Mechanics and Applications (EN3047, 20 credits)
  • Engineering Optimisation and Computing (EN3080, 20 credits)
  • Robotics and Computer Vision (EN3462, 10 credits)
  • Mechanical Power Transmission (EN3608, 10 credits)

Learning and Assessment

• Teaching is through lectures and tutorials, supplemented by practical laboratory and project-based work
• Assessments will be varied to evaluate knowledge, understanding, professional skills, and key skills
• The major individual project in Year Four is assessed by a dissertation report

Skills Practised and Developed

• Knowledge & Understanding:
  • Apply a comprehensive knowledge of mathematics, statistics, natural science, and engineering principles to the solution of complex problems in mechanical engineering
  • Formulate and analyse complex problems to reach substantiated conclusions
  • Evaluate the environmental and societal impact of solutions to complex mechanical engineering problems
  • Discuss the role of quality management systems and continuous improvement in the context of complex mechanical engineering problems
• Intellectual Skills:
  • Select and apply appropriate computational and analytical techniques for the synthesis of mechanical engineering problems
  • Select and evaluate technical literature and other sources of information to address complex problems
  • Design solutions for complex mechanical engineering problems that meet a combination of societal, user, business, and customer needs
• Professional Practical Skills:
  • Select and apply appropriate practical laboratory and workshop skills in mechanical engineering
  • Select, apply, and evaluate appropriate materials, equipment, engineering technologies, and processes
  • Use a risk management process to identify, evaluate, and mitigate risks associated with a particular mechanical engineering project or activity
• Transferable/Key Skills:
  • Communicate effectively on complex engineering matters with technical and non-technical audiences
  • Identify and analyse ethical concerns and make reasoned ethical choices informed by professional codes of conduct
  • Adopt an inclusive approach to engineering practice and recognise/articulate the responsibilities, benefits, and importance of supporting equality, diversity, and inclusion

Careers

• Many graduates work in product design for the automotive, aeronautical, communications, and energy industries
• Some work in medical engineering, while others are involved in development, production, and general management
• A few choose to use their degrees as a qualification to enable them to work in other disciplines, such as the Armed Forces, the financial sector, the legal profession, chartered accountancy, or computing