This is a multidisciplinary year, giving you experience of teamwork and developing computer literacy and presentation skills. You study a mix of compulsory and optional modules that could include: Mathematics, Mechanics, Electrical and Chemical Engineering, Computing, Design, Engineering Materials, Manufacturing and Business Studies, and Engineering and Design Studies.

You learn about the particular engineering discipline you may wish to follow. If you have ambitions to pursue a particular branch of engineering (chemical; civil; electronic, electrical and computer; metallurgy and materials; or mechanical), you should select the appropriate programme title. This determines which modules are required and which are optional. It is often possible to change branch at the end of the year. 

International students

International students should see the Birmingham Foundation Academy, specific course details are located on the Engineering and Physical Sciences Pathway.

Foundation Year Handbook 

The EPS Foundation Year programmes, including Mechanical Engineering with Foundation Year, are currently under review for 2012 entry. All the progression routes onto first year courses will be maintained and the core content of modules offered will be similar, but the module structure may be different. For information about the current programme please see the course Handbook for 2011-12 (PDF 204 kb).

Related links

• Undergraduate degree courses - School of Mechanical Engineering

The information below relates to our BEng/MEng courses:

Personal Tutor: At the start of your degree, you will be assigned a Personal Tutor who will remain with you throughout your studies to help you in three important areas: supporting your academic progress, developing transferable skills and dealing with any welfare issues.

Delivery of the course
In your first and second years, the course is delivered as lectures, small group workshops, laboratories, computer-based activities, enquiry-based learning and tutorials.  A strong emphasis is placed on design and research project work in your third and fourth years respectively.

Laboratory-based practical work forms an integral part of the School's degree programmes. Laboratory classes not only develop your experimental practical skills, but also reinforce concepts introduced in lectures or explore a particular phenomenon. Practical sessions, typically, last three hours.

Small-group tutorials/personal tutorials run alongside the lecture course, addressing any individual problems you may have and allowing you to consolidate the lecture material, as well as test your understanding through problem-solving exercises. Your Personal Tutor is assigned to you at the start of your course and remains with you until graduation, helping you in three important areas: supporting your academic progress, developing transferable skills and helping with welfare issues.

Enquiry Based Learning (EBL) provides an environment where your learning process is driven by enquiry.  The lecturer's role is purely as a facilitator. Typically a group activity, this requires working in a team and you can be assessed in a variety of ways: in either a group or individually, by written reports and sometimes as a presentation. EBL will give you a research-orientated approach to a problem, and has a synergy within research-led institutions like the University of Birmingham.

Project work: The range of projects in your final year includes practical work in the laboratory, computer-based projects, or theoretical studies. You can choose the topic of your project from a pool of titles and work with your project supervisor to tailor it to your particular research interests. Many projects are directly linked to supervisor's current research projects and many have industrial links.  Students are also free to propose their own projects, so long as a suitable supervisor can be identified.

The information below relates to our BEng/MEng courses: 

As one of our Mechanical Engineering students, a huge and exciting array of career opportunities will be open to you when you graduate - both at home and abroad. You could pursue a career in one of the major manufacturing industries (the UK has the 6^th largest manufacturing base in the world); or you could work in other areas of science and technology, such as sustainable energy. Other areas that favour the problem-solving skills you will acquire are finance, law and marketing as well as teaching and/or research.

Superb opportunities exist for you to gain industrial experience before you graduate. You can opt to add a year to your programme and spend this time with one of our industrial partners; usually between your second and third study years. You will gain relevant work experience, and earn money putting into practice the skills and knowledge gained from your degree.  Students on placement get involved in serious projects that ask difficult questions that require good scientific/engineering answers - and which often lead to sponsorship and/or the offer of a graduate job.

A rich vein of expertise will be available for you to tap into, not only through the University's Careers Network for more details see below, but from the School's own industrial liaison officer. From these professionals you will gain the skills to help you secure any of a range of placements from summer jobs to industrial years and, eventually, your graduate job.

Career destinations of previous graduates include:

• BP, Aberdeen
• Rolls Royce, Derby
• Delcam,  Birmingham
• Jaguar-Landrover, Coventry
• Lotus,
• Mercedes-Benz,
• PA Consulting, London
• MultiMetal Works, Malaysia
• Atomic Weapons Establishment, Berkshire
• Oxford Technologies, Oxford
• RBCCM Banking, London
• RBS, London
• MOD
• BAE Systems, Barrow in Furness
• IBC Solar, Malaysia/Germany
• Saudi Aramco, Saudi Arabia
• Ball Packaging Europe, Wreham
• Parsons
• Vehicle Certification Agency, Birmingham
• Porterbrook Railway Co - Rosco, Berkshire
• AMEC, London
• RAF
• Petronas oil & Gas Company
• British Army, Sandhurst
• Zener Company, Iran
• DFM Medical, Germany

University Careers Network

Preparation for your career should be one of the first things you think about as you start university. Whether you have a clear idea of where your future aspirations lie or want to consider the broad range of opportunities available once you have a Birmingham degree, our Careers Network can help you achieve your goal.

Our unique careers guidance service is tailored to your academic subject area, offering a specialised team (in each of the five academic colleges) who can give you expert advice. Our team source exclusive work experience opportunities to help you stand out amongst the competition, with mentoring, global internships and placements available to you. Once you have a career in your sights, one-to-one support with CVs and job applications will help give you the edge. 

And once you have a career in your sights, one-to-one support with CVs, interview practice and job applications will further help to give you the edge. In addition, our employer-endorsed, award-winning Personal Skills Award (PSA) recognises you extra-curricular activities, and provides an accredited employability programme designed to improve your career prospects. 

If you make the most of the wide range of services you will be able to develop your career from the moment you arrive.

Contact us

• Sophie Miller - Careers consultant (s.a.miller@bham.ac.uk)
• Richard Newman- Careers consultant (r.j.newman@bham.ac.uk)
• Caroline Egan - Careers adviser (c.egan@bham.ac.uk)
• Brendan Bacon - Internship officer (b.bacon@bham.ac.uk)
• Carl Jukes - Applications support adviser (c.jukes@bham.ac.uk)

Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education (DLHE) 2010/11

The DLHE survey is conducted 6 months after graduation.

Range of Occupations for Birmingham's Mechanical Engineering Graduates

• Building Services Engineer
• Design Engineer
• Graduate Engineer
• Manufacturing Engineer
• Mechanical Engineer
• Project Engineer
• Quality Engineer
• Research Associate
• Research Engineer
• Research Fellow

Visit the Careers section of the University website for further information.