Nandini Sharma

Why did you originally apply to do MEng Mechatronic and Robotic Engineering with Industrial Year at Birmingham?

Originally, I applied for the Engineering course and got to choose at the end of my first year which specialist path I wanted to go into. I found that during first year I really enjoyed Electrical Engineering, but I also didn’t want to let go of Mechanical Engineering fully. Luckily, I saw this course and thought it was the best match for me as it is more electrical based, but you still get to learn some mechanics.

What do you think are the best points of your course?

I think the staff are really nice and helpful and are willing to answer your questions as long as you’re not hesitant to ask. I think something unique for my course is that you get to mix with a lot of people, as you end up sharing different modules with different engineering disciplines.

What is the best thing about studying at the University of Birmingham?

I really like the range of study spaces provided, in terms of how late some are open, and how some are more casual than others, but I also appreciate the silent study rooms for when I just want to get work done.

What is the highlight of your time at the University?

I think it’s probably the relief of when exams are over because the university provides quite a few celebratory activities/ events, such as UoB festival week. It also feels like all the effort I have put in throughout the semester were worth it!

What advice would you give to students thinking about studying MEng Mechatronic and Robotic Engineering with Industrial Year?

I think my main piece of advice would be to prepare for the tough days ahead, there are pretty much guaranteed days where you think I’m not good enough, did I make the right decision, do I still want to do this? But it’s most likely that once the difficult part is over, you’ll start to like your course or module again. It’s okay to have some rough days where you feel like not doing anything, because there will be another day where you will be doing two or three times the amount of work you need to be doing in a day.

Is there anything extra students thinking about studying MEng Mechatronic and Robotic Engineering with Industrial Year should know?

Always ask for help if you need it! Your personal tutors are there to help you get in touch with the right people. It will benefit you more in the long term, even if you think it’s a stupid question, it’s better for your progress and academic achievements. Besides, your lecturers or PGTA’s don’t care about the difficulty level of your question, they are there to help you succeed.