Mechanical Engineering (Automotive) MEng

Mechanical Engineering is a professional discipline that is hugely important in day-to-day life, and supplies solutions to a vast range of sectors. Mechanical engineers design, analyse and manufacture machines that move using gears: from giant earth-moving machines and huge turbines in power stations, to all types of road and rail vehicles, space rockets and satellites. In the medical sector, Mechanical Engineers supply solutions in terms of life-saving equipment, life-enhancing artificial limbs, pacemakers, microscalepumps and incubators. We also make industrial robots; the machines that make other products.

Mechanical Engineering at Birmingham produces graduates who are creative, highly numerate and skilled at solving problems and delivering results. We are a friendly community of self-assured professionals, determined to guide you to wherever your engineering talents will thrive.

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Jospeh Moorehouse

Jospeh Moorehouse

MEng Mechanical Engineering with Industrial Year

“Throughout my university application, much of my decision was heavily influenced by the Formula Student Programme and from the outset I knew Birmingham was the place to be. With the right amount of commitment, the opportunities and experience that can be gained from Formula Student are priceless. The practical skills that can be learned are certainly unrivalled to anything else you can experience on the course. These skills really develop your appreciation for existing design and influence your approach to new areas of design. ”

Course details

This course has been designed to be relevant to the needs of modern industry and to produce graduates who have the personal and intellectual qualities to be successful in their chosen careers. By the end of the course, you will be equipped to play leading roles in a professional capacity in both industry and academia, and thus able to deal with issues at the forefront of our discipline. 

You will learn how to take energy from a source like petrol, the wind or hydrogen, and convert it into useful motion in machines such as racing cars, industrial robots or microscopic pumps. You will consider the movement of mechanisms, the strength of the individual parts, the efficiency and environmental impact of your designs, and the methods that can be employed to make your product profitably. The programme is organised into integrated modules covering core mechanical engineering subjects that are designed to develop your learning progressively.

The opportunity is also open to you to get involved in work on UBRacing – our own Formula Student racing team, which competes throughout the world. 

First and second years

The first two years are common to all Mechanical Engineering programmes. Our first year has been designed to provide a contemporary and flexible educational model that builds upon essential engineering fundamentals to develop students’ broader understanding of behaviour, policy, entrepreneurship, and global perspectives and kindles the passion necessary to address the societal challenge agenda. The first year is shared across the disciplines of Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering and Electronic, Electrical and Systems Engineering.

Subsequent years

In the later years (Years 3 and 4) these fundamentals of engineering are used to explore advanced engineering topic areas such as Powertrain and Vehicle Engineering. A group design study project is also undertaken in year 3, exploring the associated commercial, legal and safety aspects of developing a new product. In year 4 students on the MEng programme are also given options to pursue their personal engineering interests providing the opportunity to develop deep understanding and competence in their chosen specialism. Strong links are formed with our research programmes, through the range of options available, to ensure that students benefit from developments at the leading edge of their chosen field. You will be given the opportunity to choose from options including Applied Vehicle Engineering, Advanced Thermal Systems; and Biofuels & Combustion; amongst others.

For all programmes:

In your final year you work with engineers based in one of the Mechanical Engineering research centres on a major individual project linked to your chosen field of specialisation.

For the first two years of the degree, all of our undergraduates follow an integrated BEng or MEng route. Once you’ve finished your second year, you’ll then choose whether to complete a BEng or MEng degree. 

The option exists, at the end of your second year, to take a year off to work in industry before returning to complete your final year.   If you decide to follow the MEng route, the work in industry option can be taken in your third year. For a list of modules and their credit values, see ‘Modules’ below.

Related links

Why study this course

At Birmingham, we provide diverse, yet balanced, courses, enabling our graduates to gain employment in a wide range of industries. Teaching is provided by lecturers who are global experts in their field, with multi-million pound investment providing leading-edge teaching facilities and laboratories. We produce graduates who can function in today's fast-changing marketplace, and your career prospects will be excellent.

Your Birmingham degree is evidence of your ability to succeed in a demanding academic environment. Employers target Birmingham students for their drive, diversity, communication and problem-solving skills, their team-working abilities and cultural awareness, and our graduate employment statistics have continued to climb at a rate well above national trends.

Modules


Year 1
Title Credits Semester
Electrical Engineering 1
In this module, the fundamentals of electronic and electrical engineering are covered. It will begin with analogue circuits describing the fundamentals of circuit analysis and the design of analogue devices. The fundamentals of digital systems will then be covered using Boolean algebra and related techniques to analyse digital circuits up to an introduction to flip flops. Finally electrical power and machinery systems will be introduced.		 20 1 & 2
Engineering Materials
The aim of the module is to introduce the range of materials and their key properties used in engineering in order to allow them to select the appropriate materials for a given application. The module also introduces fundamental science that determines the electrical or mechanical properties of materials, such as atomic / molecular structures. In addition students will also be introduced to software which will allow them to model the properties and behaviour of engineering materials and analyse the results of experiments.		 10 2
Engineering Mathematics 1
The module aims to enhance student knowledge and understanding of the mathematics used in engineering and to develop the skills of its use.		 20 1 & 2
Fluid Mechanics and Energy Transfer
In this module, the fundamentals of fluid mechanics and energy conservation, and introduce associated engineering applications.		 20 1 & 2
Integrated Design Project 1
The aim of the module is to introduce students to the design process and the skills employed therein, within an engineering context.		 20 1 & 2
Computing for Engineers
The aim of this module is to introduce engineers to computers and computer programming using an important modern programming language which has applications from small embedded systems to supercomputers. 		10 1
Mechanics 1
In this module, the mathematics and scientific principles related to mechanics in the context and application in engineering. The module covers: general principles, the mechanical properties of material and the basic principles of analysis, all underpinned with essential mathematics. Where relevant, historical examples are embedded into the module in order to provide context for the taught material. 		20 1 & 2


Year 2Credits
Engineering Mathematics 2
20
Integrated Design Project 2
20
Manufacturing Systems Engineering
10
Mechanics 2
20
Mechanical Design A
20
Mechatronics
10
Thermodynamics and Fluids
20
Year 3Credits
Mechanical Design B 20
Powertrain and Vehicle Engineering  20
Integrated Design Project 3 (MEng)  20
Control Engineering  10
Sustainable Energy and the Environment  10
Computational Fluid Dynamics and Finite Element Analysis  10
Turbo-machinery and compressible flows  10
Engineering Mathematics A+B (semester 1&2)  20
Year 4 compulsory modulesCredits
Synoptic Mechanical Engineering  20
Individual Engineering Project (60 credits)  40
Advanced Vehicle Engineering  10
Biofuels and Combustion  10
Choose 20 credits of optional modules.  Example optional modules may include:  
Advanced Mechanics  10
Advanced thermal systems  10
Intelligent Systems  10
Machining Support Systems  10
Micro and Nano technologies  10
R&D in Manufacturing Processes  10
Laser-based Manufacturing  10

Please note: The modules listed on the website for this programme are regularly reviewed to ensure they are up-to-date and informed by the latest research and teaching methods. Unless indicated otherwise, the modules listed for this programme are for students starting in 2018. On rare occasions, we may need to make unexpected changes to compulsory modules; in this event we will contact offer holders as soon as possible to inform or consult them as appropriate.

Fees and funding

We charge an annual tuition fee. Fees for 2018/19 are as follows:
£9,250 (UK/EU)
£21,360 (International)
Funding opportunities are available.

For UK/EU students beginning their studies in September 2018, the University of Birmingham will charge the maximum approved tuition fee per year. The fees for your first year of study will therefore be £9,250.Visit our tuition fees page for more information.

Please view scholarships and awards offered by Mechanical Engineering.

Entry requirements

Number of A levels required:
3
Typical offer:
AAA
Required subjects and grades:
A level Mathematics (Further Mathematics and Physics are not required but are advantageous). You must also pass the practical element of any reformed science A levels which include Biology, Chemistry and Physics taught from 2015.

General Studies not accepted.

Additional information:

International Baccalaureate Diploma:

6,6,6 at Higher Level to include Mathematics with a minimum of 32 points overall. 

BTEC

BTEC Extended Diploma 
Grades: MEng; not considered unless A level Maths also taken.

BTEC Diploma considered in combination with A Level. 
Grades: MEng; D*D* plus A-level Maths grade A.

BTEC Subsidiary Diploma considered in combination with 2 A Levels
Grades: MEng; D*plus A,A including Mathematics.

 

Other qualifications are considered - learn more about entry requirements.

Students who just miss the grade requirements for MEng study will be automatically considered for a place on the BEng programme.

International students:

Standard English language requirements apply, learn more about international entry requirements.

International students applying for this programme will need an Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) certificate from the Foreign & Commonwealth Office before the University can issue you with a Certificate of Acceptance of Studies (CAS). We recommend that you apply for your ATAS certificate as soon as you receive an offer from us. More information can be found here: www.fco.gov.uk/en/about-us/what-we-do/services-we-deliver/atas/.

Depending on your chosen course of study, you may also be interested in one of our foundation pathways, which offer specially structured programmes for international students whose qualifications are not accepted for direct entry to UK universities. Further details can be found on Birmingham International Academy web pages.

How to apply

Apply through UCAS at www.ucas.com.
Learn more about applying.

Key Information Set (KIS)

Key Information Sets (KIS) are comparable sets of information about full- or part-time undergraduate courses and are designed to meet the information needs of prospective students.

All KIS information has been published on the Unistats website and can also be accessed via the small advert, or ‘widget’, below. On the Unistats website you are able to compare all the KIS data for each course with data for other courses.

The development of Key Information Sets (KIS) formed part of HEFCE’s work to enhance the information that is available about higher education. They give you access to reliable and comparable information in order to help you make informed decisions about what and where to study.

The KIS contains information which prospective students have identified as useful, such as student satisfaction, graduate outcomes, learning and teaching activities, assessment methods, tuition fees and student finance, accommodation and professional accreditation.

OverviewLearning and teaching

You will be taught by a mixture of professors, doctors and postgraduates, thereby receiving a rich diversity of academic knowledge and experience.You can find out more about the members of staff in the Department of Mechanical Engineering where you can read about their qualifications, publication history and specific areas of interest.

Collaborative Teaching Laboratory

The Collaborative Teaching Laboratory (CTL), planned to open in 2018/19, will become a hub for science & engineering teaching, with multifunctional labs suitable for subject-specific and cross-disciplinary teaching and team working.

What you can expect
Throughout your degree, depending on module choice, you can expect about 20 hours of contact time per week on average. This consits of approximately 14 hours of lectures and 6 hours of tutorials/labs. During your first year you will undergo a formal transition review to see how you are getting on and offer you help for any particular areas where you need support.

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 Department'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.

As a Birmingham student you are part of an academic elite and will learn from world-leading experts. At Birmingham we advocate an enquiry based learning approach, from the outset you will be encouraged to become an independent and self-motivated learner, qualities that are highly sought after by employers. We want you to be challenged and will encourage you to think for yourself.

Your learning will take place in a range of different settings, from scheduled teaching in lectures and small group tutorials, to self-study and peer group learning (for example preparing and delivering presentations with your classmates).

To begin with you may find this way of working challenging, but rest assured that we'll enable you to make this transition. You will have access to a comprehensive support system that will assist and encourage you, including personal tutors and welfare tutors who can help with both academic and welfare issues. During your first year it is important that you have a smooth transition into University. You will be able to talk to your tutors about this and discuss if there are particular areas where you need support.

Assessment methods

Studying at degree-level is likely to be very different from your previous experience of learning and teaching. You will be expected to think, discuss and engage critically with the subject and find things out for yourself. We will enable you to make this transition to a new style of learning, and the way that you are assessed during your studies will help you develop the essential skills you need to make a success of your time at Birmingham.

You?ll be assessed in a variety of ways, and these may be different with each module that you take. You will be assessed through coursework which may take the form of essays, group and individual presentations, laboratory-based work (depending on your chosen degree) and formal exams. Nearly 64% of the assessment of this course is by written examination, which compares favourably with many other universities, who range from 42%-70%.

Each module is assessed independently.  Assessment methods used include end-of-year examinations, written assignments, oral and poster presentations, computer-based tests, class tests and laboratory and project reports. Some modules are completely assessed by coursework. Examinations are taken in May and June.

Credit is awarded under three headings:

  • Examinations for lecture courses.
  • Continuous assessment for various kinds of project work.
  • Laboratories.

Early years are dominated by examination as you concentrate on the underpinning engineering principles. As you move into later years, the increased emphasis on project work shifts the balance towards continuous assessment.

We place strong emphasis on providing prompt and informative feedback on all pieces of work that you submit during your studies. Feedback comes in a variety of forms, including written feedback on pieces of assessment, class feedback sessions and one-on-one discussions with your tutors. In all cases, the feedback will highlight the good points as well as those areas that require more attention.

During your first year the University will require you to undergo a formal 'transition' review, mentioned above, to see how you are getting on and if there are particular areas where you need support. This is in addition to the personal tutor who is based in the Department and can help with any academic issue you encounter. Our Academic Skills Centre also offers you support with your learning. The centre is a place where you can develop your mathematical, academic writing and general academic skills. It is the centre?s aim to help you to become a more effective and independent learner through the use of a range of high-quality and appropriate learning support services. These range from drop-in sessions with support with mathematics and statistics based problems provided by experienced mathematicians, to workshops on a range of topics including note taking, reading, writing and presentation skills.

At the beginning of each module, you will be given information on how and when you will be assessed for your particular programme of study. You will receive feedback on each assessment within four weeks, so that you can learn from and build upon what you have done. You will be given feedback on any exams that you take; if you should fail an exam, we will ensure that particularly detailed feedback is made available to enable you to learn for the future.

Course detailsEmployability

The Destination of Leavers from Higher Education survy 2015/16 shows that 92% of our graduates are in graduate-level employment or further study six months after graduation.

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 6th 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.

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

Internships

The graduate employment market is competitive, many employers require evidence of employability or being ready for the world of work.

Internships represent a great way for you to gain experience of the workplace. They also offer employers the opportunity of clarifying what they are looking for and perhaps even assessing interns for future employment. We offer our students the opportunity of internship placements during their time at Birmingham.
The video below talks to students, staff and employers about their internship experience:

"I think the best way to get an experience out of university is to get involved with as many things as you possibly can, say 'yes' to everything. You start to meet people and network and you gain experiences and that's what makes you, yourself. That's what gives you the opportunities that you're going to get outside of university. Rather than just being in a crowd of people, you start to stand out."

Daisy Partlow, MEng Mechanical Engineering graduate, 2016

Watch Daisy's video profile

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.

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

Professional accreditation

This programme is fully accredited by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) for 2018 entry


The Mechanical Engineering programme is accredited by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers up to the 2018 student intake. Our next accreditation visit takes place in November 2018. An accredited degree means that graduates are deemed to have met, part or all, of the academic requirements for registration as a Chartered Engineer, and are in a strong position to move on to achieve professional engineering status after a period of initial professional development in industry.

The MEng fully meets the exemplifying academic benchmark requirements for registration as a Chartered Engineer. The BEng will meet, in part, the exemplifying academic benchmark requirements for registration as a Chartered Engineer and graduates will need to complete an approved format of further learning.

Following the last accreditation visit, the Institution of Mechanical Engineers review panel highlighted as commendable: the strong links with industry; Formula student which has high levels of participation; the physical resources available in support of the programmes, and its commitment to enhancing those resources; the meaningful and innovative ways in which research is used to inform its curriculum; the enthusiasm of the students, and their positive views on their studies.

This course is recognised by the Engineering Council for the purposes of meeting in full the academic requirement for registration as a Chartered Engineer.  

Learning and teachingStudent life

Birmingham has transformed into one of Europe's most exciting cities. It is more than somewhere to study; it is somewhere to build a successful future.

Clubs and societies

The Guild has over 200 Societies, community volunteering groups and associations for you to join; they cover every topic and activity that you can think of - there really is something for everyone.

The James Watt Undergraduate Society brings together students within Mechanical Engineering and provides a social side to your degree so you can make the most of your time at Birmingham. UBRobotics offers the opportunity to be involved in the multi-disciplinary field of robotics and develop unique skills such as coding, mechanical design and electronics.

Accommodation

Coming to Birmingham might be your first time living away from home. Our student accommodation will allow you to enjoy your new-found independence in safe, welcoming and sociable surroundings.

The City of Birmingham

One of Europe's most exciting destinations, Birmingham is brimming with life and culture, making it a wonderful place to live, study and work.

Our students fall in love with the city - around 40% of our graduates choose to make Birmingham their home.

Employability