Mechanical engineering is a large, established field of engineering. It covers the design and manufacture of small components and devices right through to large scale items and systems. Also, recent, rapid developments in technology, such as 3D printing, have changed the face of mechanical engineering. To help you to keep up-to-date with these changes and to become a mechanical engineer of the future, we work closely with industry to ensure you are as well-prepared as possible for a career in this exciting and rewarding industry.
Our Mechanical Engineering courses are highly practical and use real examples and projects from industry. On this course you'll be guided how to analyse and solve mechanical engineering problems by producing your own creative and innovative solutions using the latest technology.
In the School of Science and Technology we pride ourselves on our hands-on approach to teaching and giving you real-world experience. With our brand-new engineering courses we are taking these experiences to the next level with a revolutionary approach to teaching engineering.
We are partnering with industry every step of the way to ensure that you become the very best engineer of the future by working with all types and sizes of engineering organisations. In our innovative approach, you'll spend a large proportion of your time each year applying theory to live, industry-led projects. You'll also have the opportunity to apply for a year-long work placement to boost your industry knowledge even further.
With the focus firmly on problem-solving and live project work, we aim to give you three to four years of industry experience before you graduate. Who wouldn't want that on their CV?
Visit our engineering subject pages to watch our new video and for more details on our innovative teaching, industry partners and new facilities.
Accreditation
As is normal practice for new engineering courses, the University will seek accreditation from the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) for our programmes when they have students in the final year (2020/21). This accreditation will ensure the content of our courses matches the IET benchmark awarded to high-quality programmes that provide ideal preparation for aspiring professional engineers. The accreditation, if granted, will be backdated to include the first intake years.
What you'll study
You will be taught through a variety of teaching and learning experiences which will include:
- lectures
- workshops
- seminars
- visits
- group projects
- case studies
- oral presentations
- laboratory assessments and reports.
When does the course start?
Your course induction will take place in the last week of September and your course will start in October. For more information take a look at our academic calendar for details of term start and end dates.
Learn a new language
Alongside your study you also have the opportunity to learn a new language. The University Language Programme (ULP) is available to all students and gives you the option of learning a totally new language or improving the skills you already have.
Learning a new language can:
- enhance your communication skills
- enrich your experience when travelling abroad
- boost your career prospects.
Find out more about the ULP.
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Year One
Engineering Science Fundamentals
Study the aspects of materials, from a macroscopic perspective, including their key properties, and develop the core knowledge and skills that are essential to Engineers and to Engineering.
Engineering Mathematics and Technical Computing
Gain the relevant mathematical and computational skills for analysis and design that underpin many areas of engineering. These core mathematical skills will inform the discipline specific mathematic and computing skills you'll use in the design, manufacture and testing of engineered products in the coming years.
Laboratory Analysis and Product Case Studies
Through the use of mini product case studies, explore materials science, design and manufacturing processes and mathematical methods to understand why products are made the way they are.
Practical and Project Skills for Engineering
Learn the physical and IT workshop skills required in the design and manufacture of products, including basic design methods and fabrication.
Solid Mechanics and Dynamics
Learn about principles of solid mechanics in the design and analysis of mechanical engineering components and systems, and the fundamentals of object motion and vibration. You'll develop solid and dynamic problem-solving skills for mechanical components.
Thermofluids
Study the principles of fluid (liquid and gas) motion and the transfer of heat from one system to another, and gain understanding of relationships between heat and other forms of energy. You'll learn how thermal energy is converted to and from other forms of energy and how it affects matter, and will study the principles and types of thermodynamic systems and processes.
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Year Two
Digital Systems and Computer Engineering
Examine the theory of digital systems and gain hands-on experience integrating computing and electronics in order to solve practical problems.
Engineering Modelling and Simulation Techniques
Study a range of analytical and numerical techniques that are needed to solve mathematical models including; the approximation of functions using series; Fourier analysis; numerical integration and differentiation methods; and solutions of ordinary and partial differential equations.
Industrial Design and Product Case Studies
Develop the knowledge and skills learned in the first year module, Laboratory Analysis and Product Case studies by investigating a number of products to identify build considerations such as design and manufacture, materials and preparation, assembly, efficiency and business and consumer needs.
Integrated Group Design Project
This module is a practical project-based module where you'll immerse yourself in engineering projects and product analysis. You'll use the practical and project related skills you've developed so far, alongside necessary project management skills to design and produce components and / or products.
Control Systems and Engineering
Gain a sound understanding of the control theory applied to the design of systems that control the behaviour of devices such as cars, aircrafts, air handling units and robots.
Materials and Manufacturing
This module will introduce you to a variety of modern manufacturing processes and technologies. It will also cover materials selection, design for manufacture and operations management.
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Year Three
Placement year for sandwich students.
Performance Engineering
Develop your understanding and application of methods for setting, measuring, improving and monitoring performance in an engineering setting, to ensure quality and efficiency in the product lifecycle.
Group Engineering Design and Optimisation Project
In the engineering industry group and team work is pivotal in developing many products. In this module you'll create a project plan; explore consumer needs and demands; design, prototype and test a product or process; and evaluate the business impact of your solution.
Robotics
Design and build gizmos and gadgets while developing your understanding of several core areas of robotic systems such as dynamics and control, localisation and mapping, and motion planning.
Year Three options. Choose two from:
Human Factors Engineering
All too often, the most brilliant technical products are not used to their full potential because users are unable to operate them. This module will give you an understanding of what limits human performance including physical capability, mental agility and organisational systems. It will consider how to design products for targeted specialist users, or for the wider population.
Sustainable Design and Product Death
What happens to a product when it reaches the end of its useful life? As technology advances rapidly, many of the things we use become obsolete very quickly. This module considers designing for sustainability, and choosing materials and components that can be reused, repurposed or recycled.
Fluid Dynamics in Physiology and Medical Devices
When a medical device is implanted into the body this will have an impact on the flow of bodily fluids. In this module you'll study how fluids move in the body, how this is affected by the physiology of the human or animal, and how medical devices can alter or improve flows.
Mechanical Engineering in Sport
Develop your capacity to design, fabricate and test engineered products whose function is primarily of a mechanical nature; power source / controllers, frames, levers, joints, linkages, gears, belts / chains.
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Final year
Individual Industrial / Research Engineering Project
Immerse yourself in a practical engineering project and bring together the knowledge, understanding and skills developed during the course of your degree to undertake a major individual industrial or research project of your own choosing.
Design to Market
Learn about the steps which must be taken from design concept to prototype and onward to product manufacture, marketing and sales.
Optional modules. Choose two from:
Robotics, Cybernetics and Biomechatronics
Learn about the challenges and successes possible with design and engineering in the exciting new areas of Robotics, Cybernetics and Biomechatronics. You'll have the opportunity to look at devices, analyse their design and suggest possible improvements.
Computational Fluid Dynamics
Gain an understanding of the use of applied mathematics, physics and computational software to visualise how a gas or liquid flows, and how the gas or liquid affects objects as it flows past.
Optimising Sport Equipment
Investigate how engineering designs and methods of manufacture can optimise the function of sport equipment in both its ergonomics and applications.
Nanotechnology
Examine the fast developing field of nanotechnology, and gain the basic tools to follow, apply and drive that development. You'll gain an understanding of nano-scale fabrication and characterisation techniques, as well as the distinct safety and ethical issues that arise in both development and applications at the nanoscale.
Course specification
View the full course specification
Please note that course specifications may be subject to change
Careers and employability
You've probably already got some idea of the career path you want to take. Many of our graduates go on to work in engineering-based roles, but it's worth remembering that the skills you learn on an engineering degree are transferable to a variety of careers. Research, presentation, team working and analytical skills are highly valued by employers in various professions, both related and unrelated to engineering.
Engineering graduates are in demand as they are attractive to a wide range of employers due to their analytical thinking, problem-solving, and strong numeracy skills. You'll be well-placed to secure a career in a range of sectors, including the armed forces, logistics, teaching, IT, and banking. Recent NTU graduates have gone onto engineering positions in a variety of organisations including Pitney Bowes, the RAF, Rolls Royce, and Siemens.
Many graduates also choose to undertake further study on Masters-level courses, or MPhil and PhD research degrees.
