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Mechanical Engineering BEng Honours

  • UCAS code: H300
  • Full time
  • 3 years

This accredited Mechanical Engineering degree will prepare you for a career overcoming the challenges modern-day engineers face.

You are currently viewing course information for entry year: 2024-25


Next start date:

  • September 2024

Fees (per year)

  • Home: £9250
  • International: £26400

Entry requirements and offers

  • A-Level: ABB
  • IB: 32 points

UCAS Institution name and code:

  • NEWC / N21

Course overview

This three-year Mechanical Engineering degree focuses on developing your knowledge and skills across a wide range of mechanical engineering topics. You'll leave Newcastle University equipped with the abilities you need to succeed anywhere in engineering.

We work closely with industry so that your studies reflect the challenges engineers face in the real world. We ensure your practical, professional and academic skills continually develop through guest lectures, placement opportunities and interactions with the engineering industry through projects and visits.

You'll leave a confident engineer with expert knowledge, enhanced through team projects and studying in areas such as:

  • electrical engineering
  • engineering design and manufacturing
  • engineering mathematics
  • engineering operations

You'll build critical teamwork and leadership skills, which are valued by employers, through small team projects and individual engineering investigations.

BEng or MEng?

Both our BEng degree and specialist MEng degrees provide a pathway to becoming a Chartered Engineer. This is one of the most recognisable international engineering qualifications.

Our MEng degrees are a direct route to becoming a Chartered Engineer (CEng). You don’t need to study any more qualifications after your degree to work towards chartered status.

Our three-year BEng degree can also lead to Chartered Engineer status. However, you’ll need to complete further study, such as an approved master’s degree.

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Your course and study experience - disclaimers and terms and conditions  
Please rest assured we make all reasonable efforts to provide you with the programmes, services and facilities described. However, it may be necessary to make changes due to significant disruption, for example in response to Covid-19.

View our Academic experience page, which gives information about your Newcastle University study experience for the academic year 2023-24.

See our terms and conditions and student complaints information, which gives details of circumstances that may lead to changes to programmes, modules or University services.

Additional information

This degree allows you to explore several engineering disciplines in year one. This flexible route is taught across Civil, Electrical & Electronic and Mechanical Engineering.

You'll gain an understanding of engineering in a multidisciplinary context. You'll develop diverse skills relevant to the needs of industry and today’s global challenges.

After successfully completing Stage 1, you'll have the option of transferring on to one of the accredited Civil, Electrical & Electronic or Mechanical Engineering degrees. This is subject to the degree programme regulations and capacity of the degree you are transferring to.

Quality and ranking

Professional accreditation and recognition

All professional accreditations are reviewed regularly by their professional body.

Modules and learning

Modules

The information below is intended to provide an example of what you will study.

Most degrees are divided into stages. Each stage lasts for one academic year, and you'll complete modules totalling 120 credits by the end of each stage. 

Our teaching is informed by research. Course content may change periodically to reflect developments in the discipline, the requirements of external bodies and partners, and student feedback.

Optional module availability
Student demand for optional modules may affect availability.

Full details of the modules on offer will be published through the Programme Regulations and Specifications ahead of each academic year. This usually happens in May.

To find out more please see our terms and conditions.

Stage 1 will provide a broad introduction to the principles of engineering. You'll get hands-on from the very beginning of your degree, working in a team to design and build a working wind turbine as part of a project.

Modules

Compulsory Modules Credits
Engineering Mathematics I 20
Sustainable Design, Creativity, and Professionalism 30
Electrical and Magnetic Systems 15
Electronics and Sensors 10
Thermofluid Mechanics 15
Properties & Behaviour of Engineering Materials 15
Mechanics I 15

Stages 2 covers: mechanical, electrical and materials engineering sciences (50%), engineering design and manufacturing (20%), engineering mathematics (18%), and management and professional skills, such as computing and enterprise (12%).

Modules

Compulsory Modules Credits
Engineering Mathematics II 10
Mechanics II 20
Materials Science II 10
Thermal Engineering 10
Fluid Mechanics II 10
AC Electrical Power and Conversion 10
Mathematical Modelling & Statistical Methods For Engineering 10
Business and Law for Engineers 10
Design and Manufacturing II 20
Mechanical Engineering Professional Skills II 10

In Stage 3, your studies continue to cover a broad range of mechanical engineering topics, so you develop a wide set of skills and knowledge ready to take into the workplace. 

You'll also work on a project based in local industry in a small team of your peers and also complete an extended piece of work on a topic selected from a wide range of projects. This is aimed at developing your capabilities as an engineer in areas such as project planning and data analysis.

Modules

Compulsory Modules Credits
Introduction to Instrumentation and Drive Systems 20
Computational Heat and Fluid Flow 10
Advanced Mechanics and Structural Optimisation 20
Digital Manufacturing Processes and Systems 20
Introduction to Biomedical Engineering 10
Advanced Thermofluid Dynamics 10
Mechanical Engineering Project 30

Teaching and assessment

Teaching methods

Over the first two years you will have around 20 timetabled hours per week; typically half lectures, one quarter seminars and tutorials and one quarter practical and hands-on classes. There are also industrial visits, interviews, business games, management, and a variety of projects.

In stages 3 and 4, your timetable will allow more time for your major project work.

Assessment methods

You'll be assessed through a combination of:

  • Coursework

  • Examinations – practical or online

Skills and experience

Practical skills

You'll gain hands-on experience throughout your degree using industry-standard, state-of-the-art facilities in the School of Engineering. 

You'll also work with local industry during various projects, and learn about real-world engineering through guest lectures.

Research skills

The teaching of your mechanical engineering degree is informed by the research of our expert staff based in our research institutes, which specialise in bioengineering, design, manufacture and material and fluid dynamic and thermal systems. 

These research groups allow you to draw on the expertise of staff and their connections with industry as well as providing access to specialist facilities. 

Chat to a student

The quality of teaching on the course is very good with some particularly excellent lecturers and there’s a lot of support available within the course.

Megan, Mechanical Engineering student

Opportunities

Work placement

Get career ready with a work placement and leave as a confident professional in your field. You can apply to spend 9 to 12 months working in any organisation in the world, and receive University support from our dedicated team to secure your dream placement. Work placements take place between stages 2 and 3.

You'll gain first-hand experience of working in the sector, putting your learning into practice and developing your professional expertise.

If you choose to take a work placement, it will extend your degree by a year. Your degree title will show you have achieved the placement year.  Placements are subject to availability.

Find out more about work placements.

Facilities and environment

Facilities

As a mechanical engineering student you'll be based in the School of Engineering in the heart of our city-centre campus.

You'll have access to a wide range of industry-standard facilities and laboratories such as:

  • labs for design-make-test projects: making and testing machines and structures
  • strengths (testing) labs with machines up to 500kN and access to machines up to 8MN
  • mechatronics/electronics labs for programming robots and automated devices
  • bio-engineering lab for bio-materials manufacture and testing of components
  • manufacturing lab with good selection of modern CNC machine tools
  • composite materials lab with fire test facilities

We also provide high-quality, specialist facilities to support your studies: 

  • state-of-the-art CAD and CAE 3D design facilities
  • HE-Ion and other microscopes with resolutions down to 0.3nm
  • wide range of rapid prototyping facilities for projects and research 
  • engine test cells, wind-tunnel and water flow channels with laser flow management
  • Formula Student car design, build and test facilities
  • gear and drive system testing machines up to 8MW capacity
  • our own 1750hp main-line diesel-electric locomotive

Support

To support you in your studies, all new students entering year 1 or year 2 will receive:

  • a tablet so you can download the online learning resources you'll need for your course (helping us to make our campus more sustainable)
  • a start-up pack containing essential personal protective equipment

You'll have the support of an academic member of staff as a personal tutor throughout your degree to help with academic and personal issues.

Peer mentors will help you in your first year. They are fellow students who can help you settle in and answer any questions you have when starting university.

Your future

Graduates from our Mechanical Engineering course have gone on to work for a range of high-profile companies and organisations, such as: 

  • EDF Energy
  • Jaguar Land Rover
  • Doosan Babcock
  • Network Rail
  • Nissan 
  • Ministry of Defence
  • Caterpillar

93% of our mechanical engineering graduates were in work or further study within six months of graduating.*

*Destinations of (undergraduate, UK and EU) Leavers from Higher Education Survey 2016/17

Prepare for diverse career paths

Your degree will prepare you for a role in a wide range of sectors, including:

  • transport
  • logistics
  • health
  • defence
  • manufacturing
  • automobile
  • renewable energy

The excellent analytical and problem-solving skills you'll gain through studying mechanical engineering will make you an attractive proposition to employers in finance, business consultancy and public services.

Make a difference

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Careers support

Our award-winning Careers Service is one of the largest and best in the country, and we have strong links with employers. We provide an extensive range of opportunities to all students through our ncl+ initiative.

Visit our Careers Service website

Recognition of professional qualifications outside of the UK

From 1 January 2021 there is an update to the way professional qualifications are recognised by countries outside of the UK

Entry requirements

All candidates are considered on an individual basis and we accept a broad range of qualifications. The entrance requirements and offers below apply to 2024 entry.

A-Level
International Baccalaureate

Other UK and the Republic of Ireland qualifications

Contextual Offers

Through one of our contextual routes, you could receive an offer of up to three grades lower than the typical requirements.

What is a contextual offer? Find out more and if you’re eligible for this or our PARTNERS Programme supported entry route.

Qualifications from outside the UK

English Language requirements

Entrance courses (INTO)

International Pathway Courses are specialist programmes designed for international students who want to study in the UK. We provide a range of study options for international students in partnership with INTO. 

Find out more about International Pathway Courses

Admissions policy

This policy applies to all undergraduate and postgraduate admissions at Newcastle University. It is intended to provide information about our admissions policies and procedures to applicants and potential applicants, to their advisors and family members, and to staff of the University.

Credit transfer and Recognition of Prior Learning

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) can allow you to convert existing relevant university-level knowledge, skills and experience into credits towards a qualification. Find out more about the RPL policy which may apply to this course.

Additional information

Advice on maths and science requirements

If you don’t think you will have the exact mathematics and science qualifications referred to in our entry requirements by the time you need them, you may not be sure what to do.

  • If you have a maths qualification but will not have it at A Level (or equivalent) when you start your degree, you should apply for the relevant degree with Foundation Year. We may give you the opportunity to take the Newcastle University Pre-Entry Maths Course* and the option to start in Year 1 if we think that this will be the best route for you.
  • If you have A Level Maths (or equivalent) already but not at the required grade, you should contact us for advice. We may decide that you could be considered for Foundation Year entry, or it may be that this course is not the best option for you.
  • If you will not have the equivalent of an A Level in the science subject (if any) required, you should apply for the relevant degree with Foundation Year.

If you are still not sure, don’t worry. Whatever you apply for, our Admissions Tutors will help you decide which is the best route for you. They may, therefore, make you an offer for a different course from the one you apply for (eg Foundation Year entry instead of Year 1 entry).

*The Newcastle University Pre-Entry Maths Course aims to provide the requisite mathematical skills and concepts needed on our engineering, maths and physics degree courses and to prepare students for the modes of learning they will encounter. The materials for the course are delivered electronically and include opportunities to practise your skills. You study the materials in your own time and, when you are ready, you book your exam with the Engineering School to which you have applied. A fee of £150 is payable at the time of booking the exam or shortly before the date set for examination.

Tuition fees and scholarships

Tuition fees for 2024 entry (per year)

Qualification: BEng Honours

Home students

full time 3 years

Tuition fees (per year)

9250

International students

full time 3 years

Tuition fees (per year)

26400

Year abroad and additional costs

For programmes where you can spend a year on a work placement or studying abroad, you will receive a significant fee reduction for that year. 

Some of our degrees involve additional costs which are not covered by your tuition fees.

Find out more about:

Scholarships

Find out more about:

Open days and events

How to apply

Apply through UCAS

To apply for undergraduate study at Newcastle University, you must use the online application system managed by the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS). All UK schools and colleges, and a small number of EU and international establishments, are registered with UCAS. You will need:

  • the UCAS name and institution codes for Newcastle University (NEWC/N21)
  • the UCAS code for the course you want to apply for
  • the UCAS 'buzzword' for your school or college

If you are applying independently, or are applying from a school or college which is not registered to manage applications, you will still use the Apply system. You will not need a buzzword.

Apply through UCAS

Apply through an agent

International students often apply to us through an agent. Have a look at our recommended agents and get in touch with them.

Visit our International pages

Get in touch

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Call us on +44 (0) 191 208 3333 and press option 1. Our opening hours are Monday to Friday 10am until 4pm.

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