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Automotive Engineering

Entry requirements


A level

A,A,A-A,B,B

including A in Maths and grade B in one of the following subjects; Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Geography, Geology, Environmental Science, Environment Studies, Computer Science, Electronics or Design and Technology.

Cambridge International Pre-U Certificate - Principal

D3,M2,M2

to include D3 in Maths and grade M2 in one of the following subjects; Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Geography, Geology, Environmental Science, Environment Studies, Computer Science, Electronics or Design and Technology.

GCSE/National 4/National 5

A minimum of 5 GCSEs at grade C or grade 4 and above are required, including English Language (or grade B/5 in English Literature) and Mathematics.

International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme

31

including grade 6 in Higher Level Maths (Analysis and Approaches) and Higher Level 5 in one of the following subjects: Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Geography, Computer Science or Design and Technology.

Leaving Certificate - Higher Level (Ireland) (first awarded in 2017)

H2,H2,H3,H3,H3

including H2 in Mathematics and H2 in one of the following subjects: Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Geography, Geology, Environmental Science, Environment Studies, Computer Science, Electronics or Design and Technology.

OCR Cambridge Technical Diploma

DD

in Engineering to include Distinctions in the following modules: Mathematics for Engineering, Applied Maths, Science for Engineering, Principles of Mechanical Engineering, Principles of Electrical and Electronic Engineering and Materials Science and A Level Maths at grade A.

OCR Cambridge Technical Extended Diploma

DDD

in Engineering to include Distinctions in the following modules: Mathematics for Engineering, Applied Maths, Science for Engineering, Principles of Mechanical Engineering, Principles of Electrical and Electronic Engineering and Materials Science and grade A in A level Maths

OCR Cambridge Technical Introductory Diploma

D

in Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering or Electrical/Electronic Engineering with A Levels grades AB to include Grade A in Maths and Grade B in one of the following subjects: Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Geography, Geology, Environmental Science, Environment Studies, Computer Science, Electronics or Design and Technology.

Pearson BTEC Diploma (QCF)

DD

in Engineering, Mechanical Engineering or Manufacturing Engineering with Distinction in Further Mechanical Principles and A level Maths at grade A.

Pearson BTEC Extended Diploma (QCF)

DDD

in Engineering, Mechanical Engineering or Manufacturing Engineering with Distinctions in Further Mathematics for Technicians and Further Mechanical Principles modules and grade A in A level Maths

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)

DD

in Engineering, Mechanical Engineering or Manufacturing Engineering including Distinctions in Engineering Principles and Calculus to Solve Engineering Problems and A Level Maths at grade A.

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Certificate (first teaching from September 2016)

D

in Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering or Electrical/Electronic Engineering with A Levels grades AB to include Grade A in Maths and Grade B in one of the following subjects: Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Geography, Geology, Environmental Science, Environment Studies, Computer Science, Electronics or Design and Technology.

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)

DDD

in Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or Manufacturing Engineering with Distinctions in Engineering Principles and Calculus to Solve Engineering Problems and grade A in A level Maths

Pearson BTEC Subsidiary Diploma (QCF)

D

in Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering or Electrical/Electronic Engineering with A Levels grades AB to include grade A in Maths and grade B in one of the following subjects: Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Geography, Geology, Environmental Science, Environment Studies, Computer Science, Electronics, Design and Technology

Scottish Advanced Higher

A,B,B

including A in Maths and grade B in one of the following subjects; Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Geography, Geology, Environmental Science, Environment Studies, Computer Science, Electronics or Design and Technology.

UCAS Tariff

128-152

We've calculated how many Ucas points you'll need for this course.

About this course


Course option

4years

Full-time | 2024

Subjects

Mechanical engineering

Automotive engineering

The Brunel Automotive Engineering MEng gives students interested in pursuing careers in automobile engineering an extra year of advanced study and training that will deepen their knowledge of the subject, expand their skill sets and put them on a fast-track to becoming a Chartered Engineer.

As with our Automotive Engineering BEng degree, you’ll get a solid grounding in the fundamentals of mechanical engineering, including maths, engineering science and design, and an in-depth knowledge of the technical workings of current and future automotive systems.

You’ll study all aspects of automotive development and manufacture from vehicle design and performance, to engine and transmission systems, to materials, structures and safety.

You’ll also get hands-on practice troubleshooting engineering problems that inevitably arise during the construction and testing processes.

Your education will profit, too, by your access to the work done at our Centre for Advanced Powertrain and Fuels (CAPF). One of the largest and most active engine research groups in the UK, CAPF focuses on minimising pollutant emissions and improving fuel efficiency while maintaining performance levels.

In your final year, along with studying specialist topics taught at master’s degree level, you’ll take part in a major group project to design, manufacture and test an automotive product, typically aimed at low-carbon use. This will give you valuable experience working in a team-based environment and on-the-job opportunities to develop your leadership and management skills, competencies sought by employers.

A current project concerns the use of mechanical kinetic energy recovery to help eliminate the feel of turbocharger lag in future fuel-efficient road vehicles.

The MEng programme is accredited by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE). It fulfils the academic requirement for registration as an Incorporated Engineer (IEng). It is also the quickest route for gaining Chartered Engineer (CEng) status as you can apply for the qualification upon successfully completing this course.

Throughout your studies, you’ll have use of our state-of-the-art laboratory facilities, which comprise our motorsport workshop, and 24-hour access to industry standard specialist software for engineering design at dedicated computer clusters on campus, so you’ll have the opportunity and equipment to explore ideas and tackle problems.

We offer two study options. You can choose four years full-time, or five years full-time with a professional placement that will allow you to put what you’ve learnt into practice in real world situations.

If you start on the full-time course, you can transfer to the professional development option, which includes the placement, at any time before the end of Year 2.

In an industry facing the challenges of rapidly changing technology, heightened customer expectations and growing environmental concerns, employers are looking for graduates with the technical and managerial skills to keep ahead of the changes. Your Brunel MEng will give you this and equip you to play leading roles in industry and public service.

Modules

Typical Modules

Advanced Vehicle Propulsion Technologies
Robotics & Automation
Vehicle Design & Performance
Advanced Electrical Systems and Power Electronics

For a full list of modules please visit our website https://www.brunel.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/Automotive-Engineering-MEng

Tuition fees

Select where you currently live to see what you'll pay:

Channel Islands
£9,250
per year
England
£9,250
per year
EU
£23,615
per year
International
£23,615
per year
Northern Ireland
£9,250
per year
Republic of Ireland
£9,250
per year
Scotland
£9,250
per year
Wales
£9,250
per year

The Uni


Course location:

Brunel University London

Department:

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

Read full university profile

What students say


We've crunched the numbers to see if overall student satisfaction here is high, medium or low compared to students studying this subject(s) at other universities.

51%
Mechanical engineering
41%
Automotive engineering

How do students rate their degree experience?

The stats below relate to the general subject area/s at this university, not this specific course. We show this where there isn’t enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.

Mechanical engineering

Teaching and learning

44%
Staff make the subject interesting
50%
Staff are good at explaining things
63%
Ideas and concepts are explored in-depth
67%
Opportunities to apply what I've learned

Assessment and feedback

Feedback on work has been timely
Feedback on work has been helpful
Staff are contactable when needed
Good advice available when making study choices

Resources and organisation

79%
Library resources
73%
IT resources
76%
Course specific equipment and facilities
29%
Course is well organised and has run smoothly

Student voice

Staff value students' opinions
Feel part of a community on my course

Who studies this subject and how do they get on?

81%
UK students
19%
International students
90%
Male students
10%
Female students
72%
2:1 or above
14%
First year drop out rate

Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)

C
C
C

Production and manufacturing engineering

Teaching and learning

52%
Staff make the subject interesting
52%
Staff are good at explaining things
74%
Ideas and concepts are explored in-depth
59%
Opportunities to apply what I've learned

Assessment and feedback

Feedback on work has been timely
Feedback on work has been helpful
Staff are contactable when needed
Good advice available when making study choices

Resources and organisation

72%
Library resources
72%
IT resources
68%
Course specific equipment and facilities
41%
Course is well organised and has run smoothly

Student voice

Staff value students' opinions
Feel part of a community on my course

Who studies this subject and how do they get on?

79%
UK students
21%
International students
94%
Male students
6%
Female students
74%
2:1 or above
14%
First year drop out rate

Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)

C
B
C

After graduation


The stats in this section relate to the general subject area/s at this university – not this specific course. We show this where there isn't enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.

Mechanical engineering

What are graduates doing after six months?

This is what graduates told us they were doing (and earning), shortly after completing their course. We've crunched the numbers to show you if these immediate prospects are high, medium or low, compared to those studying this subject/s at other universities.

£27,000
med
Average annual salary
87%
low
Employed or in further education
82%
med
Employed in a role where degree was essential or beneficial

Top job areas of graduates

72%
Engineering professionals
6%
Sales, marketing and related associate professionals
4%
Information technology and telecommunications professionals

We're short of engineers in a lot of areas and mechanical engineering is no exception. Mechanical engineers are in demand across multiple industries, with vehicle manufacturing most popular, with roles especially common in design and manufacturing. Other important sectors include aerospace, the oil and gas industry, consultancy and defence. Jobs are all around the country, with London, the Midlands, Scotland and the South East the most likely places for a new mechanical engineer to find work at the moment, and starting salaries are good. Although large employers are much the most likely place to get work, some of the most challenging, cutting edge jobs are with small niche engineering firms, so keep your eyes peeled if you want something a little different. Bear in mind that a lot of courses are four years long, and lead to an MEng qualification — this is necessary if you want to become a Chartered Engineer.

Production and manufacturing engineering

What are graduates doing after six months?

This is what graduates told us they were doing (and earning), shortly after completing their course. We've crunched the numbers to show you if these immediate prospects are high, medium or low, compared to those studying this subject/s at other universities.

£26,000
med
Average annual salary
91%
low
Employed or in further education

Top job areas of graduates

64%
Engineering professionals
8%
Information technology and telecommunications professionals
8%
Sales assistants and retail cashiers

Graduates are in significant demand, so unemployment rates are well below the national graduate average and starting salaries are well above average. Much the most common industries for these graduates are now vehicle manufacture - there are not enough people with these degrees to go round and so the big employers tend to take the lion's share at the moment. But pretty much anywhere there is manufacturing, there are production engineers. Bear in mind that a lot of courses are four years long, and lead to an MEng qualification — this is necessary if you want to become a Chartered Engineer.

What about your long term prospects?

Looking further ahead, below is a rough guide for what graduates went on to earn.

Mechanical engineering

The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.

£25k

£25k

£32k

£32k

£36k

£36k

Note: this data only looks at employees (and not those who are self-employed or also studying) and covers a broad sample of graduates and the various paths they've taken, which might not always be a direct result of their degree.

Production and manufacturing engineering

The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.

£25k

£25k

£32k

£32k

£36k

£36k

Note: this data only looks at employees (and not those who are self-employed or also studying) and covers a broad sample of graduates and the various paths they've taken, which might not always be a direct result of their degree.

Explore these similar courses...

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Lower entry requirements
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This information comes from the National Student Survey, an annual student survey of final-year students. You can use this to see how satisfied students studying this subject area at this university, are (not the individual course).

This is the percentage of final-year students at this university who were "definitely" or "mostly" satisfied with their course. We've analysed this figure against other universities so you can see whether this is high, medium or low.

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This information is from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), for undergraduate students only.

You can use this to get an idea of who you might share a lecture with and how they progressed in this subject, here. It's also worth comparing typical A-level subjects and grades students achieved with the current course entry requirements; similarities or differences here could indicate how flexible (or not) a university might be.

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Post-six month graduation stats:

This is from the Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education Survey, based on responses from graduates who studied the same subject area here.

It offers a snapshot of what grads went on to do six months later, what they were earning on average, and whether they felt their degree helped them obtain a 'graduate role'. We calculate a mean rating to indicate if this is high, medium or low compared to other universities.

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Graduate field commentary:

The Higher Education Careers Services Unit have provided some further context for all graduates in this subject area, including details that numbers alone might not show

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The Longitudinal Educational Outcomes dataset combines HRMC earnings data with student records from the Higher Education Statistics Agency.

While there are lots of factors at play when it comes to your future earnings, use this as a rough timeline of what graduates in this subject area were earning on average one, three and five years later. Can you see a steady increase in salary, or did grads need some experience under their belt before seeing a nice bump up in their pay packet?

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