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Electronic Engineering with Science and Engineering Foundation Year

Entry requirements


A level

D,D

From a minimum of two completed A levels.

AQA Level 3 (Foundation) Technical Level (360 glh)

D

AQA Level 3 Technical Level (1080 glh)

PPP

AQA Level 3 Technical Level (540 glh)

MM

AQA Level 3 Technical Level (720 glh)

MP

In combination with other qualifications.

In combination with other qualifications.

In combination with other qualifications.

OCR Cambridge Technical Diploma

MP

OCR Cambridge Technical Extended Certificate

D

OCR Cambridge Technical Extended Diploma

PPP

OCR Cambridge Technical Foundation Diploma

MM

OCR Cambridge Technical Introductory Diploma

D

OCR Cambridge Technical Subsidiary Diploma

MM

In combination with other qualifications.

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

MP

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

D

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

PPP

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

M

T Level

P

Pass grade (D or E)

UCAS Tariff

48

From completed A-levels, BTEC Diploma at MP or equivalent. We welcome applicants from a diverse range of backgrounds. Applicants who are not in possession of the minimum entry requirements but are able to demonstrate aptitude, enthusiasm and motivation will be considered on an individual basis and may be admitted subject to satisfactory interview and/or portfolio. Please contact us for further details.

Welsh Baccalaureate - Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate (first teaching September 2015)

A

About this course


Course option

4years

Full-time | 2024

Subject

Mechanical engineering

Not got the UCAS points required to start an undergraduate engineering degree? Returning to education or changing your career? This one-year course is the ideal way to prepare for degree study, with successful completion granting direct access to undergraduate engineering, manufacture, yacht design or electronics courses.

By the time you start your course you will have acquired an essential portfolio of academic and subject specific skills, giving you the very best chance of achieving a high-level degree.

Modules of study include a group technology project; an exploration of information and analysis; a theoretical and applied look at concepts and processes within technology; and a project relating directly to your chosen degree path. The degree related project is undertaken with the support of academics who will be teaching on the degree programme you have chosen. This ensures that the skills and knowledge which you develop during the foundation year will be directly applicable to your degree studies.

Throughout your time at foundation level you will benefit from a supportive and student focused approach to learning. The course team have significant experience of working with students from a diverse range of academic and professional backgrounds. Foundation courses are taught in relatively small groups with a focus on individual development and 'learning by doing'. This teaching style develops through the year, gently putting the emphasis on the learner in preparation for further study at degree level.

Collaborative working is another key element of the course. From the start of the year you’ll work on both individual and group work, helping you to meet fellow students and develop group working skills. These are essential in the science and engineering industries, where cross-discipline working and teamwork are vital parts of delivering successful projects.

A programme of study specifically designed to help students with unconventional qualifications to access degree programmes.

**What does this course lead to?**
This Foundation Year offers the opportunity to develop the skills and knowledge you need to begin on one of our degree programmes. These can lead to challenging careers in the STEM industries, where graduate salaries and employment prospects are good and the work undertaken is critical to the economy.

**Who is this course for?**
This course is intended for students without the UCAS points for direct entry. This could be mature students returning to education, younger students without the required qualifications, or students looking to change career path after completing further education qualifications.

Modules

FOUNDATION MODULES
Group Technology Project
Information and Analysis
Technology Concepts and Processes (Theory)
Technology Concepts and Processes (Applied)
Personal Development Planning
Degree-Related Project

On successful completion of the foundation year, you will automatically progress onto the BEng (Hons) Electronic Engineering course where you will study the following modules:

YEAR 1 - CORE MODULES
Applied Mathematics
Introduction to Electronics
Analogue and Digital Electronics
Manufacturing Principles
Microprocessor Systems
Professional Engineering Skills

YEAR 2 - CORE MODULES
Applied Maths for Electronics
Electronic Circuits
Embedded Systems
Data Communications and Networks
Automation and Control
Competition and Contracts in Engineering

YEAR 3 - CORE MODULES
Electronic Circuit Design
Digital Signal Processing
Radio Systems
Final-Year Project

YEAR 3 - OPTIONS (Please note that not all options are guaranteed to run each academic year)
Business option, such as Business Strategy or Entrepreneurship.

Assessment methods

Students experience a wide variety of assessment methods in preparation for their parent degrees. Coursework projects make up the majority of the final grade (83%). Practical exams will also take place (17%). There are no formal written examinations.

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
£14,000
per year
International
£14,000
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

Extra funding

Solent University offers a number of bursaries, grants and scholarships. For more information, please visit https://www.solent.ac.uk/finance/grants-bursaries-scholarships/bursaries

The Uni


Course location:

Solent University (Southampton)

Department:

Department of Science and 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.

91%
Mechanical 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

91%
Staff make the subject interesting
91%
Staff are good at explaining things
82%
Ideas and concepts are explored in-depth
64%
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

91%
Library resources
82%
IT resources
82%
Course specific equipment and facilities
64%
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?

84%
UK students
16%
International students
83%
Male students
17%
Female students
69%
2:1 or above
19%
First year drop out rate

Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)

C
D
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.

£23,000
low
Average annual salary
88%
low
Employed or in further education

Top job areas of graduates

31%
Engineering professionals
27%
Artistic, literary and media occupations
12%
Other elementary services occupations

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.

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.

£28k

£28k

£30k

£30k

£30k

£30k

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.

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Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF):

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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?

Have a question about this info? Learn more here