Get degree ideas using our A level explorer tool

Mechanical Engineering (with Integrated Foundation Year)

Entry requirements


A level

D,D,D-C,C,C

DDD with Maths and Physics at A or AS-level otherwise CCC. General Studies excluded.

Access to HE Diploma exceeds entry requirements so may be considered for BEng/MEng.

International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme

24

Must include two subjects at Higher Level, one to be Mathematics.

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

H4,H4,H5,H5,H5

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

MMP

UCAS Tariff

72-96

72 UCAS tariff points with Maths and Physics at A or AS-level, otherwise 96 points are required.

About this course


This course has alternative study modes. Contact the university to find out how the information below might vary.

Course option

4years

Full-time | 2024

Other options

5 years | Sandwich | 2024

Subject

Mechanical engineering

With an extra year of integrated study at foundation level, this course opens up opportunities in engineering if you do not hold the required A-levels or equivalent qualifications, are changing career, or returning to study.

The foundation year gives you the support, knowledge and skills you need. On successful completion of the foundation year, you can progress directly to the Mechanical Engineering BEng(Hons).

Our accredited course develops your mechanical engineering expertise and provides industrial and commercial insight. Learning with a course team with an international reputation for research, you’ll explore topics such as: thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, dynamics and control, manufacturing engineering, materials engineering, and mechanical design including computer-aided design.

Working with other engineering specialists on challenging and rewarding projects, and the chance to join our Formula Student team, gives you an experience that mirrors industry. Placements and guest lectures from industry experts provide valuable professional insight and networking opportunities.

Modules

Your foundation year will top up your qualifications and prepare you for the BEng course. In your first degree year, conceptual design, manufacturing and testing are combined in a design project. When you reach your second year, you will explore various aspects of mechanical engineering in more depth. After your second year, you may opt to put your studies into practice on a year-long industrial placement. In your final year, you are taught business and management skills essential for the modern professional engineer.

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
£13,842
per year
International
£13,842
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:

Brighton

Department:

School of Architecture, Technology 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.

64%
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

66%
Staff make the subject interesting
59%
Staff are good at explaining things
79%
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

69%
Library resources
83%
IT resources
79%
Course specific equipment and facilities
48%
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?

80%
UK students
20%
International students
92%
Male students
8%
Female students
75%
2:1 or above
18%
First year drop out rate

Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)

D
D
E

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.

£24,000
low
Average annual salary
82%
low
Employed or in further education
59%
low
Employed in a role where degree was essential or beneficial

Top job areas of graduates

40%
Engineering professionals
8%
Sales assistants and retail cashiers
6%
Road transport drivers

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.

£24k

£24k

£29k

£29k

£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...

Share this page

This is what the university has told Ucas about the criteria they expect applicants to satisfy; some may be compulsory, others may be preferable.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

This is the percentage of applicants to this course who received an offer last year, through Ucas.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

This is what the university has told Ucas about the course. Use it to get a quick idea about what makes it unique compared to similar courses, elsewhere.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

Course location and department:

This is what the university has told Ucas about the course. Use it to get a quick idea about what makes it unique compared to similar courses, elsewhere.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF):

We've received this information from the Department for Education, via Ucas. This is how the university as a whole has been rated for its quality of teaching: gold silver or bronze. Note, not all universities have taken part in the TEF.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

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.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

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.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

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.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

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

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

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