BEng (Hons)

Electrical and Electronic Engineering including Foundation Year

Gain the skills and qualifications for a career in Electronics. Get hands-on with state-of-the-art facilities at USW.

How to apply Apply Through UCAS Book an Open Day Chat to Us

Key Course Details

  • UCAS Code

    H613

  • Start Date

    September

  • Location

    Pontypridd

  • Campus Code

    A

Fees

  • Home students

    £9,535*

  • International students

    £16,200*

  • Full-time fees are per year. Part-time fees are per 20 credits.

If you don’t have the right qualifications to start our Electrical and Electronic Engineering degree, opt to start your studies with this foundation course. You’ll study introductory modules whilst developing key skills for academic study. Successful completion will allow you to progress onto the degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering.

DESIGNED FOR

Electrical engineers have an inquiring mind, wanting to understand how things work and how to apply knowledge to real-world problems. If you have an interest in how the world is wired up, this is the course for you.

Industry Ready

  • Designed to meet the learning outcome requirements of the UK Engineering Council Accreditation of Higher Education Programmes version 4.

Career Paths

  • Electronic Design Engineer
  • Electronics and Communication Engineer
  • Power systems Engineer
  • Mobile and Communication Engineer

 

 

Skills Taught

  • Electronic Design
  • Optoelectronics and Systems
  • Power systems design
  • Wireless network systems

 

A close up of two circuit boards wired up to small lights being held by two sets of hands in a USW electronic workshop

Course Highlights

Industry Focused

We have strong links with industry and place considerable emphasis on student projects and practical, problem-based learning.

Work Placement Opportunities

We encourage industrial placements and work closely with employers to assist students with this opportunity.

Expert Knowledge

Staff are experts in their fields, some through research activities and some through professional practice in industrial careers.

Module Overview

You'll study core topics such as mathematics, structures, materials, geotechnics, hydraulics and surveying. Threads of design, sustainability, health and safety, and professionalism are also embedded in the civil engineering course. Your dissertation enables you to tailor your qualification to the area of industry you want to work in.

The Foundation Year will give you a good understanding of our engineering courses and provide you with a good numerical background to support you throughout the remainder of the degree. Following your initial foundation year, you will progress onto the modules studied as part of your award.

  • Foundations of Mathematics - 20 credits 
  • Further Foundation Maths for Engineers - 20 credits 
  • Essential Engineering Skills - 20 credits 
  • Engineering Project - 20 credits 
  • Foundation Engineering Principles - 20 credits 
  • English for Engineering (optional) - 20 credits 
  • Electrical Science (optional) - 20 credits 

Lay theoretical foundations by learning key mathematical concepts, as well as how to work safely in practical environments. You’ll be introduced to the key concepts, systems and hardware you’ll use during the course, and start to build the professional qualities needed to succeed.

Mathematics for Engineers  
Understand the importance of mathematics in engineering and build the mathematical and data skills needed to solve electrical engineering problems. 

Electrical Principles  
Develop knowledge of circuit theory and apply it to solve basic circuit problems involving battery technology, electrical drives, renewable energy sources and smart grids.  

Engineering Applications 
Work hands-on in teams to design, build and test simple electrical systems, developing lots of practical skills such as CAD, soldering and safe working. 

Programming for Electronics Engineering  
Through challenging practical lab exercises, you’ll develop the skills required to manage complex firmware for microcontrollers.   

Analogue and Digital Electronics  
Explore a range of analogue and digital electronic systems and how they can be applied based on their functionality. 

Professional Development and Industrial Practice  
Understand the legal requirements around safe practice and develop the personal skills required for future success both academically and in the workplace. 

Advance your knowledge of power, communication, and programming, and start to apply it to real-world problems. This culminates in a large group project where you’ll apply business and management techniques to develop a viable solution to a complex technical problem.

Communication Engineering  
Understand how the different forms of communication work, comparing and reviewing communications systems based on their use, functionality and technology. 

Power, Machines and Control  
Apply mathematical models to analyse electronic machines and power systems, with an introduction to specific instrumentation and control strategies.  

Electrical Principles and Analytical Methods  
Design more advanced circuits and systems as you analyse and perform detailed calculations, applying high-level mathematical principles. 

Configuration and Programming of Embedded Systems 
Use C programming language to develop real-time embedded systems on a general-purpose microcontroller. 

Advanced Electronic Systems 
Advance your knowledge of analogue and digital systems as you design and synthesise electronic circuits and systems to meet technical and commercial specifications. 

Leadership and Product Development  
Don your management hat as you work in a team planning and executing a project to solve a complex technical problem, applying established business techniques. 

We encourage you to undertake a year-long sandwich placement after your second year, where you’ll gain real insights into the industry and be shaped by priceless experiences. Upon your return, you will build specialist knowledge and have the opportunity to focus on your strength through an option module and a final year dissertation.

Industrial Management
Gain an insight on to Industrial Management from Projects to Operations and learn to evaluate aspects of manufacturing systems whilst also undertaking a project to apply much of what you will learn.

Power Electronics Application
Explore the operating principles of power electronic devices and power electronic converters, including motor drive schemes, switch mode techniques and control techniques.

Advanced Embedded Systems
Test your knowledge, analytical, problem-solving and evaluation skills as you apply software/firmware solutions to complex embedded systems.

Electronics Design
Explore advanced analogue and digital electronics principles such as System on Chip (SoC), Hardware Description Language (HDL) and Analogue Conversion to design advanced circuits.
 
Supervised Work Experience (SWE)
An optional (but always recommended) sandwich placement at a key employer, where you’ll build real experience, apply your skills and build relationships.
 
Major Engineering Project
Demonstrate your skills by undertaking a detailed, research or project in a subject area of your choice.

Course Highlights

How you’ll learn

You will learn through lectures, which are supported by tutorials, practical sessions and seminar groups. Wherever possible, your work will be based on live projects and case studies, with contributions from industry professionals.

The degree is assessed through assignments, coursework, ongoing class tests and exams. Presentations are included as elements of assessments in some modules, in order that key communication and presentation skills can be developed.

Teaching staff

Our Civil Engineering lecturers are experts in their subject areas, having worked in, or with, industry, conducting research, presenting at conferences, publishing their work, and informing your studies with the latest insights. Not only will you be taught by academics who are specialists in their fields, but you will also benefit from guest speakers from the engineering world.

Placements

We know the value of placement and work experience and are passionate about seeing our students take up these opportunities. We work with several local and national companies in order to assist students to take up these opportunities.

Facilities

Our civil engineering labs are equipped with the latest computer-aided and controlled machinery.

Accredited by the Engineering Council

Careers and Employability

Graduate careers

Employment opportunities are excellent. Graduates of our Civil Engineering degree secure work with consulting engineers, civil engineering contractors and local authorities, with a range of companies that include Capita Symonds, BAM Nuttall, Hyder Consulting, Alun Griffiths (Contractors) Ltd, Morgan Est, Carillion, Mott MacDonald, Atkins, Network Rail, United Utilities, and various international companies.

Possible career paths

You may have a clear career path that you are aiming for, and we can help you get there. On the other hand, you may still be unsure about the direction you wish to take and that’s why our lecturers, industrial contacts and careers services will want to talk to about these opportunities. 

It’s an exciting time to be a Civil Engineer – the world is facing some major challenges and we are at the forefront of developing solutions to many of these.

Careers support

Our careers service offers a range of advice and guidance to students. We can link you up with industry, we can help you with interview skills and CVs and help you to focus on your own direction of travel.

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

UCAS Points: 48 (or above)

Typical qualification requirements:

  • A Level: DD
  • Welsh BACC: N/A
  • BTEC: BTEC Extended Diploma Pass Pass Pass or BTEC Diploma Pass Pass
  • Access to HE: Pass Access to HE Diploma with a minimum of 48 UCAS Tariff points
  • T Level - Pass (D or E)

Additional Requirements:

GCSEs: The University normally requires a minimum 3 GCSEs including Mathematics and English at Grade C/Grade 4 or above, or their equivalent but consideration is given to individual circumstances

International applications welcomed:

We welcome international applications with equivalent qualifications of our entry requirements. For more details related to your country of residence, please view our dedicated country pages.

English language requirements

International applicants will need to have achieved an overall of IELTS 6.0 with a minimum of 5.5 in each component/TOEFL 72 overall and a minimum of 18 in reading, 17 in listening, 20 in speaking and 17 in writing or equivalent.

Equivalents can be located on our English Language pages.

If you have previously studied through the medium of English, IELTS might not be required, please visit our country specific page for further details. If your country is not featured, please contact us.

If you do not meet the English entry criteria, please visit our Pre-Sessional course pages.

Contextual offers

We may make you a lower offer based on a range of factors, including your background (where you live and the school or college that you attended, for example), your experiences and individual circumstances (as a care leaver, for example). This is referred to as a contextual offer, and we receive data from UCAS to support us in making these decisions.

USW prides itself on its student experience and we support our students to achieve their goals and become a successful graduate. This approach helps us to support students who have the potential to succeed and who may have faced barriers that make it more difficult to access university.

 

We're here to help

Whether you a have a question about your course, fees and funding, the application process or anything else, there are plenty of ways you can get in touch, and we'd love to talk to you. You can contact our friendly admissions team by phone, email or chat to us online.

 

Fees and Funding

UK Full-time Fee

£9,535

per year*
International Full-time Fee

£16,200

per year*

Further Information

Studying at university is one of the most significant investments you'll ever make. Whilst you’re studying, you’ll have two main financial obligations – tuition fees and living costs. There’s lots of financial help available from the University of South Wales and external funding sources, that may provide loans (which have to be paid back) and grants, scholarships and bursaries (that don't).

*Full-time fees are per year. Part-time fees are per 20 credits. Once enrolled, the fee is anticipated to remain at the same rate throughout the duration of your study on this course except as described below.

Please be aware that we may increase the maximum fee for home students on full-time undergraduate courses only where the Welsh Government increases the permitted level of inflation of fees. Fees for all students (including part-time, postgraduate and international students) may be amended in accordance with our applicable Fees and Debt Management Policy.  We will ensure that students are given clear, intelligible, unambiguous and timely information about our courses and costs in good time, ahead of the next academic year.

 

Fees and Funding Scholarships and Bursaries Cost of Living Support

Additional Costs

Whilst in most cases these resources are more than sufficient in supporting you with completing your course, additional costs, both obligatory and optional, may be required or requested for the likes of stationery, printing, or equipment during your foundation year.  For costs after you progress to year 1 of your degree programme, please see the list below.

Introducing Calon

We are investing in the future of STEM at USW with an exciting new Computing, Engineering and Technology building at our Pontypridd Campus.


University Quality Assurance

At USW, we regularly review our courses in response to changing patterns of employment and skills demand to ensure we offer learning designed to reflect today’s student needs and tomorrow’s employer demands.

If during a review process course content is significantly changed, we’ll write to inform you and talk you through the changes for the coming year. But whatever the outcome, we aim to equip our students with the skillset and the mindset to succeed whatever tomorrow may bring. Your future, future-proofed.

How to apply

All applications for full-time undergraduate courses or foundation degrees should be made via UCAS. Take the next step: Apply through UCAS. You can apply to us directly for all part-time undergraduate courses, if you’re seeking advanced entry or you’re an international student. To apply directly, please choose the application form below for your preferred start date and mode of study (full-time or part-time.)

Advanced entry

If you already have a relevant qualification or experience related to the course you're applying for, you may be eligible to start at a later stage of the course. For example, students from partner colleges can ‘top up’ their qualifications to a degree by joining us in Year Two or Year Three of a course. This process is known as ‘advanced entry’, you can apply directly to the University for 'advanced entry' using the application forms provided above.

International admissions

International applicants can apply to us directly. If the University has an in-country team in your region, your application will be assigned to them for assistance.