
HND Electrical and Electronic Engineering (Top Up)
Our HND Electrical and Electronic Engineering will teach you core engineering principles and demonstrate how the knowledge you gain can be used effectively in the workplace.
The HND Electrical and Electronic Engineering is designed to refine your skills, and is ideal for engineers working in electronic design, power engineering, manufacture and maintenance.
This two-year, part-time course allows HNC graduates in a related discipline to top-up to an HND Electrical and Electronic Engineering. Following successful completion of the HND, there is a further opportunity to progress onto our BSc (Hons) Electrical and Electronic Engineering ‘top up’.
Level Five
- Independent Study for Engineers - 10 credits (Optional)
- Concepts of Analogue and Digital Communication - 20 credits
- Energy Storage and Distribution - 20 credits
- Power, Machines and Power Electronic Devices Running 20 credits
- Group Project - 20 credits
- Individual Project - 20 credits (Optional)
- Electronic Test Systems and Reliability (Distance) - 20 credits (Optional)
- Business, Safety and Employability (Distance) - 20 credits
- Electronics 2 - 20 credits
- Group Project and Management for Engineers - 20 credits (Optional)
Teaching
The HND Electrical and Electronic Engineering course is delivered through a range of lectures, tutorials and practical workshops.
You will be required to attend the university one day a week.
Assessment
Assessment methods include assignments, coursework and class tests, as well as preparing and delivering presentations to develop your communication skills.
Facilities

Our industry-standard facilities help you make the transition from the classroom into an employment setting.
We have three suites that include an embedded systems lab, general electronics lab, and power and renewable energy lab. Our embedded systems lab contains 25 high-end terminals that run cutting edge development tools that have been designed in conjunction with our sponsor, Renesas – the world’s leading supplier of microcontrollers.
This sponsorship means our students are taught using the most up-to-date technologies and development tools. The general electronics lab is split into three sections – Computer Aided Design (CAD) and embedded systems, practical electronics, and communication engineering.
You will learn how to use industry-standard software, construct prototypes, build and test printed circuit boards and use a range of equipment such as oscilloscopes and signal generators. In the communication engineering section, you will undertake experimental set-ups to support your understanding of theoretical principles.
These set-ups include analogue and digital modulation schemes, microwave antennas, time and frequency division multiplexing, coding, transmission lines and fibre optics. The power and renewable energy lab is where you will learn about the key components and construction skills involved in planning, designing, building and testing electronic circuits which are used in micro renewable energy systems.
You will design and simulate your very own renewable systems, analyse performances and produce feasibility reports. Equipment you will find yourself using includes a photovoltaic solar energy unit, wind energy unit and lab-volt stations.
Lecturers
Dr Jurgen Richter, course leader
We regularly revalidate courses for quality assurance and enhancement
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.
HNC in Electrical and Electronic Engineering or a similar closely related qualification
Additional Requirements
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.
Full-time fees are per year. Part-time fees are per 20 credits. Once enrolled, the fee will remain at the same rate throughout the duration of your study on this course.
August 2023 - July 2024 Fees
Part-time UK: TBC
August 2024 - July 2025 Fees
Part-time UK: TBC
Student Perks
At the University of South Wales, you’re investing in so much more than a degree. We strive to provide our students with the best possible experience, no matter what you chose to study. Whether it’s access to top of the range mac books and PCs, state-of-the-art facilities packed with industry-leading equipment and software, masterclasses and events led by industry experts, or a wide range of clubs and societies to meet likeminded people, better tomorrows start with extra perks.
Each course also has their own unique student benefits to prepare you for the real word, and details of these can be found on our course pages. From global field trips, integrated work experience and free course-related resources, to funded initiatives, projects working with real employers, and opportunities for extra qualifications and accreditations - at USW your future, is future-proofed.
Click here to learn more about student perks at USW.
Additional Costs
As a student of USW, you’ll have access to lots of free resources to support your study and learning, such as textbooks, publications, online journals, laptops, and plenty of remote-access resources. 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 travel, memberships, experience days, stationery, printing, or equipment.
UK students
Apply via UCAS if you are a UK residing applicant, applying for year 1 of a full-time undergraduate degree, Foundation Year, Foundation Degree or HND and you have not applied through UCAS before. If you are applying to study part-time, to top up your Foundation Degree or HND, or to transfer to USW from another institution, please apply directly.
International and EU students
Apply directly to the University if you live outside the UK/EU.
Our Careers and Employability Service
As a USW student, you will have access to advice from the Careers and Employability Service throughout your studies and after you graduate.
This includes: one-to-one appointments from faculty based Career Advisers, in person, over the phone or even on Skype and through email via the "Ask a Question" service. We also have extensive online resources for help with considering your career options and presenting yourself well to employers. Resources include psychometric tests, career assessments, a CV builder, interview simulator and application help. Our employer database has over 2,000 registered employers targeting USW students, you can receive weekly email alerts for jobs.
Our Careers service has dedicated teams: A central work experience team to help you find relevant placements; an employability development team which includes an employability programme called Grad Edge; and an Enterprise team focused on new business ideas and entrepreneurship.