MEng

Mechanical Engineering

Prepare yourself for a career in Mechanical Engineering. Gain relevant expertise and get hands-on with state-of-the-art facilities at USW.

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Key Course Details

  • UCAS Code

    L21H

  • Start Date

    September

  • Location

    Pontypridd

  • Campus Code

    A

Fees

  • Home students

    £9,000*

  • International students

    £15,260*

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

Combining our BEng (Hons) Mechanical Engineering degree with Masters-level material, this course allows you to further distinguish yourself with an advanced set of professional and technical skills. The Mechanical Engineering course also removes the need to source further funding to study a Masters-level qualification.

DESIGNED FOR

Mechanical engineers have an inquiring mind, wanting to understand how things work and how to apply knowledge to real-world problems. Sustainable solutions to important areas such as energy security, food and water supplies, sustainable transport are just some of the areas where Mechanical Engineers contribute their knowledge.

Accredited by

Accredited by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE), forming the educational base for Incorporated Engineer and, with further learning, Chartered Engineer status

Career Paths

  • Production Manager
  • Biomedical Engineer
  • Project Management
  • Automotive Engineer

Skills taught

  • Problem solving through analysis using scientific and engineering theory
  • Development of knowledge of cutting-edge technology
  • Teamworking, management and leadership.
  • Communication skills
  • Understanding of professional responsibilities such as sustainability and ethics

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Course Highlights

Professionally Recognised

Accredited by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE), forming the educational base for Incorporated Engineer and, with further learning, Chartered Engineer status

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

This Mechanical Engineering degree includes the computing, mathematical and physical sciences required to design, develop and manufacture a range of engineering systems. During the fourth year, you will be studying at Masters level, where students are encouraged to think independently and challenge theories and results.

During the first year, you’ll be introduced to some of the core subject areas that underpin Mechanical Engineering. The course is designed to give a spread of topics here, so that the knowledge is established in a range of teaching styles.

Mathematics for Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineers
Provides students with confidence in mathematics and demonstrating the relevance of mathematics in engineering. 

Design and Manufacture
Students gain basic knowledge in engineering design and manufacturing and materials and acquire skills in manufacturing practice.

Engineering Computing Applications
The aim of this module is introduce students to the use of computer applications in engineering through programming and computer aided design

Engineering Mechanics 1
The content of the module is directly related to Engineering Mechanics and Mechanics of Materials, to expose students to problems in mechanics as applied to plausibly real-world scenarios.

Electrical Science
This module recognises the cross-disciplinary nature of engineering in professional practice and gives an insight into the importance of knowledge of electrical theory and circuit design.

Thermofluids 1
Gives students a basic understanding of thermodynamic and fluid mechanic properties of both liquid and gases.

The second year builds on the foundations of the previous year of study, deepening the knowledge and developing the ability to apply that knowledge to problems of increasing complexity. The teaching style continues the problem-based and practical ethos of the programme.

Further Mathematics for Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineers
This module teaches students to select and apply a range of mathematical analysis methods to the solution of engineering problems. Students will be able to develop mathematical models of engineering systems.

Sustainable Engineering Design
This module builds upon the student’s knowledge of the design process and furthers their knowledge of the use of computer aided design in the design process

Engineering Mechanics 2
This module enables students to analyse and solve more advanced problems in Statics and Dynamics. Students will investigate a number of major scientific principles which underpin the design and operation of engineering systems

Control and Instrumentation
Upon successful completion of this module, students will be able to assess the static and dynamic behaviours of instrumentation and control systems through basic analytical approaches and control theory in time and frequency domains.

Thermofluids 2
This module extends principles of thermodynamics and applies them to a range of engineering and industrial applications. Concepts involved in fluid flow are consolidated to enable students to analyse more complex applied phenomena

Engineering Materials
This module develops understanding of standard material testing methods and material failures. It develops knowledge of the relationship between structure, properties, processing and subsequently the use of engineering materials

The final year consolidates the knowledge gains and develops it to a more advanced level with the problems presented now being of a more ambiguous nature to prepare students for professional practice in industry. The individual project is a key part of this year and provides the opportunity for students to demonstrate their knowledge and skills to a significant engineering problem or challenge.

BEng Individual Project (Core)
Designed for students to conduct detailed research/projects relevant to their subject. Enhances knowledge, promotes independent work, and encourages lifelong learning.

Individual Project (Optional)

Thermofluids 3
The purpose of this module is to consolidate and further extend the principles of thermodynamics applied to a range of power generation and energy systems and to consolidate and further extend the principles of fluid mechanics and apply them to a range of turbo-machines.

Engineering Computational Analysis
The aim of the module is to teach the application of finite element techniques and to provide students with a practical introduction to the application of computational methods in fluid mechanics and aerodynamics analysis.

Industrial Management
The aim of this module is to extend the student's appreciation and knowledge of Engineering Management Systems.

Mechanics and Control
This module provides the student with the ability to analyse complex mechanical and control systems

It is in the fourth year that students are given opportunity to develop their critical thinking skills, learning to critique and question theory and results. These skills are applied in individual and group contexts and differentiate the students from an employability perspective.

Integrative MEng Group Project
This module enables students to apply and enhance their practical engineering knowledge base, to a large design project linked with industry. It allows students to apply their skills within a team environment

Advanced Materials and Manufacture
Students will gain knowledge and analytical skills on a range of modern engineering materials and manufacturing processes and will subsequently develop a critical awareness on the selection criteria for engineering applications;

Further Finite Element Analysis
Students will learn to carry out appropriate finite element analysis using a range of modelling techniques and to critically analyse the results obtained.

Further Computational Fluid Dynamics
The purpose of this module is to provide students with a practical understanding of the numerical methods which underlie computational fluid dynamics analysis.

Professional Engineering Management
Students will develop the skills to critically analyse leadership and management theories and how these shape the strategic direction and effectiveness of an organisation. 

Industrial Heating Systems
This will allow students to Gain critical understanding of the principles of operation and characteristics of combustion systems and be able to apply these for modelling and design of energy-efficient industrial furnaces

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 to talk to you. You can contact our friendly admissions team by phone, email or chat to us online.

 

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.

Course Highlights

How you'll learn

You will learn via lectures, tutorials, and seminars. As well as this, you will spend time
keeping up to date on current issues within the engineering industry. You will also
learn through practical work, group projects and a final year project, plus industry
visits.
The mechanical engineering 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

The staff that deliver the modules have a breadth of expertise in their subject areas.

Some have developed this expertise through high quality research. The research areas are international in their scope whilst also having a relevance locally, often working with
international companies that operate locally.

Others have developed their expertise through successful careers in industry and are now using that knowledge to teach and prepare the students for their own careers.

This blend of backgrounds represented in the academic staff give a breadth to the student experience and develops them technically and professionally.

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 Mechanical Engineering facilities are excellent. They include:

  • Well-equipped computer rooms using state of the art (industry standard) design and analysis software. (SolidWorks, Ansys, FEA and CFD, LS-Dyna, SolidCAM, Simul8, etc.), with a cluster (Super Computer) for use on high end computational activities.
  • Dedicated project rooms for all cohorts, access to laser cutter and a four-axis CNC
    router.
  • Composite manufacturing facilities, including autoclaves.
  • Additive manufacturing facilities (3D printing), laser scanner, wind tunnel, extensive material testing facilities, as well as laboratories with equipment for supplementing teaching in all core subjects, mechanics, dynamics, materials, thermodynamics, fluid- dynamics and control.
  • Non-destructive testing (NDT) facilities.
  • Access to technical staff in our workshops which include CNC machining centre,
    lathes and milling machine, drills, etc, for use on all project work undertaken.
  • Large open access multi discipline built area for projects.
  • Well-equipped Formula Student (Opens in a new tab)build area.

Careers and Employability

Graduate careers

Our Mechanical Engineering degree has a good reputation in industry, and our graduates have carved out successful careers in areas including research and
development, design, manufacturing management, technical sales, and plant
engineering.
Graduates can also progress to an Engineering PhD or research degree.

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 Mechanical 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.