BEng Mechanical Engineering

We are undertaking an ongoing curriculum renewal, which may result in changes to this degree programme.

The renewal is being carried out in consultation with our industrial partners, accreditation bodies and students, to make sure we equip you for an exciting career in the ever-changing world of engineering.

Year 1

Engineers are creative problem-solvers. They are adept at working in professional, interdisciplinary teams to tackle society's ever more complex challenges.

Introductory courses

In Year 1, you will take introductory courses that help you develop the confidence, advanced thinking, team-working and problem-solving skills that you will later rely on as a professional engineer.

In Engineering Principles, you will experience a wide range of challenges, developing essential engineering skills and gaining an understanding of the subject's breadth, as well as the role of your chosen discipline.

In Engineering Design, you will work as part of a team on an interdisciplinary engineering task. You will get involved in design and use your engineering judgement to evaluate your solution.

Additional courses

You will also study mathematical topics that have particular relevance to engineers, and choose courses from across the University to complement your engineering studies - with options available in the sciences, arts and humanities.

Year 2

In Year 2, you will specialise in core mechanical engineering topics, including:

• fluids
• solids
• dynamics
• thermodynamics

You will build the foundations of each of these subjects in preparation for specialisation at honours level.

Your courses will cover technical concepts and, where possible, give you the opportunity to apply these in a practical situation. This will both extend and deepen your engineering design skills.

You will also study programming to develop your skills in computer control and simulation – essentials in the engineer's toolkit. As well as:

• engineering mathematics
• essential professional skills for engineers

Year 3

The third-year develops your study of second-year topics to complete your ‘core’ mechanical engineering knowledge.

This includes further study in:

• Structural Mechanics
• Dynamics
• Thermofluids

This is complemented by courses exploring manufacturing and developing your skills in engineering design.

You will also participate in short visits to local engineering companies and a series of industrial seminars.

Progression routes

At the end of Year 3, you will have the option to complete one more year for a BEng degree, or a further two years for an MEng degree. The latter is subject to you achieving an average of 55% or higher in your third year.

Year 4

In Year 4, you will have a wide choice of specialist technical course options, plus courses designed to prepare you for your professional career. These include:

• Management
• Technology Innovation
• Entrepreneurship

You will also complete a group design project, in which you will work on solving a real-world engineering problem.

Individual project

You will also undertake a major individual project worth one-third of your grade for the year. This forms the most significant practical element of your programme.

Your project may be linked to the research activity of your supervisor, meaning you will be exposed to, and have opportunity to contribute to, the research output of the University.

Our facilities

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the School of Engineering is currently operating a hybrid teaching model. Hybrid teaching is a flexible blend of:

• digital learning
• in-person, on-campus teaching (subject to current physical distancing requirements)

You will have access to the University's libraries and engineering and computing laboratories.

Placements

We encourage you to undertake relevant work experience during your degree. We work closely with the Careers Service to advertise internship opportunities and arrange company presentations.

This can be recognised on your transcript through completion of an Edinburgh Award.

Study abroad

In Year 3, you will have opportunities to study abroad through the University's international exchange programmes.

What are my options for going abroad?

How will I learn?

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the School of Engineering is currently operating a hybrid teaching model. Hybrid teaching is not the same as 100% online teaching - it is a flexible blend of:

• digital learning
• in-person, on-campus teaching (subject to current physical distancing requirements)

Course content that would have been delivered through in-person lectures will be taught through other formats. This applies to the majority of our courses.

Depending on the course, this may include a mixture of:

• specially created video content
• written materials
• additional content to support self-study
• live-streamed lectures where appropriate (for example, guest lectures)

Group teaching

Social distancing means that we must work within strict building capacity limitations. Therefore, we now offer group teaching digitally and on-campus simultaneously.

You will be scheduled for in-person attendance at a proportion of the on-campus activities for your course. For the remaining activities, or if you are unable to come to campus, you will attend digitally.

How will I be assessed?

As a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, a number of courses have introduced coursework in addition to, or to replace, end of semester assessments.

Where an end of semester assessment is required, this will be in the form of a take-home exam. You should complete this in the same amount of time allocated to the equivalent in-person exam (for example, 90 minutes) but you will be given 24 hours in which to submit your solutions.

Programme details

Find out more about this programme's aims, what you will learn, how you will be assessed and what skills and knowledge you will develop.

To give you an idea of what to expect from this programme, we publish the latest available information. However, please note this may not be for your year of entry, but for a different academic year.

Programme details (2021/22)

Studying engineering at the University of Edinburgh prepares you for a career as a professional engineer in the UK or abroad. All of our courses meet the requirements of the UK's professional engineering bodies.

On graduating from this programme, you will have:

• a thorough, core knowledge
• analytical skills
• practical skills
• design skills
• communication skills

This enables you to join a design, production or research team - or move rapidly into management and leadership roles.

Alternatively, many of our graduates have gone on to work in other areas, including:

• the civil service
• education
• the armed forces
• the financial sector

Standard entry requirement

The standard entry requirement is:

• SQA Highers: AAAA - AAAB (achievement by end of S5 preferred). BBB must be achieved in one year of S4-S6.
• A Levels: AAA - ABB.
• IB: 37 points with 666 at HL - 32 points with 555 at HL.

Minimum entry requirement

The minimum entry requirement for widening access applicants is:

• SQA Highers: AABB by end of S6. BBB must be achieved in one year of S4-S6.
• A Levels: ABB.
• IB: 32 points with 555 at HL.

More information for widening access applicants

Required subjects

The grades used to meet our entry requirements must include:

• SQA: Highers: Mathematics at A and one of Physics (preferred), Biology, Chemistry, Computing Science or Engineering Science at B. Applicants with Physics are preferred. Higher Applications of Mathematics is not accepted in place of Higher Mathematics. National 5s: Physics or Engineering Science at B and English at C.
• A Levels: Mathematics and one of Physics (preferred), Biology, Chemistry, Computing Science/Computing, Design & Technology (excluding Food Technology) or Engineering at B. GCSEs: Physics or Science at B or 6 and English at C or 4.
• IB: HL: Mathematics (from 2021, Mathematics: Analysis and approaches only) and one of Physics (preferred), Biology, Chemistry, Computing Science or Design & Technology at 5. SL: Physics at 5 (if not at HL) and English at 5.

Find out more about entry requirements

International applicants

We welcome applications from students studying a wide range of international qualifications.

Entry requirements by country

Mature applicants

We welcome applications from mature students and accept a range of qualifications.

Mature applicant qualifications

Academic Technology Approval Scheme

If you are not an EU, EEA or Swiss national, you may need an Academic Technology Approval Scheme clearance certificate in order to study this programme.

Academic Technology Approval Scheme

For direct entry to second year the standard requirements must be exceeded, including the following:

• SQA Advanced Highers: AA to include Mathematics and either Physics, Engineering Science, or Technological Studies, plus Highers at AB in two further subjects.
• A Levels: A*AA in one set of exams to include Mathematics and either Physics, Engineering, or Design & Technology (excluding Food Technology), or AAA in one set of exams to include Mathematics, Further Mathematics and either Physics, Engineering, or Design & Technology (excluding Food Technology).
• IB: 38 points with 666 at HL to include Mathematics (from 2021, Mathematics: Analysis and approaches only) and Physics or Design & Technology at 6.

Other entry pathways

Entry to many degrees in Science & Engineering is possible via other qualifications (eg HNC/D, Access, SWAP).

• Science & Engineering applications

You must demonstrate a level of English language competency at a level that will enable you to succeed in your studies, regardless of your nationality or country of residence.

SQA, GCSE and IB

For SQA, GCSE and IB students, unless a higher level is specified in the stated entry requirements, a pass is required in English at the following grades or higher:

• SQA National 5 at C
• SQA Standard Grade at 3
• SQA Intermediate 1 at A
• SQA Intermediate 2 at C
• GCSE at C or 4
• Level 2 Certificate at C
• IB Standard Level at 5 (English ab initio is not accepted for entry)

English language tests

We accept the following English language qualifications at the grades specified:

• IELTS Academic module overall 6.5 with 5.5 in each component
• TOEFL-iBT (including Special Home Edition) 92 or above with 20 in each section. We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Score to meet our English language requirements.
• Cambridge English: Advanced or Proficiency overall 176 with 162 in each component
• Trinity ISE: ISE II with a distinction in all four components

We also accept a wider range of international qualifications and tests.

English language qualifications must be no more than three and a half years old from the start date of the degree you are applying to study, unless you are using IELTS, TOEFL or Trinity ISE, in which case it must be no more than two years old.

English language requirements

This information is part of a government initiative to enhance the material that higher education institutions provide about their degree programmes.

It is one of many sources of information which will enable you to make an informed decision on what and where to study.

Please note that some programmes do not have Discover Uni data available.

Tuition Fees

Tuition fees for BEng Mechanical Engineering

Funding

For more information on how much it will cost to study with us and the financial support available see our fees and funding information.

Fees and funding

• Enquiry Management Team
• Email: futurestudents@ed.ac.uk