Mechanical Engineering with Science and Engineering Foundation Year

Not got the UCAS points required to start an undergraduate engineering degree? Returning to education or changing your career? This one-year course is the ideal way to prepare for degree study, with successful completion granting direct access to undergraduate engineering, manufacture, yacht design or electronics courses.

By the time you start your course you will have acquired an essential portfolio of academic and subject specific skills, giving you the very best chance of achieving a high-level degree.

Modules of study include a group technology project; an exploration of information and analysis; a theoretical and applied look at concepts and processes within technology; and a project relating directly to your chosen degree path. The degree related project is undertaken with the support of academics who will be teaching on the degree programme you have chosen. This ensures that the skills and knowledge which you develop during the foundation year will be directly applicable to your degree studies.

Throughout your time at foundation level you will benefit from a supportive and student focused approach to learning. The course team have significant experience of working with students from a diverse range of academic and professional backgrounds. Foundation courses are taught in relatively small groups with a focus on individual development and 'learning by doing'. This teaching style develops through the year, gently putting the emphasis on the learner in preparation for further study at degree level.

Collaborative working is another key element of the course. From the start of the year you’ll work on both individual and group work, helping you to meet fellow students and develop group working skills. These are essential in the science and engineering industries, where cross-discipline working and teamwork are vital parts of delivering successful projects.

If you're not quite ready for a full undergraduate degree, there's alternative entry through one of our foundation years.

A programme of study specifically designed to help students with unconventional qualifications to access degree programmes.

What does this course lead to?
This Foundation Year offers the opportunity to develop the skills and knowledge you need to begin on one of our degree programmes. These can lead to challenging careers in the STEM industries, where graduate salaries and employment prospects are good and the work undertaken is critical to the economy.

Who is this course for?
This course is intended for students without the UCAS points for direct entry. This could be mature students returning to education, younger students without the required qualifications, or students looking to change career path after completing further education qualifications.

FOUNDATION MODULES
Group Technology Project
Information and Analysis
Technology Concepts and Processes (Theory)
Technology Concepts and Processes (Applied)
Personal Development Planning
Degree-Related Project

On successful completion of the foundation year, you will automatically progress onto the BEng (Hons) Mechanical Engineering degree where you will study the following modules:

YEAR 1 - CORE MODULES
CAD and the Design Process
Manufacturing Principles
Applied Mathematics
Introduction to Electronics
Manufacturing Principles

YEAR 2 - CORE MODULES
Applied Maths for Mechanical Systems
Engineering Materials
Quality and Product Development
Automation and Control Systems
Modelling and Mechanics of Products
Competition and Contracts in Engineering

YEAR 3 - CORE MODULES
Analysis and Design Optimisation
Analysis of Materials and Structures
Manufacturing Operations
Final Year Project

YEAR 3 - OPTIONS (Please note that not all options are guaranteed to run each academic year)
Business Strategy
Entrepreneurship

Students experience a wide variety of assessment methods in preparation for their parent degrees. Coursework projects make up the majority of the final grade (83%). Practical exams will also take place (17%). There are no formal written examinations.