BSc (Hons) Engineering Top Up (Mechanical Engineering)

This programme will enable you to pursue professional careers in Mechanical Engineering at a graduate level which requires the exercise of professional judgement, personal responsibility and initiative, and the ability to make engineering decisions in conformance with professional Engineering standards. It will equip you with analytical skills to systematically employ engineering principles to produce original analysis of solutions using software applications, specific to a Mechanical Engineering context.

You will carry out independent research and manage projects in a relevant engineering context and will use testing/validation through experimental development to acquaint you with the use of the latest technologies.

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

240 CATS (Credit Accumulation and Transfer Scheme) points gained through study at levels 4 and 5 in a relevant field.

You will need to hold a level 5 Higher National Diploma or equivalent in Mechanical Engineering or relevant engineering discipline in order to be accepted onto the degree programme. An equivalent qualification may include a foundation degree programme with relevance to engineering, science or mathematics.  If you have been out of education for a while and therefore do not have the current necessary academic skills you will be required to undertake a bridging course before commencing the top-up programme.

International admissions
This programme is open to international applicants and the Institute recognises a wide range of entry qualifications as being equivalent to A’ level standard; if you hold a qualification not listed above please contact the Institute’s admissions team on +44 (0) 1472 311222 ext 434.

International applicants must evidence they possess a satisfactory command of English language in terms of reading, writing, listening and are expected to have achieved Level B2 on the Common European Framework of Reference for Language (CEFR), as defined by UK Visas and Immigration.

WHAT YOU WILL LEARN

The programme is made up of a range of different modules:

Compulsory Modules:
• Engineering Project/Dissertation

Core Modules:
• Engineering Management
• Applications of Finite Element Analysis
• Thermo-Fluids and Acoustics

Optional Modules (choose one):
• Renewable Energy Engineering and Technology
• Communication Engineering

LEARNING & TEACHING METHODS

This course is primarily designed for face to face learning with you attending your lessons for the specified hours within the validation document. However, there may be periods of study where the government advises TEC Partnership that it is not safe to open campuses or there is limited access due to social distancing measures. If the campus is closed TEC Partnership will deliver your sessions online and offer you the necessary support and resources remotely. If there is limited access due to social distancing measures a blended model will be adopted with some lessons happening in small groups and others happening using online sessions and support. We will make decisions on the delivery hours for each programme as government advice becomes clearer. We are currently reviewing this programme and some elements of the published programmes may need to change in order for students to achieve. We will advise you of these changes once they are completed.

Methods of learning and teaching are designed to support you in becoming active members of a learning community. You will be expected to work together in an informal environment as well as in formal classes where a culture of dignity, courtesy and mutual respect with staff and peers is essential. A variety of methods will be used such as lectures, workshops, student led seminars and practical sessions. There may be opportunities to integrate a work-based or placement opportunity for example, within project based modules. Additionally, methods of teaching and learning are designed to primarily emphasise experiential forms of learning.

A recent NSS survey complemented the enormous support provided by tutors and support services. The support services include excellently differentiated pastoral care for all students throughout the academic year, student counselling, health & well-being sessions and employability services such as CV writing and interview techniques.

Lectures and seminars
Face to face. These are the most common techniques used by tutors. They offer an opportunity to engage with a large number of students, where the focus is on sharing knowledge through the use of presentations. Guest speakers and lecturers will be sourced from the local and national area, including shared expertise with the TEC Partnership.

Workshops and student led learning
These are used to build on knowledge shared via lecturers and seminars. Teaching can be more in-depth where knowledge is applied, for example to case studies or real-life examples. Workshops could be student-led, where students present, for example, findings from independent study.

Optional work placements may be offered depending upon availability and permit regulations.

Tutorials
These present an opportunity for focused one-to-one support, where teaching is led by your requirements. These are timetabled and are regular for every student.

Virtual Learning Environments (VLEs)
The VLE used is Canvas; already in place and used successfully across the Engineering department. An individual page will be available per module which will include the module structure, resources and assessments to be issued. This will be a place for lecturer/student discussion and collaboration.

Guest speakers
These could be experts from industry or visiting academics in the subject area that is being studied. They could be used to present a lecture/seminar, a workshop or to contribute to assessment. The objective is to make the most effective use of an expert’s knowledge and skill by adding value to the teaching and learning experience.

PROGRAMME BENEFITS

Engineering offers exciting career opportunities; it allows graduates to be creative, solve problems and explore how things work every day.

A career in engineering will provide:
– Higher income potential – Pursuing an undergraduate/graduate role rewards immensely. (i.e an average starting salary of around £24,000). With more experience, one may earn between £50,000 and £80,000 (National Careers Service).
– Employability – Engineers are constantly in high demand in many industries, such as petrochemical, aerospace, electronics, contracting and support industries. Due to the skills acquired, they can also gain employment in many other sectors.
– For UK-domiciled, first degree Engineering graduates from 2013/14 who had been studying Engineering full time, 56% had entered full-time work after 6 months, whilst a further 20% were pursuing further study. (Royal Academy of Engineering. 2020. Employment outcomes of engineering graduates: key factors and diversity characteristics. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.raeng.org.uk/publications/reports/employment-outcomes-of-engineering-graduates-key-f. [Accessed 15 May 2020])
– International opportunities – As a graduate engineer you could get the opportunity to work on industrial project for large international companies and organisations on a global basis. You will get to experience different cultures and also greater employment prospects.

WHAT NEXT?

This programme ultimately prepares you for post-graduate study with partner Institutions and/or a career or employment in the respective Engineering discipline. Your aspirations should also be boosted by significant growth of engineering job vacancies, both locally and nationally which is also echoed by recent data from the Labour Market Intelligence (LMI).