Design Engineering BEng(Hons)

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Top reasons to choose this course

• Work alongside others in a friendly, creative and collaborative studio environment.
• Project work such as designing and building water rockets, finding solutions to Fixperts challenges, working on the design and development of bike force pedals for Team GB.
• Specialist facilities including flight and car simulators, wind tunnel, prototyping labs and workshops, CNC machines, robotics and VR labs.
• Expert staff with excellent industry contacts.
• Guest lectures from professionals.
• Gain work experience on placement.
• Bike Sim Lab – research project developing mechanical and aerodynamic tools for bicycle training and simulators.
• Student-led Sustainable Technology and Engineering Projects (STEP) – work on heating, cooling, power and energy conversion challenges.

Year 1

You’ll be introduced to the fundamental elements of product design and engineering, building your skills in terms of making, thinking and evaluation. Later in the year you’ll explore more complex design issues and skills including digital prototyping and manufacture, inclusive design and human factors.

You’ll work on projects such as designing and building water rockets and building an electrical system to measure light. Project work also includes engaging with the Fixperts global community of design innovators to find practical solutions to everyday challenges.

You will take four core modules which build on and support each other, developing your specialist knowledge and skills in Design Practice, Design Engineering and Design Technologies.

Modules

• Design Practice: Creativity, Prototyping and Communication

  In this module you will look at the fundamental knowledge, skills and abilities needed for product design. Areas covered include 2D, 3D and digital skills; using workshop facilities; making practices and skills which will give you an understanding of prototyping; and design for manufacture. You will also study a range of design methods, approaches and ways of thinking that will give you an insight into how designers research, develop and communicate ideas. 

• Design Engineering: Fundamentals

  This module introduces the fundamental mathematics, statistics and engineering sciences that are required to become a professional design engineer. You will learn these topics through a series of practical, hands-on activities, using theoretical principles to solve design engineering problems. Topics are triangulated so that you’ll use theoretical/mathematical calculations to make predictions against your own experimental data generated by taking measurements in the lab. This data is then used to validate computational models you will develop in software.

• Design Technologies: Digital Manufacturing

  This module introduces you to digital fabrication principles, methods and tools which are explored and applied in a practical way through a series of mini design exercises followed by a ‘stretch’ exercise enabling you to apply what you’ve learned in an area that interests you. You will make a variety of prototypes using CAD/CAM, 3D printing and scanning, electronics design and production, and wired and wireless communications. As well as using the digital fabrication technologies you will examine their underlying theory.

• Design Practice: Inclusive Design

  Work with other students to create ingenious solutions to an everyday problem for a real person. Your group will research, develop, test and propose viable human-centred design solutions using research methods, creative techniques, prototyping and testing methods, communication and storytelling techniques. Alongside the group work you will enhance your 2D, 3D and digital skills, building on your ability to design and present using CAD and supporting your ability to record and communicate using film-making and editing. You will also learn methods and approaches that support effective group working.

Making sure that what you learn with us is relevant, up to date and what employers are looking for is our priority, so courses are reviewed and enhanced on an ongoing basis. When you have applied to us, you’ll be told about any new developments through Student View.

Year 2

Year 2 is your opportunity to develop products for a real market,  consider the commercial side of product development – including design for manufacturability and assembly, costing and fulfilment – and learn how to prototype with a range of technologies.

You will discover how to engage with challenging global issues, connecting everyday practices to long-term consequences and becoming familiar with frameworks to help guide design decisions and ambitions.

You’ll also build on the fundamental engineering topics covered in your first year. Project work covers control systems and includes building a self-balancing robot, modelling dynamics of vehicles and a project that brings together heat transfer and thermal modelling with fluids and structures.

Modules

• Design Technologies: Interactions and Experiences

  In this module you will explore technologies that enable the development, prototyping and functionality of interactive objects. Exploring and experimenting with technologies that allow objects to behave intelligently, to react to stimulus, to connect to the internet and other devices. You will further develop a practical and theoretical understanding in assessing design development technology in an ethical and responsible way. 

• Design Practice: Design to Market

  You will design and develop prototypes for affordable and useful products that can be produced in batches using accessible materials and processes. You’ll learn to apply principles of design for manufacturing and assembly, consider approaches to sustainable design and calculate the production cost of and selling price of a product. You will also develop the ability to identify and communicate the benefits, features and functions of a product to a wide audience. 

• Design Practice: Responsible Design

  Building on your understanding of responsible design, you will use projects and activities to explore concepts of regenerative design, design for the circular economy and disruptive design as approaches to address global challenges. You will expand your understanding of the design process to take on more systemic approaches and learn to identify suitable design project themes and opportunities. 

• Design Engineering: Systems

  This module builds on the fundamental engineering topics covered in year 1 to cover the deeper, more challenging subjects required to become a professional engineer. You’ll explore mechanical and electrical topics through practical, hands-on activities, using theoretical principles to solve design engineering problems. You’ll use theoretical/mathematical calculations to make predictions against your own experimental data. 

Placement year

A placement year gives you the opportunity to gain professional experience either through external work placements with industry partners or working on live projects.

You can also choose to study abroad for the year with one of our partner universities instead of undertaking the professional placement.

Graduating award

If you undertake and pass your placement year, your experience will be reflected in the degree that you graduate with – Design Engineering with Professional Experience BEng(Hons).

Final year

Projects at the beginning of your final year help you define your design engineering specialism by allowing you to focus on your professional ambitions. You will develop expertise through an advanced engineering project informed by research, such as working on the design and development of bike force pedal sensors for Team GB.

Later in the year you’ll undertake a project informed by an industry or research brief which will incorporate the values, principles, skills and experience you have gained in design outcomes that are well resolved and well communicated.

Modules

• Design Engineering: Specialist

  On this module you will establish your expertise in an engineering-related topic, theme or issue that really interests you. Bringing together all you’ve learned in previous years, you’ll examine in detail the area you have chosen through independent investigation, experimentation, system development and problem-solving.

• Design Practice: Professional Practices

  In this module you will work on design briefs to help you develop as a design practitioner. Through self-directed study and tutorial support you will build specialist knowledge and skills relevant to your design interests, values, principles and career ambitions. You will develop your abilities to combine research, development and validation in the creation of coherent design outcomes and proposals. 

• Design Technologies: Self-directed Project

  The Design Technologies: Self-directed Project is where you’ll refine the skills that enable you to independently prototype ideas, evaluate performance and present your ideas in context. You will apply research skills to gain the knowledge and understanding needed to make optimal technological choices. This will help you in resolving the design of products/services in relation to their specification, functionality, manufacture and feasibility. 

• Design Engineering: Self-directed Project

  During this module you will independently manage a complete design project effectively and responsibly, including setting project goals and managing time, relationships, risks and resources. Tutorials and workshops will support you to deliver and present credible, well-resolved design proposals that relate to contemporary issues and which are informed by your research and intellectual inquiry.

Meet the team

Dr Derek Covill, course leader

“I really enjoy empowering students with these tools to show the impact they can have and how we can do amazing things with them. Also I enjoy seeing students grow and develop. I try to work with students in ways that help them learn how to be resourceful, how to take on a professional mindset so that they can learn how to learn and develop, but also see that this is an exciting, simulating and fun subject to be involved in.”

Read more about Dr Covill.

Summer shows 2024

Course fees

This course offers a professional placement (sandwich) year in year 3. If you choose to take this placement you will pay a reduced fee during this year. For students starting their undergraduate degree in the 2025–26 academic year, the fee for the professional placement year is £1,500 for UK students and £1,850 for international students. This fee may be subject to small increases in line with inflation.

Brighton Achieves scholarship – Engineering

The Gittins Family Charitable Trust supports this scholarship which offers £1,000 a year for three years of undergraduate study in one of eight engineering courses. Three scholarships are available to students in their first year of study who have a home household income of £25k–£45k. Find out how to apply.

The fees listed here are for the first year of full-time study if you start your course in the academic year 2025–26.

You will pay fees for each year of your course. Some fees may increase each year.

UK undergraduate and some postgraduate fees are regulated by the UK government and increases will not be more than the maximum amount allowed. Course fees that are not regulated may increase each year by up to 5% or RPI (whichever is higher).

If you are studying part-time your fee will usually be calculated based on the number of modules that you take.

Find out more

• Brighton Boost – cost of living help for our new undergrad students. Find out about how we can help with your study, accommodation or travel costs and more...
• Fees, bursaries, scholarships and government funding info for UK and international undergraduate students
• Student finance and budgeting while studying
• Read our student contract and tuition fee policy (pdf) for more on University of Brighton tuition fees.

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