Electrical and Electronic Engineering BEng(Hons)

Intro

Our accredited course will prepare you for a career as a skilled electrical engineer. We work with industry and our accrediting bodies to ensure that you develop the knowledge and skills needed in the workplace.

Learning with a team with an international research reputation you’ll explore the theory, design and application of electronic systems. You’ll study topics including analogue electronics and communications, digital system design, product innovation and management, and high voltage power, distribution and utilisation.

Working with specialists from other engineering disciplines on challenging and rewarding projects, and the chance to join the Brighton Formula Student team, gives you experience that mirrors industry. Placements and guest lectures from industry provide professional insight and networking opportunities.

Our Electrical and Electronic Engineering MEng offers an extra year of study at master’s level.

Key facts

Location Brighton: Moulsecoomb

UCAS code H605

Full-time 3 years
With placement year 4 years

Accredited by the Institution of Engineering and Technology

Book your open day place

Apply now with UCAS

Course content

Course structure

In years 1 and 2 you will explore different aspects of power engineering, electronics and communications. You will also study mathematics, engineering concepts, electrical engineering, computer programming and engineering design, innovation and management.

After year 2 you may also opt to put your studies into practice by undertaking a year-long industrial placement.

The final year includes specialist options and a major individual project, which is often supported by industry.

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 our applicant portal.

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Second year students put learning into practice with the Robot Wars project.

Year 1

Through a shared first year with our Electronic and Computer Engineering course, you will explore fundamental electrical and electronic engineering topics.

Design projects integrate practical and theoretical work, and help to reinforce your learning.

Modules

Engineering Mathematics

In this module you will learn to apply mathematical concepts and software tools to solve engineering problems.

On completion you will be able to use analytical techniques and software tools to solve simple algebraic problems, develop mathematical models of engineering systems, and apply an appropriate analytical method, or software tool to solve a mathematical model.
Engineering Practice

On this module you will develop your engineering skills using projects as the focus of your learning.

You will work on group projects, applying engineering skills such as reflection, organisation, planning, design, communication and planning. Concepts across a range of engineering specialisms will be introduced as part of a problem-based approach.
Embedded Systems 1

This module explicitly builds a base of knowledge and skills in programming using the ‘C’ language (a very common language used in embedded systems), which can then be extended in level 5.

The module implicitly aims to inculcate enthusiasm for embedded programming to the point where you will set programming challenges for yourself. Use of the “Arduino” platform with a mix of sensors and actuators is the key to this self-motivation.
Analogue Electronics

This module will provide a broad base of knowledge of analogue electronics engineering upon which subject specialisation can be built.
Digital Electronics

This module provides concepts that underpin the disciplines of digital electronics and software configurable systems, including gate arrays and microprocessor systems.
Introduction to Electrical Engineering

This module will provide you with context and practical experience of electrical engineering. You will be introduced to fundamental characteristics of power system components, electrical power generation and distribution systems.

Year 2

You will learn programming to an advanced level and spend time in our specialist labs compiling, simulating and implementing your designs.

Modules

Control and Applications
Embedded Systems 2
Digital Systems Design
Engineering Design
Electrical Engineering 2
Analogue Electronics and Communications

Placement year

A placement year offers you a great opportunity to:  

build knowledge of real-world businesses and organisations  
develop existing skills and discover new ones  
make contacts in industry and commerce  
increase your confidence  
improve your time management.

You will also gain the appropriate amount of work experience to reach Engineering Technician (EngTech) status.

Our students have been on placement with companies including Rolls-Royce, General Electric and National Rail.

Rolls Royce automotive production line in factory

Final year

You will undertake an individual project from business plan through to project completion.

Modules

Project
Product Design
Electronics
High Voltage Power, Distribution and Utilisation

Options*

Digital Signal Processing
Communications

*Option modules are indicative and may change, depending on timetabling and staff availability.

Our latest news

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University of Brighton experts have helped develop a solar-powered car.

Students cross finish line at Silverstone

Our Brighton Racing Motors team placed in the top 20 of an international contest at Silverstone to mark the culmination of a year spent designing and building a racing car.

Racing car makes rooftop debut

A racing car built by engineering students and destined to race at Silverstone this summer has been unveiled on the site of the University of Brighton’s soon to open new car and bike parking facility at its Moulsecoomb campus.

Careers

Becoming an engineer

This course is accredited by the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET).

Professional accreditation ensures the content of the course prepares you for your career as well as giving you a strong academic grounding.

On successful completion of this course, you'll be eligible to apply for Incorporated Engineer (IEng) status.

You can progress to Chartered Engineer status (CEng) with further study and experience.

Prepare for your career

In your career you need a combination of knowledge, skills, personal qualities and relevant experiences – and you’ll get all of this from your degree.

Project work in groups with other engineering specialists develops your teamwork, project management, presentation, and communication skills, giving you hands-on experience that mirrors industry:

Build and fight your own robot for our annual combat robot competition

Join our Formula Student team, Brighton Racing Motors, and help design and build a racing car that will compete at Silverstone motor racing circuit with universities from all over Europe
You’ll also have opportunities to get involved in real industrial projects.

Facilities for learning

You’ll have access to our specialist facilities for hands-on learning

Facilities include:

the Sir Harry Ricardo labs
a Simulation Suite with flight simulators and a car simulator that use VR and motion platform tech
a wind tunnel
prototyping labs and workshops in our advanced engineering building
3D printers, CNC machines.

Industry/Professional links

We work closely with industry to make sure you develop the skills and knowledge needed in the workplace.

Our industrial liaison panel advises on the content of our course.

Guest lectures from industry experts give you a feel for what it’ really like to be an engineer.

You will showcase your individual project to potential employers at the final year project exhibition.

Brighton technology company, Paxton, offers our engineering computing, maths, and product design students three scholarships a year worth £10,000 and a three-month paid placement.

Graduate destinations

Our graduates are working in companies including: Rolls-Royce; Network Rail; Southern Water; Edwards High Vacuum; Innogy; Electa; Eurotherm; and Paxton Access.

Further study

You can progress to year 3 or 4 of our integrated masters MEng if you achieve the required standard in year 2 or 3 of the BEng.

Supporting your employability

Outside of your course, our Careers Service is here to support you as you discover (and re-discover) your strengths and what matters to you. We are here for you throughout your university journey as you work towards a fulfilling and rewarding career.

Connect with our careers team

find part-time work that you can combine with your studies
find, or be, a mentor or get involved with our peer-to-peer support scheme
develop your business ideas through our entrepreneurial support network
get professional advice and support with career planning, CV writing and interview top tips
meet potential employers at our careers fairs
find rewarding volunteering opportunities to help you discover more about what makes you tick, and build your CV.

Whatever your career needs, we are here to help. And that's not just while you are a student, our support carries on after you've graduated.

Find out more...

Employability is ... a set of achievements – skills, understandings and personal attributes – that make graduates more likely to gain employment and be successful in their chosen occupations, which benefits themselves, the workforce, the community and the economy. Professor Mantz Yorke

Entry criteria

Entry requirements

A-levels or BTEC
Entry requirements are in the range of A-level BBC–CCC (112–96 UCAS Tariff points), or BTEC Extended Diploma DMM–MMM. Our conditional offers typically fall within this range.

A-levels must include maths at grade C and a physical science. BTEC must include further maths for engineering techs.

International Baccalaureate
26 points, with three subjects at Higher level.

Access to HE Diploma
Pass with 60 credits overall. Level 3 units in maths and a physical science required. At least 45 credits at level 3, with 24 credits at merit or above.

GCSE (minimum grade C or grade 4)
Must include English language, maths and a science.

Studied before or got relevant experience?
A qualification, HE credits or relevant experience may count towards your course at Brighton, and could mean that you do not have to take some elements of the course or can start in year 2 or 3.

English language requirements
IELTS 6.0 overall, with 6.0 in writing and a minimum of 5.5 in the other elements.

Other
Foundation course with maths and a physical science.

We also offer this degree with an integrated foundation year for applicants who do not meet the standard entry requirements.

Fees

Course fees

UK/EU (full-time) 9,250 GBP

International (full-time) 14,604 GBP

If you choose to take the professional placement (sandwich) year offered on this course you will pay a reduced fee during this year. Our fee for the professional placement year is £1,290 for home students and £2,076 for international students. This fee may be subject to small increases, in line with inflation.

What's included

You may have to pay additional costs during your studies. The cost of optional activities is not included in your tuition fee and you will need to meet this cost in addition to your fees. A summary of the costs that you may be expected to pay, and what is included, while studying a course in the School of Computing, Engineering and Mathematics are listed here.

You will have access to computers and necessary software, however many students choose to buy their own hardware, software and accessories. The amount spent will depend on your individual choices but this expenditure is not essential to pass any of our courses.
In most cases coursework submissions are electronic but students may wish to print notes which would involve an extra cost. Find out about standard printing costs.
Costs of up to £50 are included in the fees for students on engineering courses to pay for materials for their final year projects. On rare occasions where material costs exceed £50, they will need to be paid for by the student.

You can chat with our enquiries team through the Stay in touch panel at the end of this page if you require further information. Or check our finance pages for advice about funding and scholarships as well as more information about fees and advice on international and island fee-paying status.

Info

The fees listed here are for full-time courses beginning in the academic year 2020–21.

Further tuition fees are payable for each subsequent year of study and are subject to an annual increase of no more than 5% or RPI (whichever is the greater). The annual increase for UK/EU students, who are subject to regulated fees, will increase no more than the statutory maximum fee.

You can find out more about our fees in the university's student contract and tuition fee policy (pdf).

The tuition fee you have to pay depends on a number of factors including the kind of course you take, and whether you study full-time or part-time. If you are studying part-time you will normally be charged on a pro rata basis depending on the number of modules you take.

Location

Local area

About Brighton

The city of Brighton & Hove is a forward-thinking place which leads the way in the arts, technology, sustainability and creativity. You'll find living here plays a key role in your learning experience.

Brighton is a leading centre for creative media technology, recently named the startup capital of the UK.

The city is home to a national 5G testbed and over 1,000 tech businesses. The digital sector is worth over £1bn a year to the local economy - as much as tourism.

All of our full-time undergraduate courses involve work-based learning - this could be through placements, live briefs and guest lectures. Many of these opportunities are provided by local businesses and organisations.

It's only 50 minutes by train from Brighton to central London and less than 40 minutes to Eastbourne. There are also daily direct trains to Bristol, Bedford, Cambridge, Gatwick Airport, Portsmouth and Southampton.

Map showing distance to London from Brighton

Campus where this course is taught

Moulsecoomb campus

Two miles north of Brighton seafront, Moulsecoomb is our largest campus. Subjects taught here include architecture, business, computing, construction, engineering, geography, product design, law and pharmacy.

On campus you will find professional-standard facilities including a flight simulator, trading room, design and digital media suites and specialist research laboratories, alongside the library, student centre, a nursery, fitness facilities and Students’ Union. There are excellent public transport links.

The Big Build
A major transformation of our Moulsecoomb campus began in summer 2018. By the time the Big Build is complete, there’ll be new halls of residence, academic building, and Students’ Union and fitness facilities – all created with sustainability, inclusivity and community in mind.

As the development grows it will provide many exciting learning opportunities for our students, ranging from live projects, placements and internships with the companies involved to guest lectures and site visits. Find out more...

Accommodation

Brighton: Moulsecoomb

Looking for clearing accommodation? Accommodation is available, we can help you find your home from home.

All eligible students applying for 2020 are guaranteed an offer of university-managed accommodation.

Halls of residence
We have halls of residence across Brighton in the city centre, Moulsecoomb, Varley Park and Falmer.

You'll be prioritised for accommodation in the halls that are linked to your teaching base, subject to availability.
Moulsecoomb campus is linked to Varley Park and Moulsecoomb Place halls
- Varley Park offers a mix of room and catering options. Varley Park is around two miles from Moulsecoomb campus and four miles from the city centre. Public transport in the city is excellent, and there’s a shuttle bus between our Brighton campuses during term time.
- Moulsecoomb Place halls are all catered and are located right on campus.

Unihomes and unilets
Unihomes and unilets are student houses that we let to our students on behalf of private landlords. This option can work particularly well when you’re balancing learning with placements and other commitments. We have unihomes and unilet properties at locations across the city.

Starting in 2019 and looking for accommodation advice? Find out more about our accommodation options.

Private renting
There's plenty of support if you opt for private rented accommodation. This is an option which offers choice and flexibility – enabling you to choose where you live and who with. We manage our own studenthomes database of properties. This lists accommodation offered by landlords who have signed up to our code of standards. Every summer we provide online events and resources, as well as other advice services, for students looking for a place to live and people to share with.

Modern accommodation at nearby Varley Halls

Relaxing in halls near the campus

Students eating at the Hub

Maps

Accommodation

University building

Moulsecoomb campus map

Student views

Thomas Brockwell

"When I left school I did aerospace engineering at college, which was more mechanical. Then I worked as a builder for five years but had friends who did this course at Brighton; I got involved a bit through them as they really enjoyed it. From that I knew I wanted to come back to engineering and this was the course I wanted to do.

"I really enjoyed robot wars in the second year. Designing and building electronics is really challenging and great experience. Working in a team was good – there are less electrical engineers involved in the project so a lot of the electrical work was down to me, which makes you get really involved. You’re seen as gold dust!

"Another highlight has been the practical learning. I find the theory sinks in more when you learn the theory in lectures and then put it into practice on a project afterwards.

"I would definitely recommend this course. When I was working I ummed and ahhed about studying and wondered whether it was for me. I needn’t have had any concerns – it keeps you so interested all the time, you don’t even realise how much you’re learning.

"What advice would I give to someone who is thinking of applying for this course? Just do it! It’s so interesting and time goes so quickly. You won’t regret it."

Stay in touch

Book your open day place

Ask a question about this course

If you have a question about this course, our enquiries team will be happy to help.

01273 644644

Statistics

These charts give an indication of how much time you will spend on different activities at each level of the course, and an indication of the balance of assessment by coursework, and written and practical exams. For courses with option modules, actual proportions will depend on the modules you choose.

Find out more about how the academic year and degree courses are organised, and about learning and assessment activities you might get to grips with at Brighton. More specific information about this course is detailed in the programme specification (linked above). You can find out also about the range of support we offer to help you adjust to university life.

Overall workload

Assessments

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Programme specification

The programme specification is the approved description of each course. They are updated following course changes, and give a detailed breakdown of the content and structure of the course.

Programme specification