Mechanical Engineering BEng(Hons)

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Top reasons to choose this course

• Exciting project work that mirrors industry.

• Learn with internationally recognised researchers who are part of our Advanced Engineering Centre.

• Student-led Sustainable Technology and Engineering Projects (STEP) lab – working to solve energy challenges.

• Specialist facilities include flight and car simulators, wind tunnel, prototyping labs and workshops, CNC machines and robotics and VR labs.

• Accredited by IMechE and IET.

• Professional engineers visit to share their experiences in guest lectures.

• Gain a year of work experience on placement.

Year 1

In your first year, you will be introduced to the principles of mechanical engineering and develop skills such as computer aided Design (CAD). A major design project will combine and put into practice knowledge gained in conceptual design, manufacturing and testing.

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. You will be introduced to concepts across a range of engineering specialisms as part of a problem-based approach.

• Mechanical Design

  This module introduces you to the principles of mechanical design and communicating engineering design intent. You will acquire skills in drawing and Computer Aided Design (CAD) drawing software package such as SolidWorks, and basic concepts of mechanical design and machine components.

• Energy Systems

  This module will provide you with an introduction to energy production, conversion, storage, conservation and coupling. This will be achieved utilising basic applied concepts relating to fluid mechanics, thermodynamics, heat transfer and engineering economics.

• Design Project

  In this module you will be in a team of engineers tasked with designing and manufacturing a functional product. Each team member will have to apply a range of engineering skills and knowledge to realise the design. You will gain experience of working within a team, planning and managing the design project.

• Materials and Manufacture

  This module introduces you to materials and their properties, a range of manufacturing processes and environmental considerations used to make components from various materials. Content includes manufacturing processes for plastic components, joining processes, classes of materials, material selection for design, eco-properties of materials and life cycle analysis.

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

Building on the knowledge and skills you develop in year 1, you will explore aspects of mechanical engineering at a more in-depth level.

Modules

• Dynamics and Control

  This module introduces concepts to describe the dynamic behaviour of practical engineering systems. You'll learn to build mathematical models for engineering systems that can be used to analyse and predict the dynamic behaviour of mechanical systems. You'll also explore design and simulation methodologies for systems to control the dynamic behaviour of engineering systems. 

• Engineering Systems

  Engineering Systems is an opportunity to work in groups with students from different disciplines to solve complex real-world engineering problems, including legal, ethical and environmental issues. Alongside developing your skills in fully integrated sub-systems, the group work will enhance your professional working practice skills.

• Mechanics of Materials

  This module covers the foundations of mechanics of materials and failure analysis, including crack propagation and fatigue failure. You’ll explore stress analysis under axial, torsional and flexural loading and for pressurised vessels as supported by relevant failure theories; concepts of stress concentration and stress intensity factors; and deflections of beams in bending and buckling instability. 

• Thermofluids

  This module introduces the fundamentals of thermodynamics, internal flows, heat transfer and the principles of energy conversion cycles, together with the design of thermal devices, rotodynamic machines and heat exchangers. You'll test out the theories in the lab with an experimental analysis of energy and fluid devices.

• Engineering Design

  On this module you’ll develop the knowledge and skills needed to undertake and apply engineering theory to design practice. You’ll work in multidisciplinary groups on the design and manufacture of an engineering project – from market research to product ideation, development and launch – ending with a competitive test of the product’s functionality.

• Manufacturing Engineering

  This module introduces the manufacturing elements of product development at the component level, including manufacturing processes and their associated tooling systems, design for manufacture and assembly, quality control and inspection for mass-produced products. You will learn how to choose manufacturing processes for a product and how to evaluate and control the quality of manufactured products.

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

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 such as:

• Triumph
• Caterpillar
• Rolls-Royce
• Dando Drilling International.

Final year

You will undertake an individual project and have the flexibility to choose from option modules in areas that interest you most.

Modules

Core modules

• Dynamics and Control

  On this module you will explore the design, simulation and analysis of control and simulation systems for engineering applications. You’ll be introduced to classical and modern control theory, control system design and compensator methods that improve system performance, and look at hardware in the field and how it is implemented in an engineering enviroment. Practical work includes using digital simulation software to build models that evaluate and analyse dynamics and control applications in mechanical engineering.

• Product Design

  You will further develop the knowledge and skills needed to design engineering products and components. Through a project-based approach, you will develop your ability to apply design techniques that underpin the generation of new products and examine the management and professional techniques used when releasing new products onto the market.

• Manufacturing Systems

  Manufacturing Systems enables you to understand and apply the techniques needed for efficient and effective production of manufactured products and techniques. You'll develop the skills to optimise and add value in the operation and management of manufacturing systems.

• Individual Project

  In this module you’ll be both technical expert and project manager of your major individual project which investigates a technical problem in significant depth. You’ll work independently, with a member of academic staff acting as project adviser, building your confidence and competence in project management. The project enables you to bring together the skills you’ve learned during your degree, such as research, analysis and engineering application.

Options*

• Advanced Materials Engineering

  On this module you'll break complex engineering problems down to simpler problems and apply theoretical materials engineering concepts to the solutions. You'll develop the ability to assess design requirements and to formulate safety criteria, through exploring the mechanical, thermal, physical and eco properties of materials and applying 3D stress analysis principles to a variety of geometries and loadings.

• Renewable Technologies

  This module enables you to explore the engineering aspects of renewable technologies, focusing on biomass photovoltaic systems, energy networks and storage. You'll consider topics such as energy storage solutions, the renewable incentive, metering technologies, and design for reduction of energy demand.

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

Staff profile

Dr Yan Wang, course leader 

“My research is mainly on digital manufacturing/remanufacturing covering eg process simulations, operations management, supply chain, manufacturing process technologies, knowledge management, robotics as well as lifecycle data management and analyses. The research stream could be experimental, simulation and mathematical modelling. 

“I am currently teaching Mechanical Design, Manufacturing Instrumentation and Measurement, Manufacturing Engineering and Advanced Material Engineering to engineering students.”

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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