Electronic, Electrical and Systems Engineering
Ranked 4th for Electronic and Electrical Engineering in the UK
The Sunday Times University League Table
The School
The School is one of the largest of its type in the UK with over 500 undergraduate and 100 postgraduate students, 36 full-time academic staff and 50 support staff.
The quality and relevance of the education we deliver is reflected in our exceptional record of graduate employment with a wide range of prestigious companies. Our teaching quality is endorsed by industry, which sponsors many of our students.
To keep pace with developments in this rapidly moving area of engineering, we continually update our courses, targeting rapidly growing industrial sectors. This ensures that a degree qualification from this School is a mark of acheivement and performance which employers trust.
Facilities
The School has well equipped teaching areas and workshops. The computing infrastructure is highly developed, with a large number of networked computers offering industry-standard software packages and development facilities.
Course Structure
The School’s courses have a common structure in the first year. This common base provides the flexibility to change course at the end of Year 1 or in some cases at the end of Year 2.
It also means that students entering the School on a Bachelor of Engineering (BEng) course can change to a Master of Engineering (MEng) course if first year performance is sufficiently strong. Although Year 1 and 2 of the BEng and MEng courses are similar, Year 3 differs significantly.
Each undergraduate course has its own flavour and engineering emphasis. An optional industrial placement leads to the additional award of a Diploma in Industrial Studies (DIS) or by spending time studying abroad with the UNITECH programme, a Diploma in International Studies (DIntS) could be made. A number of other exchange schemes, such as Erasmus, provide further opportunities for international study. These qualification routes are illustrated below:
| Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | Year 4 | Year 5 | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part A | Part B | Placement | Part C | Part D | MEng (Hons) DIS |
| Part A | Part B | Part C | Part D | MEng (Hons) | |
| Part A | Part B | Placement | Part C | BEng (Hons) DIS | |
| Part A | Part B | Part C | BEng (Hons) |
Year 1 gives you a broad introduction to electronic, electrical and systems engineering, complemented by studies relating to presentation skills and other professional needs.
Year 2 develops your core knowledge and skills further, now focusing on the subject areas related to your particular chosen field.
In Years 3 and 4 you study the increasingly specialised topics of your course, and also business and financial management, which are vital in the modern workplace. The balance between compulsory and optional modules depends upon which course you choose, but there is always scope to pursue your own technical interests and it is sometimes possible to include a European language.
Throughout all years of study, project work plays a central role, with both minor and major solo and group projects being undertaken, reinforcing the technical and transferable skills that are so important for today’s engineers.
Accreditation
The Engineering Council accredits all courses offered by the School. For our MEng courses this leads to Chartered Engineer status and for our BEng courses, to becoming an Incorporated Engineer, or Chartered Engineer after further study. Our courses are also accredited by the Institution of Engineering and Technology, the Royal Aeronautical Society, the Energy Institute and the Institute of Measurement and Control.
Research
95% of our research was recognised as being of an international standard in the most recent Research Assessment. European and UK Government agencies, as well as industry, sponsor a wide range of projects in the School, in areas including communications and signal processing, systems engineering, microelectronics, optical electronics, control systems, electrical power and renewable energy systems.
Selection
We do not currently interview as part of our selection process. We use the information contained in your UCAS application form to decide whether we are able to make an offer. All students receiving offers are invited to a Visit Day when you will have the chance to see the facilities and talk to staff and current students as well as enjoy a conducted campus tour, including accommodation. Visits can also be arranged prior to application – please contact the Admissions Tutor.
Science and Engineering Foundation Studies
If you have the right grade of A-Levels but not in appropriate subjects for direct entry to the School, completion of the Science and Engineering Foundation Studies programme will give you entry to our degree courses.
Industrial Placements
The School’s Industrial Liaison tutor assists you in finding an appropriate high quality placement. We strongly encourage you to take up placements as not only is the experience invaluable but the company may well offer you sponsorship for the remainder of your degree or employment after you graduate. Students who are already sponsored will normally spend the placement year with their sponsoring company.
The placement is for 45 weeks and normally involves some initial formal training, followed by working in a team of the company’s engineers on current problems and developments. Over 50 companies have offered placements to our students in recent years, including Alstom, Lloyd’s Register, Xerox, National Instruments and BAE Systems.
Employability
Our graduates are highly employable and sought after by a range of companies in many sectors. Recent employers include: Network Rail, Apple, Qinetiq, Selex, Siemens, BT, Ericsson, BAE Systems, npower, Goodrich, Toyota, E.ON, Rolls-Royce, ARM, National Instruments and many others. In addition, a number of our students find positions with finance houses or management consultants such as Ernst & Young and Pricewaterhouse Coopers.
The Government’s first destination statistics indicate that over 90% of our students are in professional employment 6 months after graduating.
Sponsorship, Scholarships and Bursaries
Sponsorship offers not only extra support while studying, but also the chance to develop skills during summer and industrial year placements. We offer a range of sponsored places from leading companies such as BAE Systems, Frazer-Nash Consultancy and Jaguar Land Rover.
Students studying any of the School’s degree courses and intending to take up a career in the Armed Forces or Civil Service may be eligible for financial support under the Defence Technical Undergraduate Scheme.
The Institution of Engineering and Technology has its own sponsorship schemes, and is also able to supply a list of companies offering sponsorship.
International Students
International students are welcome to study on any of our courses. Advice about admissions requirements is always available from our Admissions Tutor. With appropriate qualifications you may be able to enter a course directly at Year 2.
Study Abroad
Our MEng courses are designed to be comparable with the longer courses that are standard in many European universities and there are opportunities under the Erasmus and UNITECH schemes to spend up to a year studying in Europe.