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BEng

General Engineering BEng (Hons)

Enter the exciting world of engineering, as you develop the skills to plan, design and analyse engineering projects. Become a specialist in the field that fascinates you, and respond to new and changing technologies.

How to apply Apply via UCAS

Course details

Start date

Degree Type

BEng

UCAS Code

H103

Course length

3 years full-time

Typical offer

A*AA

Tuition Fees

  • Home (Full-time): £9,535 per year
  • Overseas (Full-time): £33,250 per year

Overview

This degree is designed to offer you the knowledge and skills necessary to join engineering teams on graduation. It is complementary to the four-year Durham MEng, and transfer is possible between the courses up to the end of the second year. In the first two years, the BEng covers the same broad base of engineering education as the MEng degree. In the third year, you choose to specialise in Civil, Electrical, Electronic or Mechanical Engineering. The BEng prepares you for an exciting career in modern engineering, with the flexibility to respond to changing technologies. There may be the opportunity to study at an overseas institution, or spend time in industry as an additional year between Years 2 and 3. A course highlight is the Engineering Project in the final year where you will work one-to-one with an academic expert on a technical engineering challenge.

Course details

Start date

Degree Type

BEng

UCAS Code

H103

Course length

3 years full-time

Typical offer

A*AA

Tuition Fees

  • Home (Full-time): £9,535 per year
  • Overseas (Full-time): £33,250 per year

What you'll study

You will study four modules in engineering, one in mathematics and one optional module. In your engineering modules, you will examine 3D Computer-Aided Design (CAD) software and implement engineering algorithms into computer code. You will also take part in a group design activity where you have to design, build and test a device to solve a specific engineering challenge. Recent examples include miniature hydroelectric generators and chain-climbing robots.

Core modules

  • Electronic and Electrical Systems 1

    provides a working knowledge of electrical and electronic circuit theory, components, electromagnetism and hardware interfacing.

  • Engineering Practice 1

    provides you with practical engineering skills relevant to multiple engineering disciplines. It shows how the material covered in other engineering modules fits together in the wider engineering context, and will also introduce you to engineering ethics and professional issues.

  • Mathematics for Engineers and Scientists

    gives you all the maths skills and techniques needed for studying Engineering and other sciences.

  • Solid Mechanics and Structures 1

    gives you a working knowledge of solid mechanics, structures and structural analysis, in a wider engineering context.

  • Thermodynamics and Fluid Mechanics 1

    offers a working knowledge of thermodynamics and fluid mechanics including dimensional analysis, fluid statics and fluid dynamics.

Optional modules

  • In recent years, optional modules have included: Introduction to ProgrammingComputational Thinking.

Core modules

  • Electrical Engineering 2

    provides you with knowledge of mathematical methods for modelling engineering problems and computing.

  • Electronics 2

    offers you a working knowledge of electronics and computing in terms of circuits, digital electronics and microprocessor design.

  • Engineering Design 2

    You will learn about various aspects of the design process including the principles of design and project management. You will undertake a major design project with guidance from an academic supervisor and an external (industrial) engineer.

  • Engineering Mathematics 2

    provides a working knowledge of probability and statistics and advanced mathematical methods for modelling engineering problems.

  • Solid Mechanics and Structures 2

    builds your knowledge of the mechanics of dynamics and vibration, stress analysis of structures and sections, trusses and frames, and the mechanics of soils. It also provides an introduction to finite element methods.

  • Thermodynamics and Fluid Mechanics 2

    gives you further knowledge of thermodynamics and fluid mechanics.

Core modules

  • BEng Engineering Project

    The provides an open-ended challenge for you to investigate a research topic. You will identify and initiate methods to investigate the topic, generate data, analyse the data, formulate recommendations and present the work in a written report and oral presentation. This project is the highlight of your degree, and an amazing opportunity to carry out your own research and to develop the professional skills required to become a practising engineer.

  • Streams

    At this stage of your degree you will choose to specialise into one of four streams: Civil EngineeringElectrical EngineeringElectronic EngineeringMechanical Engineering Each route includes stream-specific lectures plus an individual technical project. Practical skills, in addition to the weekly laboratory sessions, cover topics from land surveying to industrial problem-solving with interaction with local industry, depending on the selected stream.

Learning

Lectures provide you with key information on a particular field of study and allow you to work through practical examples. Practical sessions give you direct experience of practical and interpretative skills through laboratory classes, design activities and a Professional Engineering Applications Course (PEAC). The balance of these activities changes over the course of the degree, as you develop your knowledge and independence. Advancing through the years, tasks in practical sessions become more open-ended, moving towards greater emphasis on independent study and research skills which is echoed through the Engineering Technical project that you will undertake in Year 3. This project will be supervised by a member of academic staff, and will result in a significant report on technological advances.

Assessment

During the first two years, most modules are assessed primarily by examinations. However, modules typically also include a coursework component, covering subjects such as CAD, programming and engineering design. The final year has more of a focus on assessment through coursework, including a technical dissertation project.

Entry requirements

Fees & Funding

Choose which fees you want to see:

Home / Island students

£9,535 per year

International / EU Students

£33,250 per year

Home / Island students

Part Time - £ per year

International / EU Students

Part Time - £ per year

The tuition fees shown are for one complete academic year of study, are set according to the academic year of entry, and remain the same throughout the duration of the programme for that cohort (unless otherwise stated).

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Department Information

  • Engineering at Durham is designed to develop talented, modern engineers who are equipped with the skills to solve problems across traditional discipline boundaries – from offshore wind turbines to electro-mechanical devices manufactured on a microchip. With an outstanding reputation for excellence in teaching, research and employability, we are one of only a small number of general engineering departments in the UK. We offer a range of BEng and MEng qualifications with flexible pathways to suit your interests and career goals, including the possibility of a work placement or year abroad.  We consider Engineering as an integrated subject so, whichever degree you choose, you will study a common General Engineering for the first two years. After this time, you will have developed enough knowledge to make an informed decision about your future, both in terms of your discipline and the length of your degree, with transfer possible between the courses up to the end of the second year. All courses are accredited by the relevant professional institution. Our MEng programmes fulfil the educational requirements for Chartered Engineer status. From research-led study to project-based learning, our courses are designed to develop students who will take on the challenges of the twenty-first century. For more information see our department pages.

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    Facilities

    We are located on the main campus at Lower Mountjoy. We are one of the most comprehensively equipped engineering departments in the UK with dedicated teaching laboratories and advanced facilities, including the newly refurbished electrical laboratory, wind tunnels, microelectronics clean rooms, a geotechnical engineering laboratory and powerful computers for computationally demanding projects. Our students benefit from the Engineering Open Access area, built to facilitate both group work and individual project. For their Capstone dissertation project, students can access our dedicated project room for independent work.

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Career Opportunities

Of those students who graduated in 2021-22

92%

of our UK/EU graduates were in paid employment or further study 15 months after graduation

HESA Graduate Outcomes Survey. The survey asks leavers from higher education what they are doing 15 months after graduation. Further information about the Graduate Outcomes survey can be found here www.graduateoutcomes.ac.uk

Employability

We have an outstanding reputation for employability. Our students have a dedicated careers contact who is available to offer advice and carry out mock interviews. Our Industrial Partnership Committee of around 20 local, national and international companies will ensure you have access to the best employment opportunities. With subject specific skills, industry knowledge and transferable skills, such as problem solving, information technology, teamwork, presentation, project planning and management, you will be attractive to employers across many sectors. Our graduates are employed in many sectors across the world including roles in civil, mechanical, electronic, electrical, manufacturing, design, aeronautics and systems engineering, and as consultants, technology analysts and software developers. Examples of high-profile employers include BP, Rolls Royce, and BAE Systems.

More Information

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