The course is mainly delivered through a mixture of lectures, problem classes, practical and design activities. Typically lectures provide key information on a particular field of study and identify the main underpinning engineering concepts in that area. Problem classes then provide opportunities for smaller groups to work through practical examples, based on the knowledge that you have gained through your lectures and through independent study outside the degrees formal contact hours. Finally, practical classes allow you to gain direct experience of practical and interpretative skills through laboratory classes, design activities and a Professional Engineering Applications Course (PEAC).

The balance of these types of activities changes as you develop your knowledge and your ability as an independent learner. This is one of the key attributes that you will develop (thereby preparing you for work or further study once you have completed the course). In the first two years, you will typically attend 12 hours a week of lectures (two hours per module) and have three hours of practical classes or design activities each week plus problem classes and small group supervision. In the first year there is a one-week full-time compulsory PEAC course and at the end of the second year there is a two-week full-time practical course. Outside timetabled contact hours, you are also expected to undertake your own independent study to prepare for your classes and broaden your subject knowledge.

The balance starts to shift in the third year, as you develop your abilities as an independent learner. Lectures still play an important role in supporting you in developing your knowledge and skills, with an average of 10 hours a week. The frequency of laboratory practical sessions and design activities remains similar, but the tasks become more open-ended.

This move towards greater emphasis on independent learning continues in the final year, where fewer modules comprise lectures, with an average of six hours a week. This emphasis on using the independent study and research skills developed in earlier years is continued through the research and development project that you will undertake. Under the supervision of a member of academic staff with who you will have weekly one-to-one supervisory meetings, you will undertake a detailed study of a particular area resulting in a significant piece of independent research.

Throughout the course, you also have access to an academic adviser who will provide you with academic support and guidance. You will meet regularly with your academic supervisor throughout your degree and they act as your first point-of-contact for any academic queries. In addition to this, all members of teaching staff have weekly tutorial hours when they are available to meet on a ‘sign-up’ basis. The Department also has an exciting programme of research seminars and talks from industrial companies which undergraduate students are strongly encouraged to attend.

A level offer – A*AA including Mathematics and one subject that carries a practical endorsement (Biology, Chemistry, Geology or Physics).

BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma/OCR Cambridge Technical Extended Diploma – D*DD and Mathematics at grade A at A level (or equivalent) are required.

IB Diploma score – 38 with 666 in higher level subjects including Mathematics and one STEM subject (Biology, Chemistry or Physics).

In addition to satisfying the University’s general entry requirements, please note:

• We welcome applications from those with other qualifications equivalent to our standard entry requirements and from mature students with non-standard qualifications or who may have had a break in their study.

• If you do not satisfy our general entry requirements, the Foundation Programme offers multidisciplinary degrees to prepare you for a range of specified degree courses.

• If you are an international student who does not meet the requirements for direct entry to this degree, you may be eligible to take an International Foundation Year pathway programme at the Durham University International Study Centre.

• We are pleased to consider applications for deferred entry.

Alternative qualifications

• Other UK qualifications

• EU qualifications

• International qualifications

International students who do not meet direct entry requirements for this degree might have the option to complete an International Foundation Year.

English language requirements

Country specific information

Full Time Fees

The tuition fees shown for home students are for one complete academic year of full time study and are set according to the academic year of entry. Fees for subsequent years of your course may rise in line with an inflationary uplift as determined by the government.

The tuition fees shown for overseas and EU students are for one complete academic year of full time 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).

Please also check costs for colleges and accommodation.

Of those students who graduated in 2019:

• 82% are in paid employment or further study 15 months after graduation across all our programmes

Of those in employment:

• 92% are in high skilled employment
• With an average salary of £31,000.

(Source: 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)

Our Engineering degrees are accredited by the relevant engineering institutions, for example, the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, the Institution of Engineering and Technology, the Joint Board of Moderators (including the Institution of Civil Engineers and the Institution of Structural Engineers, among others) and the Royal Aeronautical Society. You will be taught by expert staff, who are all actively engaged in research at the frontiers of sustainable engineering analysis, design and practice.

For more information see our department pages.

Rankings

• 5th in The Complete University Guide 2023
• Top 5 in The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2022.

Staff

For a current list of staff, please see the Engineering Department pages.

Facilities

Undergraduate students gain access to our extensive and diverse research facilities and expertise during their final-year projects. For example, airflow sensors, made using cutting-edge microfabricationtechniques in the 200m2 class 1000 cleanroom, have been tested and characterised in our wind tunnel facilities.

More information on our facilities and equipment.

Find out more:

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 research and development project that you will undertake in Year 4. This project will be supervised by a member of academic staff, and will result in a significant piece of independent research.

Assessment

In the first three 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 balance of examination/coursework changes towards the end of the degree – half of the final-year mark is based on a dissertation research project, working one-to-one with an academic or industry partner.

A level offer – A*AA including Mathematics and one subject that carries a practical endorsement (Biology, Chemistry, Geology or Physics).

BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma/OCR Cambridge Technical Extended Diploma – D*DD and Mathematics at grade A at A level (or equivalent) are required.

IB Diploma score – 38 with 666 in higher level subjects including Mathematics and one STEM subject (Biology, Chemistry or Physics).

In addition to satisfying the University’s general entry requirements, please note:

• We welcome applications from those with other qualifications equivalent to our standard entry requirements and from mature students with non-standard qualifications or who may have had a break in their study.

• If you do not satisfy our general entry requirements, the Foundation Programme offers multidisciplinary degrees to prepare you for a range of specified degree courses.

• If you are an international student who does not meet the requirements for direct entry to this degree, you may be eligible to take an International Foundation Year pathway programme at the Durham University International Study Centre.

• We are pleased to consider applications for deferred entry.

Alternative qualifications

• Other UK qualifications

• EU qualifications

• International qualifications

International students who do not meet direct entry requirements for this degree might have the option to complete an International Foundation Year.

English language requirements

Country specific information

The tuition fees for 2024/25 academic year have not yet been finalised, they will be displayed here once approved.

The tuition fees shown for home students are for one complete academic year of full time study and are set according to the academic year of entry. Fees for subsequent years of your course may rise in line with an inflationary uplift as determined by the government.

The tuition fees shown for overseas and EU students are for one complete academic year of full time 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).

Please also check costs for colleges and accommodation.

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.

Of those students who graduated in 2019:

• 82% are in paid employment or further study 15 months after graduation across all our programmes

Of those in employment:

• 92% are in high skilled employment
• With an average salary of £31,000.

(Source: 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)

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.

Rankings

• 5th in The Complete University Guide 2023
• 7th in The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2023
• 8th in The Guardian University Guide 2023

Staff

For a current list of staff, please see the Engineering Department pages.

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.

More information on our facilities and equipment.

Find out more: