Course summary

The BEng Mechanical Engineering degree is a high-quality three-year degree 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. It is important to highlight that you also can transfer between the different Engineering programmes that we offer (Civil, Mechanical, Electrical, Electronic, etc.) up until the end of the second year, provided that you meet the relevant progression requirements. We believe that students should make an informed decision about their futures and allowing our students to transfer between programmes, once they understand the different disciplines, demonstrates our commitment to this and the Department’s General Engineering philosophy. In the first two years, the BEng covers the same broad base of engineering education as the MEng degree. The BEng prepares you for an exciting career in modern engineering, with the flexibility to respond to changing technologies. Year 1 You will study four modules in engineering, one in mathematics and one optional module. In your engineering modules, you will receive instruction in the use of 3D Computer-Aided Design (CAD) software (e.g. SolidWorks), be taught how to implement engineering algorithms into computer code (specifically in C and MATLAB) and take part in a number of practical labs. 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. On the course, you also attend lectures, discussion classes and supervisions with academic staff. Compulsory modules: Solid Mechanics and Structures 1 Electronic and Electrical Systems 1 Thermodynamics and Fluid Mechanics 1 Engineering Practice 1 Mathematics for Engineers and Scientists And one free elective. The optional (free elective) module may be selected from anything that will fit the timetable and for which you meet the necessary prerequisites. Popular choices have previously included ‘Introduction to Programming’, ‘Computational Thinking’ and a range of different language modules but some students have taken modules in History or Poetry. Year 2 Engineering and mathematics now occupy the full six modules in the timetable. You will undertake a major design project as part of a small team with guidance from an academic supervisor and an ‘Industrial Tutor’ (an engineer from industry). This lets you put into practice the skills and knowledge that you have developed in your lectures. The end result is a detailed design report and a series of CAD drawings good enough to manufacture a device from. Compulsory modules: Engineering Mathematics 2 Thermodynamics and Fluid Mechanics 2 Solid Mechanics and Structures 2 Electrical Engineering 2 Electronics 2 Engineering Design 2. Year 3 At this point in the degree you will specialise into Mechanical Engineering. You will take four Mechanical Engineering taught modules plus an individual technical project (which is equivalent to two modules). For your project, which is the highlight of most of our students’ degree, you will work closely with a project supervisor and will be responsible for planning, design and manufacture of equipment, experimentation, analysis and reporting of your results. Practical skills, in addition to the weekly laboratory sessions, cover topics such as industrial problem solving with interaction with local industry. Compulsory modules: BEng Engineering Project Materials 3 Solid Mechanics 3 Thermodynamics and Fluid Mechanics 3 Electrical Engineering 3.