About this course
You’ve got lots of options after doing a mechanical engineering degree – medical, environmental, automotive, aerospace, resource, advance manufacturing, alternative energy to name a few. Recent, rapid developments in technology, such as 3D printing, have changed the face of this fascinating and fast-moving discipline and you can be at the forefront of it all.
By taking your knowledge to the next level with Masters modules, we’re preparing you to be the best of the best. You’ll get loads of practical experience and become a creative problem solver. How? By getting involved in our Grand Challenge and on-campus projects, exploring digital technologies and the freedom to decide your own journey with our optional modules. We challenge you to learn in this way as it makes you think, work and behave like a professional engineer.
Our Mechanical Engineering courses are highly practical and use real examples and projects from industry. On this course you’ll be guided how to analyse and solve mechanical engineering problems by producing your own creative and innovative solutions using the latest technology.
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Top 20 in the UK for General Engineering (Complete University Guide 2025) -
4th in the UK for General Engineering (Guardian University Guide 2024)
Engineering Experience Day
Tuesday 1 July, 10am - 4 pm
Experience what it's like to study Engineering at university. On this taster day you’ll use the latest cutting-edge facilities as you have a go at sending a coded message on a Morse code Arduino transceiver and use professional design software in our high-performance computing labs.
What you’ll study
Each year you'll take a combination of core modules to give you a solid grounding in engineering, specialist modules where you'll gain the specific skills needed for your particular subject area, and practical and project modules where you'll work on a task or project set by the industry.
Study abroad opportunities
Get ready to embark on an adventure with our study abroad programs at partner universities or by getting a work placement overseas. Both opportunities will boost your employability, build lifelong friendships, and allow you to experience the world in a whole new way.
Engineering Science Fundamentals
Study the aspects of materials, from a macroscopic perspective, including their key properties, and develop the core knowledge and skills that are essential to Engineers and to Engineering.
Engineering Mathematics and Technical Computing
Gain the relevant mathematical and computational skills for analysis and design that underpin many areas of engineering. These core mathematical skills will inform the discipline specific mathematic and computing skills you’ll use in the design, manufacture and testing of engineered products in the coming years.
Innovation and Engineering Solutions
Learn the physical and IT workshop skills required in the design and manufacture of products, including basic design methods and fabrication. In Terms One and Two the module is taught through a series of lectures and short projects, and includes industry training in Autodesk Fusion 360. In Term Three the module will culminate in a three-week Grand Challenge group project in which you will bring together the skills and techniques learned in this (and other) modules to solve an engineering challenge.
Solid Mechanics and Dynamics
Learn about principles of solid mechanics in the design and analysis of mechanical engineering components and systems, and the fundamentals of object motion and vibration. You’ll develop solid and dynamic problem-solving skills for mechanical components.
Thermofluids
Study the principles of fluid (liquid and gas) motion and the transfer of heat from one system to another, and gain understanding of relationships between heat and other forms of energy. You’ll learn how thermal energy is converted to and from other forms of energy and how it affects matter, and will study the principles and types of thermodynamic systems and processes.
Digital Systems and Computer Engineering
Examine the theory of digital systems and gain hands-on experience integrating computing and electronics in order to solve practical problems.
Engineering Modelling and Simulation Techniques
Study a range of analytical and numerical techniques that are needed to solve mathematical models including; the approximation of functions using series; Fourier analysis; numerical integration and differentiation methods; and solutions of ordinary and partial differential equations.
Industrial Design and Product Case Studies
Through understanding the parts and materials involved in designing a product, you’ll explore how a product should be manufactured. You’ll consider the design and manufacture processes, materials, assembly, rapid prototyping, efficiency and tolerance, analysis of quality, product maintenance and safety, costs, sustainability, business and consumer needs.
Integrated Group Design Project
This module is a practical project-based module where you’ll immerse yourself in engineering projects and product analysis. You’ll use the practical and project related skills you’ve developed so far, alongside necessary project management skills to design and produce components and / or products.
Control Systems and Engineering
Gain a sound understanding of the control theory applied to the design of systems that control the behaviour of devices such as cars, aircrafts, air handling units and robots.
Materials and Manufacturing
This module will introduce you to a variety of modern manufacturing processes and technologies. It will also cover materials selection, design for manufacture and operations management.
Year Three is a placement year for Sandwich students. If you are not taking a placement you will take the modules below:
Performance Engineering
Develop your understanding and application of methods for setting, measuring, improving and monitoring performance in an engineering setting, to ensure quality and efficiency in the product lifecycle.
Group Engineering Design and Optimisation Project (40 credit points)
In the engineering industry group and team work is pivotal in developing many products. In this module you’ll create a project plan; explore consumer needs and demands; design, prototype and test a product or process, and evaluate the business impact of your solution.
Robotics
Design and build gizmos and gadgets while developing your understanding of several core areas of robotic systems such as dynamics and control, localisation and mapping, and motion planning.
Optional modules - Choose 2 options, one from Group A and one from Group B:
Group A:
Sensors and Embedded Electronics
Gain a deeper understanding of electronic devices and sensor systems; from semiconductor technology through data acquisition and control to the design of embedded systems.
Human Factors Engineering
All too often, the most brilliant technical products are not used to their full potential because users are unable to operate them. This module will give you an understanding of what limits human performance including physical capability, mental agility and organisational systems. It will consider how to design products for targeted specialist users, or for the wider population.
Sustainability in Engineering Design
What happens to a product when it reaches the end of its useful life? As technology advances rapidly, many of the things we use become obsolete very quickly. This module considers designing for sustainability and choosing materials and components that can be reused, repurposed or recycled.
Group B:
Fundamentals of industry 4.0
Understand Industry 4.0 and how Cyber-Physical System (CPS) technology is attempting to make the products and systems smart and autonomous. By using real case studies from industry, you’ll explore the challenges and solutions that Industry 4.0 poses and gain insights into how ‘smartness’ is being harnessed from data.
Mechanical Engineering in Sport
Develop your capacity to design, fabricate and test engineered products whose function is primarily of a mechanical nature; power source / controllers, frames, levers, joints, linkages, gears, belts / chains.
Individual Industrial / Research Engineering Project
Immerse yourself in a practical engineering project and bring together the knowledge, understanding and skills developed during the course of your degree to undertake a major individual industrial or research project of your own choosing.
Design to Market
Learn about the steps which must be taken from design concept to prototype and onward to product manufacture, marketing and sales.
Optional modules - choose two from:
Robotics, Cybernetics and Biomechatronics
Learn about the challenges and successes possible with design and engineering in the exciting new areas of Robotics, Cybernetics and Biomechatronics. You’ll have the opportunity to look at devices, analyse their design and suggest possible improvements.
Fluid Dynamics in Physiology and Medical Devices
When a medical device is implanted into the body this will have an impact on the flow of bodily fluids. In this module you’ll study how fluids move in the body, how this is affected by the physiology of the human or animal, and how medical devices can alter or improve flows.
Optimising Sport Equipment
Investigate how engineering designs and methods of manufacture can optimise the function of sport equipment in both its ergonomics and applications.
Medical Applications of Smart Materials
Investigate the use of smart materials in a variety of medical applications to understand their properties and how these properties may be exploited to solve challenges in medicine.
Prosthetics and Rehabilitation Robotics
During this module you’ll understand the recent developments in bionics, prosthesis, assistive robotics and exoskeleton. Appreciating the possible integration between biological systems and artificial systems, you’ll analyse the design of these devices before suggesting possible improvements.
We regularly review and update our course content based on student and employer feedback, ensuring that all of our courses remain current and relevant. This may result in changes to module content or module availability in future years.
Don’t just take our word for it, hear from our students themselves
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How you're taught
You’ll learn through a mix of:
- lectures - covering the key theories
- seminars - smaller-group sessions perfect for learning key skills and collaborative working
- practical sessions - using our extensive range of industry-standard facilities
- workshops - this includes surgery sessions where you’ll meet with your lecturer in small groups to discuss any problems or work through challenging topics.
The rest of your time will be spent carrying out independent study such as reading textbooks and lecture notes, and working on exercises.
A placement year may be taken between year 2 and year 3 of study.
All our engineering courses are taught through problem-solving and developing the right abilities to make you the very best engineer you can be. This is achieved by developing your engineering skills and knowledge through participation in several industry-led projects each year. These projects are put forward by industry to make you think, work and behave like a professional engineer. You'll also get to use the equipment used by engineering organisations across the globe.
These projects will inspire your creativity and give you experience in taking your idea from concept through to production. Year One projects include:
RevEng – Reverse Engineering
You will deconstruct everyday objects in order to gain understanding in design principles and consider potential improvements in terms of sustainability, manufacturing processes and cost.
Autodesk – Design Challenge
A three-day CAD training course on Autodesk Fusion, a powerful industry standard software package, followed by a Design Challenge set by industry. You will work in groups, applying the CAD skills you gained, to meet the brief set by industry.
Mars Lander
Design a landing system to carry a given payload from orbit to the surface of Mars, using the engineering fundamental principles you have learned during your Year One modules.
Laser cutting, 3D printing (Bridge, Light Pier support)
An industry standard software package will be used to design and model a bridge and a light pier support structure. You will be trained in using laser cutting and 3D printing, to build prototypes. Using the skills you gained during your modules you will make structures to withstand a given load.
Grand Challenge
Mark the end of your first year with this concept design project set by industry. You’ll present your results at an end of year show.
Research informed teaching
Our research is tackling real-world issues – and the people working on this research will be teaching you. It also informs the subjects you’ll be studying with us so you can be sure your knowledge will be cutting-edge in your field. In the last Research Excellence Framework (REF 2021) - the UK's system for assessing the quality and impact of research in universities - we’re proud that 98% of NTU's Engineering submission was assessed to be world-leading or internationally excellent.
Learn a new language
Alongside your study you also have the opportunity to learn a new language. The University Language Programme (ULP) is available to all students and gives you the option of learning a totally new language or improving the skills you already have. Find out more about the ULP.
How you're assessed
People excel in different ways, and we want everybody to have the best possible chance of success. That’s why we’ve adopted a range of assessment types, including:
- coursework, including group projects, case studies, dissertation and other assignments
- practical assessments, such as individual and group presentations, laboratory assessments and lab reports
- exams and tests, including formal exams, written tests and multiple-choice.
Careers and employability
Placements
NTU is one of the most employment-focused universities. Increasingly, employers want to recruit graduates who have real-world work experience. That’s why all of our courses, across every subject area, offer you a work experience opportunity. Our experts help build and support your future with a range of career programmes and events.
On this course, after your second year, you will have the opportunity to take a year's work placement (sandwich placement). This will give you the chance to gain vital experience and put your knowledge into practice. You're also twice as likely to secure a graduate job within six months if you take a work placement.
Our recent Engineering students have taken placements across a wide range of companies including Pirelli, Mercedes and the Government Operational Research Service. They secured varied roles such as Operational and Research Assistant, Quality Engineer and Engineering Assistant.
You'll be supported and assessed throughout your placement year and will write a reflective report and diary at the end of your placement. When you successfully complete your placement, you will be eligible to receive an additional award of a Diploma in Professional Practice.
Find out more about work placements.
Careers
You’ve probably already got some idea of the career path you want to take. Many of our graduates go on to work in engineering-based roles, but it’s worth remembering that the skills you learn on an engineering degree are transferable to a variety of careers. Research, presentation, team working and analytical skills are highly valued by employers in various professions, both related and unrelated to engineering.
Engineering graduates are in demand as they are attractive to a wide range of employers due to their analytical thinking, problem-solving, and strong numeracy skills. You’ll be well-placed to secure a career in a range of sectors, including the armed forces, logistics, teaching, IT, and banking. Recent NTU graduates have gone onto engineering positions in a variety of organisations including Pitney Bowes, the RAF, Rolls Royce, and Siemens.
Many graduates also choose to undertake further study on Masters-level courses, or MPhil and PhD research degrees.
NTU Enterprise
You'll also have the opportunity to turn your ideas into a viable business with help from NTU Enterprise, NTU's purpose-built Centre for Entrepreneurship and Enterprise, a support centre to help students create, develop and grow their own businesses.
Campus and facilities
You’ll mainly be studying in the Engineering Building with access to facilities including our aero lab, VR suite and Robotics Test Arena.
Our self-contained, community-focused Clifton Campus has been designed to keep students busy between lectures. Catch-up with your course mates in the Pavilion’s barista café and Refectory; brainstorm group presentations in chic and stylish study spaces; enjoy some proper R&R in The Point, home of our Students’ Union. The campus also hosts the multimillion-pound Clifton Sports Hub, offering great options for everyone — whatever your interests, and however competitive you’d like to get!
You’re also right next to the bright lights of Nottingham — one of Britain’s top 10 student cities, and one of Europe’s top 25. All through termtime, a dedicated on-campus bus service will get you to the heart of the action (and back) in under 25 minutes. You’ll find a city stuffed with history, culture, and well-kept secrets to discover at your leisure: enjoy lush green spaces, galleries, hidden cinemas and vintage shopping by day, and an acclaimed food, drink and social scene by night.
Take our virtual tour to get a real feel for the campus.
Entry requirements
UK students
- Standard offer: 120 UCAS Tariff points from up to four qualifications including A-level or equivalent Maths grade C
- Contextual offer: 112 UCAS Tariff points from up to four qualifications including A-level or equivalent Maths grade C
To find out what qualifications have tariff points, please use our tariff calculator.
Additional requirements for UK students
We accept the following BTEC Extended Diplomas. If you are studying a different BTEC Extended Diploma you will also need a suitable level 3 Mathematics qualification.
- Extended Diploma in Engineering
- Extended Diploma in Electronic Engineering
- Extended Diploma in Mechanical Engineering.
Contextual offers
If you don’t quite meet our entry requirements, we might be able to make you a lower offer based on a range of factors, including your background (such as where you live and the school or college you attended), your experiences and your individual circumstances (you may have been in care, for example). This is called a contextual offer, and we get data from UCAS to help make these decisions. We do this because we believe everyone with the potential to succeed at NTU should have the opportunity to do so, no matter what barriers you may face.
Meeting our entry requirements
Hundreds of qualifications in the UK have UCAS Tariff points attached to specific grades, including A-levels, BTECs, T Levels and many more. You can use your grades and points from up to four different qualifications to meet our criteria. Enter your predicted or achieved grades into our Tariff calculator to find out how many points your qualifications are worth.
Other qualifications and experience
NTU welcomes applications from students with non-standard qualifications and learning backgrounds, either for year one entry or for advanced standing beyond the start of a course into year 2 or beyond.
We consider study and/or credit achieved from a similar course at another institution (otherwise known as credit transfer), vocational and professional qualifications, and broader work or life experience.
Our Recognition of Prior Learning and Credit Transfer Policy outlines the process and options available for this route. If you wish to apply via Recognition of Prior Learning, please contact the central Admissions and Enquiries Team who will be able to support you through the process.
Getting in touch
If you need more help or information, get in touch through our enquiry form.
International students
- Academic entry requirements: 120 UCAS Tariff points from up to four qualifications including A-level or equivalent Maths grade C. We accept equivalent qualifications from all over the world. Please check your international entry requirements by country .
- English language requirements: See our English language requirements page for requirements for your subject and information on alternative tests and Pre-sessional English.
Additional requirements for international students
We accept the following BTEC Extended Diplomas. If you are studying a different BTEC Extended Diploma you will also need a suitable level 3 Mathematics qualification.
- Extended Diploma in Engineering
- Extended Diploma in Electronic Engineering
- Extended Diploma in Mechanical Engineering.
English language requirements
View our English language requirements for all courses, including alternative English language tests and country qualifications accepted by the University.
If you need help achieving the language requirements, we offer a Pre-Sessional English for Academic Purposes course on our City campus which is an intensive preparation course for academic study at NTU.
Other qualifications and experience
If you have the right level of qualifications, you may be able to start your Bachelors degree at NTU in year 2 or year 3. This is called ‘advanced standing’ entry and is decided on a case-by case basis after our assessment of your qualifications and experience.
You can view our Recognition of Prior Learning and Credit Transfer Policy which outlines the process and options available, such as recognising experiential learning and credit transfer.
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Sign up to receive regular emails from the International Office. You'll hear about our news, scholarships and any upcoming events in your country with our expert regional teams.
Getting in touch
If you need advice about studying at NTU as an international student or how to apply, our international webpages are a great place to start. If you have any questions about your study options, your international qualifications, experience, grades or other results, please get in touch through our enquiry form. Our international teams are highly experienced in answering queries from students all over the world.
Policies
We strive to make our admissions procedures as fair and clear as possible. To find out more about how we make offers, visit our admissions policies page.
