Overview

Be useful. Mechanical engineers design, manufacture, repair or operate the things we need in everyday life. Based in Chelmsford, studying our Mechanical Engineering BEng (Hons) you’ll use simulation software to come up with solutions to real world engineering problems. Take up an option for a placement year and benefit from our links with local industry to gain experience and a head start in your career. Our Mechanical Engineering degree is accredited by the Institution of Engineering and Technology and the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, and can ultimately lead to Chartered Engineer (CEng) status.

Find out more about teaching options and studying during COVID-19 in the Entry requirements section, below.

Full description

Mechanical engineers solve problems through innovation, helping society to become more advanced and adventurous.

Our newly redesigned Mechanical Engineering BEng degree course focusses on project based-learning, meaning you’ll apply your theoretical learning from class to a project-based module that runs throughout Year 1. You will gain experience of working in a multi-disciplinary team with other students from mechanical engineering courses, helping to prepare you for working in competitive commercial and industrial environments. Skills in teamwork, management and leadership – along with an integrated approach to engineering – are highly valued by employers.

While studying Mechanical Engineering at ARU, you will develop both your academic and practical skills, becoming an analytical and creative problem-solver, exploring how engineering works in the business context, and how to achieve results within financial constraints. You’ll use testing and measurement equipment, learn how to specify and design electronics subsystems and understand how to use computer-based and mathematical methods to model and analyse mechanical-engineering problems.

As well as the hands-on experience, you’ll benefit from lectures given by visiting engineers, ensuring you’re up-to-date with current methods in industry. You also have the option of doing a year-long placement in industry between years 2 and 3.

Our facilities at ARU include a CAD/CAM centre, industrial-scale CNC milling machine, CNC lathe, rapid prototyping machine, scanning electronic microscope, Instron bi-axial fatigue-testing machine, tensile-testing machine, material-preparation facilities, welding equipment and electronic testing and measuring equipment such as oscilloscopes and signal generating and testing facilities.

Like our Mechanical Engineering BEng course, our MEng is accredited by both the IMechE and IET, meaning it's been approved by a professional body as meeting their level of requirements.

What is the difference between a BEng and an MEng course
A BEng course will enable to you apply for Incorporated Engineer (IEng) status at the end of your course. To apply for Chartered Engineer (CEng) status you will also need to complete a Masters degree.

A four-year Mechanical Engineering MEng course is a thee-year undergraduate degree with a one-year Masters degree in one course. On completing an MEng course you are able to apply directly for CEng status.

Our three-year degree programme is CEng accredited and fulfils the educational requirements for Chartered Engineer when presented with an accredited MSc. In addition, the programme meets the educational requirements for registration as an Incorporated Engineer. Students completing an IMechE accredited degree are deemed to have met, part or all, of the academic requirements for registration as a Chartered or Incorporated Engineer and are in a strong position to move on to achieve professional engineering status after a period of initial professional development in industry.

January intake students will complete Year1 between January and August (trimester 2 & 3), however, Year 2 and 3 will be completed during trimester 1 & 2 between September and May. This means January intake students will only take a one-month summer break in Year 1 and will start Year 2 in September the same year they started the course. Therefore students are expected to graduate the standard BEng course in 2.5 years and 3.5 years for the BEng with a placement.

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Careers

We work with employers to make sure you graduate with the knowledge, skills and abilities they need. They help us review what we teach and how we teach it – and they offer hands-on, practical opportunities to learn through work-based projects, internships or placements.

There is strong international demand for qualified mechanical engineers. Employment levels are high and jobs are well-paid. The average salary for a mechanical engineer in the UK is £29,986* per year with the ability to earn well over £40,000 per year in senior design and project management roles. *Payscale.com

Our degree will also open up a huge variety of non-engineering jobs. Many employers in IT, finance, business and education welcome mechanical engineering graduates because of their high-level numerical and problem-solving skills.

Graduation doesn’t need to be the end of your time with us. If you’d like to continue your studies and develop additional skills we offer a wide range of full-time and part-time postgraduate courses including Masters degrees in Engineering Management, Mechanical Engineering and Additive Manufacturing (3D printing).

Modules & assessment

Foundation in Engineering, Computing and Technology

In your first year you'll study with our partner, ARU College. This module will provide you with the necessary skills to begin studying at level 4 in engineering, computer science and related courses. You will be introduced to the core skills necessary to succeed in higher education, including thinking critically, researching and referencing appropriately, demonstrating appropriate numeracy and ICT skills, and communicating effectively verbally and in writing. In addition to these fundamental skills, you'll cover the subjects underpinning the technological disciplines. Fundamental mathematical skills will be covered, alongside pre-calculus, followed by an introduction to calculus and vector and matrix arithmetic. You will also be introduced to classical mechanics, and its application to real-world scenarios. You will be introduced to the fundamentals of computer science, learning about the principles behind programming and applying them through a series of practical coding exercises. You'll undertake a multi-disciplinary group project as you learn about the collaborative nature of engineering, and design from a broader perspective of business. The module is made up of the following eight constituent elements: Interactive Learning Skills and Communication (ILSC); Information Communication Technology (ICT); Critical Thinking; Maths for Scientists; Maths for Engineers; Physics for Engineers; Fundamentals of Computing; Engineering Design.

Introduction to Mechanical Engineering

Start your journey to becoming a mechanical engineer and discover the wide range of applications and disciplines related to this industry. By gaining insight into career opportunities at this early stage in the course you can follow your interests throughout your study. You will learn about role of engineering in society, environmental issues, and sustainability, looking at ethical issues in engineering and the importance of marketing, commercial understanding, engineering standards, and legal aspects of pursuing a career in engineering. You will cover the history of mechanical engineering, motivating you with inspiring successes that have changed the human life forever, as well as learning lessons from failures. Through this module students will get the opportunity to visit manufacturing and engineering companies and to start to think and critically analyse as an engineer, discovering how to breakdown complex systems into parts and subparts in mechanical engineering terms so that you can simplify complex systems. Visits from guest lecturers from industry will also be encouraged, as will visits by representatives from the professional bodies such as the Institution of Mechanical Engineers and the Institution of Engineering and Technology. You’ll be encouraged to join professional bodies such as IMechE and IET and use the advantages from this throughout your course.
Engineering Skills

Develop the underpinning engineering skills needed to solve technical problems and communicate technical ideas and concepts. These skills are essential for the successful completion of your project and knowledge based modules. The module will be divided into two main areas; Mathematics and technical report writing. Mathematics will focus on the basic mathematical skills needed to understand the language of mathematics and to interpret engineering mathematical expressions. Algebraic skills will also be extensively developed to carry out mathematical analysis and solve engineering problems. The module will also introduce the mathematics of trigonometry and geometry and their application to solve practical engineering problems. Technical report writing is a fundamental communication skill for engineers and will be developed throughout the course. This part of the module aims to provide the tools to enable you to structure and present technical reports and also reference correctly. You will make use of appropriate IT skills to communicate technical ideas through the written word and by graphical means.
Design and Manufacturing Project

Apply your learning through project based learning, where you will have both individual work and group work where you will be in a multidisciplinary range of students from the mechanical engineering group. This module is designed to provide you with a basic understanding of manufacturing processes and mechatronics, from the in class theoretical briefings to hands on practical activities. You will gain insight on the need of selecting the most appropriate manufacturing processes, designing and building of basic electronic circuits, integrating mechanical products with electronic circuits, to form a mechatronics product. You will be introduced to modern equipment such as CNC machines and electronic building and testing devices. You will learn how to conform to the regulations relating to safe workshop and laboratory practice applying your materials and structural knowledge to analyse the structural integrity of their design and prototypes.
Materials and Mechanical Structures

Here you will focus on two key aspects of engineering. To start with you will look at vectors and use this knowledge to understand the Newton's law in basic mechanical problems. You will relate this to the static analysis of a system and equilibrium leading to calculation of various stresses in a mechanical structure. The second part is designed to introduce the structure and properties of a range of engineering materials, with an insight in the atomic structure of metals and non-metals to understand factors that influence the physical properties of materials. It provides a review of mechanical behaviour of metals such as load extension curves and their interpretations. You will carry out hands-on tensile tests on engineering materials, allowing you to apply your knowledge from the classroom. You will also explore the alloying of metals through equilibrium diagrams, using this information to determine structure. You will develop your skills in gathering and interpreting scientific information through a series of laboratory experiments. This will help you to become familiar with definition and applications of mechanical structures and, with further studies in nature of stress distribution and transformation in mechanical parts and structures, you will be able to evaluate basic failure criteria and apply safety factors in engineering design.

Ruskin Module

Ruskin Modules are designed to prepare our students for a complex, challenging and changing future. These interdisciplinary modules provide the opportunity to further broaden your perspectives, develop your intellectual flexibility and creativity. You will work with others from different disciplines to enable you to reflect critically on the limitations of a single discipline to solve wider societal concerns. You will be supported to create meaningful connections across disciplines to apply new knowledge to tackle complex problems and key challenges. Ruskin Modules are designed to grow your confidence, seek and maximise opportunities to realise your potential to give you a distinctive edge and enhance your success in the workplace.
Product Development and Quality Engineering Project

This project-based module follows the theme of improving the design of an existing mechanical appliance/product using the design concepts for enhanced performance metrics (eg, reduced cost, ease of manufacture, reduced lead time). Designed to give you the opportunity to work in groups in the multi-disciplined area of mechanical engineering you will work to achieve a common goal. You’ll use specialised engineering software packages eg, Autodesk Inventor and ANSYS to design parts for a product and apply appropriate constraints in assembly environment of a 3D CAD package, utilising design concepts (eg, design for manufacture/assembly) for enhanced product performance. You’ll be introduced to the concepts of structural design, materials, mechanical integrity and their importance while designing a product. This module will help you to understand and apply theoretical concepts related to statistics, process quality assurance and the implications of legal as well as ethical issues. You’ll also focus on the application of finite element analysis (FEA) and its use in the numerical analysis of integrity in mechanical products to assess applicability in engineering related uses. You will learn to plan the manufacturing method of your chosen product (using suitable modern manufacturing and prototyping methods e.g., CNC machining, 3D printing), use mechanical testing methods (e.g., tensile test, bend test) and validate your work through numerical analysis.
Thermofluids

Gain the foundations in the theoretical and applied aspects of combined thermodynamics, fluid mechanics and heat transfer, allowing you to be able to identify and analyse engineering problems related to systematic and local thermal and fluid mechanics engineering. Here you will develop your learning, using applied and real-world problems and applying a combined system-analysis approach of thermodynamics as well as a detailed analysis of heat transfer and fluid mechanics on various problems. The systematics approach to the real-world problems will cover thermofluid topics such as the concept of work and heat, first and second law of thermodynamics, thermodynamics cycles, properties of gas and vapour, and an introduction to combustion. Fluid mechanics will cover fluid static, conservation of mass and momentum leading to Bernoulli’s equation, fluid flow classification and regimes, dimensional analysis, and fluid forces. The heat transfer will include overview of complex heat transfer problems and discussing possibility of simplifications to one-dimension conduction, convection, and radiation.
Advanced Engineering Skills

Building on previous modules here you will continue applying mathematics to express and solve engineering problems, moving on to include more complex mathematical concepts. You’ll be introduced to calculus, complex numbers, and Laplace transforms, helping you to develop an appreciation of the overwhelming influence that these concepts have had on engineering analysis and design, particularly with their application to specialist software. You’ll learn to apply differentiation and integration technics to solve engineering problems in dynamics, control, structural analysis, engineering optimisations, and computational engineering. You’ll also learn to analyse engineering concepts through solving complex equations and differential equations using analytical and numerical techniques. Coding is also used to develop your problem-solving skills and create solutions to complex mathematical problems, you’ll apply this to engineering problems to create a logical sequence of steps or solutions after which you’ll develop tests to check the solution is correct.

Work Placement Engineering and the Built Environment

Your Work Placement module cover a period of 38 weeks. It's a pass/fail module which does not affect your progression from level 5 to level 6 of your course. If you started your course in September, you'll commence your placement at any point from 1 July to 30 September. If you started your course in January, you'll commence your placement at any point from 1 February to 31 March. The module is designed to give you an opportunity to analyse and evaluate industrial organisational structures, industrial roles and functions and industrial self-awareness. It covers human relationships, team relationships, problem evaluations, solutions and analysis and an evaluation of an industry/business sector. The aim of the module is to allow you to use the academic skills developed during your first two years of university study to support learning during your work placement. The module aims to give you experience of work in an industry and/or business environment including familiarisation with a professional work environment. The module will be underpinned by employability skills training, reflective assessment and support from academic tutors. You'll be expected to reflect on your experience orally and in writing, and demonstrate how you have applied theory and learning to date in a work-based environment. The assessment aims to support and develop your ability to demonstrate your professionalism, leadership and managerial skills to a prospective employer while also learning key communication and personal skills.

Engineering Simulation and Optimisation Project

This project based module will help you to prepare for real scale industrial projects involving practical activities with wide versatility. In groups of 3-4 people, you will be expected to perform a team work study looking at feasibility, create/source the required CAD files, and perform FE and CFD analysis to design a scaled-down product that works under specified and realistic specifications. The product will need to be optimised by consistent iterations within FEA and CFD and the finalised proposal will be prototyped. Once the product is manufactured you’ll need to perform experiments and use the test data compare to the ones from the numerical analysis, giving a report to demonstrate your achievements.
Vibration and Control

Mechanical engineering systems, structural or machinery, often experience problems associated with vibration which may lead to failure of design and product. Part of this module will provide you with a fundamental understanding of problem of vibration and analytical tools necessary to model the problem in an engineering system. This will include classifications of vibration and analytical analysis of free and forced vibration in single degree of freedom systems. You will discuss the methods of vibration control as well as vibration measurements with emphasise on applied engineering. The second part of the module will provide you with fundamentals and classifications of control systems, including feedforward vs feedback and open vs closed loop controls as well as use of Laplace transform methods to analyse linear control systems.
Individual Major Project and Research Methods

This module is your opportunity to carry out an individual piece of research in an engineering topic of your choosing, leading to a substantial outcome using a single or combination of experimental, numerical, or analytical methods related to your branch of engineering. You’ll develop your critical thinking skills and ability to independently manage and conduct research. You’ll attend workshops to help you develop a proposal, identifying a problem, undertake a literature review, create a research strategy and methods, research ethics and impacts, and develop a project plan. You’ll work under the guidance of an academic staff member, specialised in your area of research. You’ll receive a minimum of four supervision tutorials, spread throughout the duration of the module.
Mechatronics

Here you’ll explore the different aspects of a mechatronics system, covering sensing, programming, data acquisition, signal conditioning, control and actuation (electrical/mechanical/hydraulic/pneumatic) through a mixture of lectures and lab sessions. This will give you the change to apply your knowledge to real systems, giving you hands-on experience. In sensing, you’ll cover the basic types of sensors, their working mechanisms and applications. Programming deals with the different modes currently available eg, manual and automatic programming, allowing you to explore Arduino Uno. You’ll be introduced to Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs) to help you understand their applicability in industrial applications. In data acquisition you’ll look at analogue-to digital and digital-to-analogue conversion, digital data representation and circuit analysis of useful conversion stages. You’ll also be introduced to the fundamentals of control theory: block diagrams and feedback, proportional control, proportional-integral-derivative (PID) control, detailed analysis of DC motors, and finally speed and position control. Mechanical actuation systems will also be introduced, giving you a complete understanding of how different components of a mechatronic system work together, including concepts related to gear trains, hydraulic pumps, valves, pneumatic systems, kinematic chains, etc.

Assessment

We’ll use a range of assessment methods to check your academic and practical progress throughout the course. These include exams, essays and reports, work relating to practical classes and demonstrations, log books, presentations and posters.

Where you'll study

Your faculty

The Faculty of Science & Engineering is one of the largest of the four faculties at Anglia Ruskin University. Whether you choose to study with us full-time or part-time, on campus or at a distance, there’s an option whatever your level – from a foundation degree, BSc, MSc, PhD or professional doctorate.

Whichever course you pick, you’ll gain the theory and practical skills needed to progress with confidence. Join us and you could find yourself learning in the very latest laboratories or on field trips or work placements with well-known and respected companies. You may even have the opportunity to study abroad.

Everything we do in the faculty has a singular purpose: to provide a world-class environment to create, share and advance knowledge in science, technology and engineering fields. This is key to all of our futures.

Visit your faculty

Where can I study?

Chelmsford

Our striking, modern campus sits by the riverside in Chelmsford's University and Innovation Quarter.

Explore our Chelmsford campus

Additional study information

Placements

This course gives you the opportunity to take a work placement year between years 2 and 3 of your studies. You’ll get experience of seeking and securing a job and working in an industry relating to your course. You’ll also get the practical experience and industry contacts to benefit your studies and enhance your long-term career prospects.

Although they can’t be guaranteed, we can work with you to find a placement using our contacts with a large number of employers. You’ll have regular contact with one of our course tutors and be supported by a supervisor from your placement company. Together they’ll monitor your performance and give you feedback.

To find out more about placement opportunities, email us at placements@aru.ac.uk.

Fees & funding

Course fees

UK students starting 2021/22 (per year)

£9,250

International students starting 2021/22 (per year)

£13,900

UK students starting 2022/23 (full-time, per year)

£9,250

International students starting 2022/23 (full-time, per year)

£14,300

Placement year

£1,250

Additional costs

Safety footwear (steel toe and midsole) - £40
General stationary and calculator - £100

How do I pay my fees?

Tuition fee loan

UK students can take out a tuition fee loan, which you won’t need to start repaying until after your graduate. Or there's the option to pay your fees upfront.

Loans and fee payments

International students

You can pay your tuition fees upfront, in full or in two instalments. We will also ask you for a deposit of £4,000 or a sponsorship letter. Details will be in your offer letter.

Paying your fees

Scholarships

We offer a fantastic range of ARU scholarships, which provide extra financial support while you’re at university. Some of these cover all or part of your tuition fees.

Explore ARU scholarships

Funding for UK students

Most new UK undergraduate students can apply for government funding to support their studies and university life. This also applies to EU, EEA and Swiss nationals who have citizens' rights following Brexit.

Government funding includes Tuition Fee Loans and Maintenance Loans. There are additional grants available for specific groups of students, such as those with disabilities or dependants.

We also offer a range of ARU scholarships, which can provide extra financial support while you’re at university.

Funding for international students

We offer a number of scholarships, as well as an early payment discount. Explore your options:

Entry requirements

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Teaching options

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, face-to-face campus teaching is supported by online learning using our established online learning systems. The number of contact hours varies course by course, and you can contact us for further information. The provision offered is subject to change due to the possibility of further Government restrictions, however we remain committed to delivering face-to-face teaching and ensuring a safe and inclusive environment.

In the event that there are further changes to the current restrictions that are in place due to the pandemic, we may need to move some courses online only at short notice to remain in line with Government guidelines and ensure the continued safety of our students and staff.

Important additional notes

Whether you're studying entirely online or through a blend of face-to-face and online learning from September 2021, you'll need a computer and reliable internet access to successfully engage with your course. Before starting the course, we recommend that you check our technical requirements for online learning. Our website also has general information for new students about starting university in 2021-22.

Our published entry requirements are a guide only and our decision will be based on your overall suitability for the course as well as whether you meet the minimum entry requirements. Other equivalent qualifications may be accepted for entry to this course, please email answers@aru.ac.uk for further information.

We don't accept AS level qualifications on their own for entry to our undergraduate degree courses. However for some degree courses a small number of tariff points from AS levels are accepted as long as they're combined with tariff points from A levels or other equivalent level 3 qualifications in other subjects.

Entry requirements for foundation year study at ARU College:

five GCSE passes at grade 3 or D or above and evidence of two years post-GCSE study at Level 3
if you have achieved at least grade E in one A level, or equivalent, you are exempt from the two year post-GCSE study requirement, but you still have to meet the GCSE requirements
if English is not your first language you will be expected to demonstrate a certificate level of proficiency of at least IELTS 5.5 overall including 5.5 in each band/component.

Whether you're studying entirely online or through a blend of face-to-face and online learning from September 2020, you'll need a computer and reliable internet access to successfully engage with your course. Before starting the course, we recommend that you check our technical requirements for online learning.

International students

We welcome applications from international and EU students, and accept a range of international qualifications.

See all international and EU qualifications

See entry qualifications for your country

Whether you're studying entirely online or through a blend of face-to-face and online learning from September 2020, you'll need a computer and reliable internet access to successfully engage with your course. A small number of our courses require additional technical specifications or specialist materials. Before starting the course, we recommend that you check our technical requirements for online learning. Our website also has general information for new students about starting university in 2020-21.

Teaching options

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, face-to-face campus teaching is supported by online learning using our established online learning systems. The number of contact hours varies course by course, and you can contact us for further information. The provision offered is subject to change due to the possibility of further Government restrictions, however we remain committed to delivering face-to-face teaching and ensuring a safe and inclusive environment.

In the event that there are further changes to the current restrictions that are in place due to the pandemic, we may need to move some courses online only at short notice to remain in line with Government guidelines and ensure the continued safety of our students and staff.

English language requirements

If English is not your first language, you'll need to make sure you meet our English language requirements for undergraduate courses.

Check the standard entry requirements for IELTS requirements for this course.

Improving your English language skills

If you don't meet our English language requirements, we offer a range of courses which could help you achieve the level required for entry onto a degree course.

We also provide our own English Language Proficiency Test (ELPT) in the UK and overseas. To find out if we are planning to hold an ELPT in your country, contact our country managers.

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