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In this module you will strengthen your mathematical skills and apply them to important engineering problems. Theory is presented in the context of real engineering scenarios so that both the mathematical technique itself and the engineering concept are both better understood. This includes extending integration into higher dimensions, and introducing linear algebra, including vectors and matrices, which are applied to solving problems on structural mechanics and electronic networks, for example. Methods of approximating and solving non-linear functions are discussed in order to show how hard problems can be simplified. Laplace transforms are introduced which reduce the complexity of differential equations allowing you to solve complex dynamic problems with relative ease. The theoretical development is supported by demonstration and implementation in MATLAB, a numerical analysis tool. By combining analytical techniques with computational tools, you’ll develop clear strategies for solving a wide range of engineering problems with confidence.

This module will provide you with key practical skills that will allow you to design physical components, structures and systems and create functionality across all engineering disciplines. Whether you are a chemical engineer designing a heat exchanger, or a nuclear engineer designing a reactor, all engineers need to be able to generate and understand engineering drawings. Here you will use industry standard Computer Aided Design software to realise your designs.

You will also learn the formal design process so that you can create innovative and robust designs. Using a ‘Design for Manufacture’ focus, you will learn how your designs can be manufactured from a range of subtractive, additive and forming methods. You will give your designs functionality through PCB design and C programming. Learning C through a blend of interactive teaching methods will provide a strong foundation in computer programming and allow you to control system-level applications and embedded systems.

This module introduces thermodynamics, heat transfer, and fluid dynamics, core principles that drive engineering solutions across all disciplines. Understanding how heat and fluid behave is crucial for engineers tackling real-world challenges, from designing efficient thermal management systems and heat exchangers to optimizing industrial processes. You will explore the fundamental laws governing energy transfer and fluid flow, learning how these principles apply to practical engineering scenarios. In this module theoretical concepts are reinforced through experiments and observations. By directly engaging with real-world examples, you will develop a deep understanding of the mechanisms at play. The module is designed to provide a solid foundation of knowledge, with practical exercises that reinforce and enable the extension to specialist knowledge in future years.

This module covers key analytical techniques providing a foundation for all engineering programmes. Whether you are already familiar with these concepts or not, this module will bring everyone to the same level and make sure you have the mathematical tools to succeed. Techniques of primary importance to engineering such as complex numbers, differentiation and integration are covered to ensure you can understand and apply all the different methods available and solve real engineering problems during the supported sessions and beyond. This analysis is supported by practical lessons in the use of numerical techniques using tools such as MATLAB. These tools are used not only to show how techniques such as numerical integration are implemented in a way that enables you to generate solutions to any problem you may encounter as an engineer, but they also help you visualise and appreciate the meaning and implications to the analytical techniques used.

This module introduces the foundations of engineering mechanics, equipping you with the skills to analyse and design advanced mechanical systems subjected to general loads. It focuses on the foundations of statics and dynamics, with principles of structural mechanics; it covers system equilibrium for statically determinate and statically indeterminate structures, stress and deformations and buckling, along with kinematics and dynamics of material points and rigid bodies. You will develop an understanding of the physical behaviour of structural and mechanical systems and their design, fulfilling stress, deformation and stability constraints, while gaining proficiency in mathematical and physical modelling for analysing these systems. Additionally, the module provides you with a comprehensive understanding of mechanical system dynamics, enabling to analyse time-dependent loads of mechanical components undergoing general motion. All theory will be supported by worked examples of diverse complexity to assist learning from consolidations of the foundations to their application to real mechanical systems.

Throughout your degree you gain a unique skills set based on your understanding of the interdisciplinary nature of sciences. In this module we develop your self-awareness of these skills and how to make the most of graduate-level employment opportunities.

We introduce you to the University’s employability resources including job search techniques and search engine use. We develop your skills in writing CVs and cover letters, and we draw on the expertise of employers and alumni. Your ability to effectively use these resources will enhance your employability skills, your communication skills and help you to develop a short-term career plan.

Many things in engineering move from a simple door hinge through to the complex interactions found within an automotive transmission system. Mechanisms that move all have fundamental components that allow them to perform their task. This module introduces the underlying components and the scientific understanding behind their design to allow you to design machines that move better and more sustainably. Topics covered include bearings, gears, shafts, couplings and threaded fasteners along with power transmission, efficiency and the importance of component tolerance. The latest science understanding behind contact stress, tribology friction and wear, will lead you to safer and more effective, sustainable design choices. Alongside improved technical knowledge you will develop key skills in understanding technical literature and graphical communication.

This module introduces the fundamentals of engineering materials, focusing on their structure, properties, and real-world applications. It covers atomic bonding, crystalline structures, defects, deformation mechanisms, and phase transformations, as well as failure analysis under complex loading conditions such as fatigue, creep, and environmental degradation. Students will also explore material characterisation techniques, mechanical analysis, and material selection, with an emphasis on sustainability and lifecycle considerations. By studying this module, students will gain critical knowledge and skills to analyse material behaviour, predict failures, and select appropriate materials for engineering design. They will learn to interpret testing data, apply fracture mechanics concepts, and evaluate environmental impacts, aligning with the UN Sustainable Development Goals. A key feature of this module is its blend of theoretical foundations and practical applications, preparing students for challenges in manufacturing and advanced material technologies.

Understanding how fluids move and how mass is transported is essential in engineering as these principles are applied across various industries, from energy production and manufacturing design to chemical and nuclear plants. In this module, you will explore the nature of fluids and their fundamental properties. You will develop a solid understanding of how fluids behave at rest (fluid mechanics) and in motion (fluid dynamics), and you will test your understanding in the lab. You will also gain insight into mass transfer principles, including molecular diffusion, convective mass transfer, and interfacial transport. These concepts are crucial for designing efficient separation processes, optimising chemical reactions, and developing sustainable engineering solutions.

The module provides an integrated understanding of energy exchange mechanisms in engineering systems, focusing on heat and work transfer across different states and phases of matter. The module emphasises analysing gas and steam systems, refrigeration cycles, heat pump technologies, and reciprocating engines, enabling a competitive edge in shaping the future of sustainable energy solutions. You will understand how to measure and calculate thermodynamic properties for ideal and real fluids, analyse gas and steam systems, evaluate refrigeration and heat pump cycles and master the methods for heat transfer analysis, optimisation of energy processes and systems in consideration of heat transfer, energy conservation and energy availability. You will gain essential problem-solving skills and fundamental knowledge for industrial energy systems analysis and energy-efficient systems design, which is crucial for career development in mechanical, aerospace, and energy engineering.

In this group project, you will collaborate within a multidisciplinary team to address a research problem, or a challenge defined by one of the School of Engineering’s industrial collaborators. Your group will conduct an in-depth investigation, combining theoretical research with practical solutions, drawing from your studies in preceding years. The project will often involve design, modelling, data analysis, and experimental work to verify your approaches, integrating engineering knowledge with management and leadership skills. You will be supported by a primary supervisor, along with additional guidance from other academic staff and technicians. The project comprises 400 learning hours per student, and the summative assessment includes a group report (dissertation) that highlights individual contributions and an individual presentation to supervisors. Formative assessment is provided through weekly supervision and regular group meetings for feedback. This module offers an excellent opportunity to apply your skills to real-world challenges, fostering teamwork, problem-solving, and technical proficiency.

*This module is mandatory for those students undertaking a project in the MSci Mechanical Engineering pathway.

In this individual project, you will deepen your understanding of a specific engineering topic of your choice. You will conduct a detailed review of the topic, which will serve as a foundation for enhancing the technical content of your project. Depending on the nature of your work, you may need to perform computer simulations, mathematical analyses, and/or practical experiments. You will be assigned a project supervisor who is an expert in your chosen field and will provide guidance on both the technical aspects and project management. Additionally, you will receive support from academic staff, postgraduate students, and technical personnel.

*This module is mandatory for those students undertaking a project in the MSci Mechanical Engineering pathway.

In this module we continue to develop your employability skills. We focus on your ability to communicate your scientific learning to reflect the interdisciplinary nature of your degree and empower you when it comes to job applications and interviews. This includes practice for assessment centres and associated tasks such as psychometric testing and skills testing, and 1-1 recruitment selection or panel-based interviews.

This hands-on, lab-based module immerses students in the practical application of numerical methods, specifically Finite Element Analysis (FEA) and Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), to support informed engineering design decisions. Lectures provide essential context, exploring how simulations fit into the design process and equipping students with the theoretical knowledge needed to develop, justify, and assess effective simulation strategies. Through computer-based labs, students will gain experience using industry-standard commercial software to apply these concepts in real-world scenarios. Key skills include meshing techniques, applying boundary conditions, extracting critical data, and validating simulations to ensure accuracy and reliability. Emphasis is placed on bridging theory with practice, helping students refine their approach to complex engineering problems. By the end of the module, students will be proficient in using simulation tools to enhance design efficiency, optimise performance, and solve engineering challenges with confidence.

This module provides you with practical competences in dynamics and industrial mechatronic design. It focuses on the dynamic modelling of mechanical and mechatronic systems in the time and frequency domain using a range of mathematical techniques. It will explore the fundamental principles and practical applications of dynamic analyses in engineering system, including vibration of multiple degree of freedom systems, impact, concepts of precision location and guidance of moving parts; design with flexural elements; kinematic design; and causes of errors in machine systems. The module emphasizes both analytical and computational approaches that will help you to identify, model and mitigate vibration and motion –related issues in mechanical and mechatronic engineering, machinery, and prepare them to tackle complex dynamic challenge in their future career.

In this module, you will gain essential skills in engineering management, covering key areas such as scheduling, project risk management, quality management, and cost and resource management. You will also explore entrepreneurial topics, including business model generation, market segmentation, and effective communication of business proposals. At the heart of the module is a group business proposal, where you will apply management theory from lectures and entrepreneurial workshops. Through presentations, pitches, and valuable insights from industry experts, you will develop your business ideas with creativity, innovation, and an entrepreneurial mindset—focusing on idea generation, start-ups, and venture planning. With a strong emphasis on ethical engineering and Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI), this module will equip you with the knowledge and confidence to take on management roles and drive positive change in your future career.

Human nature is to immediately think of solutions to a problem and having an answer quickly is often considered good practice. Complex systems mean this approach rarely works, systems engineering and associated structured tools are the only viable approach to handling complex systems. This module will develop your skills for eliciting, capturing and analysing customer requirements, improve your creative thinking, introduce you to tools and functional modelling methods to generate and select conceptual system design solutions which include user centred design and are applicable regardless of the complexity, discipline or problem. You will learn about the role of quality management principles as well as exploring modern approaches to manufacture whilst building your critical analysis, team working, leadership and mentoring skills.

Do you want to entertain and inspire children and the public in STEM? With an introduction to teaching as well as wider engagement opportunities, learn how to understand your audience and how to engage and enliven them. You will also learn how to balance this with educating them and presenting science in a way that’s appropriate to your audience. We include an introduction to pedagogy, how to inspire school pupils and how to use traditional and new media for science communication.

You will deliver an activity of your choosing to an audience. This could be a lesson at school, engaging with children at a large outreach event or delivering a public lecture. In addition, you will also reflect on your activity to discuss what you’ve learnt and what changes you would make. You can deliver this by either video, podcast or article.

In this individual project, you will deepen your understanding of a specific engineering topic of your choice. You will conduct a detailed review of the topic, which will serve as a foundation for enhancing the technical content of your project. Depending on the nature of your work, you may need to perform computer simulations, mathematical analyses, and/or practical experiments. You will be assigned a project supervisor who is an expert in your chosen field and will provide guidance on both the technical aspects and project management. Additionally, you will receive support from academic staff, postgraduate students, and technical personnel.

This module explores the advanced materials that drive innovation across industries such as automotive, aerospace, healthcare, construction, and energy. You will uncover how material properties, processing techniques, and microstructure influence the performance of critical components. Through hands-on learning and materials selection tools, you will analyse historic developments in materials and apply this knowledge to design next-generation alloys that enhance performance, reduce costs, and promote sustainability. By the end of the module, you will have the skills to make informed design choices for materials that could help shape the future of engineering and technology.

Explore the future of clean energy with this module on hydrogen and fuel cell technologies. You will gain a strong understanding of how hydrogen is produced, stored, and used as a sustainable energy source. The module covers the fundamentals of fuel cell operation, types of fuel cells, and their applications. Through case studies and practical examples, you will learn about the challenges and advancements in hydrogen technology, infrastructure, and environmental impact. This module will help you develop critical problem-solving skills and a forward-thinking approach to energy solutions. By the end, you will have the knowledge to assess the role of hydrogen in a low-carbon future and understand its potential in global energy markets. Assessment may include reports, presentations and technical analysis. This module is ideal if you are interested in renewable energy, engineering, or sustainability.

This module aims to develop your understanding of the key aspects underlying engineering science, relating to the production of nuclear fuels and the conversion of nuclear energy. The unique hazards associated with handling the materials in the manufacturing train, such as criticality, radioactive exposure, chemical toxicity and flammability, will be highlighted together with methods for their safe management. You will be able to study advanced material balancing methods suited to the special requirements of nuclear materials including methods of reconciliation and active material accountancy. Additionally, you will extend your knowledge of heat transfer with particular reference to the design of nuclear reactors and the complex boiling processes occurring in theory geometries. Ultimately, this module will provide understanding of a range of nuclear fuels, their associated manufacturing processes, and their relationship with the civil/military controversy.

This module will introduce the fundamental concepts underpinning fusion energy and its associated engineering challenges. You will learn the candidate fusion reactions and discuss the different engineering approaches to extracting useful energy from them, with a focus on magnetic confinement fusion (MCF) and inertial confinement fusion (ICF). The module will provide a basic grounding in electromagnetism and superconductivity to enable discussion of these confinement concepts and associated technologies, including lasers, magnets and diagnostics. Further, you will learn about the tritium fuel cycle and materials issues unique to fusion, i.e. radiation damage, and how these are being developed with consideration to public acceptability. The module will employ a systems approach showing the interdependence between different components in a fusion reactor. This will demonstrate how to treat a complex system in a holistic way. The module will also examine how non-technological factors, such as economics, politics and public perception impact technological development.

The module discusses engineering aspects of wind, tidal and hydraulic energy, from the analysis of the resource (e.g. wind frequency distribution and tide cycles) to the analysis, design and control of the turbines required to convert renewable energy into electricity. Analysis and design of solar farms is also addressed. Methods and examples of cost and environmental impact analysis of renewable energy are introduced. Latest approaches to integrating renewable energy in large electricity grids and energy storage technologies are presented. The hydrogen economy is analysed, with approaches to green hydrogen generation, transport, storage and cost analysis. You will learn specialised and general skills, including:

1. initial aero-/hydromechanical analysis and design of wind, hydraulic and hydrokinetic turbines
2. cost and environmental impact analysis
3. analysis of green hydrogen generation, storage and usage as an energy vector
4. analysis of energy transmission chain and techno-economic aspects of integrating new energy production systems into macrogrids