BEng (Hons)Mechanical Engineering (with placement)

The Professional Engineer

Code: E4004HF
Credits: 20

Engineering relies on three core elements, namely scientific principles, mathematics, and realisation. Scientific principles underpin all engineering, while mathematics is the language used to communicate parameters and to model and optimise solutions. Realisation encapsulates the whole range of creative abilities which distinguish the engineer from the scientist: to conceive, make and actually bring to fruition something which has never existed before - and to create intellectual property, associating invention with commercial or social value. It is, therefore, incumbent on Professional Engineers to develop solutions responsibly – and the ability to develop economically viable and ethically sound sustainable solutions is an essential and distinguishing characteristic of engineering.  

In this module, you will: 

• Explore the required qualities and requirements of becoming a professional engineer, as well as the range of roles and industries available within the Agricultural, Automotive and Mechanical Engineering sectors. You will use this to inform your early career planning and selection of specialist routes from Year 2.
• Develop your study skills, giving you the tools to help your transition into Higher Education and to build your confidence in information literacy, research and independent learning. 
• Learn and apply a range of communication methods – including presentations, 3D Solid Modelling, Technical Drawing. 
• Be guided through the production of an exemplar case study portfolio, where you follow a defined process to develop an engineered solution to a constrained mechanical problem – and thus gaining experience as to how the various elements that you study on your degree combine to give you the capability to reliably engineer solutions to given problems. 

Module contact

Mr. Tom Underhill
Senior lecturer and Senior tutor (first year engineering students)

Define, Measure, Analyse, Improve and Control (DMAIC)

Code: E5005HF
Credits: 20

Define, Measure, Analyse, Improve and Control, or DMAIC as it is widely known, is a data-driven improvement process used in all kinds of businesses, in projects and in design. 

This module will provide you with the tools and methods to tackle problems and projects in a structured way through the aforementioned phases. This module will incorporate aspects of measurement, experimentation, analysis, processes, productivity, quality, lean and waste. 

Learning will be through a mixture of lectures and structured practical activities, and you will be assessed by a review, an experiment and a manufacturing scenario. 

Intended Learning Outcomes

Students who successfully complete this module will be able to: 

• Discuss the requirement for, and the impact of, a defined and data-led process for continuous improvement and problem-solving.   
• Collect, process and assess the quality of data. 
• Select and apply appropriate analysis tools to a data set. 
• Propose and evaluate improvement and control plans. 

Module contact

Mr Greg Rowsell
Programme Manager Engineering Courses

Placement year

Read our dedicated Placement Learning pages for information on the many benefits of the placement year.

Computer Programming for Engineers

Code: HF
Credits: 10

This module will provide you with knowledge and skills in programming, from basics to advanced tasks, and an overview of software, hardware, computing environments and conventions. By considering the timeline of developments in computer science you will appreciate how relatively recent this subject area is and the fast pace of change. Data types and structures are a key foundation, along with procedural code (for example loops and conditional statements) which you will use to develop applications in data science, interfacing with devices and user interface programmes. The module assessments will be supported by class activities, with one coursework assessment partway through, and a final coding assessment. 

Intended Learning Outcomes

Students who successfully complete this module will be able to: 

• Edit and write reproducible programmes to carry out specified tasks, implementing good practice. 
• Demonstrate knowledge of appropriate software, hardware, computer environments and processes. 
• Select, create and evaluate appropriate data types and structures, and processes (for example, to process experimental data, secondary data, or user input). 

Module contact

Dr Sarah Parsons
Senior Lecturer