About this course

Choosing the correct materials is crucial to the success or failure of an engineering project. On this 4-year, integrated master's, you'll explore the properties and uses of common and new mechanical engineering materials. You'll develop the skills to design materials and surfaces, from the atomic level up to their application. This advanced course will help you find a rewarding career as a Chartered Engineer.

This course focuses on mechanics, structures and materials, and how they are managed. It will inspire you to use your knowledge and skills to address real mechanical and material engineering needs in society, in areas like:

transport
housing
recreation
food processing
medicine

You'll explore material use, including their design and manufacture, and you'll study how they behave throughout their service.

As part of this course you can:

showcase your work in our annual Engineering Design Show
choose from a range of optional modules, including microstructural and surface characterisation, and aircraft structures
put your skills into practice with an individual project and final year group design project
work with students from other engineering specialisms

The course draws on research from the Engineering Materials Research Group, which is actively involved in a broad range of activities in the advanced materials field.

We're a designated university for the Defence Technical Undergraduate Scheme (DTUS).

Year in industry

Enhance your employability by taking this course with a paid industrial placement year.

Apply using:

Course name: Mechanical Engineering / Materials with Industrial Placement Year
UCAS code: H3H7

You'll spend this extra year at an engineering firm, applying the skills and knowledge you've learned so far.

The fee is 20% of the standard annual tuition fee.

As a research-led University we undertake a continuous review of our courses to ensure quality enhancement and to manage our resources. As a result, this course may be revised however, any revision will be balanced against the requirement that the student should receive the educational service expected. Find out why, when and how we might make changes.

Accreditations

This course is accredited by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) as meeting the academic requirement, in full, for Chartered Engineer registration.

This course is accredited by:

Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE)

Engineering Council

European Accreditation of Engineering Programmes (EAEP)

Course locations

This course is based at Highfield and Boldrewood.

Awarding body

This qualification is awarded by the University of Southampton.

Download the Course Description Document

The Course Description Document details your course overview, your course structure and how your course is taught and assessed.

ODT

Download 2023-24 Course Description Document

Entry requirements

Entry requirements filter options

Other requirements

Got a question?

Please contact our enquiries team if you're not sure that you have the right experience or qualifications to get onto this course.

Email: enquiries@southampton.ac.uk
Tel: +44(0)23 8059 5000

Course structure

Modules in the first 2 years explore the fundamentals of mechanical engineering. You’ll gain the skills to apply your theoretical understanding to a wide range of real design problems.

In years 3 and 4 you'll extend your knowledge and skills by taking part in both individual and group projects.

You'll take specialist modules that focus on advanced materials and their use.

Year 1 overview

You'll take part in our award-winning induction programme and gain practical experience. Teams of new students work together to design and create. For example, you could take apart and put back together a 4 stroke engine.

The first year provides a background in engineering science, emphasising the mechanical engineering aspects. This includes a workshop training course.

Core modules cover topics such as:

thermofluids
materials
solid mechanics
electrical and electronics systems

You'll develop your design and programming skills, preparing you to design, build and test engineering systems, components and mechanisms.

Year 2 overview

You'll explore the main mechanical engineering subjects with tailored modules. This includes topics such as:

materials and structures
drives and machines
vibration

You'll also take part in a challenging design project, such as designing an autonomous robot or quadcopter.

You can apply to spend a semester abroad at the end of the year. We have several partner institutions that teach modules in English.

Year 3 overview

You'll undertake an individual project that usually takes the form of a design or research exercise.

You'll specialise in advanced materials and take modules including:

manufacturing and materials
biomaterials
heat transfer and applications

You'll also choose from a range of optional modules to focus or broaden your knowledge.

Year 4 overview

You'll take part in a group design project, these are often linked to current research activities or topics that have practical relevance to industry. You'll apply your conceptual engineering and scientific knowledge to an engineering design problem.

As a team, you'll develop your ideas through detailed design, experimentation, computer modelling and manufacture.

You'll study advanced topics, including:

design and manufacture of composites
failure of materials and components
materials, manufacturing and supply chains

Want more detail? See all the modules in the course.

Modules

The modules outlined provide examples of what you can expect to learn on this degree course based on recent academic teaching. As a research-led University, we undertake a continuous review of our course to ensure quality enhancement and to manage our resources. The precise modules available to you in future years may vary depending on staff availability and research interests, new topics of study, timetabling and student demand. Find out why, when and how we might make changes.

For entry in academic year 2024 to 2025

You must study the following modules in year 1:

An Introduction to Engineering Design

Engineers design physical products, systems and processes. They think big with vision, research, analyse, create, refine and deliver solutions. Engineering is a design discipline that is broad, creative, logical and holistic, while also focused and ex...

Electrical and Electronics Systems

It is difficult to imagine what the world would be like without electricity: homes without electric light, without television or radio, without motors to drive the washing machine, the refrigerator and the vacuum cleaner; offices without computers, word p...

Mathematics for Engineering and the Environment

This course lays the mathematical foundation for all engineering degrees. Its structure allows students with different levels of previous knowledge to work at their own pace. Pre-requisite for MATH2048 One of the pre-requisites for MATH3081 and MATH...

Mechanical Systems Analysis

This module builds upon the technical content of the other first year modules and develops skills needed for the professional application of Mechanical Engineering. The ability to solve new challenges through innovation and through application of scientif...

Mechanics, Structures and Materials

This module covers the fundamentals of mechanics, statics, dynamics and materials. Providing a firm basis for all subsequent modules in these areas in later Parts and a further career in engineering. This module consists of five inter-dependent, to some e...

ThermoFluids

Core Thermodynamics and Fluid Mechanics for all Engineering Themes. Students should be aware that this module requires pre requisites of Mathematics and Physics A Level

Learning and assessment

The learning activities for this course include the following:

lectures
classes and tutorials
coursework
individual and group projects
independent learning (studying on your own)

How you'll spend your course time:

Study time

Your scheduled learning, teaching and independent study for year 1:

34%

Scheduled learning & teaching

66%

Independent learning

How we'll assess you

coursework, laboratory reports and essays
design and problem-solving exercises
individual and group projects
oral presentations
written exams

Your assessment breakdown

Year 1:

41%

Written exam

36%

Coursework

23%

Practical exam

Academic support

You’ll be supported by a personal academic tutor and have access to a senior tutor.

Course leader

Philippa Reed is the course leader.

Careers

Our mechanical engineering courses are fully accredited by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, and offer a route to chartered status.

We're also a designated university for the Defence Technical Undergraduate Scheme (DTUS).

Our collaboration with Lloyd's Register at our Boldrewood Innovation Campus allows our students to gain industry experience through projects and placements.

As a mechanical engineer specialising in materials, your skills and knowledge will be in demand by many industries. You could develop the material for replacement joints, or work in fibre optics to support future technologies.

Recent mechanical engineering graduates have gone on to work at organisations including:

Aston Martin Lagonda
Babcock
Dyson
ExxonMobil
Rolls-Royce
Siemens
Formula 1 teams

Roles you'll be suited for include:

metallurgist
product development scientist
materials engineer
mechanical engineer
automotive engineer
control and instrumentation engineer
nuclear engineer

You'll develop transferable skills that are highly sought after in careers outside engineering. These include:

problem-solving
teamwork
communication
IT

Careers services at Southampton

We are a top 20 UK university for employability (QS Graduate Employability Rankings 2022). Our Careers, Employability and Student Enterprise team will support you. This support includes:

work experience schemes
CV and interview skills and workshops
networking events
careers fairs attended by top employers
a wealth of volunteering opportunities
study abroad and summer school opportunities

We have a vibrant entrepreneurship culture and our dedicated start-up supporter, Futureworlds, is open to every student.

Work in industry

You can take an Industrial Placement Year as part of this course.

This is an opportunity to apply what you have learned so far on your course, try out a potential career, and develop new skills and experience that will help you stand out to future employers.

Fees, costs and funding

Tuition fees

Fees for a year's study:

UK students pay £9,250.
EU and international students pay £27,400.

What your fees pay for

Your tuition fees pay for the full cost of tuition and all examinations.

Find out how to:

Accommodation and living costs, such as travel and food, are not included in your tuition fees. Explore:

Bursaries, scholarships and other funding

If you're a UK or EU student and your household income is under £25,000 a year, you may be able to get a University of Southampton bursary to help with your living costs. Find out about bursaries and other funding we offer at Southampton.

If you're a care leaver or estranged from your parents, you may be able to get a specific bursary.

Get in touch for advice about student money matters.

Scholarships and grants

You may be able to get a scholarship or grant to help fund your studies.

We award scholarships and grants for travel, academic excellence, or to students from under-represented backgrounds.

Support during your course

The Student Services Centre offers support and advice on money to students. You may be able to access our Student Support fund and other sources of financial support during your course.

Funding for EU and international students

Find out about funding you could get as an international student.

How to apply

When you apply use:

UCAS course code: HJ36
UCAS institution code: S27

Apply for this course

What happens after you apply?

We will assess your application on the strength of your:

predicted grades
academic achievements
personal statement
academic reference

We'll aim to process your application within 2 to 6 weeks, but this will depend on when it is submitted. Applications submitted in January, particularly near to the UCAS equal consideration deadline, might take substantially longer to be processed due to the high volume received at that time.

Equality and diversity

We treat and select everyone in line with our Equality and Diversity Statement.

Got a question?

Please contact our enquiries team if you're not sure that you have the right experience or qualifications to get onto this course.

Email: enquiries@southampton.ac.uk
Tel: +44(0)23 8059 5000

Related courses

Mechanical Engineering / Materials (MEng) is a course in the Mechanical engineering subject area. Here are some other courses within this subject area:

m

A female student making notes on her project in a design laboratory

BEng