Engineering at university
Studying engineering at university is just one way of pursuing a career in engineering.
You can pick a specialist course – or try a broad one for a year or two before specialising. A Bachelors degree (BEng) course takes three years while a Masters (MEng) takes four. Some courses also include a year’s placement on the job.
Entry grades vary, as does the course content, but for most engineering courses you’ll need maths and physics A level (or equivalent) – or for chemical engineering, chemistry A level (or equivalent).
If you have a very specific career in mind, check the course content is right before applying. Visit the UCAS website (www.ucas.co.uk) or contact the university directly for more information.
Accreditation
For engineering courses at university it is helpful to know if your course is accredited by the Engineering Council. The Engineering Council holds details of academic qualifications that partially or fully satisfy the education requirement for CEng and IEng professional registration. You can search a database of qualifications accredited by UK professional engineering institutions here.
Which university?
As well as course content, think about what you want from a university when choosing where to go. Is it close to home? What is the cost of living? Is there plenty of student accommodation? Is it in a city or the countryside?
There is lots of information available to support a decision about which universities to apply for. Here are some general links that may help you with choosing a university and the right course:
www.direct.gov.uk/en/EducationAndLearning/UniversityAndHigherEducation/DecidingWhereToStudy
www.thecompleteuniversityguide.co.uk
www.thestudentroom.co.uk/wiki/Choosing_a_University
Want to find out how much your chosen course may cost you? You can calculate your loan repayments (based on an average starting salary) here http://studentfinance-yourfuture.direct.gov.uk
Several daily newspapers publish annual league tables (in print and on-line) which rank universities according to various criteria. Printed university guides are also available from bookshops.
After graduation
Once you graduate, you may decide to continue to study for a postgraduate qualification in engineering – such as a Masters degree (MEng) or Doctorate (PhD) – either full time or while you’re working. Not only can these lead to research roles, but they can also land you some great roles in industry, as the depth of knowledge gained is highly valued by employers.
For postgraduate careers advice visit www.prospects.ac.uk