General Engineering BEng (Hons)

Durham University

The BEng Engineering degree is a high-quality three-year degree designed to offer you the knowledge and skills necessary to join engineering teams on graduation. It is complementary to the four-year Durham MEng, and transfer is possible between the courses up to the end of the second year.In the first two years, the BEng covers the same broad base of engineering education as the MEng degree. In the third year, you choose to specialise in civil, electronic or mechanical engineering. The BEng prepares you for an exciting career in modern engineering, with the flexibility to respond to changing technologies.**Year 1**You will study four modules in engineering, one in mathematics and one optional module. In your engineering modules, you will receive instruction in the use of 3D Computer-Aided Design (CAD) software (e.g. SolidWorks), be taught how to implement engineering algorithms into computer code (specifically in C and MATLAB) and take part in a number of practical labs. You will also take part in a group design activity where you have to design, build and test a device to solve a specific engineering challenge. Recent examples include miniature hydroelectric generators and chain-climbing robots. On the course, you also attend lectures, discussion classes and supervisions with academic staff.**Year 2**Engineering and mathematics now occupy the full six modules in the timetable.You will undertake a major design project as part of a small team with guidance from an academic supervisor and an ‘Industrial Tutor’ (an engineer from industry). This lets you put into practice the skills and knowledge that you have developed in your lectures. The end result is a detailed design report and a series of CAD drawings good enough to manufacture a device from.**Year 3**At this point in the degree you will specialise into one of three streams: Civil, Electrical, Electronic or Mechanical Engineering.Each of the routes comprises appropriate stream-specific lecture content (four modules) plus an individual technical project (two modules). For your project, which is the highlight of most of our students’ degree, you will work closely with a project supervisor and will be responsible for planning, design and manufacture of equipment, experimentation, analysis and reporting of your results. For the Civil stream you will undertake a major design project supervised by practising Civil engineers (plus an academic supervisor), which will allow you to develop new skills and knowledge in various areas, from bridge design to geotechnical structures. Practical skills, in addition to the weekly laboratory sessions, cover topics from land surveying to industrial problem solving with interaction with local industry, depending on the selected stream.Module lists can be found here: https://www.durham.ac.uk/study/courses/h103/