Automotive Engineering

Few engineering disciplines combine the demands of performance, safety, aesthetics and sustainability as directly as automotive engineering. Cars, vans, buses and the increasingly diverse family of road vehicles must satisfy precise mechanical and structural requirements while meeting tightening environmental standards and the expectations of drivers and passengers. Automotive engineers work across the full product lifecycle, from initial concept and simulation through testing and manufacture to the service and improvement of vehicles already in use.

The industry is undergoing one of the most significant transformations in its history, driven by electrification, autonomous systems and new materials, making the skills this degree develops especially relevant.

At Coventry, a city with deep roots in the British automotive industry, you will study the fundamental engineering sciences, including thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, structural analysis and materials, alongside the specialist knowledge that defines automotive practice, such as powertrain design, vehicle dynamics, chassis systems, aerodynamics and electronic control systems. The programme runs full time over three years and includes a sandwich placement year as well as a year abroad, both of which give you extended experience in professional engineering or international academic environments. Work with industry partners and access to specialist facilities means you connect theory to practice throughout your studies.

Graduates move into roles across vehicle design and development, manufacturing engineering, systems integration, testing and validation, and increasingly into the fields of electric vehicle technology and software-defined transport. Major automotive manufacturers, Tier 1 suppliers, motorsport organisations and engineering consultancies all employ automotive engineers. Many graduates also continue to postgraduate study, pursuing research in propulsion, materials, autonomous systems or sustainable transport.