Mechanical Engineering integrated with Placement Year

Mechanical engineering is the broadest of all the engineering disciplines, concerned with the design, analysis, manufacture, and maintenance of mechanical systems. It encompasses everything from micro-scale components in medical devices to large-scale industrial machinery, from the thermodynamics of power generation to the dynamics of vehicles and aircraft. The combination of physics, mathematics, materials science, and design thinking that a mechanical engineering degree develops is applicable across virtually every sector of the economy.

At Brunel University London this five-year full-time programme integrates a placement year into the degree, giving you sustained professional experience in an engineering organisation before you complete your studies. Brunel's teaching facilities include flight simulators and the Brunel Motorsport Centre, and students can join the student racing team to compete in Formula Student and Isle of Man TT competitions, hands-on engineering experiences that complement the academic curriculum with real design and build challenges. The programme covers the core mechanical engineering subjects, including statics and dynamics, fluid mechanics, thermodynamics, materials, manufacturing processes, control systems, and design, building your competence to professional engineering standard.

Mechanical engineering graduates are among the most broadly employable of all engineering graduates, and Brunel's strong industry connections and the placement year combine to produce graduates who are genuinely work-ready. Career paths span aerospace, automotive, manufacturing, energy, defence, and consultancy, with roles in design, testing, project engineering, and production management. The placement year significantly improves graduate employment outcomes and often leads directly to a job offer.

Postgraduate study in mechanical engineering or a specialist area such as aerospace, robotics, or advanced manufacturing is available for those who want to develop further expertise or pursue research.