Mechanical Engineering with foundation year

Mechanical engineering is the discipline that asks how things work, how they move and how they can be made better. It is concerned with the design, analysis, manufacture and maintenance of mechanical systems, ranging from tiny precision components in medical devices to the enormous turbines in power stations, and from the engines in cars to the airframes of aircraft. The discipline combines fundamental sciences, including mechanics, thermodynamics, fluid dynamics and materials science, with the engineering design skills and practical knowledge to turn scientific understanding into useful products and systems.

At Coventry University this four-year full-time programme includes a foundation year, which provides the mathematical and scientific preparation needed before you enter the full engineering degree. This makes the programme accessible to students with a genuine aptitude for the subject who may not yet meet standard entry requirements. The programme also includes a sandwich year with a year abroad and embedded work placement opportunities, giving you substantial professional experience and international exposure alongside your academic studies.

You will explore how mechanical systems work, how they are designed and built, and how they can be improved, with applications across aerospace, automotive, manufacturing and many other sectors. The typical entry tariff for this programme is around 56 UCAS points, reflecting the wide range of students the foundation route is designed to welcome.

Mechanical engineering graduates are in consistent demand across a very wide range of industries. Roles in design engineering, manufacturing engineering, product development, systems engineering, technical sales and project management are all well-established career paths. The aerospace, automotive, energy, defence, medical devices and consumer goods industries are all major employers.

Professional formation through bodies such as the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, leading to Chartered Engineer status, is a goal many graduates pursue alongside their careers. Postgraduate study in specialisms such as advanced manufacturing, robotics, thermofluids or structural mechanics is a further option.