Engineering and technology courses in the UK include:

electrical, electronic and marine engineering

metals technology

aeronautical engineering

civil engineering

motor vehicle technology

industrial design and technology.

Different UK study options take you to a range of career opportunities. Production engineering courses open doors in manufacturing and industry; civil engineering leads to building bridges and roads; while aerospace engineering could be the start of a career in the aircraft industry. Some UK universities even run their own manufacturing groups as commercial enterprises.

Study engineering in the UK and you’ll have a hand in shaping all aspects of life. How you get to university, where you live, the medicines you take and the films you watch are all the result of engineering. A UK education in engineering and technology will give you the versatility to cross over into many different professions.

You can find information about engineering and technology career opportunities on the Prospects website.

Why study engineering in the UK?

• UK engineering and technology education is closely allied to industry. Many UK courses give you the opportunity to work alongside professionals on research projects and industry placements. This gives you an excellent basis for a career in the global marketplace.
• Engineering is the third highest-earning career behind law and medicine.
• There is high demand for mechanical engineers. More than 63 per cent of one UK university's corporate mechanical engineers now work with industrial companies, and 75 per cent of their recent graduates work in the industry

 

UK engineering and technology courses to study
You could study an HND in engineering or choose from more than 100 Foundation Degree programmes. A UK degree can be a three-year course leading to a BEng or BSc, or a four-year course leading to an MEng.

Many UK courses are accredited by the following professional bodies:

• Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE)
• Institution of Structural Engineers (IStructE)
• Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE)

Choosing one of these will enable you to become a chartered engineer, registered with the Engineering Council UK.

Sound engineering and technology courses for record production, television and radio are another option. HNDs and Foundation Degrees are available in Music Production and Commercial Music Technology. You could also study UK degree-level courses in Audio Technology and Computer Science.

Postgraduate UK engineering courses
A postgraduate UK education to at least master's level is essential if you want to gain CEng status and become a chartered engineer. The accredited BEng (Hons) degree plus further learning to master's level, or accredited MEng, is the 'benchmark' standard. MSc and PhD programmes are also available, the latter often sponsored by interested organisations.

There are eight research councils in the UK providing funding for postgraduate research. The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) alone invests more than £500 million a year.