Design engineers are innovators, taking concepts from initial ideas to commercial reality across a range of sectors including consumer products, automotive and industrial systems. Our BEng Design Engineering offers highly relevant modules in sought-after engineering and scientific subjects. The programme aims to develop creative problem solving and idea skills as well as skills vital to modern engineering environments. This includes the skills to develop innovative new product and system concepts, to visualize them using industry standard software, and design them for modern manufacturing techniques and predict their performance in service.

What you’ll learn

Our course introduces a full range of core engineering science modules coupled to practical projects, ensuring a highly integrated and industry-relevant degree programme.

From your first year you'll be working on major projects, often in partnership with commercial engineering companies. You’ll work with colleagues, staff and engineers from industry to develop real solutions to live problems.

You’ll look at key areas such as design, prototyping and developing ideas, as well as the engineering science and mathematics behind these subjects. Specialist modules in areas such as control systems and solid mechanics will make sure your technical skillset is excellent and ready for application in any engineering sector.

Our teaching is innovative, with the curriculum based on a hands-on teaching framework called CDIO - Conceive, Design, Implement, Operate. This enables you to apply real-world skills as you learn, enabling you to maximise your learning. Our facilities are absolutely state-of-the-art with advanced 3D printing facilitates and engine test laboratories with specialist equipment designed for engineering students. You may choose to spend your third year in industry and we can support you to find a paid, professional placement of direct relevance to your studies. This placement will give you invaluable practical experience in a real work environment and further enhance your career prospects.

We have lots of exciting engineering activities you can get involved with at Aston, including the IMechE sponsored Formula Student, where you can work with the Aston Racing Team to design, build and race a single-seat racing car.

You can also network with employers and showcase your work as part of the Mechanical Engineering and Design Industry Club. Here you’ll be given opportunities to meet employers, which can help you to secure a placement or employment and you’ll learn by working on live industrial projects and interacting with industry professionals.

Modules

Our programmes put you in control, giving you the skills and confidence to lead and undertake complex engineering projects and providing you with the experiences you need to succeed in the industry. Teaching isn’t just lectures, it’s workshops and practical sessions too.

You will be involved in individual and group project work throughout the course, designed to develop individual skills as an engineer as well as communication and the organisational and leadership skills needed to work effectively in a business or organisation. The course emphasises the commercial as well as industrial aspects of mechanical engineering and you will take a number of management-related modules.

Assessment is by a combination of exams, project, lab and coursework. Your final degree classification is determined by your performance in all years after the first year.

There are a wide range of roles you’ll be qualified for including product and process research and development, manufacturing systems engineering and roles in the pharmaceutical and chemical industries. Our close links with industry and the broad basis of our degree programme ensures our students have excellent career opportunities upon graduating. You might want to go into a career in research, development and design, automotive engineering, power generation or advanced technology and computer-aided design.

Our graduates work for automotive, aerospace and electronics companies, pharmaceutical and chemical organisations and computer software houses. They’ve found graduate engineer positions with companies including Corus, IMI Plc, the armed forces, BAE Systems, Nissan, Lloyds TSB and EDF Energy.