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MEng Mechanical Engineering and Energy Engineering

Key information

UCAS code
HH38
Level
Undergraduate
Delivery type
Full Time
Degree qualification
MEng
Mode of delivery
On-Campus
Duration
5 years
Location
Edinburgh
Start date
September

The MEng (Hons) Mechanical Engineering and Energy Engineering encourages you to think creatively to solve modern challenges with new and advanced technical solutions. By studying this five-year degree, you’ll build upon a sound engineering foundation and be introduced to specialist energy topics, and environmental impact assessment and management. You’ll gain the skills to tackle challenging professional tasks associated with energy provision and utilisation and learn to take responsibility for decision-making in areas related to energy and the environment.  

The undergraduate degree will equip you with a sound basis in Mechanical Engineering and Energy Engineering to progress society towards a more sustainable future with solutions for cleaner energy sources and improved efficiency.  You’ll explore thermodynamics and fluid mechanisms to understand how turbines generate electricity from geothermal or nuclear sources and analyse heat pumps as a more efficient alternative to gas boilers to heat homes across the UK. You’ll apply your subject knowledge and problem-solving skills to develop innovate solutions to increase the efficiency and performance of aircraft and transport and improve medical engineering and nanotechnology.   

During the programme, you’ll have the opportunity to build and develop your professional network through industrial visits, and an optional industrial placement which, upon completion, will result in you being awarded a Diploma in Industrial Training (DIT). Throughout the programme, you will engage in hands on and practical work, and apply your learned theory. This will ensure you gain the practical skills demanded by industry, making you highly employable upon graduating.  

As a mechanical engineer, you’ll deal with the design, development, optimisation, and operation of mechanical parts and systems. You’ll gain a broad knowledge of the core components in Mechanical Engineering Sciences and practices, studying modules including but not limited to mechanics, fields and forces, electrical engineering, mathematics, mechanical engineering, design and manufacture, fluid mechanics, mechanics of materials, thermodynamics, sustainable development and engineering management, energy studies, and renewable energy technologies.   

In response to current industry changes and emerging trends, your learning will be built around the core concept of sustainability. You’ll learn how to engineer solutions that are environmentally, financially, and socially sustainable. Some examples include: 

  • designing turbines to generate electricity from geothermal or nuclear sources,

  • creating heat pumps to replace gas boilers for a more efficient alternative,

  • increasing the efficiency and performance of aircraft and transport,

  • and improving medical engineering and nanotechnology.

Beyond gaining the fundamental knowledge of mechanical engineering, you’ll develop key transferable skills to set you up for a successful career in industry. By working both independently and across multidisciplinary teams on projects and assignments, you’ll gain key team working, professional presentation, and technical writing skills. You’ll explore key topics in business to develop insight global issues such as product life-cycle sustainability and financial viability. 

Your student experience

Heriot-Watt has recently been ranked first in Scotland for General Engineering (The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide, 2023). 

Your learning will be informed by the expertise of our research-active mechanical engineers and academics.  

96% of Heriot-Watt University’s engineering research was classed as world-leading in the REF 2021 review, which ranked us 1st in Scotland and 3rd in the UK for engineering research through a joint submission with the University of Edinburgh. 

Our MEng Mechanical Engineering is directly informed by the world class research carried out by Heriot-Watt’s Mechanical, Process and Energy Engineering (IMPEE) research institute which focuses on promoting excellence across four main research themes: 

  • Biomedical Engineering 

  • Digital Engineering 

  • Energy Harvesting and Conversion 

  • Multiphase Flow 

You’ll benefit from our innovative approach when it comes to the promotion and communication of energy research activities. Our Energy Academy, a virtual learning centre used to connect all energy related research across the university, gives you direct access to the latest research carried out across the university. Heriot-Watt has three dedicated energy research centres which study:   

  • Energy Generation, Conversion and Storage,   

  • Intermittency of Supply, Storage and Control,   

  • and Energy Policy and Strategy    

The research relevance of this undergraduate programme ensures your studies remain cutting-edge and industry focused. 

Go Global

There are currently no Go Global opportunities for this particular programme. However, other Go Global opportunities may be available. Please contact studywithus@hw.ac.uk for more information.

Course content

September Intake - Edinburgh

Mandatory September

  • Mechanics, Fields and Forces
  • Introduction to Electrical and Electronic Engineering
  • Engineering in Context 1
  • Mathematics for Engineers and Scientists 1

Mandatory January

  • Waves and Matter
  • Engineering in Context 2
  • Introduction to Mechanical Engineering
  • Mathematics for Engineers and Scientists 2

Fees and funding

intake tuition fees
StatusFee
ScotlandPaid by SAAS
England / Wales / N Ireland / Rep of Ireland£9,250
International£25,008
  • Status: Your residency status is usually defined as the country where you have been ordinarily resident for the three years before the start of your course.
  • International: 'International' includes applicants from European Union countries who do not hold Pre-Settled or Settled status in UK. (This does not include students from the Republic of Ireland - see above).

Scholarships and bursaries

Bursaries for students from England, Northern Ireland or Wales

In addition to government loans and grants towards the costs of fees and living costs, we are offering generous financial support to attract and support eligible undergraduate students from England, Northern Ireland or Wales:

  • Heriot-Watt University Bursary (up to £3,100 per year)
View details

Entry requirements

We have standard entry requirements for all of our courses that you will have to meet.

Standard entry requirements

  • Highers AAAB (including Mathematics and Physics with one at A)
  • A-Levels BBB - AAB (including Mathematics and Physics)
  • Int. Baccalaureate 30 points (including Mathematics and Physics at Higher Level 5)
  • BTEC DDM in Engineering
  • HNC A in graded unit (in relevant HNC, Eng Mathematics 1 and Eng Mathematics 2)

Minimum entry requirements*

  • Highers BBBC (including Mathematics at B and Physics or Engineering Science at B)
  • A-Levels BCC (including Mathematics and Physics with one at B)
  • BTEC DMM in Engineering
  • Int. Baccalaureate 29 points (including Mathematics and Physics at Higher Level 5)

* Minimum: under our Fair Access Policy, we will relax our standard entry requirements for some Scottish students depending on their circumstances. Our minimum requirements will apply if you:

  • live in an area within the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation lowest 20% (SIMD20), or
  • are care experienced.

We can also make exceptions for some Scottish students with grades above minimum but below standard. Read more about our Minimum and standard entry requirements

Why Heriot-Watt

We're the top university in Scotland for graduate outcomes which means that more of our graduates are employed or in postgraduate education than any other institution in the country and we ranked 5th in the UK.

We're also rated number one in the UK for CEO or MD roles, meaning more of our graduates go on to become CEOs or MDs than any other university in the whole of the UK. On top of that, we have beautiful campuses, across the globe, so you'll get a truly international education. Our Edinburgh Campus is home to Oriam, Scotland's National Sports Performance Centre combined with plenty of wellbeing resources, prioritising fitness and mental health for all students. Our Global Research Institutes look at solving real world issues such as climate change and saving our oceans as well as working on the next medical technological breakthrough and the future of AI and robots.

Employability

Work and study

This is what our MEng Mechanical Engineering and Energy Engineering students are doing 15 months after graduating:
75%
are working

Salary

£28500
The average salary of students 15 months after graduating
£29000
The average UK salary of students 15 months after graduating from a similar course

Potential career paths

  • Engineering professionals
  • Business and public service associate professionals
  • Conservation and environment professionals
  • Teaching Professionals

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