BEng (Hons) Mechanical Engineering and Energy Engineering
Saturday 30 September and 28 October.
Get a feel for undergraduate life and study at our Edinburgh campus. Attend subject talks, explore our facilities and speak to our friendly and knowledgeable students and staff.
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The course
- UCAS code
- HH3V
- Duration
- 4 years
- Location
- Edinburgh
- Delivery type
- Full-time
Four-year Mechanical Engineering degree with specialist focus on energy engineering. Heriot-Watt is ranked top 10 in the UK for Mechanical Engineering by The Times and Sunday Times, The Guardian and the Complete University Guide League Tables 2021.
Contact
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Contact our enquiries team.
Overview
Modern challenges require new and advanced technical solutions, and mechanical engineers are vital to achieving those solutions. It is the technical development of the world that drives us forward.
By studying our four-year degree in Mechanical Engineering and Energy Engineering you can gain the skills to tackle challenging professional tasks associated with energy provision and utilisation.
You will learn to take responsibility for decision-making in areas related to energy and the environment. Building on a sound engineering foundation, you will be introduced to specialist energy topics as well as environmental impact assessment and management.
Rankings
Heriot-Watt University was ranked 1st in Scotland and top 10 in the UK for Mechanical Engineering by the Guardian University Guide 2020.
We have also been ranked top 10 in the UK for Mechanical Engineering by the Complete University Guide 2021, the Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2021, and the Guardian University League Tables 2021.
Mechanical Engineering and sustainability
Mechanical Engineers will help us to progress towards a more sustainable future with solutions for cleaner energy sources and improved efficiency.
For example, thermodynamics and fluid mechanics, which are key to mechanical engineering, underpin the turbines used in generating electricity from geothermal or nuclear sources as well as the heat pumps which could replace gas boilers in homes across the UK as a more efficient alternative. Other developments gained through mechanical engineering will increase the efficiency and performance of aircraft and transport, and improve medical engineering and nanotechnology.
Industrial links
Our industrial connections form the backbone of our degree. We work closely with an Industrial Advisory Board, a panel of engineers and business leaders, to ensure that our course content reflects the needs of industry and employers to provide graduates with the right blend of knowledge, practical skills, and soft skills.
This collaboration allows the curriculum to be regularly updated to include emerging technological needs. A recent example being the inclusion of the optional biomedical engineering course offered in Years 4 and 5.
The Industrial Advisory Board also plays a direct role in Year 4 when they challenge our students to come up with practical engineering solution for a problem impacting their organisation. Students present their design project to the industrial panel who asses the work as clients would, providing professional feedback and advice.
Facilities
The University has recently invested £19m in the development of The Global Research Innovation and Discovery Centre (GRID) on our Edinburgh campus. The mechanical engineering discipline is one of the major stakeholders in this new building, utilising it to provide students with lab-based practical activities. Students have the chance to use the ‘Makers space' with 3D printers and a laser cutter to rapidly prototype their own designs. In addition, our extensive teaching and research labs facilitate work in areas such as dynamics, materials engineering, and fluid mechanics.
Careers
Mechanical Engineering offers an exciting environment where many skills are brought together to create innovative products and the infrastructure and technology for manufacture. Recent Heriot-Watt graduates have progressed to working for organisations such as Mercedes, Babcock Marine, Mclaren, Shell UK, Halliburton and QinetiQ.
As a mechanical engineer, you will deal with the design, development, optimisation, and operation of mechanical parts and systems. All industrial sectors value mechanical engineers, including manufacturing, oil and gas, aerospace, and automotive, as well as emerging areas such as energy and renewable energy, medical engineering, and nanotechnology.
Mechanical Engineering Research
We were ranked 1st in Scotland and 3rd in the UK for engineering research through a joint submission with the University of Edinburgh in REF 2021 which classed 96% of our research output as ‘world-class'.
The Institute of Mechanical, Process and Energy Engineering promotes excellence across its main research themes: Biomedical Engineering, Energy Harvesting and Conversion, Multiphase Flow and Digital Engineering. Heriot-Watt University is the leader amongst UK universities in promoting energy activities through its ‘Energy Academy', a virtual centre which connects all energy-related research across the University.
Global College pathway for this degree
If you do not meet the entry requirements for this degree, have a look at Heriot-Watt Global College, where you can follow an accelerated pathway which will get you onto the second year of this degree.
Accreditation

This programme is accredited by IMechE.
Students completing an IMechE accredited degree are deemed to have met part or all of the academic requirements for registration as a Chartered or Incorporated Engineer and are in a strong position to move on to achieve professional engineering status after a period of initial professional development in industry. For more details, please refer to this webpage: IMechE Accreditation
Go Global
This course is currently only delivered at our Edinburgh Campus and there are no current opportunities to study at exchange partner institutions.
However, other Go Global opportunities may be available. Please contact goglobal@hw.ac.uk for more information
Course content
Year 1
Semester 1
- Mechanics, Fields and Forces
- Introduction to Electrical and Electronic Engineering
- Mechanical Engineering in Context 1
- Mathematics for Engineering and Scientists 1
Semester 2
- Waves and Matter
- Introduction to Mechanical Engineering
- Mechanical Engineering in Context 2
- Mathematics for Engineers and Scientists 2
Year 2
Semester 1
- Design and Manufacture 2
- Fluid Mechanics A
- Mechanics of Materials A
- Mathematics for Engineers and Scientists 3
Semester 2
- Electrical Power and Machines
- Dynamics
- Thermodynamics A
- Mathematics for Engineers and Scientists 4
Year 3
Semester 1
- Business Awareness, Safety and Sustainability
- Design and Manufacture 3
- Fluid Mechanics B
- Mechanics of Materials B
Semester 2
- Design and Manufacture 4
- Energy Studies
- Vibration Analysis & Control Engineering
- Thermodynamics B
Year 4
Semester 1
- Engineering Design
- Project 1
- Heat Exchangers and Heat Transfer
- Introduction to Petroleum Engineering
Semester 2
- Engineering Manufacture
- Project 2
- Advanced Thermodynamic Applications
- Option: Fluids 2 or Dynamics 2
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Entry requirements
Year 1
Standard entry requirements
- Highers AABB (including Mathematics and Physics with one at A and other at least B)
- A-Levels BBC - ABB (including Mathematics and Physics BB)
- Int. Baccalaureate 29 points (including Mathematics and Physics at Higher Level 5)
- BTEC DMM in Engineering
- HNC A in graded unit (in relevant HNC including Engineering Mathematics 1, 2 and 3)
Minimum entry requirements*
- Highers BBBC (including B in Mathematics and B in either Physics or Engineering Science)
- A-Levels BCC (including Mathematics and Physics with one at B)
* 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
Year 2
- Advanced Highers AB (including Mathematics and Physics plus Highers at AABB)
- A-Levels AAB (including Mathematics and Physics with one at A)
- Int. Baccalaureate 34 points (including Mathematics and Physics at Higher Level 6)
- HND AA in graded unit (Must be relevant subject including Engineering Maths 1, 2, 3 and 4)
- Global College Successful completion of our Engineering with Accelerator Programme
Year 3
Entry to Year 3 is only available via our associate student partnership college route.
Additional information
- For all years, applications are welcomed from holders of non-school qualifications, mature candidates and overseas students.
- If you do not see your qualifications here please contact us at studywithus@hw.ac.uk
- Please check that you meet our University-wide National 5/GCSE (or equivalent) English and Maths requirements.
English language requirements
- If English is not your first language, you have to show that your English is good enough to succeed on your course. Please see our English language requirements.
Fees
Status* | Scotland | England / Wales / N Ireland / Rep of Ireland | International** |
---|---|---|---|
Fee | Paid by SAAS | £9,250 | £24,048 |
* 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. Find out more about tuition fees.
** '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). Read more about the application process for EU nationals.
Additional costs
You may incur additional costs in the course of your studies at Heriot-Watt over and above tuition fees in an academic year. Depending on your programme of study, these may include: protective equipment, field trips, professional memberships, studio fees, required course texts or other study resources.
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 our full range of undergraduate scholarships.