BEng (Hons) Mechanical and Design Engineering degree • City St George's, University of London

Name: Mechanical and Design Engineering with Foundation Year BEng (Hons)
Price: 9535 GBP

2025/26 entry

Clerkenwell campus

Details for 2026/27 entry are also available.

What is unique about this course?

Key information

This programme equips you with the technical expertise necessary to craft, enhance, and manage cutting-edge machines and mechanical engineering systems. If you aspire to spearhead sustainable and inventive solutions to real-world challenges spanning sectors like transport, energy, or manufacturing, you've come to the right place.

Start date

September 2025

UCAS code

H35F

Duration

4 years full-time
5 years with placement year

Institution

City St George's, University of London

Location

Clerkenwell campus

Westminster Centre, Capital City College

Entry requirements

Below is a list of countries with information on each about which qualifications we accept. If your country is not listed please email international@city.ac.uk.

English language requirements

If your first language is not English, we will require evidence of English language proficiency. Minimum requirements are:

IELTS:

6.0 overall with a minimum of 6.0 in each component.

If your first language is not English, we will require evidence of English language proficiency. Minimum requirements are:

PTE Academic: 59 overall with a minimum of 59 in each component.

English language programmes

Don't meet the English language requirements? INTO City, University of London offers English language programmes to help prepare you for study at university. These intensive and flexible courses are designed to improve your English ability for entry to degree courses.

Apply through Clearing

Open day

Prospectus

Mechanical and Design Engineering with Foundation Year BEng (Hons) degree Course overview

Foundation Year (year 0)

The programme begins with a one-year foundation that is accredited by City St George's and delivered at the Westminster Centre of Capital City College. This year is designed to help equip you with the study skills and academic knowledge needed for an engineering degree at Bachelors or Integrated Masters level.

BEng Course (years 1 to 3)

This programme provides an extensive understanding and mastery of mechanical, computational, and sustainable life-cycle engineering. We'll nurture your professional engineering skills to focus on sustainable and innovative solutions vital to mechanical engineering systems.

Engage in both individual and group engineering design projects, showcasing your expertise to potential employers.
Benefit from our robust industry connections, offering guest lectures and projects led by prominent engineers.
Immerse yourself in City's commitment to sustainable engineering, a crucial aspect of future mechanical and design engineering.
Access cutting-edge test facilities, including thermo-fluid laboratories, engine test beds, and a low-turbulence wind-tunnel.
Utilise state-of-the-art experimental equipment and advanced computational fluid solvers developed at City.
Study in world-leading research facilities dedicated to designing, developing, and implementing new engineering systems for various industries.
Leverage links to our international aviation programme for added opportunities.
Enhance your employability with an optional industry placement year or split placement over two summer periods.

This course with foundation included is designed specifically to help people with the passion and potential to study with us. For example, mature students who need to update their technical knowledge and get used to studying again after being in work.

By the end of the first foundation year and on successful completion, you’ll have the confidence and knowledge to progress to a BEng or MEng degree.

Accreditation

We have every expectation that these degrees will receive full accreditation from the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, and the Royal Aeronautical Society, providing a path for you to gain Chartered Engineering status.

Structure

Course content

You will acquire a comprehensive foundation in engineering principles before honing in on specialized mechanical and design engineering subjects. These encompass material and manufacturing, thermo-fluids, structural dynamics, and heat transfer.

Throughout each academic year, the Engineer in Society theme remains integral. We delve into the economic, social, and technical landscapes where engineers operate, nurturing social responsibility while enhancing your knowledge and topical engineering skills.

Through all core modules you will develop the Graduate Attributes, five core skillsets that will help you launch a successful, fulfilling career. Find out more about the Graduate Attributes.

Foundation
Year 1
Year 2
Year 3
With Placement route

Foundation

The foundation year is delivered at the Westminster Centre of Capital City College and comprises one compulsory module worth 120 credits consisting of the following components: Mathematics, Mechanics, Physics, Computing and IT and Communication and Study Skills.

Year 1

Our largely shared first year gives you a foundation in mathematics, engineering, physics, materials and manufacturing, thermo-fluids, electronics and computing.

The Engineer in Society - Social Responsibility (15 credits)

This module has been designed to introduce engineering, what is it, its breadth and impact today, how it is important for society, to see engineering as part of the business function and to begin to build skills needed for employment as an engineer. It further has been designed to build links to Personal Tutors and across the cohort via Teamwork.
Engineering Design 1 (15 credits)

This module aims to introduce you to the skills, processes and methods required and to develop your understanding of these through design projects. You will undertake these projects either individually or in small teams. The module culminates in a design, build and test exercise at the end of the second term.
Introduction to Mechanics of Materials and Manufacturing (15 credits)

Mechanics of Materials is one of the fundamental subjects required for engineering courses. An understanding of stress and deformation due to external loads is essential to the design of the structural elements of engineering systems. This module provides a basic understanding of methods by which these may be determined.
Electronics 1 (15 credits)

The aim of this module is to provide you with a broad introduction to the fundamental concepts, principles and analysis techniques of electrical circuits to enable higher level study on analogue and digital electronics. The module will concentrate on the fundamentals of electrical direct current (DC) and alternating current (AC) circuits, amplifier-level analogue electronics as well as digital logic, taught at a functional level.
Introduction to Programming (15 credits)

Computer programming allow engineers to tackle complex problems and it is exceptionally important for our future as a global society. This module is intended to support the teaching of engineering modules throughout the programme by introducing you to the use of a computing language (PYTHON).
Engineering Science (15 credits)

The primary aim of this module is to provide you with knowledge and understanding of the fundamental aspects of physical sciences which underpin engineering.
Mathematics 1 (15 credits)

Mathematics is one of the fundamental tools of the engineer. It underpins every branch of engineering and the calculations involved are needed to apply almost every engineering skill. The student is introduced to a range of basic mathematical tools which are required and developed in later modules. The structure of the module is designed to smoothly transition the student’s mathematical knowledge from a typical A-levels preparation to more advanced topics.
Introduction to Thermodynamics and Fluid Mechanics (15 credits)

Thermodynamics treats the various phenomena of energy and related properties of matter. You will study laws dealing with the transformation of heat into other forms of energy and vice versa. Many energy transformations include flowing fluids and hence this module combines the study of thermodynamics and fluid mechanics.

Year 2

Begin to specialise with modules including fluid mechanics and thermodynamics, structures and materials, mechatronics and systems. Learn how mechanical and design engineering is part of the circular economy.

The Engineer in Society - Sustainability and Circular Economy (15 credits)

This module extends the introduction in Year 1 and provides a bridge to Year 3 which will be the exit point for many students. The overall theme for the year is to explain how engineers can address the challenge of the Climate Emergency in particular, by being aware of how engineers calculate embodied carbon and take account of resource scarcity, embodied energy and the need for regenerative design to facilitate sustainability and a circular economy.
Mathematics 2 (15 credits)

This course follows Mathematics - I in introducing all the mathematical objects and techniques needed by engineers. Furthermore, this module is designed to support the teaching of second, third- and fourth-year engineering modules and to enhance your analytical skills.
Engineering Design 2 - Aerospace (15 credits)

This module is designed to equip aeronautical engineers with the basic concepts of air vehicle performance and how these are inverted to drive the conceptual design of an air vehicle.
Fluid Mechanics (15 credits)

This module builds on the fundamentals of motion of fluids as a continuum covered in Stage 1 and how engineering has developed innovative solutions to manage and flow, fluid transport and global mobility with the goal to decrease its environmental footprint. The learning outcome is to be able to apply the fundamental principles of fluid mechanics and engineering principles to complex problems within the wider context of fluid engineering.
Structures and Materials (15 credits)

The module aims to provide the student with an insight into and understanding of structural performance introduced by the selection of materials and properties, and their analysis methods as applied to the structural design. Basic methods and practices including the finite element technique used in structural design will be introduced.
Thermodynamics (15 credits)

Thermodynamics is a subject that deals with energy, which is an essential part of engineering curricula. The module builds on the introduction to thermodynamics in stage 1. It equips students with the skills to apply the fundamental principles to multiple engineering processes. The learning outcomes therefore focus upon deeper understanding and also on applications.
Mechatronics and Systems (15 credits)

Mechatronics is combination of mechanical, electrical engineering, computer science, and information technology. In this module you will learn the fundamental aspects of mechatronics systems: Electro-mechanical Systems modelling and analysis, sensors, actuation, real-time computer interfacing, and the basics of automated solutions via Computer Control.
Data Analysis for Engineers (15 credits)

The module aims to provide students with sufficient tools and techniques to explore small and large datasets, to perform data analysis and to use key insights from statistics and machine learning. The main topics include the basics of data analysis, statistics, and modern data science.

Year 3

Deepen your expertise with applied modules in the analysis and design of mechanical engineering systems, through-life engineering, heat and mass transfer, and control engineering. You will apply real-world problems through an engineering research or design project.

Individual Project (30 credits)

It is essential that professional engineers must possess the ability to apply their knowledge and understanding of engineering fundamentals to the solution of engineering problems. In problem solving, professional engineers must demonstrate individual motivation and initiative, and the powers of critical analysis, creativity and innovation.
The Engineer in Society - Sustainable Design (15 credits)

The aims of the module are: To introduce students to the economic, social, technical, ethical and managerial context within which engineers work; To seek to provide a sense of the 'bigger picture', including that within which engineering and engineering-related organisations operate; To enhance employability, communications and teamwork skills; and To see engineering in the business context in which students will build successful careers.
Structural Analysis and Finite Element Method (15 credits)

The module introduces students to the Finite Element Method (FEM), widely used in mechanical, aerospace and automotive industries for structural analysis and design. While the module offers the opportunity for you to learn theoretical and practical aspects of finite element analysis, it also enables students to gain hands-on experience with industry-relevant finite element software tools for solving structural analysis and design problems.
Engineering Design 3 - CAD-CAM (15 credits)

This module is designed to provide mechanical engineers the opportunities to implement knowledge and skills gained on conceptual design work in previous years to design and optimise a mechanical system for future technological developments.
Heat and Mass Transfer (15 credits)

The aim of this module is to develop, beyond the fundamental principles of fluid mechanics and thermodynamics covered during the first two years (in ET1070 and ET2070), to deliver knowledge and understanding of: 1) the heat transfer modes of conduction, convection and radiation and empirical heat transfer correlations that can be used in the analysis and design of heat transfer systems; and 2) fluid mechanics problems that can be reduced to a simplified analysis considering boundary layer theory and 1D compressible flow analysis. The heat transfer and the fluid mechanics analysis of complex systems are often associated with practical applications.
Through Life Engineering (15 credits)

The module will help next generation of engineers to understand and analyse activities and challenges across the whole lifecycle of a complex engineering system. The knowledge and skills learned will help students to design better systems that can be maintained easily and can generate value across the life.
Control Engineering (15 credits)

This module is a Stage 3 core module of your programme in Systems Engineering. The module builds up from Stage 2 module Mechatronics and Systems will introduce you to the fundamental theory and practical implementation of control system design for continuous-time dynamical systems using frequency-domain and state-space methods.The main aims of this module are: To present a unified treatment of classical and state-space control system design methodologies in a systematic way; To develop techniques for modelling physical dynamical systems of engineering interest; To highlight practical limitations of the theory and introduce control implementation methods using analogue techniques; and To apply classical and state-space control design methods to physical systems in a laboratory environment.

With Placement route

Download course specification:

BEng (Hons) Mechanical and Design Engineering with Foundation

Teaching and assessment

Guided by academic experts from our dynamic Research Centres and supplemented by industry specialists, the course features a diverse array of teaching methods, including lectures, tutorials, group design exercises, laboratory classes, and engineering workshops. Learning encompasses a blend of theoretical, experimental, and computational study.

Our methodology emphasizes fostering critical thinking and nurturing curiosity through collaborative teamwork and independent study. Design exercises offer students the opportunity to tackle cross-disciplinary challenges, laying the groundwork for addressing larger issues that transcend traditional engineering boundaries.

Assessment methods

Assessment is by coursework and examinations. Group learning and communication skills are addressed through design studies and presentations. Practical and technical skills are assessed through laboratory work, data analysis and project reports.

Grades obtained in each year count towards the final degree classification, with increasing weight given to the later years.

Fees and funding

Fees for year 2025/26

Home/UK

£9,535

City St George's undergraduate fee for UK students joining us in 2026/27 is £9,535 for the first year of study, in line with the Government’s announcement on the fee cap increase (subject to the passing of secondary legislation). The fee for each subsequent year of study may also increase in line with government policy and we will confirm any such increase with you directly as and when the fee is confirmed.

Funding options

Explore up-to-date information about funding options, available financial support and typical living costs.

Fee waivers are available for this course.
Means tested support is available for 2025/26 entry.

20% off your study

We are offering a Graduate Loyalty Discount of 20% on tuition fees to all our alumni when applying to any of our degree courses.

To be eligible for the discount you must have successfully completed an undergraduate or postgraduate degree at legacy City, University of London or legacy St George's, University of London.

To apply you will need to be accepted onto your intended course of study and to meet all the normal academic admissions criteria for the relevant course at City St George's, University of London.

Additional expenses

Some of our degrees may involve additional expenses which are not covered by your tuition fees. Find out more about additional expenses.

Career

Upon graduating as a Mechanical and Design Engineering professional, you'll possess a sought-after combination of skills and knowledge. City's longstanding global engineering reputation, established over a century, will enhance your career prospects significantly.

Our alumni have secured positions as design and development engineers, mechanical engineering systems integrators, and mechanical design engineers.

They've found employment opportunities in renowned global corporations spanning aerospace, automotive, defense, manufacturing, and renewable energy sectors.

How to apply

Applications for this course are open through Clearing if you have received your verified grades.

Apply through Clearing

Our online Clearing application form allows you to apply quickly. Ensure you have your UCAS ID, course number and qualification details ready to speed up the process.

After submitting your application, you may receive an instant decision or be asked to call us to discuss your application further.

When to apply

Your application for entry in September 2025 should arrive at UCAS between September 2024 and the UCAS deadline in January 2025. Applications that arrive after the UCAS deadline will be considered only at City's discretion.

Contacting UCAS

Website: www.ucas.com

Address: Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS), Rosehill, New Barn Lane, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, GL52 3LZ

Telephone:

from inside the UK 0871 468 0468
from outside the UK +44 (0)871 468 0468

For callers with hearing difficulties:

from inside the UK use the Text Relay service on 18001 0871 468 0468
from outside the UK dial +44 151 494 1260 (text phone) and then ask the operator to dial 0871 468 0468.

Facilities

Micro-gas turbine test cells, which are currently used to develop new technology for utilisation with concentrated solar power.
2 subsonic wind tunnels, equipped with advanced laser-based velocity measurement systems and a six-component force balance for complete characterisation of the aerodynamic loads on wind-tunnel models.
Computer labs are installed with a wide selection of industry-standard software to enable mathematics, engineering, and computer science students to complete their modules.