Subject Specific Info Pack - What do we study in Engineering

Oscar Chong
6 days ago
3 min read

SUBJECT OVERVIEW

Most universities offer comprehensive General Engineering (also known as Engineering Science) programs for students interested in multiple aspects of engineering. Students applying to Oxbridge can choose their specialization in Year 3. The advantage of this program is that it allows students to gain broad knowledge across different areas of engineering, preparing them for future industry development. It also avoids students making a specialized choice without a comprehensive understanding of engineering or their interests in high school. However, conversely, students might have to study some content they are not interested in.

SPECIALISED ENGINEERING

UK engineering specializations are mainly divided into: Aeronautical (Aero), Bioengineering (Bio), Chemical Engineering (Chemical), Civil Engineering (Civil), Electrical & Electronics Engineering, Mechanical Engineering. If students have a clear intention to pursue a specific specialization from the beginning, they can directly apply for Year 1 at universities other than Oxbridge. All universities have their own specialization divisions, and choices are generally more abundant than in Hong Kong! It's important to note that even for engineering specializations with the same name, different universities might have different course content, so students must conduct thorough research to choose the university and program that best suits their interests. Since students specialize from the first year, the depth of subjects may be greater than in General Engineering, and changing specializations might not be as easy as imagined.

COURSE STRUCTURE

A 3-year engineering degree is generally called a BEng (Cambridge calls it BA). If graduates directly obtain professional accreditation, they can pursue an Integrated Master's (MEng) program in Year 4. To obtain accreditation from engineering bodies like MechE, IEEE, RAeS, Year 4 students need to write a dissertation/project and take designated modules.

Some universities (e.g., Imperial) allow students to choose to apply directly for BEng or MEng via UCAS. Students can also switch between programs during their university studies based on their academic performance and career preferences.

Some universities allow students to insert a placement year between Year 2 and 3, to gain industry experience. Other universities (e.g., Cambridge) require students to complete a 6-8 week internship before Year 3.

Cambridge students can choose to switch to Chemical Engineering in Year 2 or Manufacturing Engineering in Year 3. These two subjects cannot be studied from Year 1.

Since the program's nature is general, students can specialize in more than one area upon graduation, for example:

Mechanical + Aeroengineering
Information + Electrical engineering

This also allows for more accreditations.

TYPICAL WORKLOAD

Engineering programs are known for their extremely heavy workload and long contact hours. Besides numerous lectures, coursework, labs, problem sheets, projects, and tutorials (supervisions), students should not underestimate the lack of free time when applying for this major, and their interest in the subject must be very high.

Of course, hard work pays off. Engineering students generally acquire many transferable skills, including problem solving, analysis, programming, communication, and project management. These skills make it easy to develop in various industries! Some graduates may not become engineers but choose to work in research, consulting, or finance. The skills learned in the program are definitely more important than the textbook content.

ADMISSIONS TEST AND INTERVIEW

CAMBRIDGE

◦ Engineering Admissions Assessment (ENGAA) 2024, but may be replaced by other assessment methods.

◦ 1-2 interviews

OXFORD

◦ Physics Aptitude Test (PAT).

◦ 1-2 interviews.

IMPERIAL COLLEGE LONDON

◦ IC Aero/EEE MAT, Readiness Test for Mech Eng.

◦ 1 interview.

Other universities generally do not require interviews or written tests.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS