Engineering Design

Year 1

In Year 1, you will be introduced and learn the fundamental principles of the engineering design methods and manufacturing processes, properties of engineering materials, metal alloys and heat treatment, what the role of an Engineer is in product development, the primary physics related to statics and dynamics science in order to solve problems, the fundamentals of hydrostatic and thermodynamics systems, the basic concepts and principles of electrical and electronic engineering.

Year 2

In Year 2, you will gain the ability to solve problems including thermal-fluid and vibration systems, be introduced and develop an understanding of the formal design process for components and machine elements, learn the main manufacturing processes for metals, ceramics, polymer and composite materials, and how to select appropriate materials and the manufacturing processes for a given product, and you will be introduced to CAD and CAM software.

Year 3

Year 3, you will gain the skills to analyse and interpret the dynamic structural behaviour of engineering system components, stress analysis of components subject to combined loading, fatigue and failure analysis and fracture mechanics, national and international codes of practice design approaches including BS and Eurocodes, you will be introduced to joining processes and equipment, surface technology and engineering metallurgy, gain an understanding of manufacturing support systems, process planning and production control, quality control, inspection and sustainable manufacturing, learn design methodology including design for manufacturing and design optimisation, project management and finally, you will take part in a group project.

Year 4

In your final year, you will learn to use finite element methods to analyse a range of engineering systems including static stress, dynamic modal analysis and heat transfer analysis. You will be introduced to design for vibration and manufacturing, quality control and assurance, risk and reliability, cost evaluation and supply change management, learn the skills needed to use a variety of commercial software in design and manufacture of products and the rapid prototyping techniques including NC programming, mould modelling, rapid prototyping and sensitivity analysis, undertake a substantial professional design project incorporating planning, decision making, data collection and critical analysis.

Learning Methods

A mixture of teaching and learning activities will be used to deliver this course. During the early years, more focus will be placed on lectures, tutorials and workshop activities to allow you to build the underpinning knowledge and principles of engineering design and manufacturing. For the last two years, teaching will be focused on developing your self-confidence through independent study and project supervision (e.g. a group project and individual project).

Your course resources will be available on Moodle, our virtual learning environment, where you will find course notes, tutorials, coursework assignments and much more.

How long is a BEng (Hons) Engineering Design course?

An Engineering Design degree can be successfully completed in 4 years, in which the opportunity to receive the necessary skills are obtained.

Activity Summary

• Lectures - 20 students per group, 4 hours per week
• Practical class or workshops - 20 students per group, 8 hours per week
• Independent Study - 30 hours per week

Independent Study

Independent study forms a major part of each module, allowing you to deepen understanding through guided reading, problem-solving, and project work. You will consolidate material from lectures and labs, prepare for assessments, and explore specialist topics, developing the self-directed learning and critical thinking skills essential for professional engineering practice.

Staff Delivering on This Course

The academics teaching the course have a wealth of renewable energy, mechanical and electrical engineering experience, gained through teaching, industry projects, research, and previous work in the industry. There are also opportunities for industry experts to deliver guest lectures.

Many of our academic staff are Associate Fellow, Fellows or Senior Fellows of the Higher Education Academy, which is a professional recognition of practice, impact and leadership of teaching and learning.

Assessment

Year 1

• 1 written assignment, including essay
• 3 portfolios
• 2 project portfolio-based assessments

Year 2

• 2-3 written reports
• 4-5 portfolios
• 1 project portfolio-based assessment

Year 3

• 4-6 written reports
• 1-3 portfolios
• 1 project portfolio-based assessment

Year 4

• 3-4 written reports
• 1 portfolio
• 1 Capstone Project consisting of a written report and degree show

Feedback

We aim to provide you with feedback within 20 working days of submission of coursework.

Placements

Optional, paid, 3-month (summer) or 12-month placements can be undertaken in this course. You will be supported by a dedicated Placements Coordinator within the school who oversees the placement module. You will also be assigned a Placement Supervisor who will carry out regular visits to your placement provider and meet with you and your employer. The confidence and experience you could acquire during a placement will make you more employable and put you one step ahead of the competition when you graduate.

Please note, placements are not guaranteed.

Study Abroad

Job Prospects

Become a successful and professional Engineer across a wide range of careers including engineering design, manufacturing engineering, engineering operations management and engineering project management

Is Engineering Design a good career choice?

This is a new course for Robert Gordon University. Previous BEng Engineering Design and other BEng and MEng graduates of Robert Gordon University have gone on to pursue the following careers:

• Quality Engineer
• Design Engineer
• Project Engineer
• Mechanical Engineer
• Electrical Engineer
• Biomechanical Engineer
• Risk and Safety Engineer

What is needed for a BEng (Hons) Engineering Design course?

Standard Entry Requirements

Year 1 entry

• QS/SQA Higher: BBCC to include one from Engineering Science, Maths, Physics, Chemistry or Technological Studies. English at National 5 grade C or above is required if not held at Higher.
• GCE A Level: CCC to include one from Maths, Design, chemistry, Technology, Engineering or Physics. GCSE English at grade 5 or above is required if not held at A Level.
• Irish Leaving Certificate Higher: H3H3H3H3 to include Maths and either Physics or Technological Studies. English at grade O3 or above is required if not held at Higher.
• IB Diploma: 26 to include Higher Level Maths and Physics. English is required at a minimum of Standard Level grade 4.

Year 2 entry

• QS/SQA Advanced Higher: CC at Advanced Higher plus CC at Higher (4 subjects), to include one from Maths, Engineering Science, Physics or Technological Studies. English at National 5 grade C or above is required if not held at Higher.
• GCE A Level: BBC to include one from Mathematics, Physics, Design Technology, Electronics, or Engineering. GCSE English at grade 5 or above is required if not held at A Level.

Minimum Entry Requirements

Year 1 entry

The minimum entry requirements for widening access applicants are:

• QS/SQA Higher: CCCC to include one from Engineering Science, Maths, Physics, Chemistry or Technological Studies. English at National 5 grade C or above is required if not held at Higher

Applicants from Partner Colleges

A relevant HND from one of our partner colleges may be considered for entry into Year 3. Students entering Year 3 of the course will follow the class based taught route as an alternative to a placement in Year 3.

English Language Requirements

Applicants whose first language is not English should have an IELTS of 6.0 overall, with no component lower than 5.5, or an equivalent.

We accept a variety of in-country and secure English language tests, find out more:

Please note, some courses may require a higher standard of English than stated in this page. Contact admissions@rgu.ac.uk for further information.

Locally-based companies recognise the value of an engineering education at RGU and they have made a number of different scholarships available for the financial support of selected undergraduate students: