The Automotive Engineering BEng (Hons) programme will equip you with the practical skills and expertise required for a successful career as a practising automotive engineer, with the full educational basis to facilitate progression to engineering management roles.

You will have the opportunity to explore contemporary automotive engineering through a variety of modules and project-based work, with an optional year in industry during your third year. You will be taught and assisted by a well-rounded team of experienced practitioners, leading researchers, and a knowledgeable technical support team. Equipped with industry standard lab facilities, the course will provide you with an exciting and practical learning experience to apply engineering principles to real-world problems. 

Equipped with cutting edge lab infrastructure, the programme seeks to provide exciting and practical learning experiences to apply engineering principles to real-world problems.  The programme is designed to build your confidence and skills base and will equip you with an awareness of automotive engineering in the wider social, ethical, sustainable, and economic context. You will be facilitated to explore many engineering options and not be limited by conventional approaches or established solutions but rather to challenge convention where appropriate.   

This BEng (Hons) course will meet part of the academic requirement to be a Chartered Engineer, which is associated with higher salaries. You can meet the requirement in full by studying for an additional year and gaining a MEng (Hons). If you know from the start that you’d prefer a MEng, please apply for MEng (Hons) Automotive Engineering instead of this course.  

An optional placement year [MB1] is embedded into the programme to offer the opportunity to gain invaluable industrial and international experience and further demonstrate compliance with professional practice competencies set by IMechE.  Our students benefit from close links with industry and engagement with IMechE’s North East and Young Members Network and our graduates work in leading multi-national employers such as Exxon Mobil, Caterpillar, Nissan, Airbus, British Engines and GE. 

Employability is embedded at all years within the Automotive Engineering programme at Northumbria.  Our teaching focuses on the authentic application of professional knowledge and skills through independent enquiry-based learning approaches and collaboration with industry and professional bodies.

Enhancing your employment prospects and developing links with industry are important aspects of the Automotive Engineering programme.  Between your second and third years of study you will have the opportunity to undertake an industrial placement, or to study abroad, which provide you with invaluable industrial or international experience.

Academic staff will work with you to help you understand and explore the different types of careers suited to a graduate engineer and assist you in identifying possible avenues for you to explore. Our dedicated Careers and Employment Service will also support you in finding and securing part-time employment during your studies, placement opportunities, and full-time employment on completion of your programme.

Upon graduation, you will be in an excellent position to become a practising automotive engineer with the skills for progression into both technical and engineering management roles.