Engineering with Placement Year

MEng Hons

  • UCAS code H105
  • Entry year 2025
  • A level requirements AAA
  • Duration Full time 5 years
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Overview

Top reasons to study with us

  • Practical hands-on courses including lab-based sessions and project work

  • Get real-world experience with our placement years

  • Brand new state-of-the-art facilities

Engineering at Lancaster will challenge you to design and build things to solve real-world problems. The discipline is particularly interesting to anyone with a technical and creative mind and enjoys working as part of a team. The MEng programme builds confidence and develops your leadership skills.

In modern engineering, it is almost impossible to define distinct boundaries between disciplines and as such we offer a general engineering entry point. Knowledge and experience spanning across several engineering disciplines will complement later specialisms, improve career prospects, and is ideal for students who want to defer choosing a specialism. For example, it can be highly beneficial for an electronic and electrical engineer to understand thermal heat transfer, a chemical engineer to understand stress analysis, and a mechanical engineer to be able to programme a simple interface.

During this general first year, we will introduce you to many of the key features of engineering, equipping you with a well-rounded understanding and skill set in fundamental engineering science such as how to complete static structural analysis, calculation of mass and energy balance, analogue and digital circuit analysis through to fundamental computer aided design (CAD) and software programming skills. The intent is to provide insight and gain an appreciation for the broad scope and interdisciplinary nature of the subject.

Following the first year, you will have the opportunity to consider and plan your academic progression. At this stage, you move onto any of our specialist programmes where a combination of core and optional modules will allow you to focus your interest while gaining practical experience. This flexibility to choose enables you to develop specialist skills from one of the many fields of engineering, preparing you for a vast range of focused or interdisciplinary roles.

At the end of your third year within our specialist degree courses, you will undertake a year in industry, gaining valuable experience and enhancing your employability. We have extensive links built through our leadership in research and have students undergoing placements with multinational corporate companies through to smaller specialist SMEs. Once you have completed your placement, you will write an extended reflective piece about your time spent with the company.

All of our specialist programmes are accredited by at least one professional body, including the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE), and the Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE), and depend on which specialism you wish to pursue.

Although you select a specialisation, there are still common themes to all degrees notably in management and business development. Interdisciplinary work also continues throughout the group project work where the change in emphasis is about project management and adding your technical specialism to ensure the success of the project. You will also develop and reflect upon your professional skills and experience, just as you would do in industry.

Why Engineering at Lancaster?

Discover what studying Engineering at Lancaster is like from our students and academics.

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Careers

Our general engineering first year allows you to get a taste of all of the disciplines within engineering if you are uncertain which path you wish to pursue. But regardless of whether you choose to progress onto mechanical or chemical engineering, or you find your passion lies within nuclear or electronic engineering, the interdisciplinary nature of our courses means that you will be in high demand across a huge range of sectors, such as energy, rail, manufacturing, and much more. Some have even gone on to pursue further study and embark on a career within academia, working at the forefront of scientific research and discovery. The highly-transferable skills you will acquire will make you a desirable employee in many fields – even those beyond traditional engineering career destinations. Graduates from our Engineering degrees are well-paid too, with a median starting salary of £29,000 (HESA Graduate Outcomes Survey 2023).

Here are just some of the roles that our BEng and MEng Engineering students have progressed into upon graduating:

  • Engineering Consultant – Ernst & Young
  • Wind Analyst – SSE Renewables
  • Sustainability Design Engineer – Queen’s University Belfast
  • Graduate Manufacturing Engineer – BAE Systems
  • Nuclear Graduates Scheme – Rolls Royce
  • Graduate Scheme – Sellafield Ltd
  • Electronic Engineer - Partner Electronics
  • Marine Engineer Officer (Submariner) – Royal Navy
  • Electrical Power Engineer – BAE Systems
  • Nuclear Safety Engineer – Mott Macdonald


Lancaster University is dedicated to ensuring you not only gain a highly reputable degree, you also graduate with the relevant life and work based skills. We are unique in that every student is eligible to participate in The Lancaster Award which offers you the opportunity to complete key activities such as work experience, employability/career development, campus community and social development. Visit our Employability section for full details.

Gain vital skills and experience

Each of our Engineering undergraduate programmes comes with an optional placement with a cutting-edge engineering company. Each placement will give you practical, realistic workplace experience that will make you attractive to employers after your graduation. In recent years, Lancaster University students have taken work placements with EDF, Jaguar-Land Rover, Mercedes AMG, Network Rail and more.

Recent companies Engineering students have taken placements with

Entry requirements

Grade Requirements

A Level AAA

Required Subjects A level Mathematics and a Physical Science, for example, Physics, Chemistry, Electronics, Computer Science, Design & Technology or Further Mathematics.

GCSE Mathematics grade B/6, English Language grade C/4

IELTS 6.5 overall with at least 5.5 in each component. For other English language qualifications we accept, please see our English language requirements webpages.

Interviews Applicants may be interviewed before being made an offer.

Other Qualifications

International Baccalaureate 36 points overall with 16 points from the best 3 Higher Level subjects including either:

  1. Mathematics HL grade 6 (either pathway) plus grade 6 in a HL Physical Science
  2. Mathematics HL grade 6 (either pathway) plus grade 6 in two SL Physical Sciences
  3. Mathematics SL grade 7 (Analysis and Approaches) plus HL grade 6 in a Physical Science

Acceptable physical science subjects include Physics, Chemistry, Computer Science, and Design Technology.

BTEC (Pre-2016 specifications): Distinction, Distinction, Distinction in an Engineering related subject to include Distinctions in Mathematics for Engineering Technicians and Further Mathematics for Engineering Technicians units.

BTEC (2016 specifications): Distinction, Distinction, Distinction in an Engineering related subject to include Distinctions in the following units – Unit 1 Engineering Principles, Unit 3 Engineering Product Design and Manufacture, Unit 6 Microcontroller Systems for Engineers, Unit 7 Calculus to Solve Engineering Problems. Unit 8 Further Engineering Mathematics is highly recommended.

We welcome applications from students with a range of alternative UK and international qualifications, including combinations of qualifications. Further guidance on admission to the University, including other qualifications that we accept, frequently asked questions and information on applying, can be found on our general admissions webpages.

Contact Admissions Team + 44 (0) 1524 592028 or via ugadmissions@lancaster.ac.uk

International foundation programmes

Delivered in partnership with INTO Lancaster University, our one-year tailored foundation pathways are designed to improve your subject knowledge and English language skills to the level required by a range of Lancaster University degrees. Visit the INTO Lancaster University website for more details and a list of eligible degrees you can progress onto.

Contextual admissions

Contextual admissions could help you gain a place at university if you have faced additional challenges during your education which might have impacted your results. Visit our contextual admissions page to find out about how this works and whether you could be eligible.

Course structure

Lancaster University offers a range of programmes, some of which follow a structured study programme, and some which offer the chance for you to devise a more flexible programme to complement your main specialism.

Information contained on the website with respect to modules is correct at the time of publication, and the University will make every reasonable effort to offer modules as advertised. In some cases changes may be necessary and may result in some combinations being unavailable, for example as a result of student feedback, timetabling, Professional Statutory and Regulatory Bodies' (PSRB) requirements, staff changes and new research. Not all optional modules are available every year.

Core

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Core

core modules accordion

Fees and funding

Our annual tuition fee is set for a 12-month session, starting in the October of your year of study.

Our Undergraduate Tuition Fees for 2025/26 are:

Home International
£9,250 £29,820

Fees and funding information

Additional fees and funding information accordion

Scholarships and bursaries

You will be automatically considered for our main scholarships and bursaries when you apply, so there's nothing extra that you need to do.

You may be eligible for the following funding opportunities, depending on your fee status:

Unfortunately no scholarships and bursaries match your selection, but there are more listed on scholarships and bursaries page.

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We also have other, more specialised scholarships and bursaries - such as those for students from specific countries.

Browse Lancaster University's scholarships and bursaries.

Tom Millen Engineering Scholarship

A generous donation from the family of Tom Millen will enable an outstanding Engineering student from a disadvantaged background to benefit from an annual bursary of £3,000.

This award is in memory of Tom Millen, who served as Superintendent of Laboratories and Workshops in the School of Engineering at Lancaster University. He began working for the School in 1969 and retired in 1977.

Each year, a £3,000 bursary will be offered to support one Engineering student from a disadvantaged background who has performed at a high academic level at the start of their studies at Lancaster. It will be awarded to the first-year student during their second year who meets the following criteria:

  • The recipient must be a home fee-paying student.
  • The recipient must be from a disadvantaged background.
  • The recipient must pass all modules in the academic year on the first attempt and achieve the highest overall aggregate score from all modules (with a minimum of 17.5).

The bursary will be given in three £1,000 instalments over the course of the academic year. You do not need to apply for the scholarship - the selection process is internal.

Aaron Chin, BEng Hons Mechatronic Engineering

A place for Aaron

What attracted you to study Engineering at Lancaster University?
Back when I first had a look at the league tables, Lancaster University was amongst the top 10 universities in the UK. Upon doing more research, it really impressed me when I discovered that this university produced one of the best employment rates upon graduation. This gave me great confidence that the excellence which students achieve here was not just from their own hard work and brilliance upon entering, but also from the support which the university provides.

 

When did you know it was right for you?
I don’t think there was a specific point which gave me that “yes, I am in the right place” feeling, rather a series of small events that gradually gave me that reassurance. Seeing how much the university works on improving student education and experiences, or even things like seeing how lecturers are so passionate to help students that most are even willing to answer queries on the weekends. 

What has been your favourite aspect of your course so far?
I know beyond the certification from the IET that my course truly gears me towards the workforce in engineering and technology. We even have a module (ENGR205) which gets us to develop business idea! It trains us to think critically and gives us a good business sense, outside of the technical skills that a typical engineer would be expected to have.

Aaron Chin, BEng Hons Mechatronic Engineering

Our Facilities

Students working on the Engineering Strongfloor

Main Lab

Our Main Engineering Lab is a large and spacious, double-floored room home to the Engineering Strongfloor, Robotics area, and Wind Tunnel. Here is where you'll get the opportunity to load test materials and constructions, and work on projects involving robotics or renewable energy.

A girl working in the Electronics Lab

Electronics Lab

Our Electronics Lab is equipped with equipment such as oscilloscopes, signal generators, and power supplies to allow you to undertake prototyping and practical work in electronics.

A man working at a 3d printer

Additive Manufacturing Lab

Our Additive Manufacturing Lab comes equipped with a number of 3D printers and laser-based additive machines to fabricate items that wouldn't be possible using more traditional subtractive methods.

Students working in the Chemical Engineering Lab

Chemical Engineering Lab

The Chemical Engineering Teaching Lab is where you'll in small groups to rotate around an assortment of experimental apparatus to engage and learn about industrial processes along with the associated health and safety, COSHH assessment, and substance controls.

A student working on a robotics arm

Teaching Lab

Our Teaching Lab houses a variety of engineering apparatus that you'll get to use throughout your degree, from 3D printers and robotics arms, to CNC machines.

Students working on the Formula Student car

Mechanical Engineering Lab

In the Mechanical Engineering Lab, you'll be able to join your peers working on the Formula Student project. Formula Student is an international racing competition for a single-seater racing car covering a number of static judging (design, marketing and cost) and different dynamic (acceleration, sprint, endurance) events.

Students sat in the Breakout Space

Breakout Space

Within the School of Engineering, we have a dedicated Breakout Space for you to get together with other students and collaborate on work, or otherwise socialise in your downtime between lectures, workshops, and labs.

A student working in the Computer Lab

Computer Lab

The School's Computing Lab comes fully equipped with all of the software you'll need in order to create virtual prototypes of your projects, or work on electronic or embedded systems.

A student working on the electrical grid in the Engineering Projects Room

Engineering Projects Lab

Engineering Projects make up a significant proportion of most of our Engineering degrees and involve a great deal of collaboration with your peers. This space is dedicated for you to work on these projects, allowing you the room to create and test prototypes.

Important information

The information on this site relates primarily to 2025/2026 entry to the University and every effort has been taken to ensure the information is correct at the time of publication.

The University will use all reasonable effort to deliver the courses as described, but the University reserves the right to make changes to advertised courses. In exceptional circumstances that are beyond the University’s reasonable control (Force Majeure Events), we may need to amend the programmes and provision advertised. In this event, the University will take reasonable steps to minimise the disruption to your studies. If a course is withdrawn or if there are any fundamental changes to your course, we will give you reasonable notice and you will be entitled to request that you are considered for an alternative course or withdraw your application. You are advised to revisit our website for up-to-date course information before you submit your application.

More information on limits to the University’s liability can be found in our legal information.

Our Students’ Charter

We believe in the importance of a strong and productive partnership between our students and staff. In order to ensure your time at Lancaster is a positive experience we have worked with the Students’ Union to articulate this relationship and the standards to which the University and its students aspire. View our Charter and other policies.

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