Option for Placement Year
Option for Study Abroad
If you are inspired by challenge, are analytical and creative in your thinking, and interested in design, technology and how these solve problems in the world around us; then our Mechanical and Civil Engineering Foundation Year may be your first step towards realising your ambitions.
Successful completion of the foundation year will allow you to progress onto any of the following degrees:
Students that perform well during their second-year level 5 of degree study, will also have the opportunity to progress onto our MEng programmes.
Undertaking the Mechanical and Civil Engineering Foundation Year will equip you with the essential skills and knowledge to develop effective, sustainable solutions and products that meet the varied needs of today’s and tomorrow’s society. You will be taught and guided by a student-oriented and well-rounded team of experienced engineering practitioners, researchers, and a knowledgeable technical support team. Equipped with dedicated lab and workshop facilities, the course seeks to provide an engaging and practical learning experience to apply engineering principles to real-world problems.
Many students who undertake the foundation year are still thinking about which sub-discipline of engineering to specialise in. The course covers mechanical, civil and automotive engineering, so you will be able to explore and challenge your preferences to make an informed decision about which degree to study upon completion of the foundation year.
UCAS Code
H3M5
Level of Study
Undergraduate
Mode of Study
1 year Full Time followed by a further 3 years Full Time or 4 years with a placement (sandwich)/study abroad
Department
Mechanical and Construction Engineering, Mathematics, Physics and Electrical Engineering
Location
City Campus, Northumbria University
City
Newcastle
Start
September 2025
Fees
Fee Information
Modules
Module Information
Find out more about our department, facilities and what other students are taking part in.
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We are an enthusiastic, committed, knowledgeable and likeable staff team, who are here to motivate you and propel you through your degree and beyond.
Dr Martin Birkett
Professor Birkett currently leads the Engineering Materials and Mechanics Group (EM2G) and mainly teaches on the Mechanical Engineering degree programmes.
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Dr Brabha Nagaratnam
Dr Christopher Connor
The Department of Engineering has modern laboratory and computing resources for learning, teaching, research, innovation and business engagement.
Facilities
The practical part is the best thing on my course. Northumbria has top end lab equipment for those that like practical work more than theory.
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80 UCAS Tariff points
From a combination of acceptable Level 3 qualifications which may include: A-level, T Level, BTEC Diplomas/Extended Diplomas, Scottish and Irish Highers, Access to HE Diplomas, or the International Baccalaureate.
Find out how many points your qualifications are worth by using the UCAS Tariff calculator: www.ucas.com/ucas/tariff-calculator
Northumbria University is committed to supporting all individuals to achieve their ambitions. We have a range of schemes and alternative offers to make sure as many individuals as possible are given an opportunity to study at our University regardless of personal circumstances or background. To find out more, review our Northumbria Entry Requirement Essential Information page for further details www.northumbria.ac.uk/entryrequirementsinfo
Subject Requirements:
There are no specific subject requirements for this course.
GCSE Requirements:
Applicants will need Maths and English Language at minimum grade 4/C, or an equivalent.
Additional Requirements:
There are no additional requirements for this course.
International Qualifications:
We welcome applicants with a range of qualifications which may not match those shown above.
If you have qualifications from outside the UK, find out what you need by visiting www.northumbria.ac.uk/yourcountry
English Language Requirements:
International applicants should have a minimum overall IELTS (Academic) score of 5.5 with 5.5 in each component (or an approved equivalent*).
*The university accepts a large number of UK and International Qualifications in place of IELTS. You can find details of acceptable tests and the required grades in our English Language section: www.northumbria.ac.uk/englishqualifications
UK Fee in Year 1: £9,535
* The University may increase fees for subsequent years of study at our discretion in line with any inflationary uplift as decided by the UK Government up to the maximum amount for fees permitted by UK law or regulation for that academic year. To give students an indication of the likely scale of any future increase, the UK government has recently suggested that increases may be linked to RPIX ( Retail Price Index excluding mortgage interest payments)
International Fee in Year 1:
ADDITIONAL COSTS
There are no Additional Costs
* At Northumbria we are strongly committed to protecting the privacy of personal data. To view the University’s Privacy Notice please click here
Module information is indicative and is reviewed annually therefore may be subject to change. Applicants will be informed if there are any changes.
KB3016 -
Engineering Numerical Skills (Core,20 Credits)
You will learn to use a range of mathematical tools and techniques that you can apply to a wide variety of engineering activities. These skills and practices also underpin more advanced engineering design and analysis tools, so gaining a good understanding of the basic principles now will help as your progress through this programme and enter the world of engineering. You will become familiar in working with formulae so that you can apply these skills within the engineering disciplines, for example, when investigating changes in processes and systems and when representing mechanical quantities. You will learn techniques in algebra and trigonometry, such as those used by engineers to determine the shape, size, slope, mass, etc., of objects and spaces as well as when and how objects will move or interact. These techniques are important to determine the unknown components in systems such as mechanical, fluid and thermal transfer and flow systems. These techniques are also applied to the solution of design problems such as those involving force, motion and electrical power.
More informationKB3017 -
Engineering Principles (Core,20 Credits)
You will learn to apply a range of basic principles and methodologies involving models of physical systems, matter, energy and waves, and forces and fields. You will be assisted in developing your understanding of measurement and error to test predictions against evidence using a range of experimental methods and practical exercises. Appropriate computational and analytical techniques will be applied to enable you to solve well-defined problems involving physical systems using standardised engineering approaches.
More informationKB3018 -
Foundational Engineering Approaches 1 (Core,20 Credits)
In this module you will be presented with authentic engineering problems derived and adapted to give you opportunities to explore ways in which you would resolve such problems to produce appropriate engineering solutions. This module will, within the supportive environment offered by staff and your peers, allow you to develop your approach to resolving engineering problems that may involve research, experimentation, creativity and the acquisition and utilisation of new engineering skills. Well bounded and defined problems within well understood constraints will allow you to develop confidence in resolving problems where there may be several factors to consider. It is expected that there will be a limited range of solutions that might be considered appropriate based upon engineering judgement and perception associated with the topic. Problems will span a range of engineering subjects to help you in making decisions towards your future degree programme.
More informationKB3019 -
Analytical Skills in Problem Solving (Core,20 Credits)
You will build upon your knowledge and understanding of a range of mathematical tools and techniques that you can apply to a wide variety of engineering activities. You will learn to apply and manipulate formulae so that you can apply these skills within the engineering disciplines. You will enhance your appreciation of techniques in algebra and trigonometry, such as those used by engineers to determine the shape, size, slope, mass, etc., of objects and spaces as well as when and how objects will move or interact. You will apply these techniques to determine the unknown components in systems such as mechanical, fluid and thermal transfer and flow systems, which are also applied to the solution of design problems such as those involving force, motion and electrical power. You will further develop foundations in the skills required to apply these techniques using software tools as you progress towards complex engineering activities and prepare for entering an engineering degree programme.
More informationKB3020 -
Engineering Systems (Core,20 Credits)
You will learn to use a range of engineering systems and approaches to develop a holistic approach to tackling different engineering challenges and how these can be utilised in different engineering environments. You will build upon and apply a range of basic principles and methodologies involving models of physical systems, matter, energy and waves, and forces and fields. You will learn to implement and interpret a range of experimental methods and practical exercises to validate predictions obtained through analytical and computational tools.
More informationKB3021 -
Foundational Engineering Approaches 2 (Core,20 Credits)
The inclusion of this application focussed module in your studies will build on Foundational Engineering Approaches I by allowing you to expand the areas of investigation and further develop your problem-solving, teamwork and communication skills. Again, you will be presented with authentic engineering problems derived and adapted to give you opportunities to explore ways in which you would resolve such problems to produce appropriate engineering solutions and further develop professional knowledge. This module will, within the supportive environment offered by staff and your peers, allow you to develop your approach to resolving engineering problems that may involve research, experimentation, creativity and the acquisition and utilisation of new engineering skills. The incorporation of a limited degree of uncertainty in the problem definition will allow you to develop confidence in resolving problems where there may be incomplete information and several answers that might be considered appropriate based upon engineering judgement and perception associated with the problem. Problems will span a range of engineering subjects to help you in making decisions towards your future degree programme.
More informationTo start your application, simply select the month you would like to start your course.
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