Why study Engineering Design?

Inspired by the Royal Academy of Engineering and supported by a range of industrial partners, this unique course aims to develop high calibre engineers who can lead complex engineering projects vital to modern society.

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Engineering design structure

This course will allow you to develop a broad understanding of different engineering disciplines, whilst gaining deeper specialist skills in design and systems engineering.

After a common first year, you can choose to specialise in Mechanical, Aerospace or Civil Engineering. The course gives you the opportunity to study bespoke design project units, undertake industrial placements and to work on real-world, multi-disciplinary projects in partnership with industry. It allows the freedom and flexibility to pursue individual interests, providing you with a unique sets of skills to thrive as a 21st century engineer.

Why study Engineering Design in Bristol?

If you are interested in all types of engineering and enjoy teamwork, project work and are keen to work closely with industry, this is the course for you. By studying Engineering Design at the University of Bristol you will benefit from:

Studying on one of the most unique and highly ranked General Engineering courses in the UK (2nd in the Times, Complete and Guardian Uni Guides 2023) and gaining exceptional career prospects.
A degree course that develops cross-cutting design, analysis, teamwork and leadership skills, whilst providing the freedom to specialise in your individual interests.
Innovative design teaching and the chance to work on real-world design projects in partnership with industry.
A broad understanding of the environmental, economic and social issues surrounding large-scale engineering projects and how engineers can promote sustainable development.
A close-knit community of staff and students in a highly supportive learning environment.
We scored 96% for overall student satisfaction (NSS 2021).
Opportunities for industrial visits, summer placements, year placements and mentoring with industrial partners, connecting you with a range of potential employers.
Access to state-of-the-art teaching and research spaces across the Faculty of Engineering, including design studios, workshops, computer labs and test facilities.
Opportunities for professional recognition through a range of Engineering Institutions that the course is accredited by (IED, IET, ICE, IStructE, RAeS and the Institute of Highway Engineers).

Industry placements

The Year in Industry is an invaluable experience for acquiring professional skills and consolidating academic learning. Below you can find quotes from some of our students on their placement year, as well as links to more detailed information about their experiences.

Peter Collen, Rolls-Royce
"Choosing a course with a placement year was by far one of the best decisions I made when applying to university. Not only does working in industry allow you to cement your academic learning with practical experience, it also ensures you can develop skills such as project management and presenting key information to stakeholders and customers."
Charly Capon, Atkins Aerospace
"A year in industry helps you to understand better the things that really do interest you and can often help to identify those things that don't, which is so important when considering your future career path."
Laura Tulloch, Frazer-Nash
"...my placement with Frazer-Nash Consultancy... has been a challenging yet rewarding experience and the opportunities which I have had were far greater than I ever imagined."

Careers

Bristol graduates are among the best in the country and are actively sought after by top employers.

The flexibility of the Engineering Design Course means that our graduates move on to a wide variety of careers, including:

Structural Design
Manufacturing Engineering
Transport System Design
Renewable Energy Consultancy
Product Design
Strategy Consultancy

The numbers

95% of MEng Engineering Design graduates are in work or further study six months after graduation.

The average salary for our students 15 months after graduating is £28,500
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Student startup companies

Over recent years, many of our students and graduates have either created their own companies or played a leading role in developing innovative startups.

Swytch
Dmitro Khroma (BEng 2018)
Swytch is a unique electric bicycle conversion kit that turns any bike into an electric bike.
LettUs Grow
Ben Crowther and Charlie Guy (MEng 2016)
LettUs Grow provides efficient technology and services for the indoor farming industry.
Huxlo
Matt Mew (MEng 2016)
Huxlo is a bespoke furniture technology company.

Student projects

As a student on the Engineering Design course you will work on a variety of rewarding projects, here are some examples of recent student work.

Year 1 Design Project
Application: Aircraft Seating
Aiming to develop a new luxury seat and cabin layout for the business airline market, the students created a range of innovative concepts, producing detailed CAD models and assessing the technical and economic feasibility of their designs. This project was influenced by our industrial partner Safran Seats a world-leader in aircraft seats. Safran provided a guest talk to the students and gave feedback on their designs.
Year 2 Design Project
Application: Automated Farming
Inspired by recent technology developments aiming to automate various aspects of the farming industry, the students designed, built and tested small-scale robots for roaming fields and monitoring crop health. This project was inspired by Small Robot Company an agri-tech start up who commericialise environmentally friendly and efficient farming solutions. Small Robot Company gave an introductory talk to our students.
Final Year Design Project
Application: Offshore Wind Energy
Working with some of the world's leading industry experts, the group developed a novel floating wind turbine platform that would enable wind turbines to exploit the vast wind resources found at deep water offshore sites. This is one of many renewable energy projects that have been conducted by Engineering Design students in the last few years. This 2-year project was supported by our industrial partners, DNV-GL and Atkins, two leading multi-sector global organisations who provided the design brief to the students and advised them throughout their project.