BEng (Honours) Automotive Engineering

Year of Entry 2024/25
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BEng (Honours)

Automotive Engineering

Full-time Engineering

Step into the role of an automotive engineer, exploring the environmentally sustainable vehicle technologies of today and preparing to create solutions for the future of the industry.

Everything you need to know...

  • Pound sign

    What is the fee?

    Home: £9,250 per year (£1,200 for placement year)
    International/EU: £16,655 per year (£1,200 for placement year)

  • Time

    How long will I study?

    3 / 4 Years

  • Location

    Where will I study?

    City Campus

  • Bookmark

    What are the entry requirements?

    112-120 UCAS points

  • Checkmark

    What is the UCAS code?

    H330

  • Date

    When do I start?

    September 2024

  • Avatar

    Placement year available?

    Yes


Employability

100% of our graduates are in work or further study fifteen months after graduating, with 90% in highly skilled employment or further study (2020/21 Graduate Outcomes Survey).

Course summary

  • Understand key technologies such as electric and autonomous vehicles.
  • Explore the economic, environmental and social implications of automotive production. 
  • Engage in professional and sustainable practices right from the beginning.
  • Experience live projects, simulations, aerodynamics and diverse disciplines.

The course prepares you for a range of roles in the automotive industry, providing you with the right environment, facilities, skills and training to be successful in the industry. You’ll explore various aspects of automotive design, development, testing, manufacturing, electronics and performance analysis – emerging as a highly skilled graduate ready to solve current and future problems in the industry.  

If you don't meet the entry requirements for this course, or you’d like extra preparation before starting degree-level study, we recommend you join the BEng (hons) Automotive Engineering with foundation year course

You could also consider our integrated Masters MEng Automotive Engineering course. With an extra year to develop specialist knowledge and enhance your research and project management experience, you gain advanced technical and professional skills to increase your future job prospects. Or, as long as you meet the required academic standards, you could enrol on the BEng and swap to the MEng later.

Accredited by
  • Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE)

This course is accredited by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) for the purposes of meeting, in part, the exemplifying academic benchmark requirements for registration as a Chartered Engineer. Students will need to complete an approved format of further learning pursuant to the requirements of UK-SPEC.

This course automatically meets the exemplifying academic benchmark requirements for registration as an Incorporated Engineer (IEng).



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How you learn

Watch course leader Dr David Agbro talk about the BEng (Hons) Automotive Engineering course.

All our courses are designed around a set of key principles based on engaging you with the world, collaborating with others, challenging you to think in new ways, and providing you with a supportive environment in which you can thrive. 

This course is designed for you to gain experience as a professional engineer from day one, where you’ll develop technical and professional skills from the very start.

You’ll experience and engage in a variety of learning activities as you progress through the course. We’ve designed a balanced mix of activities to help challenge you to think creatively, build knowledge and understanding, while also developing your professional skills and employability. These include practical laboratories and computer simulations to enhance your learning – with lab experiments designed to reinforce your learning of theoretical concepts. 

 You learn through: 

  • Diverse lectures emphasising peer collaboration.
  • Tutorials to practise and apply your knowledge ahead of assessments.
  • Hands-on lab experience including computational modelling and simulation.
  • Q&A and discussions for self-assessment and understanding.
  • Support sessions for receiving feedback and preparing for assessments.
  • Teamwork activities for collaboration in an innovative environment.
  • Multidisciplinary project-based learning to apply knowledge, creativity, design, critical analysis and professional skills to real-world projects.

Course topics

This course provides an in-depth study of the underpinning principles and practices involved in automotive engineering. It covers various aspects of automotive design, development, testing, manufacturing and performance analysis. 

The course combines theoretical knowledge with practical hands-on experience while core modules cover the key aspects of automotive engineering. These range from electric, hybrid and internal combustion propulsion to automotive powertrains and vehicle systems, performance, dynamics, aerodynamics and styling. You’ll also explore sustainable materials, manufacturing and production – plus numerical methods, modelling and simulation.

Course-level support

You’ll be supported in your learning journey towards highly skilled, graduate level employment through a number of key areas. These include:

  • Access to our Skills Centre with one-on-ones, webinars and online resources, where you can get help with planning and structuring your assignments.
  • Access to our student support triangle comprising an academic adviser, an employability adviser and a student support adviser who will help with your personal, academic and career development.
  • The Engineering Café, a weekly drop-in session where you can ask questions and get advice from academics.
  • A dedicated Maths and Stats Support drop-in session that runs twice a week.

Course leaders and tutors

No photo of David Agbro found
David Agbro
Senior Lecturer

Dr David E Agbro is currently a Lecturer in Automotive Engineering and contributes to teaching in both Automotive and Mechanical Engineering within the Thermofluid s … Read more

Applied learning

Work placements 

You’ll have the opportunity to arrange a year-long work placement in between your second and third years. This gives you real-world experience to prepare you for your future career – and allows you to graduate with an Applied Professional Diploma to add to your CV. 

Although optional (and competitive), a placement is actively encouraged to significantly improve your employability at the end of the degree. Previous students have undertaken placements at BorgWarner, Cummins and Forvia Faurecia.

Live projects

Throughout the course, you’ll gain practical experience working on live projects set by our industry partners. You’ll also have the opportunity to get involved in the SHU Racing Team – applying your skills and knowledge to build, test and design race cars. Here you’ll experience what it’s like to collaborate with engineers from different disciplines and solve complex automotive challenges. 

Previous students have also worked on live projects with McLaren, Red Bull, Nissan and Jaguar Land Rover (JLR). 

Field trips

You’ll have the opportunity to visit leading automotive engineering companies such as Bentley Motors, Morgan and Toyota. Explore the full spectrum of the automotive sector, delving into the operations of both specialist companies and international manufacturers. Gain invaluable insights into the diverse facets of automotive engineering in real-world settings.

Networking opportunities

Throughout the course you’ll have numerous opportunities to engage with career management, career fairs and workshops, employer presentations, visits, and professional advisers. You’ll gain professional engagement and real-world learning from guest speakers, practising tutors, and work placements.

Competitions 

You’ll get the opportunity to take part in national and international engineering competitions. 

These include Formula Student – where you design and build a race car and race it at Silverstone, home of the British Grand Prix. There’s also the Heavy Lift Challenge – which involves designing and building a remote-controlled aircraft.


Future careers

This course prepares you for a career in: 

  • Manufacturing 
  • Design research and development 
  • Production 
  • Automotive transport 
  • Building services 
  • Medical engineering 
  • Sport equipment design 
  • Power generation 
  • Alternative energy 
  • Automation and robotics 
  • Product testing 
  • Project management 
  • Aerospace 

Previous graduates of this course have gone on to work for: 

  • BMW Manufacturing
  • Caterpillar
  • Cummins
  • DJ Engineering Services
  • EDF Energy
  • General Motors
  • Intertec UK
  • Jaguar Land Rover
  • Kongsberg Automotive
  • LUK (UK)
  • Nissan
  • Prospec
  • Reckitt Benckiser
  • Rolls-Royce
  • Severn Controls
  • Triumph Motorcycles
  • Unilever
  • ZF TRW

Equipment and facilities

On this course, you’ll have access to our cutting-edge teaching spaces, laboratories and workshops, including: 

  • Rapid prototyping equipment to create accurate prototypes of product designs from CAD-generated information.
  • A 5-axis machining centre which completes the CAD/CAM cycle.
  • Computer simulations.
  • A robotics laboratory to study computer-controlled manufacturing equipment.
  • An automotive workshop for engine testing.
  • A wind tunnel for aerodynamic studies.
  • A steering and suspension test rig for vehicle technology and dynamics.

Entry requirements

All students

UCAS points

  • 112 - 120

This must include at least 64 points from two A levels, equivalent BTEC National qualifications or T level including mathematics and either physics or chemistry subjects. For example:

  • BBC-BBB at A Level including a grade C in a relevant subject.
  • DDM in BTEC Extended Diploma in a relevant subject.
  • Merit overall from a T Level Qualification including a grade B from the Core. Must be an engineering T level- excluding Design and development for engineering and manufacturing. 
  • A combination of qualifications which must include a relevant subject and may include AS levels, EPQ and general studies.

You can find information on making sense of UCAS tariff points here and use the UCAS tariff calculator to work out your points.

GCSE

  • English Language at grade C or 4
  • Maths at grade C or 4

GCSE equivalents

  • Level 2 Literacy or Functional Skills Level 2 English
  • Level 2 Numeracy or Functional Skills Level 2 Maths

• Foundation - pass from the Extended Degree Programme Engineering and Mathematics, dependent on academic performance

• Access - an Access to HE Diploma with at least 45 credits at level 3 and 15 credits at level 2. At least 15 level 3 credits must be at merit grade or above, from a QAA-recognised Access to HE course, or an equivalent Access to HE certificate.

If English is not your first language, you will need an IELTS score of 6.0 with a minimum of 5.5 in all skills, or equivalent. If your English language skill is currently below IELTS 6.0 we recommend you consider a Sheffield Hallam University Pre-sessional English course which will enable you to achieve an equivalent English score.

We will make an offer to all applicants likely to achieve or better these entry requirements.

We welcome applications from people of any age. We may be flexible in our normal offer if you can show a commitment to succeed and have the relevant skills and experience. This must show that you will benefit from and finish the course successfully.

Additional information for EU/International students

If you are an International or non-UK European student, you can find out more about the country specific qualifications we accept on our international qualifications page.

For details of English language entry requirements (IELTS), please see the information for 'All students'.


Modules

Module and assessment information for future years is displayed as currently validated and may be liable to change. When selecting electives, your choices will be subject to the core requirements of the course. As a result, selections may be limited to a choice between one of two or more specified electives in some instances.

Important notice: The structure for this course is currently being reviewed and enhanced to provide the best possible learning experience for our students. Module structure, content, delivery and assessment are all likely to change, but we expect the focus of the course and the learning outcomes to remain as described above. Once the changes have been confirmed, updated module information will be published on this page.

You will be able to complete a placement year as part of this course. See the modules table below for further information.

Year 1

Compulsory modules

Module
Credits
Assessment
Automotive Engineering Fundamentals
Credits 40
Assessment Coursework(50%) , Exam(50%)
Materials, Manufacturing And Design For Transportation
Credits 40
Assessment Coursework(75%) , Practical(25%)
Maths And Engineering Science For Transportation
Credits 20
Assessment Coursework(100%)
Sustainable Engineering And Interdisciplinary Practice
Credits 20
Assessment Coursework(100%)
Year 2

Compulsory modules

Module
Credits
Assessment
Applied Automotive Engineering
Credits 40
Assessment Coursework(50%) , Exam(50%)
Numerical Methods And Applications
Credits 20
Assessment Practical(100%)
Systems Modelling And Simulation
Credits 20
Assessment Coursework(100%)
Vehicle Technology, Systems And Performance
Credits 40
Assessment Coursework(70%) , Practical(30%)
Year 3

Optional modules

Module
Credits
Assessment
Placement Year
Credits -
Assessment
Final year

Compulsory modules

Module
Credits
Assessment
Advanced Automotive Engineering
Credits 40
Assessment Coursework(50%) , Exam(50%)
Project: Implementation
Credits 20
Assessment Coursework(100%)
Project: Management And Scoping
Credits 20
Assessment Coursework(100%)
Vehicle Design And Production
Credits 40
Assessment Coursework(50%) , Practical(50%)

Fees and funding

Home students

Our tuition fee for UK students starting full-time undergraduate study in 2024/25 is £9,250 per year. These fees are regulated by the UK government and are therefore subject to changes in government policy. During your placement year you will pay a reduced fee of £1,200.

If you are studying an undergraduate course, postgraduate pre-registration course or postgraduate research course over more than one academic year then your tuition fees may increase in subsequent years in line with Government regulations or UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) published fees. More information can be found in our terms and conditions under student fees regulations.

International students

Our tuition fee for International/EU students starting full-time study in 2024/25 is £16,655 per year. During your placement year you will pay a reduced fee of £1,200.

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Financial support for home/EU students

How tuition fees work, student loans and other financial support available.

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Additional course costs

This link allows you to view estimated costs associated with the main activities on specific courses. These are estimates and, as such, are only an indication of additional course costs. Actual costs can vary greatly depending on the choices you make during your course.

Additional costs for Engineering courses (PDF, 190KB)

Legal information

Any offer of a place to study is subject to your acceptance of the University’s Terms and Conditions and Student Regulations.

Student success story

Student Shamu Nasimur talks about his experience studying BEng (Hons) Automotive Engineering, having completed a BTEC.

Where will I study?

You study at City Campus through a structured mix of lectures, seminars and practical sessions as well as access to digital and online resources to support your learning.

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95% of our UK graduates are in work or further study 15 months after graduating (2020/21 Graduate Outcomes Survey)

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Facilities

Study in our £11 million Hertha Ayrton STEM Centre and get hands-on experience with industry-standard equipment

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