At Queen’s, we aim to deliver a high quality learning environment that embeds intellectual curiosity, innovation and best practice in learning, teaching and student support to enable a student to achieve their full academic potential. As a student studying for a BEng in Mechanical Engineering, you are provided with a broad range of learning experiences to enable you to develop as an individual, to engage with subject experts from both academia and industry, and to develop an enquiring mind to enhance your development as an independent, lifelong learner. Access to industry standard engineering tools, a world class library facility and courses taught by subject experts provides a breadth of opportunity to develop your interests in mechanical engineering, which is supported by formal lectures, tutorials and practical experience. There are a wide range of learning opportunities, including: * Lectures: Formal lectures are timetabled to introduce basic information and concepts about key topics and themes in Mechanical Engineering, and to provide a starting point to guide further self-directed private study. This provides an invaluable opportunity to both engage with academic subject experts and also to gain feedback and advice. Throughout your degree course, a number of special invited lectures will also given by practicing professional engineers from industry, to ensure that you have the opportunity to learn and discuss the industrial context of your studies. * Tutorials: The majority of lectures are supported through matching tutorial sessions, providing opportunities for discussion about problems posed in accompanying lectures. Again, tutorials provide valuable opportunities to engage with academic staff to obtain help and feedback outside of the formal lecture environment. * Practicals: A key aspect of any engineering degree is the ability to be able to competently transfer engineering scientific principles into practice. You will be provided with numerous opportunities to develop core technical skills through practical laboratories and design exercises during your degree programme, and you will become proficient in the use of a wide range of industrial standard engineering design and analysis tools. * E-Learning technologies: The Queen’s Online Virtual Learning Environment provides access to a wealth of information and supporting learning information, including additional module resources, reading lists and message boards to communicate with class members. * Self-directed study: This is an important part of life as a Queen’s student when important private reading, engagement with e-learning resources, reflection on feedback to date and assignment research and preparation work is carried out. * Work placements: As part of our BEng sandwich programme, students may elect to take a work-placement after the successful completion of Stage 2. An employability programme provides support on application and CV completion, interviews and what to expect on placement, while our dedicated Placement Officer provides both information on current placement opportunities, and ‘on placement’ support. This significant learning and employability enhancement opportunity is now undertaken by a large proportion of students on the BEng programme. * Field trips: Within a number of course modules opportunities are provided for students to visit local companies to demonstrate module content in a real-life work environment and to provide understanding of the role of practicing Mechanical Engineers in industry. * Individual research projects: As part of stage 3 of your degree, you will undertake a research project in your final year in conjunction with an academic supervisor, looking in detail at a specialist topic in Mechanical Engineering. This will provide you the opportunity to engage with the state-of-the-art in a mechanical engineering field of your own interest, while embedding core skills in project management, reporting and presentation skills. * Personal Tutor: Undergraduates are allocated a Personal Tutor from the academic staff who meets with them regularly during the year to support their academic development.

A degree in Mechanical Engineering from Queen’s will assist you in developing the core skills and employment-related experiences that are valued by employers, professional organisations and academic institutions alike. Our graduates are well regarded by many employers (local, national and international) and the versatility of Mechanical Engineering graduates makes them well suited for a wide range of future careers, both within engineering and in the wider graduate sector. Although the vast majority of our graduates are interested in pursuing careers in Mechanical Engineering where the average graduate starting salary is £23,993, a significant number develop careers in a wide range of other sectors. The following is a list of the major career sectors (and some starting salaries) that have attracted our graduates in recent years: