Program Overview
It emphasizes hands-on experience through projects like Formula Student and access to industry-standard workshops. Graduates are well-equipped for careers in automotive design, development, research, and management, benefiting from the national shortage of qualified engineers in the field.
Program Outline
Degree Overview:
This honours degree has been designed for the automotive industry in response to the shortfall of mechanical engineers. It is for those who have a strong interest in mechanical engineering and a clear desire to develop their knowledge and skills in automotive engineering. The course fully explores the engineering, design, analysis and development of modern cars using various race cars as support for teaching. It also puts emphasis on learning transferable skills applicable to many other industries.
Outline:
Year 1 (Level 4):
- Modules:
- Engineering Mathematics
- Introduction to Electrical & Mechanical Engineering Science
- CAD and Production Science
- Engineering Professional Development
- Materials and Environment
- Automotive Systems
Year 2 (Level 5):
- Modules:
- Engineering Futures – Research, Ethics, and Sustainability
- Further Engineering Mathematics
- Mechanics, Structures & FEA
- Computer Aided Manufacturing
- Automotive Design
- Automotive Powertrains & Fluids
Year 3 (Level 6):
- Modules:
- Mechanical Engineering Modelling & Simulation
- Automotive Dynamics
- Modern Automotive Powertrains
- Project
- Optional Modules (1 to pick):
- Professional Engineering
- Motorsport Practice
Assessment:
- A broad range of assessment methods are used, including task-based exercises, oral and poster presentations, essays and laboratory reports, and written exams.
- Each module is assessed by a variety of methods, enabling students to display their full potential.
- A project dissertation will form one of the final parts of your assessment.
Teaching:
- Teaching Methods: Lectures, laboratory sessions, student-led seminars, and guided research.
- Independent Learning: An important aspect of all modules, promoting both subject-specific and key skills development through guided study and feedback.
- Support: Wrexham University offers workshops and support sessions in areas such as academic writing, effective note-making, and preparing for assignments. Students can book appointments with academic skills tutors.
Careers:
- Career Prospects: The exciting range of career options open to you when you graduate includes working with car manufacturers and their supply network, in automotive research and development, in consultancy, engineering management, automotive design and in the motorsport industry.
- Opportunities: There’s a national shortage of fully-qualified engineers in the automotive industry; with a degree in automotive technology, you’ll stand out from the crowd when it comes to finding employment.
- Potential Roles: Race car dynamics, Motorsport electronics, Chassis engineering, Performance car structures, Electronic technologies, Performance engines.
Other:
- You will have access to a specialist motorsport workshop as well as an industry-standard production workshop to gain experience in using machinery.
- You will have the opportunity to work on various continuously evolving projects, including a single-seater bike-powered race car, Westfield SEi, Renault 5 RWD Electric, Toyota Auris hybrid, and more.
- Students are also currently running a Formula Student team.
- Wrexham University is one of two education providers in the UK that are official Catia Certification centres, meaning that students can gain Catia Certification in addition to their degree studies.
- Students are required to pay a Certification fee of £50 for Catia Certification.
