Program Overview
The Automotive Engineering BEng program at Leeds prepares students for careers in traditional mechanical engineering, as well as the electric and hybrid automotive industries and motorsport sector. It offers a comprehensive curriculum that covers both foundational and advanced automotive engineering principles, with a focus on sustainability, performance, and safety. The program features hands-on learning opportunities through laboratory work, industry-sponsored fieldwork, and project work, and provides access to state-of-the-art facilities and industry connections.
Program Outline
Degree Overview:
This course will prepare you for a career in both traditional mechanical engineering and in the electric and hybrid automotive industries, as well as in the motorsport sector. From 2035, all new vehicles sold in the UK must be electric, which means that the next generation of automotive engineers needs to be trained now to meet the needs of this rapidly changing industry. The development of hybrid, electric and autonomous vehicle technology to replace traditional internal combustion engines is already transforming the automotive engineering sector. The key issues facing automotive engineers include designing sustainable hybrid and electric vehicles that meet increasing safety and performance standards and challenging cost-efficiency targets. As well as in-depth knowledge of mechanical engineering, specialist knowledge and skills are also needed to succeed in this sector. You’ll also develop an awareness of the commercial issues that impact design and production processes. Early participation in Formula Student and motorsport activities has helped some of our students secure industrial placements with leading automotive companies, Formula Electric and Formula One teams. That’s one of the reasons why our graduates are so in demand from industry, and why our courses are accredited by the leading professional bodies.
Why study at Leeds:
- This course is accredited by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers.
- Work on your own mechanical projects, putting into practice what you have learned by designing, manufacturing and assembling devices and testing their performance.
- Access specialist facilities, including a high-spec computer cluster and extensive laboratory space.
- We have strong university links with the Leeds Institute for Fluid Dynamics, Robotics Leeds, the School of Medicine and the Faculty of Biological Sciences.
- At the end of your second year, there’s the possibility of transferring to the four-year integrated Masters (MEng, BEng).
Accreditation:
Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) Accreditation is the assurance that a university course meets the quality standards established by the profession for which it prepares its students. This course is accredited by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) on behalf of the Engineering Council. In years three and four you’ll take modules in your chosen specialism. You’ll also study engineering ethics throughout your course, with lectures and/or seminars in each year of study. Ethics plays an integral role in the engineering practices of today, which is why you’ll study engineering ethics as part of your course. You’ll be taught by academics from the Inter-Disciplinary Ethics Applied Centre, as well as your lecturers, covering a wide range of topics such as professionalism and codes of conduct, corporate social responsibility, engineering and responsibility, ethics in innovation and research ethics. The ethics training will advance your critical thinking, communication and creative problem-solving skills which are crucial to employers, but it will also help you identify and respond effectively to ethical dilemmas that you may encounter in your professional life in the engineering industry. Each academic year, you'll take a total of 120 credits.
Years 1 and 2:
You’ll study compulsory modules to establish the core mechanical engineering principles required by all branches of mechanical engineering. You’ll design, build and test four-wheel buggies and take part in ‘The Daring Dash’ competition. Since many mechanical engineers go on to positions where they have management responsibilities, you’ll also develop your knowledge of business practices by studying economics and management, taught by the Leeds University Business School.
Year 3:
Building on this foundation, you’ll explore vehicle design and analysis in detail in year 3. You’ll focus on vehicle modelling, tyre-ground forces, acceleration and vehicle handling behaviour. You’ll also study further engine technology including combustion engine, hybrids and electric motors, compressible flow dynamics, and predict the stresses, vibration and buckling of automotive structures. In this year you’ll also choose a specialist optional module, allowing you to focus either on robotics and machine intelligence or additive manufacturing. Your third-year project will be a large individual research project, where you can get involved in an area of current research and will be assigned an academic supervisor for guidance and support. Recent projects have included:
- Design of electric race car cooling system
- Future decarbonisation of transport: Propulsion system You can apply to either undertake a one-year industrial work placement or study abroad for a year, choosing from a selection of universities we’re in partnership with worldwide.
Course structure:
The list shown below represents typical modules/components studied and may change from time to time.
Year 1 compulsory modules:
- Computers in Engineering Analysis (20 credits)
- Design and Manufacture 1 (20 credits)
- Thermofluids 1 (20 credits)
- Solid Mechanics (20 credits)
- Engineering Materials (20 credits)
- Engineering Mathematics (20 credits)
Year 2 compulsory modules:
- Engineering Mechanics (20 credits)
- Vibration and Control (20 credits)
- Design and Manufacture 2 (20 credits)
- Economics and Management (20 credits)
- Mechatronics and Measurement Systems (20 credits)
- Thermofluids 2 (20 credits)
Year 3 compulsory modules:
- Automotive Propulsion Systems (20 credits)
- Vehicle Design and Analysis (20 credits)
- Additive Manufacturing (20 credits)
- Individual Engineering Project (40 credits)
- Finite Element Methods of Analysis (20 credits)
Assessment:
You’ll be assessed through a variety of assessment approaches to test different knowledge and skills. Assessments will enable you to demonstrate your competency in a particular skill, as well as measuring the extent of your knowledge and understanding. They are designed to be fair and inclusive. We'll use different forms of assessment including written examinations (held at the end of each semester) and coursework that also develops key transferable skills that will be relevant to your future professional practice, such as laboratory and project reports, teamworking and presentations. Assessments will develop your ability to bring together evidence from a variety of sources, and to critically understand and evaluate.
Teaching:
You’ll benefit from our integrated style of learning and teaching. Laboratory classes, project work, and industry sponsored fieldwork allow you to gain hands-on experience investigating and applying material from your lectures and tutorials to real life work situations. We also organise industrial visits and offer additional seminars delivered by practising engineers and other professionals. You’ll have a designated personal tutor throughout your studies at Leeds, who will be an academic member of staff. You’ll have fortnightly academic tutorials with your tutor throughout your first two years, in your tutor group (of typically 5 students), as well as one-to-one meetings each semester. You may also be taught by industry professionals with years of experience, as well as trained postgraduate researchers, connecting you to some of the brightest minds on campus.
Careers:
The employment opportunities in the field of automotive engineering are far-reaching, with the potential to take you all over the world. Plus, University of Leeds students are among the top 5 most targeted by top employers according to The Graduate Market 2024, High Fliers Research, meaning our graduates are highly sought after by some of the most reputable companies in the field. The breadth of knowledge and experience, along with including design, problem solving, engineering ethics, numeracy and analysis skills, together with transferable skills, such as communication and working as a team are widely transferable and desirable to a whole host of employers.
- Flight Physics Graduate, Airbus UK
- Graduate Engineer, Bentley Motors
- Offshore Wind Research Engineer, EDF Energy R&D UK Centre
- Driveline Systems Development Engineer, JTEKT Corporation
- Chassis Project Engineer, McLaren Automotive
- Graduate Track Engineer, Motor Insurance Research Centre
- Mechanical Engineering Graduate, Network Rail
- Graduate Engineer, Nissan
- Junior Systems Design Engineer, Red Bull Racing
- Mechanical Engineer, Rolls Royce
- Automotive Engineer, Triumph Motorcycles You'll be supported throughout your studies by our dedicated Employability Team, who will provide you with specialist support and advice to help you find relevant work experience, internships and industrial placements, as well as graduate positions. You’ll benefit from timetabled employability sessions, support during internships and placements, and presentations and workshops delivered by employers.
- 76% of students say teaching staff have supported their learning well.
- 95% in work or doing further study 15 months after the course.
- Top 100 in the world for Engineering and Technology (QS World University Rankings by Subject 2024)
- Top 10 in the UK for Mechanical Engineering (Complete University Guide 2025)
Tuition fees for UK undergraduate students starting in 2024/25 Tuition fees for UK full-time undergraduate students are set by the UK Government and will be £9,250 for students starting in 2024/25. The fee may increase in future years of your course in line with inflation only, as a consequence of future changes in Government legislation and as permitted by law. Tuition fees for UK undergraduate students starting in 2025/26 Tuition fees for UK full-time undergraduate students starting in 2025/26 have not yet been confirmed by the UK government. When the fee is available we will update individual course pages. Tuition fees for international undergraduate students starting in 2024/25 and 2025/26 Fees for students starting in 2025/26 will be available from September 2024.
