Mechanical Engineering

Mechanical Engineering covers a very broad field: the main areas are mechanics, fluid dynamics, thermodynamics, materials, and design, but topics in control and instrumentation are also relevant. Many students will choose to specialise either in the "dry" side of the subject (mechanics, materials, design) or the "wet" side (fluids and thermodynamics), but combinations of courses can be found to suit many different career paths, some of which cut across this divide.

Third Year

Students intending to qualify in this Engineering Area must include at least six of the modules listed below in their third year. It would be prudent to discuss with your Director of Studies before choosing a very eclectic mix of courses, in case a lack of overlap makes the workload unusually high.

Number and title of module
3A1Fluid mechanics I (double module)
3A3Fluid mechanics II (double module) 
3A5Thermodynamics and power generation
3A6Heat and mass transfer
3B4Electric drive systems
3C1Materials processing and design
3C5Dynamics
3C6Vibration
3C7Mechanics of solids
3C8Machine design
3C9Fracture mechanics of materials and structures
3D3Structural materials and design
3D7Finite element methods
3D8Building physics and environmental geotechnics
3F1 Signals and systems
3F2 Systems and control
3G2 Mathematical physiology
3G4 Medical imaging and 3D computer graphics
3G5 Biomaterials
3M1 Mathematical methods
4C4 Design methods
4M12 Partial differential equations and variational methods
4M16Nuclear power engineering

Recommended Engineering Area Extension Activity: Design and performance of a portable motor-generator set or Failure analysis or Flow visualisation or IC engine performance/emissions or Investigation of the design of CD players

Fourth Year

Students intending to qualify in this Engineering Area in the fourth year must include four modules from the list below:

Number and title of module
4A2Computational fluid dynamics
4A3Turbomachinery
4A7Aerodynamics
4A9Molecular thermodynamics
4A10Flow instability
4A12Turbulence and vortex dynamics
4A13Combustion and IC engines
4B13Electronic sensors and instrumentation
4B19Renewable electrical power
4C2Designing with composites
4C3Electrical and nano materials
4C4Design methods
4C5Design case studies
4C6Advanced linear vibration
4C7Random and non-linear vibrations
4C8Applications of dynamics
4C9Continuum mechanics
4C15MEMS: design
4C16Advanced machine design
4D6Dynamics in civil engineering
4D17Plate and shell structures
4F1Control system design
4F7Digital filters and spectrum estimation
4G4Biomimetics
4G5Molecular modelling
4G6Cellular and molecular biomechanics
4I5Nuclear materials
4I10Nuclear reactor engineering
4I11Advanced fission and fusion systems
4M6 Materials and processes for microsystems (MEMS)
4M12 Partial differential equations and variational methods
4M16Nuclear power engineering
4M17Practical optimization
4M20Robotics