Bachelor in International Mechanical Engineering

3 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

University West

Program Overview

The Bachelor in International Mechanical Engineering is a uniquely designed 3-year program that equips you with cutting-edge technical skills, global perspectives, and a multidisciplinary approach to solve real-world engineering challenges. Built directly in collaboration with industry leaders like GKN Aerospace, Volvo Cars, and Siemens, this program prepares you not just for immediate employment but also for advanced study in integrated systems.

Curriculum Structure

First Year: Building Your Foundation

Your first year establishes the core mechanical engineering competence you'll need throughout your career. You'll dive into fundamental courses including statistics, dynamics, strength of materials, and thermodynamics—the essential theoretical and analytical tools for understanding mechanical engineering problems. Alongside these mechanics courses, you'll also develop broader engineering skills through mathematics, technical writing and communication, and programming, ensuring you can tackle complex challenges from multiple angles.

Second Year: Expanding Your Engineering Toolkit

In your second year, the curriculum broadens significantly to prepare you as a versatile engineer. You'll advance your capabilities with specialized courses in robotics and automation, electronics and sensors basics, and numerical analysis, while continuing to deepen your manufacturing knowledge. This is also when you can explore the optional Industrial Placement Course, allowing you to earn credits while working 50% of the time at an international company and studying 50% at a partner university—giving you real-world experience alongside your academic growth.

Third Year: Applying Your Knowledge and Going Global

Your final year culminates in thesis work where you independently apply everything you've learned to solve real engineering problems, often in direct collaboration with industry partners. You'll have the flexibility to conduct this thesis within an industrial placement abroad, spending 1-2 semesters in Europe, Asia, or South America. By graduation, you'll have gained deep expertise in advanced manufacturing methods, materials science, and integrated industrial systems.

Focus Areas

Advanced manufacturing, robotics and automation, additive manufacturing/3D printing, non-destructive testing, materials science, sustainability, digital technologies, and industry 4.0

Learning Outcomes

Graduates develop broad competence in manufacturing processes, materials science, robotics, automation, and digital technologies; possess a solid foundation in mathematics and mechanics for problem-solving; gain practical, real-world perspectives through industry collaboration; and develop adaptability and multidisciplinary thinking for an evolving engineering landscape

Professional Alignment

The program is accredited and structured to meet the demands of modern industry and enables admission to master's programs at University West and other universities. Graduates are prepared for careers in manufacturing processes, automation, materials science, and sustainability across integrated industrial systems.

Reputation & Employability

The program's first graduating class entered the workforce in January 2025, stepping directly into careers with strong industry connections and broad technical competency. University West's Department of Engineering Science continuously updates its program content based on market needs and industrial requirements, with world-leading research facilities in welding technologies, additive manufacturing, thermal spraying, and advanced materials processing.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

At University West's Bachelor in International Mechanical Engineering, you'll dive right into hands-on learning from day one, building practical skills through courses designed in partnership with industry leaders like GKN Aerospace, Volvo Cars, and Siemens. You'll work with cutting-edge tools for testing materials and manufacturing, gaining real-world expertise in areas like microstructural analysis, mechanical testing, and advanced simulation that employers demand. Guest lectures from company experts, on-site study visits, and collaborative experiments bring industry straight to your classroom, ensuring you're not just learning theory but applying it immediately.

This experiential focus ramps up with opportunities like these:
- Industrial Placement Course: Spend 1–2 semesters in your third year working 50% at an international company while studying at a partner university, earning credits and even completing your thesis there for seamless industry integration.
- CAD and Technical Drawing: Master CAD/CAM software early on to design and simulate mechanical systems, plus programming, robotics, automation, and numerical analysis for modern manufacturing.
- Advanced Testing Labs: Use specialized equipment like scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffractometry, 3D profilometry, Gleeble Welding Simulator, tensile/fatigue testers, and non-destructive tools (ultrasound, X-ray, infrared, eddy current) for microstructural inspection, wear/corrosion testing, and thermomechanical simulations.
- Group Projects and Thesis Work: Tackle real-world problems in collaborative thesis projects (final semester, 30 credits) often with industry partners, focusing on manufacturing, materials, Industry 4.0, and sustainability—building teamwork and problem-solving skills.
- Research-Linked Facilities: Access University West's production technology labs tied to world-class research in additive manufacturing, non-destructive testing, robotics, and smart systems, keeping your skills at the forefront.

Progression & Future Opportunities

At University West's Bachelor in International Mechanical Engineering, you'll dive straight into hands-on learning from day one, building real-world skills through our cutting-edge Production Technology Centre (PTC)—one of Sweden's largest and most advanced manufacturing labs. Your courses, projects, and thesis work give you direct access to this hub, where experts from Production Technology West (PTW)—internationally recognized for production processes—guide you with practical, industry-relevant approaches. You'll work with state-of-the-art testing gear and collaborate on projects tied to ongoing research and company partnerships, making your education feel like a seamless bridge to your future career.

This means getting your hands on tools and experiences like:
- Advanced laboratories at PTC, including microstructural inspection with optical and scanning electron microscopy, 3D profilometry for surface analysis, X-ray diffractometry, mechanical testing (tensile, fatigue, microhardness at high temperatures), Gleeble welding simulator for thermomechanical testing, and non-destructive testing via ultrasound, X-ray, and infrared cameras.
- Industry-based projects and assignments, often developed with corporate partners, plus guest lecturers, study visits, and thesis supervision linked to live PTC research projects involving companies.
- Industrial software and simulation tools integrated into problem-solving sessions and flipped classroom formats, alongside virtual and industry-equipped labs for practical engineering tasks.
- Work-integrated learning (WIL) opportunities through collaborations with industry experts, preparing you for the evolving job market with multidisciplinary projects in areas like production, additive manufacturing, and welding technologies.
- Connections to researchers and companies at PTC and the Department of Engineering Science's Division of Mechanical Engineering, where you can network with professors, PhD students, and industry pros in a small, personal campus setting.