Architectural Engineering (Industrial) BEng

Studying the Architectural Engineering (Industrial) BEng at Leeds means you're never stuck behind a textbook—this is a course built for doing, creating, collaborating, and applying what you learn in real-world contexts. From day one you’ll be in design studios, working on projects that challenge you to think both technically and creatively. You’ll use industry-standard software, carry out experiments in labs, do site surveys, and potentially spend a full year in industry applying what you’ve learned.

Here are concrete ways the course gives you those practical, real world skills and experiences:

• You get access to specialist laboratories in areas such as structures, materials, public health engineering, building services, and geotechnics. These let you test materials, understand how buildings behave under loads, examine thermal and physical performance, etc.
• The design studio is central — flexible space dedicated to lectures, tutorials, personal study, and especially design projects. Model-making facilities support you in bringing designs to life.
• You’ll use industry-standard software such as Revit (for Building Information Modelling), IES (for dynamic thermal modelling), Robot (for structural analysis), and Adobe Creative Suite (for graphic communication). These give you technical skills that employers expect.
• Projects are not just individual—group and team-based design work is built into every year through Integrated Design Projects. These replicate real multidisciplinary working (architecture, structures, services, sustainability etc.).
• There are site visits, surveying, and field-work which help you connect theory to real constructions and the built environment. You’ll do site surveys and sometimes visit design offices or construction sites.
• Optional industrial placement year: you can take a paid placement year in industry (between years 2 and 3 for BEng) to gain professional experience, build contacts, and boost employability.
• Research/investigation projects: in your final year you undertake an individual research project, giving you experience in independent work, investigation, and sometimes experimental or applied research.
• The course is accredited by professional bodies like the Joint Board of Moderators (JBM) and the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE). That means the training you get is recognized, and you’re being prepared to meet professional standards.

Graduate Outcomes & Career Roles

Graduates of this program typically progress into roles such as:

• Design Engineer (building services, structural systems, sustainability)

• Structural or Building Services Engineer

• Architectural Engineer/Consultant

• Specialist roles such as Façade Engineer or Building Physicist

Leeds graduates are consistently ranked among the top five most targeted by UK employers. Typical starting salaries in this field range from £29,000 to £50,000, with an average of around £38,000.

University Support & Industry Connections

• Careers Support: Access to one of the UK’s largest Careers Centres plus a dedicated Faculty Employability Team offering help with CVs, applications, and interviews.

• Practical Experience: Industrial tutors, site visits, and project work with practising architects and engineers integrated into your studies.

• Placement Opportunities: Paid industrial year with top employers such as Arcadis, Nationwide Structures Ltd, Yonder, Price & Myers, and Cummins.

• Industry Tools & Facilities: Training in professional software (Revit BIM, IES, Robot) and use of modern labs for structures, materials, geotechnics, and public health engineering.

Accreditation & Professional Value

• Accredited by the Joint Board of Moderators (JBM) and the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE).

• Fully meets the academic requirement for Incorporated Engineer (IEng) registration and partially for Chartered Engineer (CEng) status.

• Accreditation ensures strong recognition by employers and a clear route to professional chartership.

Graduate Employers

Leeds graduates from this course have gone on to work with leading firms such as:
Arup, AECOM, AKT II, Mott MacDonald, Buro Happold, and Laing O’Rourke.

Further Academic Progression

After completing this BEng, students may choose to:

• Continue to the MEng in Architectural Engineering at Leeds for a direct route to Chartered Engineer accreditation.

• Pursue a specialist master’s degree in areas such as Sustainable Design, Façade Engineering, or Building Physics.

• Undertake PhD research in advanced fields like energy-efficient materials, smart building systems, or climate-resilient infrastructure.