BEng Electrical and Mechanical Engineering

Students in Electrical and Mechanical Engineering BEng (Hons) at Queen’s Buildings, University of Edinburgh learn to engineer from day one—literally getting hands on with real-world devices, systems, and challenging design briefs. You'll work in modern labs for power electronics, mechatronics and manufacturing, supported by expert technicians who help translate analyses into prototypes. Your design skills, technical toolkit, and creative confidence are built through a mix of live projects, simulation and fabrication tools, and optional placements working with real employers—a learning loop that builds marketplace-ready engineers, not theorists.

Here’s how those experiences stack up in practice:

• Multidisciplinary labs in your undergraduate classrooms: Early‑year students use the Mechanical Engineering Teaching Lab—complete with welding rigs, 3D-printing, CNC routing and even a dedicated Formula Student workshop for F1‑style car building—and the Electrical Power Lab and Kivlin Suite for circuit design, testing and prototyping under real loads.

• Engineering Makerspace + remote‑lab access: Once your design sketches turn into CAD files or embedded prototypes, the Makerspace lets you mill, 3D‑print, solder and test with support from Edinburgh Innovations. You’ll also get access to Remote Labs—run test rigs or microcontroller networks online from home or study.

• Cutting‑edge research‑grade facilities: You’ll get exposure to the Scottish Microelectronics Centre for MEMS and cleanroom fabrication; the Robotics SuperLab for automation builds and testing; and FloWave, a unique ocean‑energy simulation tank—all operating at student‑use access levels.

• Team projects & student competition experience: Your year 3 or 4 capstone might be the Sustainable Energy Development Project—a five‑person project where students design and build a working wind turbine under time and budget constraints. Many students participate in SLICCs like Formula Student, Hyperloop Edinburgh or Endeavour, which count for degree credit and build teamwork, design thinking and presentation skills.

• Industry‑standard tools & simulation environments: Although simulation software isn’t listed in module names, the curriculum uses Python, MATLAB/Simulink, CAD modelling and power‑flow tools during supervisory labs, remote‑lab assignments and control system tutorials. Multiple modules incorporate systems modelling prior to physical tests in lab.

• Individual Honours project in final year: As part of the BEng programme, you complete a Project over 3–6 months under academic mentorship. It counts for one third of your final‑year grade and often involves collaboration with industry or research groups.

• Strong employer engagement & charters: The School hosts an Engineering Careers Fair each November and employer tech talks year‑round. Courses are accredited by the IET and embed UN Sustainable Development Goals (notably SDG 9 and SDG 13) in elective design briefs.

Graduates of Edinburgh’s BEng in Electrical & Mechanical Engineering are equipped for diverse careers in sectors such as energy, transportation, aerospace, robotics, renewables, and infrastructure, with roles including electromechanical design engineer, controls systems developer, power systems analyst, and technical consultant. Many alumni also progress into postgraduate study in areas like robotics, advanced energy systems, biomedical engineering, or materials science. The design-oriented, research-rich curriculum ensures students develop both breadth and technical depth in engineering.

University Services That Support Employment
Dedicated Engineering Placement Team & Careers Support: The programme benefits from a joint hub between the School of Engineering and the Careers Service, which offers bespoke coaching on CVs, interviews, and employer events like sector fairs and technical talks throughout the year.

Industry Partnerships & Research
Driven by its Industrial Liaison Board, which includes senior figures from sectors such as aerospace, renewables, automotive, and electronics, the curriculum is regularly reviewed to maintain real-world relevance.

Research-led teaching across multiple fields: Areas of excellence include carbon capture systems, materials science, bio-interfaces, and renewable energy (particularly marine energy). Undergraduates benefit from research clusters like the Edinburgh Parallel Computing Centre (EPCC) and sustainable mechanised systems in the King’s Buildings.

Hands-on workshops and labs equip students to prototype embedded systems, control mechanisms, power electronics, and mechanical assemblies—bridging theory and practice effectively.

Accreditation
The degree is fully accredited by the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) under UK‑SPEC, satisfying the academic requirements toward becoming a Chartered Engineer (CEng). Accreditation covers essential graduate outcomes such as professional engineering practice, systems thinking, and sustainable design.

Graduate Outcomes
Students leave the programme with strong capabilities in analytical and mathematical modelling, computational simulation, circuit and systems engineering, and mechanical design—together with proven experience in hardware prototyping, teamwork, and professional communication through group projects. These skills are recognised by employers in fields such as product development, controls engineering, energy systems, infrastructure design, consulting, and tech start-ups. The programme’s balanced design ensures graduates are adaptable for roles in research teams, production management, or technical services across public and private sectors.

Further Academic Progression
Successful BEng graduates can opt to continue into the MEng programme, enabling completion of a longer independent project, greater leadership responsibility, and full academic alignment with CEng pathways.

The department’s strong track record in postgraduate research (MSc, MRes, PhD) opens routes into advanced technical careers in areas like robotics, marine power, bioengineering or materials science, with many alumni entering doctoral programmes both in the UK and internationally.