Electrical Engineering BEng at University of Nottingham
A three‑year, full‑time honours degree focusing on power systems, electronics, and embedded technologies. Accredited by the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET), it provides the academic foundation for Incorporated Engineer (IEng) or partial Chartered Engineer (CEng) status. Ideal for students targeting careers in power distribution, renewable energy, telecommunications, control systems, automotive engineering, or industrial research and development.
Curriculum structure:
Year 1:
Builds foundational skills in Mathematical Methods, Electrical Energy Conditioning & Control, Engineering Mathematics, Information & Systems, Applied Electrical & Electronic Engineering (Construction Project), Introduction to Software Engineering & Programming, and Contemporary Engineering Themes A. Teaching is delivered through lectures, labs, tutorials, and project‑based learning including team design work and lab-based experimentation.
Year 2:
Students engage with modules in Contemporary Engineering Themes B, Design & Implementation of Engineering Software, Electrical Energy Conditioning & Control, Electronic Processing & Communications, Modelling: Methods & Tools, and energy-related group design projects (Electronic Systems and Energy Conditioning). These topics emphasise software development, electronic systems, and energy conversion and control, all reinforced via lab-based group work and problem-solving exercises.
Year 3:
In your third year you take core modules including Electrical Machines, Drive Systems & Applications; Power Electronic Applications & Control; Professional Studies; and the Third Year Individual Project. These are offered alongside optional modules such as Advanced Engineering Mathematics, Applications of AI in Electrical & Electronic Engineering, Cybersecurity, Embedded Computing, Power Networks, Renewable Generation Technologies, Robotics, Dynamics & Control, and Sensing Systems & Signal Processing. This combination supports both specialist pathways and broader technical development.
Optional year in industry (Between 2nd and Final Year)
This year is spent entirely in industry, where you apply your learning in real engineering environments and gain hands‑on experience working on projects. You remain registered with the University, maintain tutorial support, and your placement can lead to employment offers. If no placement is secured, you must transfer to the standard BEng route without the year in industry
Optional Study Abroad Year:
The Year Abroad option lets eligible students spend their second academic year studying at Nottingham’s partner campuses in China or Malaysia, following exactly the same core and optional modules as the UK programme and taught in English; this provides cross-cultural experience while reinforcing your engineering skills.
Focus areas:
This programme emphasises electrical power systems and conditioning, drive systems and motor control, power electronics, digital and analogue circuit design, embedded and intelligent computing, signal processing, and applied AI and cybersecurity for engineered systems.
Learning outcomes:
Graduates emerge equipped with strong analytical and design abilities, hands‑on laboratory and programming experience, project leadership and teamwork skills, and readiness for technical roles in sectors like energy, automotive, telecommunications, and high‑tech engineering environments.
Professional alignment (accreditation):
Accredited by the Institution of Engineering and Technology on behalf of the Engineering Council, satisfying the academic stage for IEng or partial CEng status, with progression to full CEng requiring further study.
Reputation (employability & rankings):
Nottingham consistently ranks in the top 10 UK universities for electrical and electronic engineering (Guardian University Guide 2025 / Times & Sunday Times Good University Guide 2025). Graduate destinations include Rolls-Royce, BMW Group, Kindeva, Leonardo Helicopters, BAE Systems, etc
From your very first term, you’ll engage in weekly lab sessions and live industry-inspired projects—not lectures alone. Working in collaborative teaching labs, ‘hackspaces’ and engineering workshops on University Park campus, you’ll combine hardware and software design with real problem-solving. Nottingham’s CDIO‑based curriculum (Conceive → Design → Implement → Operate) means you consistently work on projects that mirror real-world engineering challenges.
Here’s how that experiential learning plays out practically:
Collaborative Teaching & Project Labs (Pope Building):
From Year 1, you’ll work in group labs building systems like autonomous vehicles equipped with sensor arrays—using oscilloscopes, logic trainers and embedded microcontrollers, supported by academic and technical staff.
Dedicated Electronics Workshop & 3D Printing Studio:
Access soldering bays, PCB fabrication tools, 3D printers and test benches, ideal for prototyping your designs throughout the course.
Project Spaces for Focused Design:
Quiet third-year project rooms are available for individual or group work—fitted with computers and electronics equipment to support extended design tasks.
Yearly Live Industry Challenges:
In Year 1 you’ll compete in Nottingham’s signature Grand Challenge—an industry-set project where you reverse-engineer everyday items, design energy-harvesting systems or build efficiency-improving prototypes in small teams.
Industry-Designed Modules & CDIO Framework:
Modules are co-created with external partners and structured around CDIO principles—ensuring you learn by conceiving, designing, implementing, and operating working systems.
Real-World Software & Simulation Tools:
Across the course you’ll use industry-standard packages—MATLAB, circuit CAD, embedded C/C++, and sustainability-focused simulation tools—within labs and project modules.
Optional Year-in-Industry Placement:
Choose an industrial year between Year 2 and Year 3 to work at firms like Jaguar Land Rover, Rolls‑Royce or BAE Systems—earning professional experience while remaining on track for your degree.
Industry-Recognised Accreditation & Career Readiness:
Fully accredited by the IET, the programme prepares you for professional engineering status (IEng/CEng). Graduates go on to roles at top engineering employers.
Libraries & Technical Study Facilities:
In addition to departmental labs, you have access to Nottingham’s George Green Library and campus-wide computing labs, and software suites for coursework and projects.
This isn’t education by textbooks alone—it’s an active, project-based programme where you build real systems, use real tools, work in real labs, and collaborate with peers under live industry-style briefs. You'll graduate with strong technical ability, a portfolio of real prototypes, and professional experience employers recognize.
Graduates of the University of Nottingham's BEng Electrical Engineering are highly employable, moving into roles such as electrical power engineer, control systems specialist, energy consultant, electronics designer, and project manager. Many alumni also pursue further study in engineering disciplines or work in sectors including energy, transportation, manufacturing, and renewable technologies.
Here's how Nottingham specifically supports your future:
Career Services & Experiential Learning:
The three-year BEng program offers opportunities for an industrial placement year with leading engineering firms. Students gain practical experience through laboratory sessions, design projects, and individual research in the university's modern engineering facilities. The program includes a major third-year project where students tackle real-world electrical engineering challenges. The university's Careers and Employability Service provides dedicated engineering career support, including industry networking events and one-to-one guidance.
Industry Partnerships & Research:
The program benefits from Nottingham's strong industry connections with companies like Rolls-Royce, National Grid, and Siemens, as well as research collaborations with the Power Electronics, Machines and Control (PEMC) Research Group. Students access excellent facilities including high-voltage laboratories, power electronics labs, and control engineering suites. The curriculum incorporates current research in areas like sustainable energy systems, electric transportation, smart grids, and power electronics.
Graduate Outcomes:
Students develop strong technical skills in power systems, control engineering, electrical machines, and energy conversion, complemented by practical experience in solving real engineering problems. These competencies are valued across the electrical engineering sector.
Further Academic Progression:
After completing the BEng at Nottingham, graduates can progress to the MEng Electrical Engineering or pursue master's study in specialized areas. Alternatively, they can enter professional roles in power generation, systems design, or technical consultancy - supported by the program's industry-relevant training and strong employer connections.
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