3 Years On Campus Bachelors Program
This exciting BEng degree immerses you in cutting-edge fields—from sensors and flexible electronics to medical robotics, 5G communications, and space systems—backed by hands-on lab experiences in the Future Technologies Labs. It’s ideal for creative, tech-driven students keen to develop real-world engineering skills and work on solutions for sustainable transport, autonomous systems, and future communication technologies.
Curriculum Structure
Year 1
In your first year, you’ll build a solid foundation in Electrical Circuits & Devices, learning circuit theory, components (resistors, capacitors, transistors), and practical lab analysis. You'll also take Electronic Devices & Circuit Prototyping, where you'll work with diodes, MOSFETs, simulate and prototype circuits using NI Multisim and NI Elvis.
Year 2
Your second year introduces more advanced subjects. Electrical Machines & Power Electronics covers DC/AC machines, power electronic converters, and their role in applications like electric vehicles and wind power—with hands-on modeling in MATLAB and Simulink. You’ll also study modules like Digital Systems & Microprocessor Design, Embedded Systems, Analogue Communication and Propagation, and Systems Analysis and Control.
Experience Year (optional)
Between Years 2 and 3, you can choose to enhance your degree through a Study Abroad or Placement Year. Studying abroad allows you to develop an international perspective, improve your adaptability, and stand out in the global job market. Placement opportunities let you gain hands-on industry experience, applying your skills in real-world settings. Recent Sussex engineering students have completed placements with major employers such as EDF Energy, GE Aviation, and Vauxhall Motors, developing technical expertise, teamwork, and transferable skills. Whether abroad or in industry, this year adds invaluable depth to your academic learning and boosts your employability.
Year 3
In the final year, the focus shifts to Control Engineering, Electrical Power Systems, and Business and Project Management, preparing you to lead complex technical projects. You'll undertake an Individual Project, applying all your skills to an industry-inspired problem. You’ll also explore Smart Interactive Sensing Systems and Applications, shaping your understanding of intelligent, sensor-driven technologies.
Focus areas
Sensors, robotics, flexible electronics, medical imaging, 5G communication, embedded systems, power electronics, control systems, smart sensing.
Learning outcomes
You’ll gain strong theoretical understanding and practical competence in designing, modeling, and implementing electrical and electronic systems—across circuits, devices, power systems, control systems, and smart technologies.
Professional alignment (accreditation)
Accredited by the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET), meeting the requirements for professional registration as an Incorporated Engineer (IEng) and partially for Chartered Engineer (CEng).
Reputation (employability rankings)
University of Sussex Engineering enjoys excellent research credentials (87.9% of outputs rated world-leading or internationally excellent in REF 2021), with the BEng course ranked 13th in the UK for graduate prospects (Complete University Guide 2026) and 16th nationally in Electrical Engineering (Guardian University Guide 2025).
Here’s how Electrical and Electronic Engineering BEng (Hons) at University of Sussex delivers a richly practical, hands-on learning experience. From your first year, you're immersed in real engineering: designing, building, testing and refining systems in modern labs that bridge electronics, embedded systems, power, robotics, and control.
Experiential learning includes:
Future Technologies & Electronics Labs: You’ll work in the £12 million Future Technologies Labs, a cutting-edge environment for robot building, embedded systems programming, digital signal processors, and computer-aided design—alongside electronics & control engineering laboratories and electrical drive systems. You may even join the Formula Student or Medical Robotics teams.
Simulation, electronics & circuit design modules: Modules like Digital Systems & Microprocessor Design let you design and program processors with VHDL and simulation tools, providing a strong foundation in digital logic.
And Electronic Circuit & Systems Design challenges you to simulate, build, test, and evaluate complex analogue systems using industry-standard equipment and CAD tools.
Power systems & control theory, hands-on: In Electrical Machines & Power Electronics, you'll gain practical experience with AC/DC machines, power converters, and drive systems—using MATLAB/Simulink to model and integrate systems relevant to EVs, wind energy, robotics, and microgrids.
Additionally, Systems Analysis & Control blends theory and lab practice, teaching you to model dynamical systems and apply controls in real contexts.
Embedded Systems module: You learn embedded programming with hardware projects—working in labs every week to build, test, and present real systems.
Specialist electronics and electrical labs:
Industrial placement support: There's an optional industrial placement year that gives you real industry exposure—where you'll help design products or services and build confidence as a practicing engineer.
Research-led learning: Teaching is influenced by Sussex’s research strengths in sensors, flexible electronics, medical robotics, 5G communications, imaging, and space systems—ensuring your projects reflect real-world innovation.
Graduates of the University of Sussex's BEng (Hons) Electrical and Electronic Engineering are highly employable, moving into roles such as power systems engineer, electronics design specialist, control systems engineer, telecommunications consultant, and embedded systems developer. Many alumni also pursue further study in engineering disciplines or work in sectors including renewable energy, smart technologies, robotics, and emerging industries.
Here's how Sussex specifically supports your future:
Career Services & Experiential Learning:
The three-year BEng programme offers opportunities for industrial placements with leading engineering and technology firms. Students gain hands-on experience in Sussex's Future Technologies Labs, including specialist facilities for power electronics, embedded systems, and communications engineering. The curriculum features a major individual project in the final year where students develop solutions to real engineering challenges. The university's Careers and Employability Centre provides dedicated support including engineering career fairs, employer networking events, and one-to-one guidance.
Industry Partnerships & Research:
The programme benefits from Sussex's strong industry links with companies like Rolls-Royce, Thales, and National Grid, along with research collaborations through the Sussex Energy Group and the Centre for Advanced Communications. Students access cutting-edge facilities including the Power Electronics and Machines Laboratory, Robotics Lab, and 5G/6G communications testbeds. The curriculum incorporates current research in sustainable power systems, smart grid technologies, industrial IoT, and next-generation communications.
Graduate Outcomes:
Students develop strong technical skills in power electronics, digital systems design, control engineering, and communications technologies - competencies highly valued in today's engineering sectors. Recent graduates have secured positions with companies including Siemens, ARM, and EDF Energy.
Further Academic Progression:
After completing the BEng, graduates can progress to Sussex's MEng Electrical and Electronic Engineering or pursue specialist master's degrees in fields like renewable energy or robotics. Alternatively, they can enter professional roles in power engineering, electronics design, or technical consultancy - supported by the programme's strong industry connections and location in the UK's technology corridor.
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