BEng Electronics and Computer Science

You’ll graduate from the Electronics & Computer Science BEng (Hons) program with real engineering abilities—not just theory. From Year 2 onwards, you’re in labs and project studios designing, building and testing hardware and software systems using the same tools as industry. Modules are split between the engineering labs at King’s Buildings and computer science facilities at Central Campus, so every week you apply what you’ve learned in lectures to real‑world prototypes. In Year 4 you complete a substantial individual Honours project (supervised by either an engineering or informatics academic) that accounts for a third of your grade.

Here are some of the standout experiential‑learning opportunities at Edinburgh you’ll benefit from:

• Electronics teaching & remote labs
  The programme is supported by teaching labs equipped with industry‑standard measurement and embedded hardware. It also offers remote‑lab access so you can run experiments and data collection from your laptop.

• Engineering Makerspace at King’s Buildings
  You’ll work hands‑on with 3D printers, VR design stations (like SteamVR), PCB millers, soldering stations and assembly tools—all in a supervised space where student teams build Hyperloop pods, race cars, rockets or sustainable hardware projects.

• Informatics Makerspace at Appleton Tower
  This centrally located facility provides open access to Arduinos, Raspberry Pi devices, laser cutters, 3D scanners, and IoT-style prototyping equipment—perfect for electronics-software crossover projects.

• Supercomputing & GPU clusters (Eddie; Edinburgh International Data Facility)
  Simulation-heavy projects—from signal processing to embedded systems workflows—are supported with access to Python, Matlab/Simulink, TensorFlow and other industry-standard tools on University-wide clusters.

• Individual and group project-based modules
  Group design modules in Years 2 and 3 refine teamwork and system-level thinking, while Year 4’s independent Honours project lets you tackle novel research-led problems with one-to-one supervision.

• Internships and industry showcase links
  Full‑time students in Year 2+ can apply for Engineering‑funded summer internships in research or teaching projects. The Careers Service helps set these up and issues an Edinburgh Award to feature on your transcript.

• Curriculum guided by an Industrial Liaison Board
  Electronics modules are co-designed with input from senior engineers in industry. You’ll also attend invited guest lectures by leading professionals who help develop your industry skills.

• Access to world-class research facilities
  The Scottish Microelectronics Centre (SMC) and Centre for Electronics Frontiers give you exposure to semiconductor testing, nano-device characterisation, bioelectronics and RF/microwave testing setups.
  Robotics options and electives also use specialist labs in the IPAB robotics facility.

• Industry visits and programme-specific site tours
  Academic events often include on‑site industrial visits and opportunities to see actual companies’ real-life systems, helping you see beyond campus what your technologies could achieve.

• Study & Digital learning infrastructure
  You’ll have access to Noreen & Kenneth Murray Library at King’s Buildings and 24‑hour study spaces around campus, plus online resources via LEARN to support structured, self‑paced lab and project work.

Graduates of Edinburgh’s BEng in Electronics & Computer Science leave the programme with an integrated technical toolkit in both electronics engineering and computer science. Alumni frequently move into roles such as embedded systems engineer, hardware or firmware designer, software engineer, data and infrastructure analyst, or IT consultant. Many graduates pursue further study in fields like robotics, mobile systems, high-performance computing, or sensing and imaging technologies—thanks to the versatile mix of hardware–software interaction covered by the curriculum.

University Services That Support Employment
Career support & events: The university offers extensive employability resources including Careers Service-led CV and interview workshops, computer science–specific consultation sessions, industry talks, and invitation-only recruiting events. Services remain available up to two years after graduation.

Industry Partnerships & Research
Industrial Liaison Board: Key electronics and electrical engineering employers regularly engage with the programme—helping shape curriculum, guest lectures, and project themes.

Research-led teaching infrastructure: Undergraduates gain access to devices including industry-standard microelectronics, signal-processing, and circuit-testing laboratories, with opportunities to collaborate within the Edinburgh Parallel Computing Centre (EPCC) and to benefit from Scotland’s microelectronics cluster linked through the Edinburgh Science Triangle.

Accreditation
The degree is accredited by the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) on behalf of the Engineering Council. This accreditation fully covers the academic requirements for Incorporated Engineer (IEng) and contributes partially toward Chartered Engineer (CEng), provided students later undertake an IET-accredited Master’s-level qualification. Additionally, the School of Informatics holds BCS (British Computer Society) accreditation, offering partial exemption toward professional CEng/CITP recognition in computer science engineering disciplines.

Graduate Outcomes
Students graduate with advanced analytical, mathematical, computational, electrical engineering, and embedded systems skills. They gain extensive practical experience in design and simulation, hardware prototyping, software implementation, and solo and team-based capstone work, often linked to published research. These multidisciplinary skills are in demand across sectors such as telecommunications, systems integration, fintech, product design, and infrastructure technology. The programme’s balanced focus on electronics and computing ensures that employers prize Edinburgh graduates for their adaptability and problem-solving prowess.

Further Academic Progression
High-performing BEng students may opt to continue into the MEng in Electronics & Computer Science (subject to academic thresholds), ideal for fully satisfying academic CEng exemplar criteria.

Graduates are well placed to pursue postgraduate master’s or research degrees—for example in Sensors & Imaging Systems, High-Performance Computing, or Embedded Systems, supported by the university’s strong research faculties and graduate funding pathways.