BEng Medical Engineering with Industrial Placement Year

This programme merges robust engineering and physical sciences fundamentals with medical and healthcare technologies, enhanced by a dedicated industrial placement year. It's designed to elevate your practical skills, real-world exposure, and employability right from the first year.

Experiential Learning Includes:

• Integrated Curriculum with Placement Year
  You’ll spend the first two years focused on core engineering and medical principles, then step into a paid, year-long placement in Year 3—working with an engineering organisation in healthcare or related industries. The year abroad not only strengthens your CV but is also noted on your degree certificate and supported by placement tutors, reduced tuition fees, and regular progress reviews.

• Design-Build-Test Projects
  In Years 1 and 2, you'll actively participate in design-build-test challenges that hone your practical design thinking and engineering execution. Then in Year 3 (pre-placement), you conduct an individual project, followed by a group-based design challenge in the final year, consolidating your team-based engineering experience.

• Specialist Research Facilities
  You’ll learn and experiment in industry-standard labs, including mechanical, electronics, biomechanics, bioengineering, and human factors facilities, providing hands-on exposure to advanced tools and environments.

• Applied Medical Design
  The course emphasizes designing assistive technologies, diagnostic, treatment, and patient monitoring systems—highlighting the clinical, safety, ethical, and commercial considerations crucial to medical engineering projects.

• Industry-Standard Tools & Software
  You'll become familiar with specialist modelling software and modern measurement and testing equipment, ensuring you're job-market ready.

Why This Programme Stands Out

Southampton’s BEng Medical Engineering with Industrial Placement Year turns you into more than an engineer—you become a medically aware innovator. With real-world placement experience, intensive design training, and access to advanced labs, your degree becomes a launch pad for roles in med-tech, healthcare innovation, or advanced postgraduate study.

Graduates are geared up for careers in medical device design, healthcare technology, biomedical systems integration, and clinical innovation management. Typical roles include Medical Device Engineer, Clinical Systems Developer, Biomedical R&D Specialist, and Healthcare Technology Consultant.

• University Services That Support Your Career
  • Support from a placement tutor, progression review meetings, and the placement year recognized on the degree certificate.
  • Hands-on learning through design-build-test projects from year 1, an individual research project in year 3, and a group design challenge in year 4.
  • Access to advanced facilities including biomechanics, electronics, and human factors labs, as well as high-resolution imaging and design studios at the Boldrewood Innovation Campus.
• Employment Stats & Salary Figures
  • Around 85% of students enter roles where their degree is essential or beneficial within 15 months after graduation.
  • Median starting salary is approximately £29,200, rising to £34,700 by year three and £42,000 by year five.
• University–Industry Partnerships
  • Strong industrial engagement through the placement year and exposure to real-world engineering practice.
  • Collaboration opportunities with healthcare technology firms, NHS projects, and innovation-driven design initiatives.
  • A vibrant innovation ecosystem, with science parks and engineering hubs supporting prototyping and commercialization.
• Accreditation & Long-Term Value
  • Accredited by leading engineering institutions (such as IMechE), offering a pathway to Chartered Engineer (CEng) status.
  • The industrial placement, rich practical projects, and professional accreditation significantly enhance your graduate employability.
• Graduation Outcomes
  • Alumni are frequently recruited into medical device manufacturers, hospital technology divisions, healthcare consultancies, and engineering design consultancies.
  • Many proceed to postgraduate roles, including MSc, PhD, or specialized health-tech innovation programs.

Further Academic Progression

• MSc Programs in Medical Engineering, Healthcare Innovation, or Biomedical Systems
• PhD Research in biomedical design, clinical engineering, or human factors engineering
• Chartered Engineer Status through professional development following graduation