Our recent IET accreditation visit highlighted the excellent standard of all our learning resources in particular our undergraduate laboratory facilities. These are newly refurbished to a high standard with state-of-the-art software and hardware. Much of the laboratory provision is open access so that our students may use the facilities as often as they want, working individually or in groups. Our students have ample access to robotics and electronics hardware and software which are highly relevant to industry. Facilities include 3D rapid prototyping systems, in-house PCB design and printing for electronic circuits, state-of-the-art spectrum analysers and measurement instruments, industrial programmable robotic arms and humanoid robots. They can develop skills that will not only assist them academically but will also greatly improve their employment potential. The University library houses nearly half a million books, journals and other resources and has a 24/7 open access computing area, media workshop and study rooms.

All of our courses provide the opportunity to do a year's paid work placement.

 

The placement takes place after the second year.

 

The placement provides you with a wonderful opportunity to embed skills and knowledge developed during the first two years of the degree, to develop new skills in an employment setting, to gain excellent exposure to industry in order to better inform your career choices and, most importantly, to give you vital work experience in the sector. This is something employers rate very highly when recruiting. Many placement companies will make post-graduation job offers and some even offer sponsorship of a student's final year.

 

Placement opportunities exist both in the UK and overseas. Our Placements Office can assist you with finding a suitable placement company and also offers help with the recruitment process.

We have an international reputation for our project work. Students from all over Europe come to us just to do their projects. Our ‘learning by doing’ ethos enables you to develop your own ideas, putting theory into practice using our new, well equipped laboratories. Project work begins on day one of your first year and at the end of week one you will be able to enter the finished design of your team in our induction week competition. Project work is a recurring feature through all our courses, culminating in your own final year project. You will be able to showcase your work at our project open day. This event is not only attended by family, friends and other students but also by prospective employers who are on the lookout for graduates with initiative and flair! We have a record of winning national prizes in project competitions and recently one of our students beat off stiff competition from universities all over the UK to win the SET (Science Engineering and Technology) award for his final year project. This is a highly prestigious award, an ‘Oscar’ in the science, technology and engineering world.