Architectural Engineering BEng (Hons) with foundation year

Study level: Undergraduate
Table filled with technical drawings and hands pointing at elements on the papers

Shape the future of the built environment. Develop multidisciplinary knowledge, practical skills and industry experience to prepare for a career in design, engineering and urban development.

Course features

Course option

Year of entry

Location

CU Coventry (Coventry) and
Coventry University (Coventry)

Study mode

Full-time
Sandwich

Duration

4 years full-time
5 years sandwich

UCAS codes

HADF

Start date

March 2026
May 2026
June 2026
September 2026
November 2026
January 2027
March 2027
May 2027
July 2027


Course overview

Please make sure you select the correct intake when applying

This course integrates engineering, design and technology to help you build the skills and knowledge needed to pursue a career in the built environment. You’ll explore sustainable design, civil and structural engineering, and urban planning through hands-on learning, collaboration with industry, and international perspectives aligned with current sector demands.

Foundation year

The course aims to provide you with a solid grounding in mathematical principles and an understanding of the core and fundamental principles of civil and construction engineering. Professional and academic skills are integrated across all modules, including information finding and handling, problem-solving, and the communication of outcomes.

Degree

  • Gain real-world experience through collaborations with leading firms and access to industry-standard facilities.2, 4
  • Engage with international projects, diverse industries and collaborative teamwork across architecture, engineering and construction, providing you with a comprehensive understanding of the construction industry.
  • Focused on industrial chartership standards, the course aims to prepare you for key roles in architecture, engineering design and urban planning.
A star in the centre of a rosette.

Rated Gold Overall

Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) 2023

Five stars in a speech bubble.

5 QS Stars for Teaching and Facilities

QS Stars University Ratings

City buildings next to a tree.

Top 5 Student City in England (Coventry)

QS Best Student Cities Index 2026

Why you should study this course

Foundation year

  • Supports you to gain the academic skills required for degree-level study.
  • Provides a grounding in key areas of civil engineering and mathematics.

Degree

  • Learn how architectural design, structural engineering and leading technology combine to create sustainable, low-energy buildings, helping you think beyond traditional blueprints.
  • Gain hands-on experience developing your skills in modern design studios and fully equipped labs4, tackling real-world challenges that mirror industry practice.
  • Build your professional network by collaborating with local and international industry collaborators through projects, site visits and field trips that bring your learning to life.2
  • Design for the future by putting sustainability at the centre of your work, preparing you to help tackle the global environmental challenges facing the built environment.
  • Thrive in a supportive community as part of an inclusive environment that values your voice, supports your ambitions and helps you prepare for a global career.

What you'll study

Modules

Modules

There’s no better way to find out what you love doing than trying it out for yourself, which is why a work placement2 can often be beneficial. Work placements usually occur between your second and final year of study. They’re a great way to help you explore your potential career path and gain valuable work experience, whilst developing transferable skills for the future.

Modules

Modules

The foundation year offers an introduction to your chosen subject and supports you to develop the skills required for degree-level study.

Modules

We regularly review our course content, to make it relevant and current for the benefit of our students. For these reasons, course modules may be updated.


How you'll learn

The foundation year is focused on applied learning through a blend of lectures, tutorials and online learning. There are no end-of-year exams. Instead, learning is assessed through coursework and phase tests, which are more reflective of a working environment.

The learning outcomes of modules, assignments and projects will be clearly stated. Your work will be marked according to how well you achieve these learning outcomes and your final feedback will refer to each outcome, as well as providing an overall percentage grade.


Teaching contact hours

As a full-time undergraduate student, you will study modules totalling 120 credits each academic year. You will normally study one 30-credit module at a time. A typical 30-credit module requires a total of 300 hours of study made up of teaching contact hours, guided and independent study.

Teaching hours

Teaching hours may vary depending on your year of study and selected modules. During your first year, you can expect 12-15 teaching hours each week. You will also have the option to attend additional sessions, including time with a progress coach or to meet with staff for advice and feedback. As you progress through your studies, teaching hours may reduce.

Guided and independent study

Throughout your studies, you will be expected to spend time in guided and independent study to make up the required study hours per module. You’ll be digging deeper into topics, review what you’ve learned and complete assignments. This can be completed around your personal commitments. As you progress through your studies, you’ll spend more time in independent study.

Online learning

As an innovative university, we use different teaching methods including online tools and emerging technologies. So, some of your teaching hours and assessments may be delivered online.


Assessment

This course will be assessed using a variety of methods which will vary depending upon the module. Assessment methods may include:

  • phase tests
  • group work
  • presentations
  • reports
  • projects
  • coursework
  • individual assignments.

The Coventry University Group assessment strategy ensures that our courses are fairly assessed and allows us to monitor student progression towards achieving the intended learning outcomes.

The highly practical nature of the course should enable you to work with staff and students on real-world problems from industry, commerce and research groups.

This means that while we cover the technical content of your degree, these projects aim to develop the professional skills required including problem analysis and design; project, task and time management; risk assessment; team work and leadership; technical report and bench assessment; troubleshooting and more.


Teaching contact hours

As a full-time undergraduate student, you will study modules totalling 120 credits each academic year. You will normally study one 30-credit module at a time. A typical 30-credit module requires a total of 300 hours of study made up of teaching contact hours, guided and independent study.

Teaching hours

Teaching hours may vary depending on your year of study and selected modules. During your first year, you can expect 12-15 teaching hours each week. You will also have the option to attend additional sessions, including time with a progress coach or to meet with staff for advice and feedback. As you progress through your studies, teaching hours may reduce.

Guided and independent study

Throughout your studies, you will be expected to spend time in guided and independent study to make up the required study hours per module. You’ll be digging deeper into topics, review what you’ve learned and complete assignments. This can be completed around your personal commitments. As you progress through your studies, you’ll spend more time in independent study.

Online learning

As an innovative university, we use different teaching methods including online tools and emerging technologies. So, some of your teaching hours and assessments may be delivered online.


Assessment

This course will be assessed using a variety of methods which will vary depending upon the module.

Assessment methods may include:

  • design portfolio
  • modelling
  • coursework
  • reports
  • projects
  • phase tests
  • group work
  • presentations
  • laboratories
  • posters.

The Coventry University Group assessment strategy ensures that our courses are fairly assessed and allows us to monitor student progression towards achieving the intended learning outcomes.


Entry requirements

Typical entry requirements:

64 UCAS tariff points. All foundation courses require GCSE maths and English at grade 4 / C or Functional Skills Level 2, or other equivalent Level 2 awards, and at least one A2 level or a BTEC equivalent qualification. For T levels: overall grade of Pass (D or E on the Core) in the T level qualification in any subject.

Other qualifications and experience

Our students come from a variety of backgrounds, each with a unique story. We recognise a breadth of qualifications. If your qualifications differ from the above, contact our Admissions Team who will be happy to discuss your qualifications and routes into your chosen course.

Contextual/Fair Access Offers

If you meet the criteria for our Fair Access Offer, you could automatically receive a contextual offer which is 16 UCAS points lower than our standard entry requirements. View the criteria for our Fair Access Offer.

Got higher grades? Have you considered direct entry to the degree without foundation year?


Fees and funding

Foundation year

Student Full-time Part-time
UK, Ireland*, Channel Islands or Isle of Man Start dates: Sept 2026-July 2027 £9,790
Start dates: March 2026-July 2026 £9,535
Not available
International/EU Not currently available*** Not available

Degree

Student Full-time Part-time
UK, Ireland*, Channel Islands or Isle of Man £9,790 per year Not available
International/EU Not currently available*** Not available

If you choose to study this course with a professional placement2 or study abroad year, you will need to pay a tuition fee3 to cover your academic support throughout your placement year. As an indication, students commencing their professional placement in the academic year 2028/29 will pay £1,575 if they are paying UK fees, or £1,900 if they are paying international fees. The University will charge the tuition fees stated above for those on a placement during Academic Year 2028/29. The University will review professional placement tuition fees each year. For UK (home) students, the University may increase fees for each subsequent year of study, but such that it will be no more than 5% above inflation.

For advice and guidance on tuition fees and student loans visit our undergraduate finance page and see the university’s Tuition Fee and Refund Terms and Conditions.

The University will charge the tuition fees that are stated in the above table for the first Academic Year of study. The University will review tuition fees each year. For UK (home) students, if Parliament permits an increase in tuition fees, the university may increase fees for each subsequent year of study in line with any such changes. Note that any increase is expected to be in line with inflation.

Tuition fees cover the cost of your teaching, assessments, facilities and support services. There may be additional costs not covered by this fee such as accommodation and living costs, recommended reading books, stationery, printing and re-assessments should you need them. Find out what's included in your tuition costs.

Applies to degree only:

The following are additional costs not included in the tuition fees:

  • Any optional overseas field trips or visits: £400+ per trip.
  • Any costs associated with securing, attending or completing a placement (whether in the UK or abroad).

Foundation year funding

In order to receive funding for degree with foundation year courses, you will need to complete a four-year degree programme which includes the integrated foundation year, otherwise you may be responsible for your foundation year fees. For further information, please refer to the 'Tuition Fee Loan' details in the 'Funding your undergraduate course' section of our 'Fees and finance' page.

*Irish student fees

The rights of Irish residents to study in the UK are preserved under the Common Travel Area arrangement. If you are an Irish student and meet the residency criteria, you can study in England, pay the same level of tuition fees as English students and utilise the Tuition Fee Loan.

**This course with foundation year is not currently available to international students.


Facilities

Our foundation years are taught at CU Coventry’s Mile Lane building, a short walk from the city centre. You’re part of the university from day one, so during your foundation year you’ll have access to the wider facilities at Coventry University. Once you successfully complete your foundation year, you'll transfer over to studying your chosen degree at Coventry University, where you'll be taught on campus in the relevant academic buildings.

Located on our Mile Lane campus, you will have access to our Library and Learning Services (LLS), fully equipped seminar rooms and IT suites4. You can also take advantage of reading rights in Coventry University’s Lanchester Library, make use of sport centre facilities and receive full membership to Your Students' Union.

Two students walking outside with the CU Coventry building behind them.

Mile Lane

The campus is home to an on-site library with bookable one-to-one academic writing service and library support sessions, fully equipped seminar rooms, open-access study areas, a café and an IT suite. Our labs contain industry-standard equipment so that you learn using the same equipment as many industry professionals.

A student working in a booth in The Hub.

The Hub

At The Hub you'll find the Health and Wellbeing Centre, the Students’ Union and Square One (which provides entertainment from quiz nights to live music), the Spirituality and Faith Centre, Tank Studio, Careers Office and a fantastic food court.

External view of the Lanchester Library.

Lanchester Library

Coventry University’s Lanchester Library is usually open 364 days a year, and has 1,400 study spaces, including group and silent areas. It also currently offers more than 550 computers and an additional 120 free-to-loan laptops.

 

Facilities are subject to availability. Access to some facilities (including some teaching and learning spaces) may vary from those advertised and/or may have reduced availability or restrictions where the university is following public authority guidance, decisions or orders.

Your studies will be centred in high-specification learning environments that benefit from extensive social learning facilities, well-appointed laboratories, industry-standard equipment, lecturing facilities and classrooms, facilitating our innovative teaching methods across a diverse suite of courses4.

student working in Architectural technical studio

Architectural Studio

The multi-functional Architectural Technology Studio space acts both as a teaching and tutorial room. It houses 40 high spec computers which include Revit, Sketchup and AutoCAD. An informal area is available for group discussions, tutorials and making models.

 

 

students using the virtual wall in the simulation centre

Simulation Centre

You will have access to our Simulation Centre, which incorporates best practice building information modelling (BIM). Using a 3D model, the centre is designed so that you can view and walk through your project to add value, realise efficiencies and ensure every member of the construction team understands what is required of them and when.

Student working with materials in lab

Materials Laboratory

Includes industrial standard timber and steel workshops, a concrete mixing area with 3 pan mixers, programmable environmental chambers, a range of ovens and curing tanks and various materials testing apparatus.

 

 

 

Facilities are subject to availability. Access to some facilities (including some teaching and learning spaces) may vary from those advertised and/or may have reduced availability or restrictions where the university is following public authority guidance, decisions or orders.


Careers and opportunities

Upon successful completion of the course, you can expect to have knowledge of:

  • building technology and construction processes
  • management processes and systems associated with construction
  • building science with respect to materials, structure, services and internal environment
  • the legal and regulatory framework within which buildings are constructed
  • economics of construction
  • design processes used in construction
  • current innovations relating to the construction of buildings
  • procurement and contract administration procedures
  • how quality is achieved in construction processes and products
  • health and safety in building design and construction
  • structural engineering
  • material science.

You should be able to:

  • analyse data and information sources in construction
  • apply techniques used for the analysis and surveying of existing buildings
  • apply CAD, manual drawing techniques and other tools to construction design
  • apply technical data to specification and production information
  • apply structural engineering solutions to architectural problems
  • create and present design proposals
  • identify the aims and objectives of research
  • analyse, interpolate and present information
  • analyse and solve construction problems of a technical and managerial nature
  • reflect on the interdisciplinary and team working nature of the construction industry in order to undertake and manage construction design and the construction process.

Further study

You can choose to continue your studies at Coventry University with:

You may be entitled to an alumni discount on your fees if you decide to extend your time with us by progressing from undergraduate to postgraduate study.

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Phoenix+ brings you together with other students to learn, experience and develop essential knowledge and skills. Whatever destination you choose, it's about preparing you for life after university.

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How to apply

This course with foundation year is not available to international students.


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