Electrical and Electronic Engineering MEng/BEng (Hons) with foundation year

Study level: Undergraduate
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This course delivers strong academic content conveyed with a factual focus, with the aim of preparing you to take on the challenges present in the field of electrical and electronic engineering (EEE).

Course option

Year of entry

Location

CU Coventry (Coventry) and
Coventry University (Coventry)

Study mode

Full-time
Sandwich

Duration

BEng
4 years full-time
5 years sandwich

UCAS codes

H6DF

Start date

September 2024

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Course overview

Our degree with foundation year could be the stepping stone you need to achieve your goals. The foundation year aims to prepare you for degree-level study and is a great way to build the confidence, skills and knowledge needed to succeed on your degree course. The degree with foundation year is only available for the BEng option.

Foundation year 

This foundation year aims to provide you with the fundamental knowledge and skills needed in mathematics, as well as the theories and concepts of electrical, electronic and mechanical engineering.

Degree

EEE engineers are hugely involved in the expanding world of electrical vehicle design and make enormous contributions in terms of technological innovation and advancement in a range of other specialised fields; for example, aerospace systems, civil engineering in projects such as high-speed train design and development.

  • The course aims to develop and implement a multiplicity of systems associated with electrical and electronic engineering. On the electrical side, you could be involved in the generation, transmission and control of electrical energy or machine design and the implementation of power drive systems, which links to power electronic engineering.
  • From the outset, we aim to place an emphasis on innovation, design, and development to enable you the opportunity to enrich your technical skills in the field of electrification of vehicle and control systems.
  • We further aim to develop your intellectual and independent thinking necessary to participate in contemporary projects and to peruse further studies and research in the field of electrical engineering.
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Rated Gold Overall

Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) 2023
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5 QS Stars for Teaching and Facilities

QS Stars University Ratings
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Top 5 Student City in England (Coventry)

QS Best Student Cities Index 2025

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 engineering and mathematics.

Degree

  • Well-equipped dedicated electronics laboratory to build electronic prototype4.
  • Modern electrical labs to explore high voltage systems4.
  • Placement opportunities within UK industries2.
  • Opportunities to gain international experience through field trips and group-based final year project2.

What you'll study

This course has a common first year.

The common first year enables you to work alongside students doing similar courses to you, to widen your knowledge and exposure to other subject areas and professions. You will have the opportunity to collaborate with other students, so you can share your insights and experience which will help you to develop and learn.

If you discover an interest in a specific subject you have studied, upon successful completion of your first year, you could swap degrees with another course in your common first year (subject to meeting progression requirements).

Common first year courses:

  • Computer Systems Engineering MEng/BEng (Hons)

In the first year, the curriculum is shared across related courses allowing you to gain a broad grounding in the discipline before going on, in the second and third years, to specialist modules in your chosen field.

Modules

Year two builds on Year one learning and introduces new curriculum material. You will be introduced to the signal and systems module, which will prepare you for more advanced signal processing technique on the following year. More advanced electronics and system design topics will be covered in the electronic modules. This will include electronic system design, manufacturing, and testing. Electrical engineering and Analogue Control module will deal with classical engineering and control theory problems.

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.

If you choose to do a work placement year, you will pay a reduced tuition fee3 of £1250. For more information, please go to the fees and funding section. During this time, you will receive guidance from your employer or partner institution, along with your assigned academic mentor who will ensure you have the support you need to complete your placement.

Modules

This year aims to bring you to a level of professional capability equivalent to that of a graduate electrical and electronic engineer. As part of your Year three studies, you will undertake an individual project, which will entail undertaking research and design studies with the guidance of a supervisor to provide a set of engineering solutions. Other study subjects are as shown below and include an optional subject choice thus giving the opportunity to tailor your level three studies.

Modules

Following on from successful completion of the BEng (Hons) study you can opt to proceed to the MEng Electronics and Communication degree. In this additional year, more advanced topics related to electronics and communication engineering will be investigated which is beyond the scope of undergraduate study. More advanced technology and their applications such as robotics, wireless intelligent systems and image processing technique will be investigated. You will also undertake a group based industrial project relevant to the modern engineering problems.

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 programme is focused on applied learning geared to high-intensity teaching and study throughout the programme, requiring full commitment from students. The delivery of course content is 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 is 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

You can expect up to 20 hours of learning activities per week, made up of face-to-face teaching, individual and group tutorials, online classes and independent learning.

Additionally, you will be expected to undertake significant self-directed study of approximately 30 hours each week, depending on the demands of individual modules.

Assessment

Assessment methods vary and may include practical class and project performance, written practical reports, project thesis, oral presentations, tutorial tasks and assessments which generally take place at the end of each six-week block.

Learning will be facilitated through a variety of methods which may include lectures, seminars, lab, workshops, online activities and group work. Students are expected to engage in both class and online activities and discussions. The course also requires students to participate in additional guided reading and self-directed study to reinforce the learning gained from timetabled sessions.

A portion of contact time will be dedicated to course support sessions. The course support sessions are weekly, timetabled sessions where you can explore areas of the course you find challenging or get support with personal projects and employability efforts.

Teaching contact hours

We understand that everyone learns differently, so each of our courses will consist of structured teaching sessions, which can include:

  • On campus lectures, seminars and workshops
  • Group work
  • Self-directed learning
  • Work placement opportunities2.

Part of university life is undertaking self-directed learning. During a typical week you will have time that allows you to work independently to apply the skills and knowledge you have learnt in taught or facilitated sessions to your projects or assignment briefs. This self-directed learning allows you to use your research skills, consolidate your knowledge or undertake collaborative group work.

The contact hours may be made up of a combination of face-to-face teaching, individual and group tutorials, and online classes and tutorials.

As an innovative and enterprising institution, the University may seek to utilise emerging technologies within the student experience. For all courses (whether on-campus, blended, or distance learning), the University may deliver certain contact hours and assessments via online technologies and methods.

Since COVID-19, we have delivered our courses in a variety of forms, in line with public authority guidance, decisions, or orders and we will continue to adapt our delivery as appropriate. Whether on campus or online, our key priority is staff and student safety.

Assessment

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

Assessment methods include:

  • Formal examinations
  • Phase tests
  • Essays
  • Group work
  • Presentations
  • Reports
  • Projects
  • Coursework
  • Exams
  • Individual assignments
  • 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.

International experience opportunities

Electrical and Electronic engineering is a global discipline, so we encourage a global perspective throughout our teaching.

If you opt for a sandwich year, you have the opportunity to spend a period abroad2 for part of your studies; we have current student exchange links with universities in approximately 20 countries around the world and we will support you in trying to find a work placement abroad. We have had past faculty students secure international placements in, for example, Austria and France.

Entry requirements

Clearing places available on this course

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Additional requirements may apply

Typical offer for 2024/25 entry.

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

Fees and funding

2024/25 tuition fees.

Foundation year

Student Full-time Part-time
UK, Ireland*, Channel Islands or Isle of Man £7,950 Not available
International/EU Not currently available*** Not available

Degree

Student Full-time Part-time
UK, Ireland*, Channel Islands or Isle of Man £9,250 per year Not available
International/EU Not currently available*** Not available

Please note: UK (home) tuition fees for the degree course years will be charged at the current Coventry University UK (home) degree fee level. This was set at £9,250 for the 23/24 academic year.

If you choose to do a work placement2, you should consider travel and living costs to cover this. There is also a tuition fee3 of £1,250 that will cover your academic support throughout your placement year.

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.

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.

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. If you do not meet the entry requirements to directly join year 1 of the degree, please take a look at our International Pathways Programme for additional options.

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.

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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.

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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

You will have full reading rights in Coventry University’s Lanchester Library. The library is open 24/7, 364 days a year and has many study spaces, including group and silent areas. It also currently offers touchdown computers and free-to-loan laptops.

The School of Future Transport Engineering is based in the Engineering and Computing Building, and the attached Beatrice Shilling Building. Both buildings are high-specification learning environments, which benefit from extensive social learning facilities, well-appointed laboratories, lecturing facilities and classrooms, facilitating our innovative teaching methods across a diverse suite of undergraduate and postgraduate courses4.

  • Electrical power and machine laboratory
    Provides students with hands-on learning tools and test benches. Supports learning of the properties of electrical generation use, with the aim of training students in the maintenance and running of electrical machines.
  • Electronics laboratory
    Equipped with a range of test and measurement equipment, development boards for embedded electronics and a variety of interface for motor solutions.
  • Manufacturing facility
    This facility is equipped with 3-D printers and PCB manufacturing machines. This also has a separate area for soldering training.

Careers and opportunities

Successful electrical and electronic engineers should be highly trained professionals, and there is likely to continue to be a demand for electrical and electronic engineers with the ability to specify and design electronic engineering solutions for future challenges, such as electric vehicle, renewable energy generation, robot systems and medical diagnostics. Your career options could range from electrical or electronic design through to electronic manufacturing and integrating, providing and maintaining system solutions for a multitude of different industries.

The technical content of this course is regularly reviewed to reflect what is currently important and in-demand in the electrical and electronic engineering industry. We also aim to ensure that the capabilities and skills that the sector regularly asks for are well addressed.

On successful completion, you will have a comprehension of:

  • Scientific principles and methodologies relevant to electrical & electronic engineering.
  • Mathematical and quantitative methods used in engineering analysis and design.
  • Engineering project management including ethics, finance, risk, health and safety, and similar issues.
  • The wider multidisciplinary context of engineering, incorporating social, economic, and environmental issues.

On successful completion, you will have expertise in:

  • Solving technical and management problems involving uncertainty.
  • Design of innovative products and systems employing recognised methodologies.
  • Planning and executing research-oriented project work.
  • Selecting and apply appropriate components, materials, and manufacturing processes.
  • Planning and executing practical work involving experimentation, data collection, prototype construction, testing and specialised instrumentation.
  • Use of specialised software tools and information technology equipment.
  • Accessing and evaluating information sources including technical literature, standards, and codes of practice.

Where our graduates work

Previous graduates from the course have gone into predominately industry roles in diverse range of industries, for example, JLR, GE and National Grid, Jaguar Land Rover, Siemens, Bosch, Blackberry, IBM, DSTL – Defence Science and Technology Laboratory, Advanced Electronics Company, Ultra Electronics Sonar Systems, PX Group and more. Some choose to progress to further study of an MSc or PhD.

Further study

You can choose to continue your studies at Coventry University with the Electrical and Electronic MSc. 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.

How to apply

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