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Motorsport Engineering MEng/BEng (Hons)
Study level: Undergraduate
This course aims to help you explore the high-performance world of motorsport engineering.
Course option
Year of entry
Location
Coventry University (Coventry)
Study mode
Full-time
Sandwich
Duration
BEng:3 years full-time4 years sandwich
MEng:4 years full-time5 years sandwich
Condensed first year available
UCAS codes
H335 / H340
Start date
September 2025
January 2026 - condensed
The information on this page is for 2024-25 entry and should be used as guidance for 2025-26 entry. Please keep checking back on this course page to see our latest updates.
Course overview
The course seeks to produce motorsport engineering graduates with the versatility and depth of understanding to deal with new and unusual challenges, alongside the necessary imagination and creativity to innovate.
- The course takes the knowledge given in the lecture theatre and provides you with design, experimentation, analysis and practical skills using live projects from industry and international student competitions (subject to availability and successful application)2.
- The course offers you the chance to specialise in performance engineering, covering design for performance, construction and operation of competition vehicles, alongside core mechanical engineering topics. It also aims to provide you with a sound understanding of the professional context of motorsport engineering.
- You will be taught by academics with wide ranging industrial experience including, for example, automotive and race car deign with AEG, JLR and BMW. Many are actively involved in commercial and academic research in areas such as vehicle dynamics, electric vehicle technology, light weighting, advanced simulation, future concepts and crash protection (staff are subject to change).
The January start for this course is condensed in Year 1. Please see the ‘How you’ll learn’ section below for more details.
Rated Gold Overall
Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) 2023
5 QS Stars for Teaching and Facilities
QS Stars University Ratings
Top 5 Student City in England (Coventry)
QS Best Student Cities Index 2025Why you should study this course
- Our current close relationship with the UK performance engineering industry helps to ensure course content reflects current trends and challenges, as well as the latest technologies, design systems and testing processes in this fast-paced, ever-evolving industry.
- Teaching is highly practical, focused on providing a thorough understanding of the fundamental principles of motorsport engineering and, more importantly, how this knowledge is applied in the industry. You will have the opportunity to work with staff on real-world problems from industry, commerce and research groups, as you would in professional practice2.
- Opportunity to participate in field trips which have previously included observing crash tests at the GM Milford site and a tour of the Ford F150 factory in Detroit, USA and a visit to the Professional Motorsport World Expo in Cologne, Germany, which has included a visit to the Toyota Motorsport Group facility2.
- Access to extensive cutting-edge facilities in our High Performance Engineering Centre, which houses a 20% scale model wind tunnel (designed and built by the Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 team), composites lab, metrology lab, flow lab, AVL engine test cell, automotive workshop, fatigue and tensile testing (Instron), a full size Harrier Jet, three further simulators, civil engineering specialist testing equipment, a range of CNC machinery and a laser workshop4.
- On and off site access to commercial engineering software, such as 3D CAD, Finite Element Analysis, Computational Fluid Dynamics and Multibody Systems for design and simulation, as well as training in industry standard Catia, HyperWorks, STAR-CCM+, and SIMPACK software4.
If you choose to start this course in January you will study exactly the same course but over a slightly shorter timescale in Year 1. This is ideal if you missed the September start, want to transfer from a different university or course or just need a bit more time to prepare for life at university.
Accreditation and professional recognition
The degree is accredited by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) for the September 2025 intake on behalf of the Engineering Council for the purposes of partially meeting the academic requirement for registration as a Chartered Engineer.
Accreditation is a mark of assurance that the degree meets the standards set by the Engineering Council in the UK Standard for Professional Engineering Competence (UK-SPEC). An accredited degree will provide you with some or all of the underpinning knowledge, understanding and skills for eventual registration as an Incorporated (IEng) or Chartered Engineer (CEng). Some employers recruit preferentially from accredited degrees, and an accredited degree is likely to be recognised by other countries that are signatories to international accords.
Students successfully completing an IMechE accredited degree are deemed to have met part or all of the academic requirements for registration as a Chartered or Incorporated Engineer, and are in a strong position to move on to achieve professional engineering status after a period of initial professional development in industry.
The accredited BEng (Hons) will meet, in part, the exemplifying academic benchmark requirements for registration as a Chartered Engineer and students will need to complete an approved format of further learning pursuant to the requirements of UK-SPEC.
The accredited BEng (Hons) will also automatically meet in full, the exemplifying academic benchmark requirements for registration as an Incorporated Engineer (IEng).
The accredited MEng fully meets the exemplifying academic benchmark requirements, for registration as a Chartered Engineer (CEng).
IMechE Membership Partner
We are a Membership Partner with the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) .
Working in collaboration with the IMechE we aim to ensure our engineers and technical teams meet industry-recognised standards of engineering excellence.
We are committed to the professional development of everyone within our organisation, and recognise that professional registration and recognition are crucial in helping our employees and business grow and excel.
What you'll study
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.
What I really like at Coventry is that the degree is not fully dependent on exams. About 75% of the grades are on coursework and group projects in which you get a problem, and you need to research and deliver a solution, then present it in the form of a proper engineering document.
Ines Marokovic, Motorsport Engineering MEng/BEng (Hons) quoted June 2023
How you'll learn
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.
If you choose to start this course in January it will be run as a condensed programme. You’ll start your course in January and finish your first year in August. Upon successful completion of Year 1, you will progress onto your second year in September and then continue to start subsequent years of your course in September, completing your degree at the same time as the September starters unless you opt to do a placement year.
You will have the opportunity to dismantle a previous vehicle to explore how to improve your future designs, and to better understand the design of individual motorsport systems2. You could work in groups to design and build a single seater racing car in the final year to be entered in the IMechE’s Formula Student competition2. Past students have won the Fuel economy event in the competition and been the highest placed UK electric team.
Teaching contact hours
As a full-time undergraduate student, you will study modules totalling 120 credits each academic year. A typical 20 credit module requires a total of 200 hours study. This is made up of teaching contact hours, guided and independent study.
Teaching hours:
Teaching hours vary each semester, year of study and due to module selection. During your first year you can expect 15-18 teaching hours each week. You will also have the option to attend optional 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 learnt 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. The assessment methods may include:
- essays
- group work
- presentations
- reports
- projects
- coursework
- exams
- 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.
International experience opportunities
We strive to invite international guest lecturers, such as a leading automotive engineering professor from Heilbronn University who previously spoke about Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) and their motion platform driving simulator, including test work at the GM proving ground. Our past activities have included:
- A tour of the Ford F150 factory in Detroit, USA.
- A tour of Hirata, a Japanese Tier 1 automotive supplier for Ford, Chrysler, and GM.
- Participation in a certificated training course with Altair on Inspire.
- Visits to Mahle Powertrain, the University of Michigan, and the Chrysler Building.
Please note that all international experience opportunities may be subject to additional costs, competitive application, availability, and meeting applicable visa and travel requirements, and are therefore not guaranteed2.
Entry requirements
Typical entry requirements:
Not got the required grades? We offer this degree with an integrated foundation year.
Fees and funding
| Student | Full-time | Part-time |
|---|---|---|
| UK, Ireland*, Channel Islands or Isle of Man | 2025/26 fees TBC 2024/25 fees - £9,250 per year |
Not available |
| EU | 2025/26 fees TBC 2024/25 fees - £9,250 per year with EU Support Bursary** 2025/26 fees TBC 2024/25 fees - £19,850 per year without EU Support Bursary** |
Not available |
| International | 2025/26 fees TBC 2024/25 fees - £19,850 per year |
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 of £1,250 to 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.
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.
For international students, we may increase fees each year, but such increases will be no more than 5% above inflation. If you defer your course start date or have to extend your studies beyond the normal duration of the course (e.g. to repeat a year or resit examinations) the University reserves the right to charge you fees at a higher rate and/or in accordance with any legislative changes during the additional period of study.
We offer a range of international scholarships to students all over the world. For more information, visit our International Scholarships page.
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.
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).
Find out what's included in your tuition costs.
Condensed course – January start date
If you choose to start this course in January please make sure you check the Fees and Finance page for more information. Although starting this course in January does not prohibit you from being eligible for student finance, the way it is paid in your first year differs from those who start their course in September.
If you start the course in January, your tuition fees will be paid in accordance with the university’s Tuition Fees, Refund and Withdrawal Terms and Conditions for January starters and for any further years of study, your fees will be paid in accordance with the terms for September starters.
*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.
**EU Support Bursary
Following the UK's exit from the European Union, we are offering financial support to all eligible EU students who wish to study an undergraduate or a postgraduate degree with us full-time. This bursary will be used to offset the cost of your tuition fees to bring them in line with that of UK students. Students studying a degree with a foundation year with us are not eligible for the bursary.
How do you know if you need to pay UK or international tuition fees?
Facilities
The Engineering and Computing Building and the Beatrice Shilling Building house an impressive range of industry standard equipment4.
Cruden F1 simulators
Our industry-standard simulators provide a realistic experience of working for a race team in a high-pressure environment. The simulators include the same software and calculations used by professional racing teams.
Chassis Fabrication Facility
This area is used by our motorsport students for any welding, cutting and shaping of materials requirements. It is used mainly for the fabrication of components or chassis design and build.
Wind Tunnel
Built and tested by the Mercedes AMG PETRONAS Formula One team, our open jet single return wind tunnel has been designed to accommodate 20 per cent scale open-wheel racing car models, with a maximum air velocity of 45 m/s.
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
A BEng and MEng Motorsport Engineering student who successfully completes the course will be able to do the following:
- Apply the necessary study and research skills to support the analytical, critical, and reflective requirements of written, oral and group assessments.
- Contribute to a team with the necessary planning, reviewing, adaptability, drive and leadership to achieve the required objectives and observe work schedules.
- Design, optimise and communicate the performance of a vehicle, though the application of vehicle systems knowledge to achieve the low volume and high-performance requirements of the Motorsport industry.
- Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the principles, theories and practices found in engineering management and leadership, consultancy and entrepreneurship.
- Develop independent learning and problem-solving skills appropriate to current and future study and employment.
Students undertaking BEng Motorsport Engineering who successfully complete the course will also be able to do the following:
- Apply engineering principles, science, mathematics, processes, materials, design and management to solve problems of increasing complexity.
- Apply engineering analysis methods when solving complex problems and develop extended experience in solving problems related to a broad range of engineering systems and components.
- Generate design solutions through the application and understanding of the engineering design processes.
- Critically assess data and information using practical laboratory skills, experimentation and research, and establish the effect on design.
- Understand risk assessment and the need for professional and ethical conduct in commercial and social contexts, informed by a knowledge of sustainable development and the regulations/legislations governing engineering activities.
- Understand and evaluate a range of appropriate engineering materials, components and systems, identifying their limitations and developments.
Students undertaking MEng Motorsport Engineering who successfully complete the course will also be able to do the following:
- Apply a comprehensive understanding of Motorsport specific engineering principles together with a critical awareness of current issues at the forefront of the specialism.
- Apply and evaluate engineering analysis methods when solving complex problems and assess their limitations, especially when applied to new or unfamiliar technology.
- Generate and appraise innovative design solutions through the application and comprehensive understanding of the engineering design processes.
- Critically appraise management, business and ethical practice and their limitations informed by a knowledge of sustainable development, customer requirements and the regulations/legislations governing engineering activities in a commercial, social and international contexts.
- Critically evaluate a range of current and emerging engineering materials, components and systems, identifying their limitations and developments/adaptations together with commercial and industrial constraints.
Upon graduation, career options may include becoming a race mechanic or race engineer or roles as a manufacturing assistant engineer, composites laminator, design engineer, dimensional management engineer or operations manager in motorsport engineering or related industries.
This degree-level course is designed to meet an identified need for graduate level professionals to work in specialist areas such as vehicle/component design, powertrain and chassis development and testing, as well as supervisory and business roles. Our past graduates have secured positions with teams such as Red Bull, Williams, Ducati, Triumph, Pilbeam Racing, McLaren and Prodrive.
Coventry University is committed to preparing you for your future career and giving you a competitive edge in the graduate job market. The university’s Talent Team provide a wide range of support services to help you plan and prepare for your career.
Where our graduates work
Some examples of our past graduate positions include Red Bull Racing, Mercedes HPP in engine design and manufacturing, McLaren Automotive, Alpine F1 in composite design and manufacturing, Lotus Cars, Royal Enfield Motorcycles, Triumph Motorcycles, Tata Technologies, JLR, Coventry University and Bosch GMBH.
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