group of students studying in a break out area

Integrated master's degrees explained

An integrated master’s degree combines both undergraduate-level and master's level study in one degree.

The degree typically consists of three years of bachelor’s level study followed by an additional year at master’s level.
You have the choice of completing an optional placement year at the end of your second year of study. Part-time options are also available for some courses.
The final year typically provides you with a choice of modules, enabling you to graduate with a more specialised qualification that fits with your career aspirations.

Year One

Core knowledge
Year Two

Development
Optional Placement Year

Growth
Year Three

Professional preparation
Year Four

Specialisation

What are the benefits of studying an integrated master’s degree?

Studying an integrated master’s provides successful graduates with the most direct route to enhancing their subject knowledge, upgrading CV credentials and meeting the academic requirements for professional registration.
There are many reasons to become professionally registered. For example, professionally registered engineers continue to out-earn their non-registered colleagues and generally have higher employment rates than their undergraduate counterparts. (Source: Engineering Council website 2025). Check out the Engineering Council’s website or the Science Council’s website for more information.
Master’s graduates appeal to employers because they will have gained deeper, more specialist subject expertise and knowledge than their undergraduate counterparts.
The total cost of studying an integrated master’s degree is typically less than if you were to complete separate undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in succession. Student Finance will also cover you for the full duration of the degree with one undergraduate loan if you are a UK student, rather than having to take out separate undergraduate and postgraduate loans and then paying back both simultaneously.
There is seamless progression from undergraduate to postgraduate study without the need to reapply or move location (subject to meeting progression criteria).
You can continue building the relationships you've developed during your undergraduate years, making the most of your master's level study in a familiar environment with colleagues you already know.
International students can apply for a longer visa from the start rather than needing to apply for a postgraduate visa extension.

I started on the BEng, transitioning onto the MEng after achieving satisfactory grades to do so. I transitioned because it’s the most direct route to chartership. Studying the MEng provided me with that extra bit of knowledge that helped with particularly difficult interview questions. I was able to focus my studies on a preferred technical aspect within motorsport; in my case, this was electrical design.
Ali Haddow, Motorsport Engineering MEng, graduated 2023 and now a Junior Mechanical Engineer at Aston Martin Formula 1

Ali Haddow Motorsport Engineering working on a component with a laptop on the desk in front of him

How do I apply for an integrated master’s degree?

UK and international students can apply through UCAS, the same as they would for an undergraduate bachelor’s degree.

Master of Engineering courses

Aerospace Systems Engineering MEng
Automotive Engineering MEng Civil Engineering MEng
Computer Systems Engineering MEng
Electrical and Electronic Engineering MEng

Manufacturing Engineering MEng
Mechanical Engineering MEng
Motorsport Engineering Meng
Sustainable Design Engineering MEng

Master of Science courses

Architectural Design and Technology MSci
Computer Games Programming MSci (new course tbc)
Computer Science MSci

Computer Science with Artificial Intelligence MSci
Data Science MSci
Ethical Hacking and Cyber Security MSci

FAQs

What if I don’t meet the entry requirements?

Can I swap from undergraduate studies to integrated master’s and vice versa?

Can you become chartered without following the integrated master’s route?

Will holding an integrated master’s improve my employability?

Many of our MEng and MSci graduates have gone directly to permanent, higher-paid roles rather than graduate training schemes, many of which do not guarantee a permanent job at the end. Our industrial advisory boards inform us that they recognise the specialist expertise and knowledge that graduates with an integrated master’s bring to employers. This potentially makes them a more valuable employee.

Does funding work differently between the undergraduate and integrated master's degrees?

You apply for your funding in the same way, so if you have an offer for an integrated master’s, we recommend you apply for five years of funding. This will cover four years of the integrated master’s and a one-year placement. If you decide to fall back to the undergraduate degree or don’t take a placement, this can be accommodated. It is simpler to have all the funding in place from the start and then adjust it as needed, rather than facing the additional complications of requesting more funding.

I am an international student. How will the integrated master’s degree affect my visa?

If you have an offer for an integrated master’s degree course, you can apply for a five-year visa. This will cover any placement you may undertake and your fourth year of additional study. If you decide not to do a placement year or decide not to continue with the final year of study, you can shorten the visa accordingly. Applying for a five-year visa upfront will avoid all the additional costs and complications of extending your visa compared to obtaining a three-year visa.

What’s the difference between an integrated master’s degree and an MSc?

An integrated master’s degree will add two semesters of additional study to an undergraduate degree, taking your university experience to a minimum duration of four years.

An MSc is typically a one-year standalone postgraduate degree. The fees for an MSc year are typically higher than for the additional integrated master’s year. It will require three additional semesters of study.

If I study the MEng, will I have a BEng and an MEng degree?

Open Days

Speak directly to academics and find out more about your integrated master’s options at one of our forthcoming Open Days. You'll also have the opportunity to take a look around our facilities.

Book your place