Course overview

Living far away from the University is no longer a problem. Our BEng (Hons) Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering (Distance Learning) can be studied online, meaning that you can tailor your studies to your own priorities.

Mechanical engineers see their profession as the most diverse and exciting of all the engineering disciplines because it involves design, development, installation, operation and maintenance of just about anything that has moveable parts. All products must be manufactured so manufacturing engineering skills are essential during their design, development and manufacture.

Engineers are the people who turn plans into products by applying the scientific and numerical principles to practical ends. They are continually working to find solutions to problems that affect our day-to-day life using the latest technologies and are involved with the planning and designing of new production processes. Engineers are characterised by their ability to use new technology creatively and innovatively. They maintain, manage and undertake projects in design, development, manufacture, construction and operation. Our courses are designed around these skills and principles, building a solid foundation for a successful career in engineering industry.

The School of Engineering

Our School provides a friendly and supportive environment for your studies.

Online students interact with staff using our virtual learning environment. This provides a combination of study material and interactive discussion and chat facilities.

Our staff are approachable and accessible, whether through the virtual learning environment or face-to-face. They maintain good links with industry, so are able to track changing technologies and industrial needs. We have a well-established research group that is active in the fields of Manufacturing, Engineering Materials, Engineering Design and System Engineering.

To request the full programme specification for this course please fill out the information request form.

Course content

We offer the final year of our BEng (Hons) Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering as a two year part-time, or one year full-time, distance learning course. If you have a Foundation degree or HND in a mechanical engineering or related subject area and you want flexible study, then this course should suit you.

This course is taught online and is largely based on the existing final-year subjects of the BEng (Hons) Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, with similar assessment patterns. You will need to enjoy the challenge of upgrading your qualifications and keeping up-to-date, whilst working on your own with online assistance. You will study:

• Computer Aided Engineering
• Mechanical Behaviour of Materials
• Engineering Systems
• Manufacturing Systems
• Strategies for Resource Conservation and Management
• Project Management
• Quality Management
• Design

There is a mathematics (analytical methods) bridging unit, which you may be required to study prior to starting the course; we will advise you if you need to study it. In addition, you will undertake an individual project typically on a design, make and test activity (depending on your circumstances).

Teaching and assessment

At Portsmouth you will experience a lively and modern learning environment with lectures, seminars, tutorials (personal and academic), laboratory and project work, CAE system activity and open access study. We have a distinguished record and pride ourselves on working at the leading-edge of technology and learning practices.

These courses offer many individual subject choices allowing you to tailor the programme to your individual strengths and interests. Practical experience is emphasised throughout the courses and you will be encouraged to put your ideas into practice, experience application software relating to the area of study and generate computer simulations to detect and solve engineering problems.

Assessment is carried out through a mix of formal examinations, coursework, tests and presentations. It is geared towards the subject matter in a way that encourages a deeper understanding and allows you to develop your skills.

Career prospects

It is generally accepted that there is a current shortage of engineers and these courses are aimed at educating engineers for a multitude of different careers in engineering and technology. You could work for a large company, in the Armed Forces or in one of the many small companies within this sector. There are also opportunities to start your own specialist company.

These courses develop your analytical skills and there is a whole range of careers which rely on numerate graduates that you could consider. Many engineering graduates are employed in a wide range of careers which utilise team working, analytical abilities and numeracy skills developed during the course.

Facilities and features

The School of Engineering provides a friendly and supportive environment for your studies. Online students interact with staff using our Virtual Learning Environment. This provides a combination of study material, interactive discussion and chat facilities.

If you are local to Portsmouth, you can also access our on-campus learning support services:

Learning support services

The School of Engineering offers various learning support and further development services to all students. They are additional to the normal academic support provided at all levels within the University, and they are run by teams of selected students.

The School of Engineering has laboratories and a manufacturing workshop which can be used for project work. There is also a drawing office and four teaching computer rooms available as open access rooms, two purely open access rooms, plus networked PCs available in the laboratories. There is also an open access design studio room and a design-and-make workroom.

The School includes a Regional Centre for Manufacturing Industry and was recently assessed by the UK Government as having 85 per cent of research at international level or higher – an excellent result, demonstrating real originality and significance.

Maths Café

The Maths Café is a daily drop-in facility, where ANY student of the University can receive help on any maths or statistics problem they encounter in their studies. We operate in a friendly, informal location which we hope will encourage students to visit us. Handouts on key topics are available to take away. Students can be shown how to use computer aided learning packages, which can be accessed from any computer attached to the University's computer network.

Entry requirements

View all the entry requirements for BEng (Hons) Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering (2 Year DL) for the academic year 2012/13 (opens in new window).

View all the entry requirements for BEng (Hons) Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering (2 Year DL) for the academic year 2013/14 (opens in new window).