Start Date
Thu 18th September 2025
Attendance
Part-time
Duration
3 Years
Location
Poole Campus
Adult Fee
3250.00
Adult Fee with Concession
3250.00
FdEng/HNC Engineering - Mechanical Design
Subject Area
Engineering
Attendance
Part-time
Duration
3 Years
Location
Poole Campus
Course Overview
The course will give you a superb grounding in the essential principles and techniques needed to meet the increasingly challenging and exciting nature of the Engineering industry. It has been designed to be relevant to the needs of employment in the fields of Design and within Mechanical Engineering.
As a student on this course you will have the benefits of using the College’s excellent facilities including 3D printing, an industrial robot, CAD/CAM suites and material testing laboratory. Current students are registered as student members of the Institute of Engineering Designers (IED). Completion of the course enables partial Incorporated Engineer registration.
During the first year you will use CAD software to produce both 2D production drawing and 3D models, undertake design simulations and run stress analysis. You will be introduced to the capabilities of 3D printing to produce physical models and use a CAM package to develop and simulate a milled product. There will be an introduction to business processes and theory within engineering companies and different project management techniques. This is tied together with the underpinning of mathematical theory, engineering science and materials science, including metal and polymer experiments.
During the second year you will be introduced to different design principles and how to undertake a design project. The importance of considering manufacturing methods is emphasised, as is engineering calculations and the behaviour of materials when developing your design. You will undertake a group design project and an individual, company relevant, project that will also demonstrate your ability to project manage. The business processes and theories from the first year will be applied through the production of a business plan. Your understanding of mathematical theory and engineering science will continue to be developed throughout the second year. If successful, you graduate at this point with an HNC and if you achieve the necessary grades you have the option to progress to the Foundation Degree.
In this third year of study you will develop your design techniques and analysis further with the work directly linked to marketing and business requirements within engineering. A more detailed company relevant major project is undertaken to demonstrate you can apply what you have learned over the last three years. You will also undertake writing your first academic paper for possible publication. To link in with the requirements for the IED and IMechE you will also undertake Continual Professional Development and a work based log throughout the year.
HNC Years 1 & 2 – Level 4 (Part time over 2 academic years or full time over 1 academic year)
- Analytical Methods for Design
- Business & Project Management
- Computer Aided Engineering
- Design Principles
- Mechanical Design Principles
- Project
FdEng Year 3 - Level 5 (1 calendar year)
- Design Applications
- Major Project
- Mechanical Design Applications
- The Engineering Professional
- Work Based Unit
These courses have been specifically designed, in consultation with Industry and Professional Institutions, to enable those predominately working in engineering to study alongside their work. Our HNCs and Foundation Degrees in engineering are ideally suited to those who are looking to gain the essential skills to advance their career in a variety of engineering roles.
This course is also offered as a Degree Apprenticeship. Please click here for more information.
HNC
- Four GCSEs at at least grade 4/C, to include English and mathematics or an equivalent qualification, plus
- One A Level at grade C in a relevant subject or equivalent AVCE or National Diploma / Certificate (or equivalent UK or overseas qualifications), or
- A BTEC National Certificate or National Diploma in Manufacturing or Engineering (Mechanical Design). Students should normally have a Merit in Mathematics and/or Mechanical Principles,
- An Access to Higher Education Diploma
- Applicants should have good literacy and numerical skills appropriate to the programme, a good understanding of computing and an aptitude for technical work
UCAS tariff points 32 from one full A Level or equivalent Level 3 qualification in a relevant subject
Relevant subjects: Physics, Maths, CDT, Engineering
FdEng
120 Level C credits from an HNC in an appropriate discipline
Normally at least 40 credits should be at Merit level or above and 20 of these credits should be from a mathematical analytical unit
Progression to the BEng/MEng (Hons) Engineering is an option for appropriate students.
Roles in Engineering Design and R & D
HNC - £3,250 per academic year
FdEng - £4,000
Students who are eligible, can apply for a student loan with Student Finance.
Covid-19
Please see Coronavirus information | Bournemouth University for the latest Covid-19 information from BU.
Attendance: Part time over 3 years (2 academic years for the HNC plus 1 calendar year for the FdEng) or full time over 2 years (1 academic year for the HNC plus 1 calendar year for the FdEng)
Applications: Please note that students taking the part-time HNC/FdEng should apply directly to The Bournemouth & Poole College and not via the UCAS process.
If you meet the entry requirements and would like to apply, simply click the 'Apply Now' button on this page.
If you have any questions regarding the course, please contact;
The Higher Education Unit +44 (0)1202 205180
email: heunit@bpc.ac.uk
Venue: The course is delivered at The College's North Road campus, Poole
The college reserves the right to make changes to the information given, including the addition, withdrawal, re-location or restructuring of courses.
Awarding Body:
Bournemouth University