Engineering courses at Uni

[garner90]

Hey all,

Im starting University next year and will be doing a foundation degree in engineering, I dont have the required A levels in Maths and Science so I have to do the foundation degree first.

Could anyone give me some tips and advice as to what I can be doing leading up to when I start. The Universitys all seem to say- 'Develop competence and confidence in the use of fundamental mathematics and physics relevant to engineering'.

And any tips that would make my personal statement better? Or books that I could be reading?

Thanks in advance

Matt

[pdrake007]

Hey Matt, first off good luck with uni its a blast! :drink::y:

Ive just finished my masters in aerospace engineering, I didnt personally take the foundation year but some of my mates did. As you have already said, your required to take the foundation year due to not having the required grades in physics and maths, so a good start would be to try and get hold of some A level revision books and work through them, but I wouldnt worry too much, the foundation year is there to teach you what you need to know for the degree.

Your best bet is to try an contact the uni directly and see if you can get hold of some of the lecturers for their opinion, im sure they would be happy to help someone who is eager to learn.

Which uni are you going to out of interest?

[garner90]

Hey Matt, first off good luck with uni its a blast! :drink::y:

Ive just finished my masters in aerospace engineering, I didnt personally take the foundation year but some of my mates did. As you have already said, your required to take the foundation year due to not having the required grades in physics and maths, so a good start would be to try and get hold of some A level revision books and work through them, but I wouldnt worry too much, the foundation year is there to teach you what you need to know for the degree.

Your best bet is to try an contact the uni directly and see if you can get hold of some of the lecturers for their opinion, im sure they would be happy to help someone who is eager to learn.

Which uni are you going to out of interest?


Thanks mate, Well done for finishing your masters:y:

I never even thought about looking at A level text books! I will definately get hold of some now though.

Im going to be going to Huddersfield Uni.

[Liam_LFC_VTR]

What field of Engineering are you doing mate?

I've got a certificate in Electrical Engineering, and currently doing my HND course atm :y:

[vahcaton]

I'm looking to do engineering at uni as well (mechanical engineering). But I've been told its 'dry' ? what do they mean?

[williamsvts]

there aint many engineering jobs about at the min, and with all the work going to india/china i wouldnt expect engineering in the country to recover too quick.
ive done loads of engineering courses now and its hard to get away from the CNC's which i have been on since i left school, as there are so many people applying for jobs at the minute that there are more experianced people than me going for the better jobs. ive done
city&guilds welding & fab
city&guilds mech eng
nvq2 mech eng
nvq3 cnc programming setting + operating
advanced AVCE engineering
HNC manufacturing engineering
HND mechanical engineering
BSc honors degree management of engineering technologies

only seem to get job offers in cnc machining, which i wanna move out of. i would have a good think about it if i was you.

[pdrake007]

One thing to consider though is that by the time you have finished your degree, it will be at least 3 years away, the job market could drastically change by that point, when I started my degree there were no problems at all, and now its a nightmare!

[scot-ish]

merchant navy, get the HND and there are jobs waiting for you, the industry is crying out for brittish officers. much better wages than the equivalant shore side qualified person

[tom130691]

im currently doing the foundation engineering course tbh its very boring ull need to know your maths and science the foundation year does a bit of everything as most people on it then go on to course like motorsport engineering, automotive engineering , aerospace engineering, civil engineering ect

[garner90]

im currently doing the foundation engineering course tbh its very boring ull need to know your maths and science the foundation year does a bit of everything as most people on it then go on to course like motorsport engineering, automotive engineering , aerospace engineering, civil engineering ect

Did you do any work before you went on the course? And any tips for my personal statement :D

[tom130691]

i did 2 years at college before doing a btec national diploma in motor vehicles
witch is y i hate the course 2 years of car then a yearof general engineering to then do motorsport :@
personal statement on ucas?
tbh i did my whole ucas in like a day so mine was shit but still got in dnt think its as important as its made out
also ive heard people on the cousre spend 30-40 on individual books but i aint got any and havnt really needed them yet
my aadvice would be be prepared to do alot of work at home or out of lessons

[pr0xibus]

How old are you.

Why dont you just do the degree from foundation to 4th then if there still aint no jobs go do another degree. if your still young enough and i mean 18 - 25 you can and still have time to do what you want

Im just about to finish my BSc (Hons) Computer network management & design and allready thinking about going back to uni to do another 4 years in something else

[Steve_90]

Im at Brighton Uni doing a foundation year in engineering, then next year I do the degree.
Are you doing a foundation year or foundation degree? Two different courses.
As for the foundation year, its pretty easy going at first, but im told the second simester is going to get alot harder.
But it does put you at a good advantage for the degree course because you get an extra year to prepare for the degree and learn to write reports, essays in such that the uni expect so its a really good course to do if you didnt get the grades.
What uni you gonna go to mate?

[garner90]

How old are you.

Why dont you just do the degree from foundation to 4th then if there still aint no jobs go do another degree. if your still young enough and i mean 18 - 25 you can and still have time to do what you want

Im just about to finish my BSc (Hons) Computer network management & design and allready thinking about going back to uni to do another 4 years in something else

Im 19 mate, I don' t get what you mean if im honest.

[pr0xibus]

Im 19 mate, I don' t get what you mean if im honest.

I mean do a degree course from 1st to 4th year then you get your degree.

and if their aint much jobs going about after 4th year or nothing that tickles your fancy

go do another degree course from 1st to 4th year in something else

which means in 6 - 8 years you can have 2 degrees.

Im 25 and have a honours degree im thinking about doing a degree in something else so by the time im 27 or 28 i will have another degree in something that i might actually like lol

[tuft]

have you considered an apprenticeship?

[scot-ish]

I mean do a degree course from 1st to 4th year then you get your degree.

and if their aint much jobs going about after 4th year or nothing that tickles your fancy

go do another degree course from 1st to 4th year in something else

which means in 6 - 8 years you can have 2 degrees.

Im 25 and have a honours degree im thinking about doing a degree in something else so by the time im 27 or 28 i will have another degree in something that i might actually like lol


yup, whilst at the same time, some1 who joined the merchant navy at 16, by the time there 28, theyve already earned 250k no tax, and in that 9 years, only worked 4 and a half of them

not really a good plum for uni, do the degree you find intresting, my aunt has 5 degrees, and now has only just paid for her first house, shes 55, its a terrible way to go, dont get into the uni life, go get a job, and earn proper cash