Program Overview

Our design-based degree teaches advanced electronic and electrical engineering, allowing you to engage with creativity and develop a range of specialist practical and professional skills, which will create opportunities in a range of industries.

You will benefit from our research informed teaching, which is a key strength of this programme. You will join a thriving academic department that makes use of our expertise in microelectromechanical smart systems; novel electromagnetics; radio frequency engineering; and millimetre waves with THz signals. Through this programme, you will be exposed to our work with organisations such as CERN and the European Space Agency.

The programme begins with a broad based common first year, shared by all our engineers. You explore topics such as heat transfer and manufacturing, which form a key requirement of modern electronic systems. You will work alongside people from other engineering disciplines, reflecting very much how you would operate in industry, equipping you with interdisciplinary project, communication and professional skills to allow you to excel in your professional career.

Your second year will then be spent studying at a partner university in Europe, the United States of America or Australia. This year abroad allows you to broaden your horizons, grow as a person and adds a new insight and perspective on not only the discipline of engineering, but also on the methods and structure within higher education. The marks you gain during your international year will be converted to grades at Lancaster and will count towards your final degree classification.

On return to Lancaster in year three, you will join your specialist programme of study, taking modules in your specific discipline and continuing to develop your core skills as an engineer.

In third year, you will start your individual project: a substantial piece of research and investigation into a topic of your choice, but often linked with industry or one of our research groups. The project period covers the entire academic year, with an intensive period following exams to finalise results and present the findings professionally. Previous examples include: remote moisture sensing for internet of things; wearable antennas for medical body area network; low carbon shipping through improved electric propulsion; and energy storage and development of an electrical storm tracker.

Third year also continues the management skills theme, which is essential to modern engineering. You will develop your knowledge in company finance and aspects of law, human resource management and industrial organisation. You will also receive an overview of environmental reporting, quality and safety management.

During the fourth year, you will undertake a major group project, often linked with our research groups or industry, during which you will apply your specialisation to cutting-edge technology. Examples of previous projects include: digital telemetry for a Formula Student race car; control and electrical power system design; wireless instrumentation for a renewable power system; a robotic humanoid; embedded control for a novel 3D printer; and high-frequency structures for 5G communication.