BEng Electrical & Electronic Engineering

Course outline

and analogue electronics, computing, mathematics and project management.

Extensive laboratory based practical work is fully integrated with the lecture material throughout the course to help reinforce theory with experience. 

You will be able to specialise in your areas of interest by selecting from a range of options including digital system design, telecommunications systems, optoelectronics and signal processing before embarking in the final year on an extensive design project of your own choosing. 

We have taken a very close look at the progression paths taken by our students and have recognised that the majority prefer to take a BEng degree and then gain employment experience.  Many then anticipate returning to the University to study at MSc level, usually with company backing, after a year or two of gaining experience.  As a result we have redesigned the BEng programmes to meet the demands of industry and to provide a vertically integrated programme of study leading from BEng to MSc.

Jump to:

• Subject guide & modules
• Learning, teaching & assessment
• Placement year
• Professional accreditation
• Scholarship
  
• Career prospects
• Personal development
• Facilities & equipment
• Further information
  

Subject guide & modules

We will provide you with a broad-based education to give you competence in a wide range of electronic and electrical engineering disciplines. You will begin with the fundamental principles such as digital, analogue electronics, computing, mathematics and project management. Theory is married to practice with extensive laboratory-based practical work fully integrated with the lecture material throughout the course. You will be able to specialise in areas of particular interest or relevance to your future career by selecting from our range of options from digital system design to telecommunications systems, optoelectronics to signal processing before embarking on a final year six-month design project of your own choosing.

Year 1

• Computing for Electronic Engineers
  
• Digital and Analogue Electronics
• Electric Circuit Theory
  
• Introduction to Electrical Power 
• Engineering Projects and Entrepreneurship
• Physical Principles
• Electrical Systems Engineering
• Transistion Mathematics for Engineers
• Mathematics for First Year Engineers

Year 2

• Digital and Programmable Systems
  
• Communications Systems Engineering
  
• Electronic Systems Analysis 
• Electrical Systems Engineering
• Engineering Design Project 
• Analogue Electronics
• The Professional Engineer
• Instrumentation

Year 3 - Optional placement year

See placement year section or find out more about the Aston placement year.

Final Year

• Individual Final Year Project 
• Digital Systems Design

Specialist electives including:

• Digital Transmission
• Sustainability Project
  
• Internetworking
• Optical Communications Systems
• Radio Systems and PC Networks
• Optoelectronics
• Digital Systems Architecture
• Digital Signal Processing
• Project Management
• Wireless Sensor Networks
• Innovation Management
• Energy Efficiency
• Electroheat
• Network Product Development
• Electronic Control Systems

Learning, teaching & assessment

You will benefit from a range of teaching methods and learning styles, including formal lectures; laboratory and design classes, and seminars; small groups tutorials with a personal tutor; computer-aided learning and virtual learning environments.  You can expect an exciting learning experience with practical work and taught material integrated throughout the degree course.

During the year you will find a sequence of formative assessments to re-enforce and enhance the taught material. The overall assessment is a collation of marks from examination, classroom and laboratory exercises, internet-based practical assessments and oral presentations.

For further information, see the programme specification (PDF).

Placement year

You can choose between a 3 year full-time or 4 year sandwich course which incorporates an integrated year of paid industrial or commercial placement. You can delay this choice until the start of your second year. We will help you find a suitable placement and visit you regularly to ensure it is a success.

The placement is a perfect opportunity to gain invaluable professional experience. It will help you make a more informed judgement about your future career and will form an invaluable part of your CV when you seek graduate employment.

Find out more about placement years at Aston.

Professional accreditation

Our courses have been developed in collaboration with the electronics and telecommunications professions. All courses in the Electronic Engineering Academic Group are accredited by the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET, formerly the IEE).

Scholarship

If you are predicted to achieve 3 A's at A Level and are planning to join an IET accredited BEng/MEng engineering or technology degree course in Autumn 2013 then you qualify for the IET Jubilee Scholarship worth £1000 a year.

For more information about this scholarship and how to apply click this link

Career prospects

Well-trained graduates with skills in electronics design, software, telecommunications and engineering are in high demand. Some of our recent graduates are currently commanding high salaries working in government, the public sector and private industry, for employers such as: Olympus, Corus, HSBC, Oxford University, Hewlett Packard, Cogent Defence, BAE Systems, Npower, Siemens, Orange, Vodafone, QinetiQ, National Grid, Rolls-Royce, Jaguar Cars and Microsoft.

Other graduates have chosen to study for PhD degrees at Aston or at other universities across the UK and beyond or have started their own businesses.

Areas where our graduates enter include:

• Research & development
• Design & manufacture
• Management and marketing
• Consultancy
• Education
• Innovation

Facilities & equipment

You will have access to an extensive network of computer facilities including high performance PCs for industrial standard CAD, suites of PCs, Unix workstations and Multimedia capable Macs for day-to-day work and a large number of embedded processors for lab work. These resources are complemented by specialist electronics, telecommunications and networked laboratories and research facilities.

Further information

EAS Undergraduate Admissions Office
+44 (0)121 204 3400
engineering@aston.ac.uk