Degree apprenticeship
The BEng Integrated Engineering Degree Apprenticeship is an innovative five-year programme that will allow you to gain a degree while in paid employment.
In partnership with Gower College Swansea, we are able to offer a fully-funded Degree Apprenticeship for existing employees or newly recruited staff working within the engineering industry in Wales through the Welsh Government’s new Degree Apprenticeship scheme.
The programme is designed to build upon your employment experience to develop broad knowledge and skills in electrical, electronic, mechanical, and manufacturing engineering with the opportunity to specialise in the later years of the course.
Personalised remote learning provision will also reduce the need to travel to college and university, ensuring that engineers across South Wales can access opportunities to futureproof their careers.
Individuals must hold a level three qualification to be considered for the course.
Course structure
This is a five-year part-time undergraduate degree. The programme delivery pattern is based around a 14 semester model with students attending on a 1 day per week, day release basis.
Successful candidates will study towards their level four and five qualifications at Gower College Swansea, before transferring to Cardiff University to complete the final two years of the university level BEng Integrated Engineering degree.
Recognised and accredited prior learning may reduce the duration of the course.
Year one
Delivery of all year one modules will be at Gower College Swansea.
Year one is totally dedicated to the delivery of Level 4 modules, all of which are core modules, designed to prepare you for the more in-depth study at Level 5 and 6.
A Laboratory module will be delivered throughout the year to prepare you for the application of advanced practical skills as well as a module in Professional Engineering to introduce you to the world of the professional engineer.
Other year one modules focus on science and engineering-specific topics. You will learn from your workplace experience, reflecting on how what you are learning is used in practice. You will also be required to keep a reflective log book of your work experiences which will contribute to the assessment of the final year work-based project.
The focus of the Level 4 modules is to develop your knowledge of core engineering principles and development of relevant practical skills.
During year one you will study six modules, of which three will be completed during the third semester to be replaced by the commencement of a further three modules which will continue to be studied in year two.
Year two
Delivery of all year two modules will be at Gower College Swansea.
Year two consists of all core modules. You will be required to complete nine Level 4 modules by the end of the Spring Term (semester five) before progressing to the study the Level 5 modules.
All modules are engineering specific, aimed at deepening your knowledge in specialist areas, applying principles and developing problem-solving skills.
A module in Engineering Management will equip you with knowledge of corporate finance, employment law and other relevant legislation, essential for managers in today’s world of engineering and building on your workplace experience.
Year three
Delivery of some year three modules will be at Gower College Swansea. The final part of the course will be largely delivered at Cardiff University and will equip you with sufficient engineering knowledge to undertake a meaningful work-based project.
You will be required to complete nine Level 5 modules to ensure you are well prepared for the final Level 6 part of the course.
The project will allow you to use the skills and knowledge you will have gained during the earlier stages of the degree programme.
During year three consideration should be given to the nature of the work-based project. You, together with your employer and college tutor, will meet to discuss potential opportunities for formulating a suitable project and identifying an appropriate academic supervisor at Cardiff University.
Year four
In year four you will progress to the School of Engineering at Cardiff University for Level 6 study.
The year includes the commencement of the major Work Based Project module totalling 40 credits, which will run through the whole of the last two years of the programme applying what you have learned to solve real-life problems.
For this, you will study individually on a substantial problem identified in your workplace, alongside a supervising academic staff member from Cardiff University, your tutor from Gower College and your employer, applying what you have learned to solve real-life problems.
You will complete two core modules including Engineering Project Management which links closely with your individual project and two optional specialised modules. You will study four optional modules in total chosen from a group of seven.
You will come to the University for one day of the week during term time (two twelve-week semesters) and you will work on your project in your workplace. You will study with students on the full-time BEng Integrated Engineering degree scheme, with additional dedicated tutorial support to help you with the transition to the University life.
During the summer semester, you will focus on your project at your place of work holding regular reviews with the supervisory team.
Year five
You will return to Cardiff University for the final two semesters of Level 6 modules, leading to your degree completion. You will complete two further core modules and the final two optional modules whilst bringing your work-based project to a conclusion.
You will come to the University for one day per week during term time and work on your project in your workplace.
Course modules
The modules taught in this programme mirror our established BEng Integrated Engineering modules, with added value through work-based learning.
| Level 4 | Level 6 | Optional | Level 5 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Laboratory | Work-based Project | Commercialising Innovation | Integrated Product Design |
| Engineering Mathematics | Engineering Project Management | Solid Mechanics | Thermofluids |
| Mechanics | Automatic Control | Robotics and Image Processing | Engineering Mathematics |
| Professional Engineering | Thermodynamics and Heat Transfer | Object-oriented Engineering Computing | Control Engineering |
| Network Analysis | Power Electronics | Biomechanics | Microcontroller Applications and Embedded Design |
| Engineering Computing | Fluid Power and Control | Engineering Management | |
| Electrical and Electronic Engineering | Power Systems | Materials and Manufacture | |
| Power Engineering and Electrical Materials | Electrical Machines and Drives | Programming and Microcontroller Applications | |
| Analogue Communications Systems | Renewable Energy Technologies | Machines and Power Electronics | |
| Grid Integration of Renewables | |||
| Product Design |
Teaching
The course will be delivered on a day release, one day per week basis with an occasional block week from the student’s employer over a period of five years.
Teaching is through classroom-based interactive sessions, lectures, online learning, design classes and laboratory, IT and practical work. The course will be delivered through a blended learning approach with a combination of taught delivery and learning activities at Gower College Swansea and Cardiff University’s School of Engineering.
A work-based project element will take place completely in your workplace and will be specified in consultation with the employer to deliver a project which is of real benefit to the business, as well as meeting the learning outcomes of the module.
Assessment
A combination of coursework assignments and examinations is set at appropriate stages as the module progresses. A typical module has an examination at the end, plus a coursework assignment in which you will apply the engineering principles taught in the module to solve practical engineering problems.
Examinations count for 60-75% of all assessments throughout the programme.
Support
You will be assigned a personal tutor who is a member of Cardiff University academic staff associated with your degree programme, as well as a tutor at Gower College. You will meet with them individually and jointly on a regular basis throughout the five years of the programme.
Course fees
Course fees are paid for by the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales (HEFCW) on behalf of the Welsh Government. All apprentices must be working for an organisation with an office in Wales and must spend at least 51% of their working hours working in Wales. Employers will be expected to cover all salary and associated costs for apprentices.
Accreditations
This course is seeking accreditation by the Institution of Engineering and Technology and the Institution of Mechanical Engineers on behalf of the Engineering Council for the purposes of fully meeting the academic requirement for registration as an Incorporated Engineer and partly meeting the academic requirement for registration as a Chartered Engineer.
The course has also been designed to meet the requirements of the Engineering Council Accreditation of Higher Education Programmes (AHEP) and the Welsh Degree Apprenticeships Engineering Framework.
How to apply
Individuals and businesses looking to explore options to enrol should contact:
Please note that applications for this programme are not submitted via UCAS.
