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Electrical and Electronic Engineering with Year in Industry (MEng)

  • Subject area: Engineering
  • UCAS code: H600
  • Next intake: September 2025
  • Duration: 5 years
  • Mode: Full time with sandwich year
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Why study this course

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Number one course in the UK

You’ll be studying at the number one course in the UK for Electrical and Electronic Engineering as voted in The Guardian University Guide 2024.

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Flexible course

You can make your degree your own with the flexibility to choose where you want to focus your studies later in the course. If you change your mind about your programme, in most cases you may request a switch at the end of the first year.

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Professional placement

Gain valuable experience working in a paid role at an organisation in the UK or abroad for one academic year. Our students have worked at leading engineering organisations as well as businesses in other sectors.

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External scholarships available

Students are eligible to apply for external scholarships from the UK Power Academy and UK Electronic Skills Foundation UKESF (Cardiff University is a member of both schemes).

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Professionally accredited course

Accredited by the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) on behalf of the Engineering Council for the purposes of fully meeting the academic requirement for registration as a Chartered Engineer.

 IET - Institution of Engineering and Technology

Electrical and electronic engineers work at the forefront of technology, developing and improving the devices and systems we use every day. Electrical engineers deal with the generation, distribution and control of power, whereas electronic engineers create devices such as sensors and mobile phones.

This accredited course provides the knowledge, skills and hands-on experience you need to become a work-ready engineer. Through laboratory sessions and a range of practical activities, you will embed the knowledge from your lectures and tutorials. There are opportunities for you to complete work placements and sponsorships through our connections to industry.

You will explore a range of authentic engineering problems and industry-focused scenarios, both individually and with student engineers from other disciplines. Group work mirrors the relationships of an engineering team and will help you to build professional skills, such as teamwork and communication. Our open access makerspace provides a place for you to design, create and collaborate.

You will have the opportunity to complete a salaried placement working in a location of your choosing, including outside of the UK. This is a great way to experience a professional working environment and put the skills you have learned into practice. In the past, our students have completed placements at Jaguar Land Rover, Network Rail, Siemens, Keysight Technologies and National Grid.

The MEng allows you to use the last two years to expand and strengthen your knowledge in electrical and electronic engineering. You will benefit from advanced learning in design and management and an appreciation of the techniques needed to manage and organise a multidisciplinary engineering design project.

Accreditations

Subject area: Engineering

  • academic-schoolSchool of Engineering
  • icon-chatGet in touch
  • Telephone+44 (0)29 2251 4963
  • Marker5 The Parade, Newport Road, Cardiff, CF24 3AA

Entry requirements

We accept a combination of A-levels and other qualifications, as well as equivalent international qualifications subject to entry requirements. Typical offers are as follows:

A level

AAB-BBB. Must include Maths.

Extended/International Project Qualification: Applicants with grade A in the EPQ/IPQ will typically receive an offer one grade lower than the standard offer. Please note that any subject specific requirements must still be met.

  • Our grade range covers our standard offer and contextual offer. We carefully consider the circumstances in which you've been studying (your contextual data) upon application. Eligible students will be given an offer that is lower than the standard offer (usually the middle or lower end of the advertised grade range).
  • Where there is no grade range advertised and/or where there are selection processes in place (like an interview) you may receive additional consideration in the selection process.

Learn about eligible courses and how contextual data is applied.

International Baccalaureate

34-31 overall or 666-665 in 3 HL subjects. Must include grade 6 in HL Maths or Maths Analysis and Approaches.

Baccalaureate Wales

From September 2023, there will be a new qualification called the Advanced Skills Baccalaureate Wales (level 3). This qualification will replace the Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate (Welsh Baccalaureate). The qualification will continue to be accepted in lieu of one A-Level (at the grades listed above), excluding any specified subjects.

You must have or be working towards:
- English language or Welsh language at GCSE grade C/4 or an equivalent (such as A-levels). If you require a Student visa, you must ensure your language qualification complies with UKVI requirements.

We do not accept Critical Thinking, General Studies, Citizenship Studies, or other similar equivalent subjects.
We will accept a combination of BTEC subjects, A-levels, and other qualifications, subject to the course specific grade and subject requirements.

GCSE

Grade C or grade 4 in GCSE English Language.

IELTS (academic)

At least 6.5 overall with a minimum of 5.5 in each subskill.

TOEFL iBT

At least 90 overall with a minimum of 17 for writing, 17 for listening, 18 for reading, and 20 for speaking.

PTE Academic

At least 69 overall with a minimum of 59 in all communicative skills.

Trinity ISE II/III

II: at least two Distinctions and two Merits.
III: at least a Pass in all components.

Other accepted qualifications

Please visit our English Language requirements page for more information on our other accepted language qualifications.

You are not required to complete a DBS (Disclosure Barring Service) check or provide a Certificate of Good Conduct to study this course.

If you are currently subject to any licence condition or monitoring restriction that could affect your ability to successfully complete your studies, you will be required to disclose your criminal record. Conditions include, but are not limited to:

  • access to computers or devices that can store images
  • use of internet and communication tools/devices
  • curfews
  • freedom of movement, including the ability to travel to outside of the UK or to undertake a placement/studies outside of Cardiff University
  • contact with people related to Cardiff University.

Other qualifications from inside the UK

BTEC

DD-DM in a BTEC Diploma in any subject and grade B in A-Level Maths.

T level

We do not accept T Levels for this programme.

Qualifications from outside the UK

See our qualification equivalences guide

Please see our admissions policies for more information about the application process.

Tuition fees for 2025 entry

Your tuition fees and how you pay them will depend on your fee status. Your fee status could be home, island or overseas.

Learn how we decide your fee status

Fees for home status

Year Tuition fee Deposit
Year one £9,250 None
Year two £9,250 None
Year three (sandwich year) £1,850 None
Year four £9,250 None
Year five £9,250 None

The University reserves the right to increase tuition fees in the second and subsequent years of a course as permitted by law or Welsh Government policy. Where applicable we will notify you of any change in tuition fee by the end of June in the academic year before the one in which the fee will increase.

Students from the EU, EEA and Switzerland

If you are an EU, EEA or Swiss national, your tuition fees for 2025/26 be in line with the overseas fees for international students, unless you qualify for home fee status. UKCISA have provided information about Brexit and tuition fees.

Fees for island status

Learn more about the undergraduate fees for students from the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man.

Fees for overseas status

Year Tuition fee Deposit
Year one £29,450 None
Year two £29,450 None
Year three (sandwich year) £5,890 None
Year four £29,450 None
Year five £29,450 None

Learn more about our tuition fees

Financial support

Financial support may be available to individuals who meet certain criteria. For more information visit our funding section. Please note that these sources of financial support are limited and therefore not everyone who meets the criteria are guaranteed to receive the support.

Costs for sandwich years

During a sandwich year (e.g. year in industry, placement year or year abroad) a lower fee will apply. Full details can be found on our fees pages.

Additional costs

There may be costs associated with the Year in Industry, such as travel costs, which you should take into account.

Course specific equipment

No specific equipment is needed. The University will provide resources such as computers and associated software, laboratory equipment (including any safety equipment) and a variety of other learning resources.

Accommodation

We have a range of residences to suit your needs and budget. Find out more on our accommodation pages.

Living costs

We're based in one of the UK's most affordable cities. Find out more about living costs in Cardiff.

Course structure

This is a five-year full-time degree programme, with largely core modules in Years One and Two. The third year is spent working in industry. Years Four and Five have carefully chosen balances of core and optional modules, allowing you to choose subjects to tailor to your personal interests or chosen career path.

You need to earn 120 credits per year.

Students wishing to progress on an MEng programme at the end of Year Two will need to achieve a year average of 60% or higher, or otherwise progress onto one of our two BEng programmes. You will also prepare for your Year in Industry placement. If you are not able to secure a placement, you will transfer to the non-placement course to complete your degree.

The modules shown are an example of the typical curriculum and will be reviewed prior to the 2025/2026 academic year. The final modules will be published by September 2025.

Year one

Year one consists of a series of lectures underpinned by practical laboratory sessions.

Year two

Year two again consists of a series of lectures underpinned by practical laboratory sessions.

Year three: Sandwich year

Year three is spent working in industry. You are normally expected to be in employment for a minimum of 30 weeks to satisfy the minimum University requirement, although the Cardiff School of Engineering expects the placement to last for the whole academic year.

During your placement you will be visited by your industrial training tutor or nominee at least once, but preferably twice, if you are based in the UK.

Module titleModule codeCredits
Industrial TrainingEN3095120 credits

Year four

Year four includes a major project, totalling 40 credits.  For this you will work individually, alongside a supervising staff member.

Core modules include Project Management but there is also a choice of optional modules, building upon the foundations established in the earlier years.

Module titleModule codeCredits
Engineering Project ManagementEN302410 credits
Automatic ControlEN305710 credits
Embedded SystemsEN308710 credits
Individual ProjectEN340040 credits

Year five

Year five includes two group projects which are linked to topical research. In total, these make up half of the overall assessment.

There is also a core module in Management in Industry and a choice of optional modules.

The University is committed to providing a wide range of module options where possible, but please be aware that whilst every effort is made to offer choice this may be limited in certain circumstances. This is due to the fact that some modules have limited numbers of places available, which are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis, while others have minimum student numbers required before they will run, to ensure that an appropriate quality of education can be delivered; some modules require students to have already taken particular subjects, and others are core or required on the programme you are taking. Modules may also be limited due to timetable clashes, and although the University works to minimise disruption to choice, we advise you to seek advice from the relevant School on the module choices available.

Robotics project
Student works on their third-year project in the area of robotics.

Learning and assessment

Teaching is through lectures and tutorials, supplemented by practical laboratory and project-based work. There is a rich library of online learning material, tailored for each lesson in each module, including instructional/informational videos, study notes, guided exercise questions and some online quizzes.

All students must complete a 40-credit individual project in Year Four, for which they are allocated a supervisor from among the teaching staff.

There are opportunities for interactions with potential employers through careers fairs and guest lectures. Speakers from industry give regular lectures on their areas of expertise. These offer you the opportunity to hear experts speak on topics that are relevant to your degree and give you an insight into working in industry.

How will I be supported?

In Year One, you will be allocated a personal tutor who is a member of the academic staff associated with your degree course. Your tutor will be there to advise you on academic, non-academic and personal matters in a confidential and informal manner. We aim to help you overcome any problem, however big or small, as smoothly and quickly as possible. 

For the 40-credit project in Year Four, you will be allocated a supervisor in the relevant area of research specialism who will meet with you regularly to provide guidance and advice on progress in the work.

During your placement year your tutor will contact you at least twice per semester by video or telephone call and visit you on at least one occasion during the placement if you are based in the UK. The tutor will interview you, check your logbook/diary and discuss progress with you, the company training officer and/or the manager with direct responsibility for your training.

You will have access through the Learning Central website to relevant multimedia material, presentations, lecture handouts, bibliographies, further links, electronic exercises and discussion boards.

An extensive programme of careers lectures and workshops is delivered within the School of Engineering, and a Careers Consultant is also available.   

Cardiff University offers a range of services including the Careers Service, the Counselling Service, the Disability and Dyslexia Service, the Student Support Service, and excellent libraries and resource centres.

Feedback
We’ll provide you with frequent feedback on your work. This comes in a variety of formats including oral feedback in classes like design and project work and via return of marked coursework/tests.

The opportunity to test your knowledge and understanding will be provided throughout the semester via class tests in Years One and Two, plus feedback on written assessments. Occasionally, peer assessment of an individual’s contribution to a group may be used, and you may also receive oral feedback on presentations and contributions to group activities.

How will I be assessed?

Your assessments will be varied to evaluate knowledge, understanding, professional skills, and key skills.  Assessment in Year One is mostly through tests during the year, short reports, a professional development portfolio, presentations, and two written examinations.  This range of assessments is carried into the higher years with a gradual change from tests to exams.  The major individual project in Year Four is assessed by a dissertation report, while group projects in Year Five are assessed via large multi-component project reports.

What skills will I practise and develop?

The Learning Outcomes for this Programme describe what you will be able to do as a result of your study at Cardiff University. They will help you to understand what is expected of you.

The Learning Outcomes for this Programme can be found below:

On successful completion of the Programme you will be able to:

Knowledge & Understanding:

KU1 Apply a comprehensive knowledge of mathematics, statistics, natural science and engineering principles to the solution of complex problems in electrical and electronic engineering. Much of the knowledge will be at the forefront of the particular subject of study and informed by a critical awareness of new developments and the wider context of electrical and electronic engineering.

KU2 Formulate and analyse complex problems to reach substantiated conclusions. This will involve evaluating available data using first principles of mathematics, statistics, natural science and engineering principles, and using engineering judgment to work with information that may be uncertain or incomplete, discussing the limitations of the techniques employed.

KU3 Evaluate the environmental and societal impact of solutions to complex electrical and electronic engineering problems (to include the entire life-cycle of a product or process) and minimise adverse impacts.

KU4 Discuss the role of quality management systems and continuous improvement in the context of complex electrical and electronic engineering problems.

KU5 Apply knowledge of engineering management principles, commercial contexts, project and change management, and relevant legal matters including intellectual property rights.

Intellectual Skills:

IS1 Select and apply appropriate computational and analytical techniques, recognising/discussing the limitations of the techniques employed, for the synthesis of electrical and electronic engineering problems, and to make judgements on appropriate action.

IS2m Select and critically evaluate technical literature and other sources of information to solve complex problems.

IS3m Design solutions for complex electrical and electronic engineering problems that evidence some originality, and meet a combination of societal, user, business and customer needs as appropriate, with consideration of applicable health & safety, diversity, inclusion, cultural, societal, environmental and commercial matters, codes of practice and industry standards.

IS4 Apply an integrated or systems approach to the solution of complex problems.

Professional Practical Skills:

PS1 Select and apply appropriate practical laboratory and workshop skills in electrical and electronic engineering, particularly in devising analytical or experimental approaches, to investigate complex problems.

PS2 Select, apply and evaluate appropriate materials, equipment, engineering technologies and processes, recognising their limitations.

PS3 Use a risk management process to identify, evaluate and mitigate risks (the effects of uncertainty) associated with a particular electrical and electronic engineering project or activity.

PS4 Adopt a holistic and proportionate approach to the mitigation of security risks in electrical and electronic engineering.

PS5m Integrate knowledge, understanding, skills and creativity to solve a substantial range of engineering problems, some of them novel or complex, especially through participation in group design projects.

PS6 Demonstrate the benefits of structured training in an extended industrial placement, to gain experience and increase appreciation of the application of engineering principles in a commercial setting.

Transferable/Key Skills:

TS1 Communicate effectively on complex engineering matters with technical and non-technical audiences, evaluating the effectiveness of the methods used.

TS2 Identify and analyse ethical concerns and make reasoned ethical choices informed by professional codes of conduct.

TS3 Adopt an inclusive approach to engineering practice and recognise/articulate the responsibilities, benefits and importance of supporting equality, diversity and inclusion.

TS4m Function effectively as an individual, and as a member or leader of a team, and evaluate effectiveness of own and team performance.

TS5 Plan and record the reflective evaluation of self-learning and development as the foundation for lifelong learning/CPD.

Careers

Career prospects

Our electrical and electronic engineering graduates hold key positions in leading firms such as National Instruments, Babcock, BAE Systems, RWE npower, Network Rail, Rolls Royce, Ford, Nokia, Bosch and the National Grid.

Being at the forefront of engineering research means Cardiff has excellent links with industry. These links have been developed with companies, both in the UK and overseas, through our Year in Industry schemes and through consultancy work by staff. This involves advising on matters such as energy policy, bridge design, magnetic materials and semiconductor devices.

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HESA Data: Copyright Higher Education Statistics Agency Limited 2021. The Higher Education Statistics Agency Limited cannot accept responsibility for any inferences or conclusions derived by third parties from its data. Data is from the latest Graduate Outcomes Survey 2019/20, published by HESA in June 2022.