School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics

BEng (Hons) Electrical and Electronic Engineering

UCAS tariff 112 - 128 Contextual offers
A contextual offer is an offer to study at university that takes personal circumstances that may affect grades into account.
UCAS course code H604
Institution code P60
Duration

3 years

(+ optional placement)
Course type

Full-time
Study location Plymouth
Register for open day
Apply at UCAS.com

Do you have the ambition to develop the electrical power systems and renewable energies of tomorrow? Whether focused on embedded microcontrollers, power converters, or high frequency communications, you’ll be developing your understanding of the high-level aspects of electronics on the BEng course. Electrical and electronic engineering, accredited by The Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET), will provide you with a solid foundation for engineering a wide range of electrical systems.

Careers with this subject
Discover employment and further study opportunities that you could consider once you graduate with an electrical and electronic engineering degree.

Key features
  • From the day you join us until the day you graduate you’ll be testing and applying everything you learn in our fantastic labs.
  • Accredited by the Institution of Engineering and Technology 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.
  • Ranked 14th overall in the country for electrical engineering (Guardian league tables 2020).
  • You will balance teaching sessions with hands-on practical experiences throughout the course.
  • Students in engineering, science and the arts have access to a range of specialist equipment and innovative laboratories in our new engineering and design facility .
  • Draw on our strong industry links and benefit from industry participation in course development, delivery and project sponsorship.
  • Take advantage of our flexible course, allowing you to switch between electronics and robotics until your final year, as your interests develop.
  • Benefit from free IET membership (while at University) as the University is an IET Academic Partner.
  • Take part in our final year student project open day, showcasing the excellence of the engineering skills development and the high levels of achievement of our undergraduates, with many industrially sponsored prizes awarded.
  • Balance laboratory sessions with hands-on practical experiences throughout the course.
  • Develop your skills, with opportunities throughout your degree to build and program embedded systems, advanced mobile communications devices, and solar power systems.
  • Hone your expertise in your final year project, offering you a chance to design and develop an original system or device on the theme of your choice.
  • Demonstrate your abilities to future employers with your final year project. Many of our graduates quote this aspect as having helped them get a good job.
  • Access one of the largest undergraduate laboratory spaces in the country, which you can use to further your own understanding of communications, electronics and renewable energy technologies.
  • Receive electronic tools for studying.
  • Transfer to MEng is possible after the first or second year following the demonstration of an excellent overall achievement.
  • Study a broad range of topics from electrical and electronics, power, communications and microprocessors before choosing your final year project to gain expertise and experience in a specialist area.
  • To complement your formal learning we offer regular PALS sessions that provide the opportunity for you to learn with and from your peers. Share knowledge, discuss ideas, and ask questions in a relaxed and friendly environment.

Course details

  • Year 1

  • From the start of your studies, you will find that there is an emphasis on learning by doing. Group project work will enable you to develop your problem solving and communication skills and you'll use our well-equipped laboratories to develop your knowledge and practical problem solving skills. In our integrating project you'll bring together structured design procedures for both hardware and software.

    Core modules

    BPIE112
    Stage 1 Electrical/Robotics Placement Preparation 0 credits

    This module is aimed at students who may be undertaking an industrial placement in the third year of their programme. It is designed to assist students in their search for a placement and in their preparation for the placement itself.

    ELEC141
    Analogue Electronics 20 credits

    This module provides an overview of analogue circuit characterisation, analysis and design, linking theory to practice. It will examine how common analogue systems are constructed from elementary components.

    60% Examinations

    40% Coursework

    ELEC142
    Digital Electronics 20 credits

    This is a foundation module in digital electronics and computer control, which introduces digital devices and provides a background in the principles, design and applications of combinational and sequential logic circuits.

    60% Examinations

    40% Coursework

    ELEC144
    Electrical Principles and Machines 20 credits

    This module gives an introduction to the electrical properties of materials, capacitance, Inductance, and electromagnetism. Basic circuit principles and their application in dc and ac circuit analysis are then applied to electrical machines, transformers and energy conversion.

    60% Examinations

    40% Coursework

    PROJ100
    Embedded System Design and Build 40 credits

    The module enables students to work collectively to build prototype solutions to real-world problems using both software and hardware. This will include development and verification skills in both hardware and software.

    100% Coursework

    ENGR104
    Engineering Mathematics 20 credits

    This module provides students with a number of fundamental mathematical skills, and techniques, which are essential for the analysis of engineering problems.

    50% Coursework

    50% Examinations

  • Year 2

  • In Year 2 you will develop a greater understanding of underlying engineering principles and circuit design methods. Again, there is an emphasis on team work and you will have opportunity to do both group and individual presentations of your projects. You'll have the opportunity to use industrial standard software tools for design and simulation, which is great preparation for your final year individual project or for a placement year.

    Core modules

    BPIE212
    Stage 2 Electrical/Robotics Placement Preparation 0 credits

    This module is aimed at students who may be undertaking an industrial placement in the third year of their programme. It is designed build on the Level 1 module (BPIE111) and to assist students in their search for a placement and in their preparation for the placement itself.

    ELEC237
    Power Electronics and Generation 20 credits

    This module introduces power electronics devices and motors. Students will build switching power systems and also build and interface motor drive systems and generators.

    60% Examinations

    40% Coursework

    ELEC239
    Communication Systems 20 credits

    This module extends the student's knowledge and understanding of electrical engineering in order to develop a deeper understanding of electronic engineering principles and their application to electronic and communication engineering.

    70% Examinations

    30% Coursework

    MATH237
    Engineering Mathematics and Statistics 20 credits

    This module provides an introduction to mathematical and statistical methods that are important in the study of electronic and communications engineering. The mathematical techniques (transforms) are central to the study of linear, time-invariant systems. As well as introducing descriptive statistics, basic probability distributions, the module also considers the more advanced topics of reliability and quality control.

    80% Examinations

    20% Coursework

    ROCO219
    Control Engineering 20 credits

    This module introduces basic concepts in how to control systems that have dynamics. This can involve making an unstable system stable, like balancing a Segway transporter to ensure it always remains upright. Or to get a system to follow a desired input and reach the desired goal. For example, controlling a robot arm so it moves directly to a target location without oscillating or overshooting.

    60% Examinations

    40% Coursework

    PROJ200
    Real Time Systems Project 40 credits

    The module enables students to build robust and scalable real-time solutions to real-world problems using both Microcontroller and FPGA technologies. This will include both hardware and firmware development skills.

    50% Coursework

    50% Practicals

  • Optional placement year

  • Enhance your studies with relevant experience and an excellent opportunity to seek final year sponsorship. Many of our graduates are offered permanent jobs with their placement company. We can help you find industrial placement opportunities in the UK, France, Germany and Japan. Your optional work placement experience gives you opportunities to put theory into practice. This means you are well prepared for your final year of academic study and your specialist, individual project.

    Core modules

    BPIE332
    Electrical Industrial Placement

    A 48-week period of professional training spent as the third year of a sandwich programme undertaking an approved placement with a suitable company. This provides an opportunity for the student to gain relevant industrial experience to consolidate the first two stages of study and to prepare for the final stage and employment after graduation.

  • Final year

  • Your final year gives you an exciting opportunity to develop an individual project, consolidate your knowledge, explore and evaluate new technologies. You'll demonstrate your communication skills in the oral and written presentation of your project and refine the independent learning skills vital for your continuing professional development in your chosen career path.

    Core modules

    ELEC347
    Information and Communication Signal Processing 20 credits

    This module provides a thorough understanding of basic and advanced signal processing and coding techniques. This will equip students with knowledge that is vital for the processing, manipulation, encoding and transmission and efficient storage of information in most areas of IT, electronics and communications.

    80% Examinations

    10% Coursework

    10% Practicals

    ELEC349
    Design and Control of Renewable Energy Technology 20 credits

    The focus of this module is on the generation of energy using solar photovoltaic (PV) technology. The effect of the environment, the PV material characteristics and the technology to achieve maximum power point tracking (MPPT) are described.

    70% Coursework

    30% Tests

    ELEC351
    Advanced Embedded Programming 20 credits

    The module aims to develop programming skills in embedded programming, by making use of advanced features of high-level programming languages and by deepening the knowledge of modern programming techniques in embedded systems. The module has a strong practical bias where students are required to solve various problems by programming existing microcontroller hardware.

    60% Coursework

    40% Examinations

    PROJ300
    Individual Project 40 credits

    Investigate problems from industry or current research, define the problem boundaries, investigate possible solutions and present your results. You’ll have the chance to demonstrate a wide range of skills in project management, ethics, IP, research, critical thinking, engineering decisions, hardware, electrical/electronic and mechanical, design and simulation, software implementation, schematic capture and testing.

    70% Coursework

    30% Practicals

    Optional modules

    ELEC345
    High Speed Communications 20 credits

    A circuit and system design module covering analogue and high frequency techniques and their place in modern communications systems.

    80% Examinations

    20% Coursework

    ROCO351
    Machine Learning for Robotics 20 credits

    This module introduces basic concepts in the area of machine learning, which is a rapidly expanding field that allows computers to learn how to behave and perform complex tasks without being explicitly programmed to do them. Applications range from signal processing, image recognition through to the control of robotics systems.

    50% Coursework

    50% Examinations

Course-specific academic regulations

This course has unique rules relating to:
  • Compensation of marks
  • Passing a module
View the full regulations for this course
The modules shown for this course are those currently being studied by our students, or are proposed new modules. Please note that programme structures and individual modules are subject to amendment from time to time as part of the University’s curriculum enrichment programme and in line with changes in the University’s policies and requirements.

Entry requirements

UCAS tariff

112 - 128

Contextual offers: Typically, the contextual offer for this course is 8 points below the advertised tariff. A contextual offer is an offer to study at university that takes into account individual circumstances that are beyond your control, and that can potentially impact your learning and your exam results, or your confidence in applying to university.

Check your eligibility for a contextual offer

A level
To include grade C in A-level Mathematics and grade C in a second relevant subject. Relevant subjects include Chemistry, Computing, Design & Technology, Electronics, Engineering, Physics, Further Maths, Pure Maths, Use of Maths and Statistics.
BTEC RQF National Extended Diploma/QCF Extended Diploma
DMM – DDM in a relevant Science, Engineering or Technology subject, to include Merit in a relevant Mathematics unit.
If you hold a BTEC qualification it is vital that you provide our Admissions team with details of the exact modules you have studied as part of the BTEC. Without this information we may be unable to process your application quickly and you could experience significant delays in the progress of your application to study with us. Please explicitly state the full list of modules within your qualification at the time of application.
Access to HE Diploma
Pass Access to HE Diploma with 33 Level 3 credits at Merit or Distinction, including 12 Level 3 credits at Distinction in Mathematics and 12 Level 3 credits at Merit in a second relevant subject.
International Baccalaureate
28 to 32 points overall to include 4 in Higher Level Mathematics and 4 in a second relevant Higher Level science/technology subject. English and mathematics must be included.
Irish Leaving Certificate
112 to 128 UCAS tariff points, including H4 in Maths and H4 in a second relevant science subject. GCSE equivalent English and Maths accepted within.
SQA Advanced Higher
112 to 128 UCAS tariff points, including grade C in Advanced Higher Maths and grade C in a second relevant Advanced Higher subject. GCSE equivalent English and Maths accepted within.
Other qualifications considered, please enquire for further details.
We welcome applicants with international qualifications. To view other accepted qualifications please refer to our tariff glossary.

Fees, costs and funding
Student 2024-2025 2025-2026 *
Home £9,250 £9,250
International £18,100 £18,650
Part time (Home) £770 £770
Full time fees shown are per annum. Part time fees shown are per 10 credits. Please note that fees are reviewed on an annual basis. Fees and the conditions that apply to them shown in the prospectus are correct at the time of going to print. Fees shown on the web are the most up to date but are still subject to change in exceptional circumstances. More information about fees and funding.

* UK Government announcement on tuition fees

On Monday 4 November 2024 the UK Government announced a proposal to increase tuition fees for home undergraduate students from £9,250 to £9,535 per annum from September 2025 onwards. The University of Plymouth intends to apply this new fee from September 2025. However, implementation of this increase will be subject to Parliamentary procedure. The University will give further details to both prospective and current students as soon as more information becomes available.

IET Awards and Scholarships

All our electronics and robotics courses are accredited by the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET); any student embarking on our courses are eligible to apply for a number of IET engineering scholarships. Amounts can vary between £1,000 and £3,000 per annum, and closing dates for applications are usually at the end of June. For more information on the different scholarships available, details on how to apply and confirmed closing dates for applications, please visit IET Awards and Scholarships.

Undergraduate scholarships for international students

To reward outstanding achievement the University of Plymouth offers scholarship schemes to help towards funding your studies.

Additional costs

This course is delivered by the Faculty of Science and Engineering and more details of any additional costs associated with the faculty's courses are listed on the following page: Additional fieldwork and equipment costs .

Tuition fees for optional placement years

The fee for all undergraduate students completing any part of their placement year in the UK in 2024/2025 is £1,850.
The fee for all undergraduate students completing their whole placement year outside the UK in 2024/2025 is £1,385.
 Learn more about placement year tuition fees

How to apply
All applications for undergraduate courses are made through UCAS (Universities and Colleges Admissions Service).
UCAS will ask for the information contained in the box at the top of this course page including the UCAS course code and the institution code.
To apply for this course and for more information about submitting an application including application deadline dates, please visit the UCAS website.
Support is also available to overseas students applying to the University from our International Office via our how to apply webpage or email admissions@plymouth.ac.uk.

Progression routes

International progression routes

The University of Plymouth International College (UPIC) offers foundation, first-year and pre-masters programmes that lead to University of Plymouth degrees. Courses are specially designed for EU and international students who are missing the grades for direct entry to the University, and include full duration visa sponsorship. You can start in January, May or September, benefitting from small class sizes, top-quality tuition and 24/7 student support.
Find out more at plymouth.ac.uk/upic or contact our team at info@upic.plymouth.ac.uk

Babbage Building: where engineering meets design

“The building provides a state-of-the-art setting to inspire the engineers and designers of tomorrow, making it the ultimate place to bring together students, academics and industry in an environment that not only benefits them but also society as a whole.” – Professor Deborah Greaves OBE
Situated on the western edge of our city centre campus, the landmark new facility is home to the School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics
and offers additional space for the School of Art, Design and Architecture .
We have one of the best-equipped undergraduate laboratory suites in the UK, and all courses are highly practical, with an emphasis on design and build. Use our dedicated robotics and communications laboratories to focus on industrial and intelligent robotic systems and high frequency electronics.
Exterior of Babbage building
circuit board

Electrical and electronic engineering and robotics

Our department offers strong teaching and research and we're very proud of the support we offer our students. Our facilities are world class, with bespoke laboratories and workshops where you will put your learning into practice.
Our satisfaction ratings are among the highest in the UK and 90 per cent of our graduates are in professional or managerial roles after six months.*

Mathew Hodgett – student profile

“The thing that I enjoy most, and which attracted me the most, was the amount of practical work on the course. This, for me, is very important as you are able to learn a lot more from actually building and testing a circuit than just learning the theory.”
Mathew Hodgett, BEng Electrical and Electronic Engineering

Graduate profiles

Chiara Rivetti
Chiara Rivetti
Adam Wilkins - graduate profile, RF Engineer, Motorola
Adam Wilkins
Mohammed Rafiqul Islam - graduate profile, Graduate Electronics Engineer, The Dezac Group
Mohammed Rafiqul Islam
Philip Bainbridge
Philip Bainbridge
Martin Edney, receiving his final year project prize
Martin Edney
Itaz Virk - graduate profile, Instrument Control and Electrical Engineer, BP
Itaz Virk

Work placements

A ‘placement year’ is an excellent way to gain a competitive edge. It will set you up for when the graduate schemes launch and help you make better career decisions.
Josh Sullivan gained important skills and career-defining experiences working for Rolls Royce as an electronics engineer.
Student Placements - Josh Sullivan

Student Showcase

Celebrating the range of research and development projects students undertake, the event allows students to demonstrate their creations to industry.

Student experience
Jack speaks about his experience on the course and presenting his project at the Student Showcase event.

Employer insight
Kevin Stewart, Senior Designer at Alstom, talks about his experience as an employer at the Showcase.

Emily-Jane Rolley-Parnell

Student Showcase
Find out more about the event.

Meet some of your lecturers

Meet our school technical staff

Our technical staff are integral to the delivery of all our programmes and bring a diverse range of expertise and skills to support students in laboratories and workshops.

Discover more

Final year project awards electrical and electronic engineering and robotics

Learn more about our final year projects

Left to right: Rithika Venkatesan, Chiara Rivetti, Jane Sheard, Katherine Page-Bailey

Find out more about some of our women in electronic and robotic engineering

Silicon Wafers and Microcircuits - A wafer is a thin slice of semiconductor material, such as a crystalline silicon, used in electronics for the fabrication of integrated circuits.

Find out more about our research

Apply to the Tamar Engineering Project

Open for applications to ambitious students who want to embark on a career in engineering and who have shown potential for high academic achievement at A level, but whose background or personal circumstances may be a barrier to university study. Successful applicants will receive:
  • £3,000 per annum towards living costs for the duration of the taught element of their degree (usually three years)
  • £1,500 fee waiver per annum
  • one-to-one mentoring from an industry expert.

Applications close 30 June 2024
Athena SWAN Silver Award logo

Athena Swan Silver

The School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics was awarded an Athena Swan Silver award in September 2024 which demonstrates our ongoing commitment to advancing gender equality and success for all.
*These are the latest results from the National Student Survey. Please note that the data published on Discover Uni is updated annually in September. The results of the National Student Survey (NSS) and the Graduate Outcomes survey (GO) are made available to prospective students and their advisors through the Unistats website.