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School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics
MEng (Hons) Electrical and Electronic Engineering
| UCAS tariff |
120 - 136
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 | H608 |
| Institution code | P60 |
| Duration | 4 years (+ optional placement) |
| Course type | Full-time |
| Study location | Plymouth |
Do you want to lead society towards a more energy-efficient future, enhance your business acumen, and further develop your technical and design ability? The MEng course develops your communication and entrepreneurial skills, and prepares you for a range of high-end careers in electrical and electronic engineering. This course, which meets the full academic requirements for Chartered Engineer status, is accredited by The Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET).
Opportunities available...
- A scholarship scheme is available: for more information, see the 'Fees, costs and funding' section, below.
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
- Four year
integrated masters programmes . - Ranked 14th overall in the country for electrical engineering (Guardian league tables 2020).
- Draw on our strong industry links and benefit from industry participation in course development, delivery and project sponsorship.
- 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.
- Develop highly practical skills and learn through doing.
- 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 . - Take advantage of our flexible course, allowing you to switch between electronics and robotics until your final year, as your interests develop.
- 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 a Chartered Engineer.
- Benefit from free IET membership (whilst at University) as the University is an IET Academic Partner.
- Joining our MEng course means working towards an honours degree that provides the shortest route to professional and chartered status.
- Challenge yourself. Final year MEng students work in groups to undertake a major design project that will give them the opportunity to experience a broad selection of strategic, ethical, environmental, management, operational, logistical, technical, financial, contractual and team-working challenges.
- Further your knowledge with a placement after successfully completing stage 2 or between the final two years of the MEng course.
- Receive electronic tools for studying.
- 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.
Course details
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Year 1
-
In the first year you'll use our well-equipped laboratories to develop your knowledge and practical problem solving skills. From the start of your studies you'll find that there is an emphasis on learning by doing, and group project work will enable you to develop your problem solving and communication skills. An integrating project will encompass business and technical skills, and focus on activities that are typical of a start-up company.
Core modules
BPIE112
Stage 1 Electrical/Robotics Placement Preparation 0 creditsThis 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 creditsThis 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 creditsThis 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 creditsThis 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 creditsThe 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 creditsThis 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
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You'll develop a greater understanding of underlying engineering principles and circuit design methods in the second year. Again, we place an emphasis on team work and you'll have the opportunity to do both group and individual presentations of your projects. You'll use industrial standard software tools for design and simulation in preparation for your final year individual project or for your optional placement year.
Core modules
BPIE212
Stage 2 Electrical/Robotics Placement Preparation 0 creditsThis 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 creditsThis 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 creditsThis 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 creditsThis 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 creditsThis 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 creditsThe 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
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Optional placement year
-
You can enhance your studies with relevant experience by taking an optional placement year in the UK, France, Germany and Japan. Placements give you the opportunity to put theory into practice, and are excellent opportunity to seek final year sponsorship. Many of our graduates have been offered permanent jobs with their placement company.
Core modules
BPIE332
Electrical Industrial PlacementA 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.
-
Year 4
-
Year 3 (or Year 4 if you took an optional placement year) is an exciting opportunity to develop an individual project. You'll consolidate your knowledge, explore and evaluate new technologies, and demonstrate your communication skills in the oral and written presentation of your project. Previous project have included a landmine detection system, CreatoBot (a modular robotic system) and DishDynamics (Global Ordinance And Targeting System [GOATS]).
Core modules
ELEC347
Information and Communication Signal Processing 20 creditsThis 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 creditsThe 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 creditsThe 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 creditsInvestigate 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 creditsA 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 creditsThis 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
-
Final year
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Your final year includes additional technical modules and a large interdisciplinary design project. Past projects have included designing a product that involved a local company and a central government department, the challenge was to build a prototype system, which was showcased at the Project Open Day. This project will most likely result in the formation of a real company (later in the year). You also have the possibility of continuing your studies to MSc level in the same academic year.
Core modules
ELEC512
Nanotechnology and Nanoelectronics 20 creditsThis module is designed to provide interdisciplinary training in all aspects of the emerging Nanotechnology field. It introduces techniques for developing nano-scale devices and sensor technology as well as the nano-fabrication techniques required to construct them.
70% Examinations
30% Coursework
PROJ515
MEng Project 60 creditsThis group project involves an in-depth study of a complex real-world problem originating from industry, commerce or research. It could include theoretical, computational and experimental work in addition to a critical literature survey and also involves the design and build of a prototype to support the claims made in the project execution plan.
95% Coursework
5% Practicals
ELEC517
Integrated Power Systems 20 creditsThis module will focus on current power systems pertinent to renewable energy. The design and performance of converters will be main focus of this module.
50% Coursework
50% Examinations
ELEC520
Distributed and Interactive Communications Systems 20 creditsIn this module, students will develop applications involving interconnected hardware devices and software capabilities. Devices include both embedded and networked computers. Capabilities include sensor data acquisition, actuator control, and behaviour generation. The module will cover both theory and practical work, including management of code complexity, and dealing with real-time and reliability issues.
70% Coursework
30% Examinations
Course-specific academic regulations
This course has unique rules relating to:- Passing a module
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
120 - 136
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.
To include B at A level Mathematics and grade B in a second relevant subject. Relevant subjects include Chemistry, Computing, Design & Technology, Electronics, Engineering, Physics, Further Maths, Pure Maths, Use of Maths and Statistics.
International Baccalaureate
30 to 34 points overall to include 5 in Higher Level Mathematics and 5 in a second relevant Higher Level subject. English and Mathematics must be included.
BTEC RQF National Extended Diploma/QCF Extended Diploma
DMM – DDM in a relevant Science, Engineering, or Technology subject, to include a Distinction in relevant Mathematics units.
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.
Irish Leaving Certificate
120 to 136 UCAS tariff points, including H3 in Maths and H3 in a second relevant science subject. GCSE equivalent English and Maths accepted within.
SQA Advanced Higher
120 to 136 UCAS tariff points, including grade B in Advanced Higher Maths and grade B in a second relevant Advanced Higher subject. GCSE equivalent English and Maths accepted within.
Pass Access to HE Diploma (i.e. mathematics, science, combined) with at least 33 credits at merit and/or distinction and to include at least 12 credits in mathematics units with merit. Individual interview/diagnostic test please contact admissions@plymouth.ac.ukfor further information.
Other qualifications considered, please enquire for further details.
Students may also apply for the
BEng (Hons) Electrical and Electronic Engineering
We welcome applicants with international qualifications. To view other accepted qualifications please refer to our
tariff glossary
.
Fees, costs and funding
| New student | 2024-2025 | 2025-2026 * |
|---|---|---|
| Home | £9,250 | £9,535 |
| International | £18,100 | £18,650 |
| Part time (Home) | £770 | £795 |
* 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. This change applies to new students starting their studies in September 2025. For current and returning students, the University is reviewing fees and will update you as soon as possible.
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.
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.
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
.
and offers additional space for the
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.
"Developments in the modules throughout the years keep them in focus with the latest technology advances. Throughout my degree the facilities and staff within the laboratories have been brilliant, there is so much knowledge within the faculty."
Darren Bearne, current student
Meet some of your lecturers
-
![Dr Adrian Ambroze Associate Professor of Digital Communications Engineering]( "Dr Adrian Ambroze")
Dr Adrian Ambroze
Associate Professor of Digital Communications Engineering
Programme manager
-
![Dr Paul Davey Associate Professor in Electronics and Embedded Systems]( "Dr Paul Davey")
Dr Paul Davey
Associate Professor in Electronics and Embedded Systems
Subject group leader
-
![Dr David Jenkins Associate Professor of Nanomaterials and Devices]( "Dr David Jenkins")
Dr David Jenkins
Associate Professor of Nanomaterials and Devices
-
![Dr Toby Whitley Associate Head of School (Engagement)]( "Dr Toby Whitley")
Dr Toby Whitley
Associate Head of School (Engagement)
Admissions tutor
-
![Dr Tamer Kamel Lecturer in Power Electronics and Renewable Energy]( "Dr Tamer Kamel")
Dr Tamer Kamel
Lecturer in Power Electronics and Renewable Energy
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.
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 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.
Student Showcase
Find out more about the event.
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
*These are the latest results from the National Student Survey. Please note that the data published on Discover Uni is updated annually in September.