Sheffield is ranked among the UK top five for research in this discipline (Research Excellence Framework 2014). Staff in the department are working closely with some of the biggest names in industry. So you can expect top notch facilities and plenty of opportunities for practical experience.Throughout the course you will work on projects – in groups and on your own – with an emphasis on modelling and design. All first-year students take part in the faculty’s Global Engineering Challenge, a team exercise designed to make you a better engineer, one focused on sustainable solutions. Spending a year in industry extends your course to four years, so it takes commitment. But the benefits are worth it. Seeing first-hand how knowledge is applied in a professional setting gives you an edge in the jobs market, and you’ll be paid a salary during that year.The BEng isn’t quite as advanced as the four-year MEng, which includes an extended research project, but it is accredited by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers. Graduates work all over the world for companies including Airbus, Siemens, Jaguar Land Rover, Rolls-Royce and Network Rail. Depending on how well you do in the first and second year, you may be able to switch to the MEng after year two.