Automotive Design Technology – BSc (Honours)

At a glance

Learn how to design and engineer the technical aspects of cars and other automotive vehicles in design labs and engineering workshops that prepare you for the workplace. Then apply for a placement with major manufacturers like BMW and Pirelli and earn around £14,000 while you study.

Key points
• Learn skills to analyse and design major technical aspects of vehicles.• Develop practical skills, basing your studies around our labs and workshops.
• Gain a placement with international companies like Bosch, Toyota and Nissan.

What is automotive design technology?
Automotive design technology is the study of the design and engineering of vehicles and their systems. It builds upon mechanical engineering principles and industry standard methods, to provide the skills required to work as an engineering designer in the automotive industry, in the UK and abroad.

The UK automotive sector is currently very strong, producing over one million cars and commercial vehicles and over two million engines annually. It employs over 700,000 people, from manufacturing to retailing, and contributes £8.5bn added value to the economy. To ensure its continued success it invests significantly in research and development projects, and automotive design technology represents a core part of this investment.

This course

Prepare for a career designing and manufacturing vehicles and automotive components on a course with firm foundations in engineering design. This course allows you to explore and appreciate the specific engineering challenges involved in designing a vehicle. It combines theoretical and practical modules with a one-year placement in industry.

As a student on this course, you • gain the knowledge and skills needed in the automotive engineering design and production industries
• develop skills in computer-aided design and manufacture (CAD/CAM)
• study the process of engineering problem solving

You also develop your ability to design a vehicle that performs its functions in a reliable, safe, economical and environmentally friendly manner.

Your teaching team consist of staff with doctoral level qualifications, chartered engineering status, and relevant industrial experience. Such a diverse range of backgrounds ensures that you gain a well-rounded education with experts to guide you in every area of your studies.

We have a workshop, a vehicle laboratory and an engine test bed with emissions measurement equipment that are industry standard allowing you to develop your practical skills on equipment you will find in the workplace. You use these facilities for experiments, project work and the Formula Student car build. Other facilities include CAD systems running industrial packages and rapid prototyping.

Once you’ve developed your skills in professional-standard facilities, you get to apply them in industry with a paid placement year. This course has a good reputation within the industry and previous students have worked at major engineering companies and component suppliers such as • BMW Group • Bosch • Pirelli • Toyota • Nissan.

This placement is a great way to improve your future career prospects and your subject and industry understanding, making you more valuable to employers. It can lead to the offer of a permanent job after you graduate, or a graduate scheme. It is also an opportunity to earn while you study, the average placement salary for a student is £14,000.

If you have an interest in automotive engineering and motor racing you can apply for membership of SHU Racing to take part in Formula Student. Numbers are limited to students with the potential to benefit from the experience, and the ability to produce work of a high quality.

Key areas of study
The course provides a strong technical grounding that covers
• design engineering
• materials selection
• human factors involved in vehicles
• automotive systems such as braking, transmission and chassis

You gain an understanding of the regulation and legislative needs of modern vehicles in a global setting. This includes protecting against global warming while providing comfort, safety and performance.