Mechanical Engineering Degree from Low Ranking Institution?

...if you go Imperial or summa' you can walk into pretty much any engineering job you want

In the world of engineering, prestige doesn't matter much. Don't get me wrong, if you go Imperial or summa' you can walk into pretty much any engineering job you want but bar from the elite there isn't much in it. Secure yourself a 12 month placement during your studies and you'll be in good stance for graduate employment.

You do realise that getting a job is usually a fairly rigorous process, with various interviews and tests designed to assess competence, and that you don't just walk into them?

Ah thanks!


Haha, I'm sure he meant it more figuratively, could I ask what your opinion is please?

vela1 is right in that "prestige" doesn't matter and if you get a work placement you will be in a good position for employment. But you're not actually going to Birmingham City University yet, are you? So why worry...

You do realise that getting a job is usually a fairly rigorous process, with various interviews and tests designed to assess competence, and that you don't just walk into them?

Hi all,
A little worried about how my exams went, so clearing may have to be an option (really interested in either CompSci or MechEng).
What if I am only able to get into a uni like Birmingham City University (ranked #64 for MechEng I believe).
It's accredited by IET and IMechE which sounds fine (I think haha), but will the prestige of the uni matter a lot when applying for a job (assuming I get at least a 2:1)?

Hi there,

People have touched on this from one aspect, so I'll go down a different route. The experience and opportunities you take throughout university far outweigh the prestige of a university. What more renowned universities tend to offer are a wider selection of opportunities along with a perceived higher quality degree. I wouldn't focus on this too much.

The degree classification you get, the opportunities you take (e.g. internships/placements, individual projects, research, academic club participation and so on) and the connections with faculty are all hugely important. Graduating top of your class from a lower ranked institution shows a lot more than graduating bottom, if not middle, of a higher ranked institution. If you know what career path you're going to take, connections with faculty can give you research opportunities in that field, which can get you internships for companies in that field, which can get you jobs in that field.

The fact is, there's a million ways of landing a job, and you're not discounted simply from attending a lower ranked university.

Hope this helps,

Scott
Undergraduate Rep
School of Engineering

If you get a CCC, there are still a few unis you can get into that will bring you somewhere. The following unis seem to have a good combination of job prospects, course satisfaction, and a nice score on the THE student experience survey.

- Hull (also wanna add the city is MUCH nicer than people say, and its darn cheap. It is also an hour away from Leeds and decently large).
- Harper Adams (very agriculture focused, maybe that puts you off)
- Portsmouth (pretty good too)
- Plymouth (bit too remote, even if the town is of a nice size)
- Teesside (Middlesborough is a bit meh but atleast it is close to Newcastle)

Check these out to find which one would be the best backup for you. Birmingham City seems to be quite *****y at MechEng. A 2.1 from any of them, combined with a solid CV should land you a job.

I've spoken to a bunch of engineers and they've all said the same things that are in this thread - where you go to do engineering doesn't matter. An engineering degree is a engineering degree. As long as you do well you'll be fine, and take a placement year or at least summer placements if you can.

I also went down to Birmingham City University to have a look and the engineering department was quite good, they seem to offer good support, there's lots of labs and it's pretty big as well.
I'd recommend going down to take a look at different universities so you can find out for yourself - there'll be clearing open days coming up at lots of them so just look up the dates on the university sites.

I also went down to Birmingham City University to have a look and the engineering department was quite good, they seem to offer good support, there's lots of labs and it's pretty big as well.
I'd recommend going down to take a look at different universities so you can find out for yourself - there'll be clearing open days coming up at lots of them so just look up the dates on the university sites.