What is it like studying Mechanical Engineering?

Is it just like studying DT with lots of Mechanics? Or lots of Physics? How much Maths is required at university? What is it like studying a Mechanical Engineering degree? Can you get your hands on some high-tech hardware/software?

Maths with spanners

It's actually nothing like that.

First year here!
Basically I have 8 modules:
Fluid Mechanics- Really interesting conceptually but hard!
Thermodynamics- Same as above
Modelling and Analysis (Maths)- Just maths... I only did AS FM so I thought i'd be at a disadvantage but it's not been too bad so far. Whizzed through complex numbers in the first couple of weeks and now we're on to intergration. Basically even the people who have done FM aren't finding it a complete walk in the park as within each new topic you're going into detail that they just don't do at A Level...
Engineering Drawing- So time consuming and boring but now we're going on to using CAD sotfware and it looks like it gonna be picking up. It's like DT but better.
Electricity- Meh I was never a big fan of it but so far it's just been AS stuff. Probably gonna get harder soon but for now it's manageable.
Mechanics- So hard! I did M2 so I thought i'd be ok but seriously it sucks. Do as many mechanics modules as you can.
Computing- Started off with basic fortran programming. Pretty boring so far.
Materials- Actually more interesting than I thought it would be. Going into quite alot of detail and it's alot of information to take in at the moment. Although so far we haven't started then mathsy bit yet so it's probably gonna get harder.

And then after the first term, Engineering Drawing turns into Engineering Design.
Oh and we have a number of labs which range from Computing ones, where you just do exercises which put into practice what we learn in the lectures, to full on mechanics labs where you have to write lab reporst and all sorts.
I had to write a lab entitled " Oscillations of a Torsional Pendulum" In the first week which was fun
So yeah that's it really. I like it. LOTS of maths though so if you're struggling to get an A at A level be prepared to work ultra hard.

I'm a second year and yes, we pretty much did the same (tho I myself am an aero so we did AVDASI, Structures (separately from other engineers) and Materials.

Studying Engineering predominantly requires being good at logical thinking (e.g. Structures you need to always do thinks in a logical way (compatibility, equilibrium and constitutive equations etc). Being good at maths helps a lot, particularly in fluid dynamics, structures and Thermodynamics.


Its fun, because you start understanding how everyday objects work and tho there will be an add module you don't like (I myself disliked c programming and electroncs), generally you reap the rewards.

Lots of maths - it's going to be lots of maths at any uni where the engineering programme is accredited by the IMechE.

expect a very full timetable - least you'll get your moneys worth out of your tuition fees

I'm doing Access at the moment, I've applied to do Mechanical Engineering. I enjoy Maths but I know I need to get upto a very good standard for the degree, so far I'm passing getting like 95% but don't really know how that compares to A level.

To honest I'm slightly concerned that I still won't be good enough even though I've got offers and meet them because it's just not possible to cover that much material in time.

Can anyone advise? Seems like calculus is used a lot which I am OK with so far but if there is anything else I can do to get upto speed then I will do it!