Major study areas for Bachelor of Engineering

== CHEMICAL ENGINEERING ==

Chemical engineering involves the invention, development, design and operation of processes in which raw materials are converted to useful and valuable products by chemical and physical means, with minimal environmental impact.

Computer chips, toothpaste, pharmaceuticals, mobile phones, paint, plastic, petrol, paper, instant coffee and clean power, like many everyday things we take for granted, all involve chemical engineering at some stage of their manufacture.

After the common first year students who choose to specialise in chemical engineering undertake units in fluid dynamics, mass and heat transfer, thermodynamics, chemical engineering principles and advanced engineering mathematics.

From third year onwards, in addition to core units, students choose to complete electives from one of three main streams: biotechnology, sustainable processing or nanotechnology. Each stream, involves three specialised units and the opportunity to undertake a final year research project in the chosen stream.

Twelve weeks of industrial placement is undertaken during the program and completes the degree.

== CIVIL ENGINEERING ==

Civil engineers design, build, maintain, manage and operate infrastructure for the benefit of society. Modern societies could not function without civil engineering. Various types of infrastructure within the civil engineering discipline include highways and railways, buildings and structures of all kinds, foundations, tunnels, airports, road systems and harbour facilities for transportation of goods and people, space stations, power generation facilities, water and wastewater treatment plants and distributions systems.

After the common first year students who choose to specialise in civil engineering are introduced to basic analysis techniques in each of the four streams in civil engineering: including geotechnical, transport and traffic, water and structural engineering.

From level three core units extend studies in engineering design and analysis, with increasingly complex tasks and a focus on tackling real engineering problems. All four streams are again represented with the addition of management units. In level four students undertake a thesis project, civil engineering practice, electives in their chosen stream and two electives that can be taken from anywhere in the university.

Twelve weeks of industrial placement is undertaken during the program and completes the degree.

== ELECTRICAL AND COMPUTER SYSTEMS ENGINEERING ==

Electrical and computer systems engineering is an extremely diverse field, taking in biomedical, computer systems, electronics, electrical power engineering, robotics and telecommunications. This is a field that evolves rapidly, with new technologies and techniques being patented every day. Electrical and computer systems engineering spans all scales of electrical and electronic engineering, from the fundamentals of circuits, electronic signals and signal processing; through to digital electronics and systems on a chip; to the design of large scale power and telecommunication systems.

After the common first year students who choose to specialise in electrical and computer systems engineering undertake core units including signal processing, electromagnetism and telecommunications.

From level three students are taken to a more professional level with units in systems engineering and reliability analysis, optimisation estimation and numerical methods and engineering design. Electives can be chosen from a range of fields including biomedical engineering, computer systems, robotics, power engineering, electronics, electro-magnetics, telecommunications and control systems.

In level four students undertake a full year thesis project, professional practice and five elective units.

Twelve weeks of industrial placement is undertaken during the program and completes the degree.

== MATERIALS ENGINEERING ==

Materials engineering plays a significant role in just about every industry you can imagine. It is a very broad field fundamental to all forms of engineering. Every single product contains at least one material, whether it is mechanical, thermal, electrical, optical, electronic or biological. Materials engineering is all about making new materials and improving existing ones. It is about making things stronger, lighter, and more functional, sustainable and cost effective.

After the common first year students who choose to specialise in materials engineering are introduced to fundamental aspects of the nanostructure of materials and their relationship to both engineering properties and functional properties (optical, electronic, magnetic), and receive further training in mathematics and other essential skills.

Levels three and four involve aspects of both materials science and materials engineering and wide treatment is given to the properties of metallic alloys, plastics, ceramics, nanomaterials, biomaterials, corrosion and composites. In level four students complete a thesis project.

Twelve weeks of industrial placement is undertaken during the program and completes the degree.

== MECHANICAL ENGINEERING ==

Mechanical engineering is about turning energy into motion and power. It covers the generation, conversion, transmission and use of mechanical and thermal energy, and includes the design, construction and operation of devices and systems. It also involves the behaviours of solids, liquids and gases when forces are applied and when they are heated and cooled.

After the common first year students who choose to specialise in mechanical engineering study the practice of engineering and mechanical engineering sciences.

At level three units on engineering practice and mechanical engineering sciences are taken to a professional level, and include fluid mechanics, engineering design, dynamics, thermodynamics and solid mechanics.

At level four students undertake a full year thesis project in addition to selecting four electives offering further scope for specialisation, for example, aerodynamics, design or mechatronics. A business unit and a professional engineering practice unit completes the year.

Twelve weeks of industrial placement is undertaken during the program and completes the degree.