Engineering degrees & IET acreditation

[LynetteScavo]

Should DS only consider courses with IET accreditation?

I've suddenly been thrown into having to look at something I know nothing about. DS says he wants to do electrical engineering, and I'm guessing he eventually wants to go into renewable energy. Some courses that I think sound perfect aren't IET accredited. She he avoid them?

[chemenger]

Are they accredited by another engineering institution or not at all?

[chemenger]

Should add that very new programmes may not be accredited yet, you can't have accreditation until the first cohort graduates. I would expect programmes in this situation to say they are working towards accreditation.

[LynetteScavo]

I think not at all from what I can see on the Uni websites.


At the bottom of one of the course pages it says;
"Professional recognition
This programme is CEng accredited by the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) and fulfils the educational requirements for Chartered Engineer when presented with an accredited MSc. In addition, the programme meets the educational requirements for registration as an Incorporated Engineer."

I'm thinking it would be better to do this course, than one which isn't accredited at all. But what do I know!

[chemenger]

Is it a BEng course?

[LynetteScavo]

At the moment we're only looking at BEng courses.

The one that had the accreditation I just posted was BEng (Honours) Electrical Engineering, where as BEng (Honours) Electrical Power Engineering at the same Uni doesn't appear to have any accreditation, for example.

Both have the same entry requirements.

[LynetteScavo]

Should DS consider MEng courses?

Can he decide to do an extra year at the end of a BEng rahter than committing initially?

Like I say, I know very little about uni courses, and even less about engineering.

[ErrolTheDragon]

Just noticed this thread while looking for something else on this topic... is he in yr 12 now, Lynette, looking to apply this autumn?

My DD is in yr 13, and now has a clutch of offers for EEE MEng courses, so we've been through some similar questions recently.( EEE because she doesn't know yet whether she's more interested in the Electrical or Electronic side - some of the courses diverge after year 1). One of her criteria was that the courses were IET accredited. (There was one which wasn't showing as such on their website because its due for renewal - if in doubt he can email the admissions tutor or ask at an open day)

Our impression is that at the places she was applying to, the norm is to go for MEng at the outset. I don't think there's any problem if students want to end after 3 years with a BEng (one prof specialising in high voltage said there's a shortage in that field, quite a few of his students get summer placements and get offered jobs by the company so don't do the 4th year). Students who enrol on BEng can usually change to MEng at the end of the first year subject to satisfactory results. However, it was unclear what the situation re loans is if you change from a 3 yr course to 4 year. Also, some will do a 'free insurance' offer - apply for the MEng and if they offer you a place on that you get a BEng offer a grade or two lower thrown in, which doesn't take up a UCAS slot.

I may have this wrong, but the case you cite they still need to get an MSc after the BEng to get accredited, so its still 4 years but its an additional student loan! We got the impression (at the places she was looking at) that most uk students do MEng(one degree, one loan), and that MScs were more commonly taken by overseas students.

Given which, there seemed to be little point applying for anything other than MEng. Details will of course vary depending on which unis he's interested in and what sort of expected grades. DD found going to quite a few open days helpful to get answers to these sort of questions.

[bojorojo]

The Council of Engineering Institutions may have some guidance on their web site that could help. It at least tells you how the status of Chartered or Incorporated Engineer is achieved and what courses are accredited before you go to an open day.

[ErrolTheDragon]

And theres info on the IET website itself including a humongous table www.theiet.org/academics/accreditation/downloads/accreditedprogs.cfm !

[kath6144]

I am a chartered engineer with the IET and a mentor. I would advise going for an accredited institution if possible, as it will be easier to get on the first ladder of being chartered, which is what your DS will be aiming for, post graduation.

Certainly my company, a large consultancy, expect graduates to work towards Chartership through our own accredited training schemes, and a precursor to those is obviously an accredited degree.

[bojorojo]

I think it is the individual courses that are listed but they exist in many institutions. It is better to go for definite accreditation rather than not yet!

[LynetteScavo]

Thank you so much everyone!

You are making so much sense in an area I know nothing about....but
am learning fast.

[LynetteScavo]

Errol...which uni is your DD going to? Does she know yet?

Most engineering courses seem t be in the north (were midlands, so I'm cool re location: I always though Coventry would be the easy answer, DS is itching yo love away...yes he's Y12...

[ErrolTheDragon]

She won't know till she's got her A level results! Her AS and mocks went well but there's no certainty how the real things will go.

Well, we're in the north-west so, guess what,her favourite EEE course is Southampton. The others are Sheffield, Manchester and Nottingham. The joker in the pack is Cambridge which is General engineering ... whether thats really the best course for someone who actually wants to be an engineer is still somewhat perplexing us but that's a whole other question ... and A level results may decide.

I think there is a fair geographical spread of elec eng - quite a few in the Midlands I'd have thought?eg Loughborough - thats one of the unis in the 'power academy' conferences.theiet.org/power-academy - your DS might want to take a look at that (whether he's interested in any of those or not, a 'looming skills shortage in power engineering' can only be good news employment-wise for anyone thinking about going into it!)

[bojorojo]

Why not look at Russell Group universities for Engineering as a starting point? Does he need to go to the nearest university? Look at the course content and where students go and work afterwards.

[ErrolTheDragon]

The OP hasn't said what her DS's subjects/expected grades are, bojo. And OTOH some of the highly rated engineering depts are in non-RG unis - especially some of the Scottish ones if he really wants to get away from home. Whereas the RG thing may matter quite a lot for some degrees in terms of employability, it may be rather less of an issue for an electrical engineer - especially power engineering. I asked DD about this 'skills shortage' - she said, yes, they know its coming simply because a huge number are due to retire within the next 10 years. And power isn't optional or something we can just import.

[bojorojo]

We do import power engineers though. Definitely French ones in particular and now Chinese ones too I think. What firms are building the power stations? Where is the power expertise these days? I notice your DD has largely gone Russell Group though, Errol. I just suggested RG was a starting point, not a final destination! I think just looking at Coventry would be a mistake if you want to work for an international organisation, and power is increasingly international as we are not self-sufficient. It does depend what level of job you are ultimately wanting of course.

[LynetteScavo]

DS is doing BTEC engineering with Alevel maths- he says he should get D*DD (152 points) and is "on target" for maths- whatever that means, so a few Russel Group unis are ruled out. He could easily commute to Coventry/Warwick so has ruled them out. Likewise Loughborough isn't far enough from home. Ideally he'd go to Scotland and never come back (so he says)

I went to the What Uni? Show at the NEC on Saturday and am more confused than ever...although DS does seem to want to do a Meng, which he hadn't told me before.

[bojorojo]

Do the MEng. Your DS is correct. There is another thread that explains why. In short - the route to becoming a Chartered Engineer is quicker. Route 1 - so to speak. In some areas of Engineering a BEng leads to being an Incorporated Engineer - the slower route. Check with the specific Institution for details.MEng is likely to give more career opportunities. There is a huge difference between Coventry and Warwick in terms of professional kudos. I would look at every single EEE course at every possible RG university for starters. Scotland may be a bit too narrow so keep the search wide at the moment. Check the best 10-15 courses for this subject in the league tables.

[bojorojo]

Glasgow, Strathclyde and Edinbirough are in the top 10 - he's in luck!

[ErrolTheDragon]

There is a huge difference between Coventry and Warwick in terms of professional kudos

Warwick doesn't even offer Elec Eng so that's somewhat irrelevant. Glasgow and Strathclyde are highly rated (Edinburgh not so much....) but they have correspondingly high entry requirements - I couldn't see BTEC mentioned on their websites.(but if there are courses which look from the A level criteria to be in the right ballpark which don't, then its always worth emailing the admissions tutor).

Somewhere like Newcastle might be worth looking at (V good for elec and distant!) but with BTECs he'd probably have to enroll on the BEng and then do well enough to transfer to the MEng. See under here: www.ncl.ac.uk/eee/study/undergraduate/electrical-power/ - he may find this elsewhere too.

Sheffield? www.sheffield.ac.uk/prospectus/courseDetails.do?id=H6212017#qualifications - they do require good maths. IIRC that's the one DD applied to where they give some candidates a maths test as part of the interview if they're borderline. Which suggests there may be wiggle room for an otherwise strong candidate.

[bojorojo]

It is where the OP suggested! I believed her. She mentioned Warwick/Coventry!

[bojorojo]

Edinburgh is 8th for this subject in the Complete University Guide. I am sure they would see themselves as better than (not so much......)!

[bojorojo]

BTECS are mentioned on the Glasgow website but under a general heading of Entry Requirements, not on the course page. There are strings though. It will be a case of trawling through each university web site I fear!

[scaryteacher]

Has he thought about Liverpool?

I know the RN use Southampton for those they are putting through university for Electronic Engineering to go on to become Weapon Engineer Officers.