Any experience of NMITE? (Engineering degree/MEng)

[ItWillBeDone]

Hello
Does anyone have any experience of NMITE? Google has very little info. It looks good on the face of it but the lack of reviews makes me wonder. Especially as entry requirements are lower than for other engineering courses. Thanks for any help or advice you can give.

My knowledge is based on research. This is a standalone foundation degree: https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/undergraduate/courses/fd/engineering-foundation

There is no obligation to go on to the main degree. I understand that would be the typical route.

Thanks everyone for your help and advice.

A more typical route for someone who doesn't have Maths A level is a degree with a foundation year.

The Birmingham course automatically leads on to the undergrad degree - it’s not a standalone course.

Once you’ve completed the course successfully and have meet the subject-specific progression criteria, you will automatically join your chosen first-year course.

There is no obligation to go on to the main degree. I understand that would be the typical route.

I think there is the requirement to continue to the undergrad degree.

Important information: When completing your UCAS application, please indicate the degree you intend to follow after the Foundation Year. You must include this under ‘Further details’ in the ‘choices’ section of the application by using the relevant code

Sorry didn't read your link! Yes that is a degree with foundation year. It is a typical route. A foundation degree is something entirely different and not a typical route.

Yes, and it is the same at Nottingham. The engineering and physical sciences foundation year can also lead to comp Sci degrees and other degrees, as all of these elements are covered in the foundation year.

This reference to foundation degree is confusing me. Are you referring to a foundation degree, or the foundation year of a normal degree?

I think I am totally confused? I am not a scientist or an engineer. To me it looks like the Birmingham Uni course is offered as a standalone option. I need to do more research and talk to employers.

Thanks again.

https://www.southstaffs.ac.uk/courses/foundation-degree-in-engineering-full-time/
This is an example of a foundation degree but still requires A level maths. Probably needs an additional level 3 qualification, could be vocational or a level 3 or 4 apprenticeship or the foundation year leading to a BEng or MEng degree. Not sure what the engineering council requirements are. Going a non-accredited route is very risysnd can lead to real problems with getting a professional qualification.

I think we've ruled out NMITE :-)

This thread has been really useful - DS came home from an apprenticeship fair last week with their brochure and got sucked in by the glossiness of it and the promise of a free laptop!

I think there are plenty of good apprenticeships around.

www.engc.org.uk/education-skills/course-search/recognised-course-search/?page=1&q=Apprenticeship&s=current

No. It will lead directly into an Engineering degree. As will the foundation year options at Notts and Cardiff suggested by others. They are exactly for dc like yours - who realise half way through their A levels that they want to be an engineer and can't with the A levels they have.

I think changing their mind is very common and you're right to explore options with them once they have decided on another route

It’s not very common. Usually young people know they are good at maths and it’s the most popular A level. The courses do exist (foundation year) but feed into many engineering degrees available at the uni. The vast majority of dc are taking the right A levels.

Birmingham doesn’t help with its first sentence. “Our inspiring Engineering Foundation Year is an integrated foundation degree”. No wonder the op is confused. It leads to BEng (a year 0) and some clarity is provided subsequently. The basic info to take away is that it’s a one year course to prepare for entry to one of various BEng 3 year courses. Not it seems the 4 year MEng ones. Some readers would not understand all of this! However this is the type of course the op should be looking at.

It’s not very clear, but the Birmingham MEng degrees are 4/5 years - the 5 yr courses include the foundation year.

I agree the wording can be confusing, but honestly, to become a chartered engineer (as opposed to engineering technician or any other flavour of 'engineer') there are three routes as far as I can see:

An apprenticeship - and many of these don't lead to chartered engineer status as they don't lead to MEng, though the apprentice could aim for BEng and then do a Masters under their own steam to get chartered status.

An accredited MEng degree (again a BEng followed by a Masters as above is an alternative).

A foundation degree topped up to a BEng, then a Masters as above.

But the latter two routes require Maths A level mostly.

Starting year 1 of an MEng requires Maths. Therefore the only route open is an MEng with an integrated foundation year - designed for students exactly like OP's dc, and offered by several RG unis as well as several non-RG unis.

Sorry not 'latter two' as I said - the apprenticeship and foundation degree routes require Maths mostly.

It’s not very common. Usually young people know they are good at maths and it’s the most popular A level

Yes I do agree that it might not so common to swap to Engineering, especially if they haven't got Maths at A'Level. I just meant it doesn't seem that usual for a student to change their mind about their future once they've started their A'Levels.

@PolaroidPrincess Yes. I do agree they become uncertain about A level choices but changing to engineering as a career degree without maths or physics is going to take longer.

DH is a chartered engineer! 3 times over.
Below is how most engineering degrees and qualification work. Some of the info from @titchy isn't entirely correct.

Degree apprenticeship - most likely will require maths. Lower grade apprenticeship may not. Degree apprenticeships are mostly BEng degrees. To obtain qualified engineer status, the BEng holder has to complete further training and becomes an Incorporated Engineer. A BEng course that’s not accredited by the Engineering Council might lead to nothing.

BEng degree. Can be done with a foundation year where maths isn’t required. So 3 years undergrad or 4 with foundation, Unhelpful Brum call the foundation a degree. It’s not. The foundation course and degree are 4 years.

When doing a BEng (3years) there is often an option to upgrade to MEng. This takes a further year. So a MEng takes 4 years with no foundation. It is ONLY by having a MEng integrated degree or stand alone MEng that allows graduate engineers to qualify as Chartered Engineers via CPD. A BEng grad must do a masters to become CEng.

Im not sure how undergrad funding would work for 5 years if a student had to do the foundation and then wanted 4 year MEng on top. Thats 5 years as undergrad. Others might know.

Birmingham clearly says Bachelors degree after foundation. They do not say MEng (integrated masters). My hunch this is down to funding. It’s 5 years undergrad (foundation plus 4 year MEng) and funding is for 4 years undergrad - I believe. So the student needing a foundation appears to be limited to BEng. That doesn’t really surprise me. A stand alone MEng would be possible after BEng but more expensive unless the employer pays.

Look at the Engineering Council for a clear explanation of what’s required for each level of post graduate professional qualification.

Im not sure how undergrad funding would work for 5 years if a student had to do the foundation and then wanted 4 year MEng on top. Thats 5 years as undergrad. Others might know

Students would be eligible for normal undergraduate fee and maintenance funding throughout.

Progression from FY to either BEng or MEng is the expected route. Clearly MEng needed for chartered - but as with all integrated Masters students are required to achieve above a certain percentage in their level 5 and 6 modules.

This is from Cardiff's prospectus if that helps - read the text not just the title https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/courses/course/engineering-foundation-year-foundation-programmee*

My dd is an engineering grad and by occupation, maths and physics were the core of her course, not having further maths was a bit of an issue. I would be very wary.

@titchy You have linked to a BEng with foundation year! You don’t seem to have grasped the question about funding for 5 years that would be required with MEng after foundation, It’s going to mean foundation limits to BEng. No possibility of MEng integrated I think . MEng would be the more expensive stand alone. Unless you can find MEng with foundation? Can you?

Read the second paragraph of my post - particularly the bit that says 'read the text not just the title.'

Cardiff make it quite clear that progression to MEng is available. And yes students are eligible for the full five years of funding.

Don't disagree with me just because it's me.

Specially for tizer...

Birmingham clearly says Bachelors degree after foundation. They do not say MEng (integrated masters).

Birmingham says that the foundation year leads into any of its Bachelor undergrad programmes on the foundation year page, but if you go onto the specific undergrad course details pages it says that it leads into any of its undergrad engineering courses and you can choose after 2nd year if you want to progress onto the integrated masters.

It’s not very clear, but for instance the Engineering MEng page says it is run over 4/5 years and specifically that if you don’t have the required entry criteria for it you can consider a foundation year.

www.birmingham.ac.uk/undergraduate/courses/engineering/engineering-meng#EntryRequirementsTab

I guess a phone call would clarify.

I think you can get funding for the entire undergrad degree, which includes the foundation year because it is integrated into and extends the undergrad degree programme.