Undergraduate Course

Course details

Study options

Full-time: Three years, Part-time: 5 years

UK fee

£9,250 per year (2024/25)

International fee

£14,900 per year (2024/25)

UCAS points

112-120 (September 2024 entry)

UCAS code

H336

Course level

Undergraduate

Qualification

BEng (Hons)

Start date

September

Location

Markeaton Street, Derby Campus

If you do not achieve the typical entry points required, you may want to consider studying this course with foundation year.

View with foundation year optionView with foundation year option

Course description

If you have the potential and ambition to study with us but feel you’re not quite ready to join the BEng (Hons) Motorsport Engineering right now, why not consider taking this course with a foundation year?

Top10for satisfaction with teaching**Mechanical Engineering subject area, The Guardian University Guide 2024
Top10for teaching quality - Aeronautical and Manufacturing Engineering subject area**The Times and Sunday Times University Guide 2024
Top20for student experience, Aeronautical and Manufacturing Engineering subject area**The Times and Sunday Times University Guide 2024

Practical and technical skills

Our teaching facilities benefit from a vast range of vehicles and systems for you to study. Our computer labs host technical software widely used in the motorsport industry for design, modelling and simulation. You'll gain a comprehensive understanding of topics such as advanced power train engineering, motorsport chassis design and computational fluid dynamics.

Facilities include:

Dr Sabuj Mallik, Head of Discipline of Engineering

View Mechanical and Motorsport Engineering - your questions answered! video transcript

Real-world experience

We give you the opportunity to take part in a range of events where you can gain hands-on experience.

In your second year, lectures, tutorials and assessments are designed around our Radical SR1 race car, giving you the chance to enhance your race car engineering knowledge through practical and simulation work. There's also the opportunity to get involved in track testing and, on some occasions, participate in races.

Formula Student - the world’s biggest student motorsport competition – could also become a highlight of your studies. Team Derby Motorsport entered this competition for the first time in 2015 and won the Formula Student Rookie Team Award. This success resulted in a £3,000 grant for the team from the IMechE. The team will be taking part in the concept class in 2022.

Watch the video below of Team Derby Motorsport at the first round of the 2022 Radical SR1 Cup Championship at Donington Park.

Radical SR1 Cup Championship

View Radical SR1 Cup Championship video transcript

Meeting the needs of the industry and you

Engineering is such a broad discipline, and you may not fully know which area of engineering is the right choice to study when beginning your studies.

Employers are increasingly seeking engineers with a broader knowledge of mechanical and electrical engineering to meet their environmental, consumer and business needs. As a University based in an advanced engineering city, it’s vital that we offer degrees with a strong focus on sustainability, electrification and automation.

With this in mind, we have developed our degrees to match the multi-disciplinary requirements that employers are shouting for. All engineering students will take the same core modules in the first year to gain an essential foundation in all aspects of engineering, giving you the chance to settle into your studies, and allowing you time to decide which area suits you best. At the end of your first year, you’ll have the opportunity to switch to either our BEng (Hons) Electrical and Electronic Engineering or BEng (Hons) Mechanical Engineering degree should you realise your passion falls within this area, or you can continue on BEng (Hons) Motorsport Engineering.

Birds eye view of students working on the radical car in the workshop
A student working on computers in the motorsport workshop

Industry insight

Together, the teaching team have a range of experience working in the motorsport industry as well as researching current areas of growth. Our research teams work closely with local motorsport engineering companies and our Institute for Innovation in Sustainable Engineering to support and encourage innovation.

Hannah at the Radical SR1 Cup with professional racing driver Tom Wood

How Hannah followed her heart

Choosing whether to follow your head or your heart can be tough decision. But after following her heart, Hannah has ended up working with a professional racing team and collecting a Radical Technical Award on behalf of Team Derby Motorsport.

Read Hannah's storyRead Hannah's story

What you will study

Please note that our modules are subject to change - we review the content of our courses regularly, making changes where necessary to improve your experience and graduate prospects.

Kedleston Road, Derby Campus entrance

Undergraduate Open Days

The best way to find out if studying at Derby is right for you is to experience an Open Day. Get a feel for the city and campus, tour our first-class facilities and see where you could be living.

Book your Undergraduate Open DayBook your Undergraduate Open Day

How you will learn

Real world learning

There are opportunities for you to go on an optional work placement between your second and third year.

The course also includes field trips to local race circuits for testing and visits to a number of exhibitions where you can strengthen your professional networks. You will also attend guest lectures as part of the annual IMechE series.

How you are assessed

Assessment is through a mixture of coursework assignments, examinations and formal presentations.

Personal academic tutoring

Your personal academic tutor will work with you to help you get the most out of your time at university. Having someone to talk to about your academic progress, your university experience and your professional aspirations is hugely valuable. We want you to feel challenged in your studies, stretched but confident to achieve your academic and professional goals.

Find out more about personal academic tutoring

Who will teach you

Martin Sole beside bookcases

Martin Sole
Programme leader

Martin is a Senior Lecturer in Mechanical/Aerospace Engineering and Programme Leader for the Mechanical, Electrical, and Motorsport Programmes.

View full staff profileView full staff profile

Entry requirements

2024 entry

These are the typical qualification requirements for September 2024 entry. Contextual offers may apply to students who meet certain criteria.

RequirementWhat we're looking for
UCAS points112-120
A LevelBBB-BBC (At least a grade C in Mathematics or Physics (or equivalent qualification))
T LevelMerit (Maintenance, Installation and Repair for Engineering and Manufacturing, Design and Development for Engineering and Manufacturing, Engineering, Manufacturing, Processing and Control)
BTECDMM. BTEC National Diploma/Extended Diploma in Engineering, Motorsport or Physics, including a minimum of a Merit in the Maths unit
GCSEGCSE Maths and English Grade 4/Grade C (or above) or equivalent qualification
Access to HEPass Access to HE Diploma with 60 credits: 45 at Level 3 with a minimum of Distinction: 15, Merit: 24, Pass: 6. Must include passes in compulsory Level 3 subjects

English language requirements

IELTS: 6.0 (with at least 5.5 in each skills area)

Fees and funding

2024/25

 Full-timePart-time
UK

£9,250 per year

£1,155 per 20 credit module

International

£14,900 per year

N/A

Further information about our fees and support you may be entitled to.

Additional costs and optional extras

How to apply

Please look at our application deadlines before you apply.


UK students

If you are in Year 13 and applying for a full-time undergraduate course (including our joint honours courses), we recommend that you apply through UCAS.

Apply through UCAS

If you are applying to study part-time, or already have your qualifications, or wish to join at Year 2 or 3, you should apply directly to the University.

Apply directly to the University

Careers

Our focus is on ensuring you are work-ready and this course will give you all the confidence and skills you need to progress directly into the international motorsport arena.

Graduates have secured employment with companies like Cosworth, Zytec, JLR, Pirelli and EPM Composites. They have also raced all over the world and worked with international race teams in F1, GP2, FIA-GT and with a variety of national teams. 

Motorsport students working together

Contact us

If you need any more information from us, eg on courses, accommodation, applying, car parking, fees or funding, please contact us and we will do everything we can to help you.

Contact us Contact us

Additional information about your studies

Teaching hours

Like most universities, we operate extended teaching hours at the University of Derby, so contact time with your lecturers and tutors could be anytime between 9am and 9pm. Your timetable will usually be available on the website 24 hours after enrolment on to your course.

Additional costs and optional extras

We’re committed to providing you with an outstanding learning experience. Our expert teaching, excellent facilities and great employability prepare you for your future career. As part of our commitment to you we aim to keep any additional study costs to a minimum. However, there are occasions where students may incur some additional costs.

The information provided on this page is correct at the time of publication but course content, costs and other individual course details do change from time to time and are updated as often as possible, so please do check these pages again when making your final decision to apply for a course. Any updated course details will also be confirmed to you at application, enrolment and in your offer letter.

Included in your fees
Mandatory costs not included in your fees
Optional costs not included in your fees

Please note: Our courses are refreshed and updated on a regular basis. If you are thinking about transferring onto this course (into the second year for example), you should contact the programme leader for the relevant course information as modules may vary from those shown on this page.

Discover Uni

Full-time

Part-time

Other courses you might like