Explore the continuing innovation of modern communications
Year of entry: 2021/22
H621
Y50
3 years full-time (plus optional placement year)
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Telephone, radio, satellite communications, the internet, mobile phones – each new development has revolutionised the way we live and the way we think about our world.
Electronic communications encompass a wide range of technologies from fibre-optics to mobile technology, from satellite engineering to the internet, and more.
We’ll prepare you to succeed in a fast-paced, technologically complex world of global-scale projects and ever-increasing demands for solutions and innovation. You'll be able to function with confidence in the challenging world of communications engineering, as a designer, researcher or as a manager.
You'll work with world-class researchers who are advancing our understanding of electronics every day, and draw on the expertise of the Communications Research Group. You'll develop your practical, organisational, management and business skills with project work in every year of the course.
This course is fully accredited by the IET and counts towards the training requirements for Chartered Engineer (CEng) status. Our courses have been continually accredited for 25 years.
The course offers a wide range of modules and specialisations, providing the opportunity to explore the different areas of engineering. The staff are amazing - they are enthusiastic about their subject area, and the support they provide is fantastic. There is always someone there if you need some help, or advice.Amy
You may be able to change course, add a year in industry or change between MEng and BEng. Just ask us for more details.
We hold a bronze Athena SWAN award for our commitment to gender equality in science.
Our modules are geared to meet the rigorous needs of the electronics industry. You'll study the principles and practicalities of electronic engineering, as well as honing essential skills in mathematics and computer programming.
As you progress, you'll cover topics such as electronic hardware design, software programming, signal processing and analysis, microprocessor interfacing, engineering construction and design, feedback and computer control. In your final year, you'll be able to specialise in communications with advanced modules.
Throughout your course you'll have opportunities to apply your learning in our well-equipped labs. Individual and group projects will see you design, build and test products using state-of-the-art hardware, software and fabrication facilities.
There are opportunities for you to spend time abroad during your course:
Year 1 provides you with a grounding in electronic principles, circuits, components and devices. There's a strong emphasis on mathematics and computing, including learning the C programming language. You'll also develop your practical skills, designing and building complete products as part of laboratories and group projects.
In addition to the above you will also need to complete our online Academic Integrity module.
This module covers some of the essential skills and knowledge which will help you to study independently and produce work of a high academic standard which is vital for success at York.
This module will:
In Year 2 you'll learn to analyse and design hardware and software systems. You'll study material including data structures, algorithms, electromagnetism and Java programming. An advanced construction project gives you the opportunity to apply your skills of design, engineering, problem-solving and project-management.
In Year 3 you'll study a range of advanced core and option modules. You can focus on your interests, or investigate a new aspect of electronic engineering. Throughout the year you'll work on a major individual project, using the knowledge and skills you've developed to research and design a solution to an engineering challenge.
The BEng Individual Project gives you a chance to put the skills and understanding you've developed into practice. You'll undertake an independent project: from specification, through initial feasibility studies, to production and testing. Projects from previous years have included:
Many of the projects on offer are closely aligned to our current research, giving you the chance to work alongside world-class academics at the forefront of the field.
You'll select three option modules overall (10 credits each).
You'll take at least two from the programme specialist options below, or you can select all three modules from these:
You can select one option from the list below for your third module:
Please note, modules may change to reflect the latest academic thinking and expertise of our staff.
Every course at York has been designed to provide clear and ambitious learning outcomes. These learning outcomes give you an understanding of what you will be able to do at the end of the course. We develop each course by designing modules that grow your abilities towards the learning outcomes and help you to explain what you can offer to employers. Find out more about our approach to teaching and learning.
We will help you to become an employment-ready, motivated graduate, with skills in the latest developments in engineering such as robotics, artificial intelligence, virtual reality and immersive technology.
Our programme involves group work to allow you to experience the management, coordination and decision-making processes required by engineers. We structure this throughout the programme so that you develop key transferable and managerial skills.
We offer all students free membership of ShockSoc (our student electronics society) and student membership of the Institute of Engineering and Technology (IET) while you are at York.
The fees and funding figures below are for 2021/22 entry. If you take a year abroad or year in industry you'll pay a reduced rate of fees for that year
| UK (home) | International and EU |
|---|---|
| £9,250 | £22,650 |
UK (home) or international fees? The level of fee that you will be asked to pay depends on whether you're classed as a UK (home) or international student. Check your fee status
For more information about tuition fees, any reduced fees for study abroad and work placement years, scholarships, tuition fee loans, maintenance loans and living costs see undergraduate fees and funding.
There is no compulsory purchase of equipment or books necessary for this course. Lecture notes will be provided by staff, and you will be given a generous printing allowance.
We'll confirm more funding opportunities for students joining us in 2021/22 throughout the year.
We have a number of departmental scholarships open to all Year 1 students starting in 2021, including “Academic Excellence”, “Widening Participation”, “Engaging in Engineering” and “International Academic Excellence” scholarships.
You'll be automatically considered for a scholarship if York is your firm choice. £500 is paid during Autumn Term and the other £500 is paid at the end of Summer Term, providing you successfully progress to Year 2.
You can use our living costs guide to help plan your budget. It covers additional costs that are not included in your tuition fee such as expenses for accommodation and study materials.
“Students from all backgrounds achieve consistently outstanding outcomes”
The TEF Panel, Office for Students, June 2018
Our Gold Teaching Excellence Framework award demonstrates our commitment to the delivery of consistently outstanding teaching and learning for our students.
You’ll study and learn with academics who are active researchers, experts in their field and have a passion for their subjects. Our approach to teaching will provide you with the knowledge, opportunities, and support you need to grow and succeed in a global workplace. Find out more about our approach to teaching and learning.
Impact of coronavirus (COVID-19)
We hope to deliver this course as advertised for 2021/22 entry, but it’s unclear when we’ll be able to return to a normal timetable. For an idea of how this course might be affected, see our changes for 2020/21 entry.
Our courses are highly intensive. Your timetabled activities each week will include:
You'll also be expected to spend time studying independently. As you progress through the course you'll take on more independent study, guiding your own learning and developing your project management skills.
An academic member of staff will help guide you through your final-year individual project, ensuring that you are able to combine the knowledge and skills you have learned throughout the course to successfully undertake an engineering project tailored to your interests and career goals.
In your first year, you can expect:
| Lectures | 10 hours per week |
|---|---|
| Tutorials | 2 hours per week |
| Practicals | 9-10 hours per week |
| Optional activities | 0-2 hours per week |
These figures are based on an average student in an average week. Your contact hours will vary throughout the year due to your module choices, non-compulsory classes, exam periods and changes to scheduled activities.
Outside your timetabled hours, you'll study independently. This may include preparation for classes, follow-up work, wider reading, practise completion of assessment tasks, or revision.
In the UK, full-time students are expected to spend 1,200 hours a year learning. That's about 40 hours of classes and independent study each week during term time. Everyone learns at a different rate, so the number of hours you spend on independent study will be different to other students on your course.
You can find detailed descriptions of our facilities on our website, including laboratory space, recording studios, clearn room and computing classrooms.
You will be based in the Department of Electronic Engineering, on Campus West.
Most of your contact hours will be in the Department of Electronic Engineering, with some additional teaching on Campus West.
Our beautiful green campus offers a student-friendly setting in which to live and study, within easy reach of the action in the city centre. It's easy to get around campus - everything is within walking or pedalling distance, or you can always use the fast and frequent bus service.
Your assignments will be designed not just to test you but for you to creatively apply what you've learned, and to stretch you to supply novel solutions. We use a variety of assessment styles, including exams, coursework and practical engineering tasks. You'll encounter all of them during your course, but the exact balance will depend on the modules you choose:
You'll receive written feedback on work you hand in to help you understand your grade and develop your skills. For your final-year individual project you'll produce a written report, have a viva (a presentation and question/answer session) and also show your project on our demo day, which our external advisory board attend.
| Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Written exams | 68% | 57% | 33% |
| Coursework | 16% | 43% | 67% |
| Practical exams | 16% | 0% | 0% |
The figures above are based on data from 2016/17.
If the Department of Electronic Engineering is on your radar, the staff are friendly and helpful, and if you put yourself out there you'll feel like part of the family. I honestly can't praise the Department enough regarding the support they provide me, and my university experience is one I will never forgetPippa, BEng Electronic Engineering with Music Technology Systems
The growth of the electronics industry means demand for new engineers is always high. We are ranked first in the UK for graduate employment within one year of leaving the University (Longitudinal Educational Outcomes, 2017). Our students enter a wide range of jobs relating to electronic engineering, including software and hardware development.
For those wishing to take different career paths, the transferable skills you'll develop are highly valuable. Mathematics, programming, team working and technical management are sought after in a huge range of sectors, from media to financial services. Recent employers have included Jaguar Land Rover, IBM, Qinetiq, ARM, BBC, BT and Network Rail. Find out more about our graduate destinations and graduate profiles.
| Qualification | Typical offer |
|---|---|
| A levels | ABB including Maths. Your other two subjects can be any. We welcome arts and humanities subjects |
| BTEC National Extended Diploma | Pass with Distinction in Higher National Certificate or Higher National Diploma in Electronic and Electrical Engineering or a related subject. BTEC National Extended Diploma in Engineering with an overall grade of DDM and A level Maths grade B All applicants need Distinction in Further Maths for Technicians and Distinction in Further Electrical/Electronic Principles. We do consider applications from people offering combinations of A levels and BTECs subsidiary diplomas, contact us for more advice. Students taking BTEC National Extended Diploma in Engineering but not doing A level Maths will be considered for our degree with Foundation year, but the final decision on which course is most appropriate will be made at interview. BTEC Extended Diplomas in ICT, Music Technology or Applied Science are not suitable for entry into the first year of our courses. However we do welcome applicants with those qualifications for our courses that include a foundation year, see other qualifications below. |
| Cambridge Pre-U | D3, M2, M2 including Mathematics |
| International Baccalaureate | 34 points overall with grade 6 in Maths at Higher Level. |
| Other qualifications | If your qualifications are not suitable for direct entry to one of our degree courses but you think you have the potential to succeed, see our BEng Electronic Engineering with a Foundation Year |
| Other international qualifications | Equivalent qualifications from your country |
Meeting the following additional criteria may qualify you for an alternative offer.
| Criteria | Adjustment |
|---|---|
| Widening participation | If you successfully complete one of the following programmes, you may be eligible for an alternative offer up to two A level grades (or equivalent) below our typical offer: Next Step York, Realising Opportunities, YESS. More about widening participation. |
| Contextual offers | If you have experience of local authority care or live in an area with low progression to university, you may be eligible for an alternative offer up to one A level grade (or equivalent) below our typical offer. More about contextual offers. |
| EPQ | If you achieve C or higher at EPQ, you may be eligible for an alternative offer up to one A level grade (or equivalent) below our typical offer. |
If English isn't your first language you may need to provide evidence of your English language ability. We accept the following qualifications:
| Qualification | Minimum requirement |
|---|---|
| IELTS | 6.0, with a minimum of 5.5 in each component |
| PTE Academic | 55, with a minimum of 51 in each component |
| GCSE/IGCSE/O level English Language (as a first or second language) | Grade C |
| C1 Advanced and C2 Proficiency | 169, with a minimum of 162 in each component |
| TOEFL | 79 overall, with a minimum of 17 in Listening, 18 in Reading, 20 in Speaking, 17 in Writing |
| Trinity ISE III | Pass in all components |
| Duolingo | 100 overall, with a minimum of 90 in each component |
For more information see our undergraduate English language requirements.
You may be eligible for one of our pre-sessional English language courses. These courses will provide you with the level of English needed to meet the conditions of your offer.
The length of course you need to take depends on your current English language test scores and how much you need to improve to reach our English language requirements.
After you've accepted your offer to study at York, we'll confirm which pre-sessional course you should apply to via You@York.
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