Admissions - Subjects

ENGINEERING

ESSENTIAL SUBJECTS Mathematics Physics   DESIRABLE SUBJECTS Further Maths

The Course These notes describe the admissions procedure and the teaching of Engineering at Queens', and should be read in conjunction with the relevant sections of the Cambridge University Undergraduate Prospectus. The Cambridge Engineering course is a four-year, general course with the first two years devoted to all the main areas of Engineering. Specialisation occurs primarily in the third and fourth years when students choose to focus on one of the following disciplines: Mechanical Engineering Energy and the Environment Aerospace and Aerothermal Engineering Civil, Structural and Environmental Engineering Electrical and Electronic Engineering Information and Computer Engineering Electrical and Information Sciences Instrumentation and Control Students may alternatively choose to switch to a related Tripos, such as Manufacturing Engineering, Chemical Engineering or Management Studies, after one or two years studying Engineering.  Similarly, it is possible to study electrical topics in the third and fourth years of the Engineering Tripos following two years of Natural Sciences, specialising in Physics in the second year; or to study Chemical Engineering after one year in Natural Sciences, specialising in Chemistry. There are also opportunities to spend the third year studying at The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the USA. Engineering involves a substantial workload with about 12 lectures each week and the same amount of practical work organised by the University Engineering Department. College supervision provides a more personal and detailed form of teaching as outlined below. An examination is taken at the end of each year and leads to BA with Honours in Engineering after the third year and to M.Eng. after the fourth. It is necessary to take all four years of the course to obtain a degree accredited by the engineering institutions and it is not recommended for students to leave the course after three years. A certain amount of approved industrial experience is also necessary, but in many cases this can be achieved before coming to university. Queens' firmly encourages applicants to begin their training as engineers by undertaking a full year of industrial training before starting their academic course. About 75% of our students take a year out between school and University to work in industry. Many of these have industrial sponsorships or are employed through the ‘Year in Industry’ scheme. Chartered membership of the Engineering Institutions requires a total of two years training, coupled with an accredited degree course. Student membership of one of the major Engineering Institutions should be taken at the earliest opportunity. Admission A typical offer will be A, A, A in A-level subjects (with appropriate equivalents in other examinations). It must be emphasised, however, that conditions are tailored to the individual circumstances of applicant and school.  The preferred subjects are Maths, Further Maths and Physics or Maths, Physics and Chemistry, although the College is willing to consider applicants who have other combinations of subjects. While Mathematics and Physics are essential, other subjects will be considered. Further Maths courses with mechanics content are preferable to courses on statistics. In common with other subjects, Engineering does not have a fixed quota of places but typically Queens' will hope to admit between fifteen and twenty engineers each year with an above average proportion of women. Candidates will be required, on the day of the interview, to take a Thinking Skills Assessment, a multiple-choice test of 90 minutes. College Teaching During the first two years at Queens' an engineering student will be supervised twice a week in the main areas of Engineering, usually by Fellows of the College. These supervisions provide an opportunity for detailed discussion of particular topics in a way which is impossible, within the University context, and also allows a careful check to be kept on the progress of each student. In the third and fourth years, with increasing specialisation, supervisions are likely to be given by Fellows of other colleges who are experts in the relevant field of study. Queens' has six Fellows involved in teaching various aspects of the Engineering course: Dr Cebon, Dr Lu and Dr Seshia (Mechanical Engineering), Dr Prager, Dr Gee and Dr Treece (Electrical and Information Engineering). Queens' has strong links with the Management Studies group for teaching in Management options. As an additional aspect of engineering education there is a well-established Engineering Society at Queens'. Through a series of meetings, visits and invited speakers this provides important contact with industry and also allows topics to be treated in more depth than is possible in lectures and supervisions. General Queens' is well aware that candidates to read Engineering often have little idea of what the subject really entails. For this reason we urge applicants to take as many steps as possible to discover what is involved, by attending open days at Engineering Departments, at the College or one of the many other courses that are available for prospective engineers. It is also for this reason that we want our students to embark on a year's industrial training before beginning their course. Motivation to undertake a career as a Professional Engineer provides motivation to succeed in the academic course. Once at Cambridge students will find themselves extended both academically and in organisational effort by the course, but the rewards are high. Cambridge-trained engineers are much sought after at the end of their university course.  Further information on the Cambridge Course can be obtained from the prospectus issued by the Cambridge University Engineering Department or through their website www.eng.cam.ac.uk    January 2004