BEng (Hons) Product Design Engineering with a Year in Industry Bachelor's degree at the University of Liverpool
BEng (Hons) Product Design Engineering with a Year in Industry at University of Liverpool. Product Design Engineering with a Year in Industry at Liverpool sits at the intersection of engineering rigour and design creativity, stretching the standard three-year BEng into a four-year programme so that a full placement year can be…
About this course
BEng (Hons) Product Design Engineering with a Year in Industry is a Bachelor's degree (BEng (Hons)) at the University of Liverpool, based in Main Campus. It runs 4 years, studied full-time.
For Engineering and technology graduates from this provider, 86% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, 79% in highly skilled roles, typical earnings around £30,500. (HESA Graduate Outcomes / LEO, via Discover Uni.)
For the typical curriculum, specialisations, career paths and graduate earnings for Engineering, see the sections below.
Course evidence score
The arithmetic mean of the official measures available for this course: NSS satisfaction, graduate activity and continuation.
Published threshold met NSS publication requires sufficient responses; small differences are not a rank. NSS mean of 7 published themes (Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Moderate evidence Published sample: 60; avoid reading small differences as meaningful. Cohort 2022-23. Graduate Outcomes work or further study 86% (2022-23; Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Published threshold met Discover Uni suppresses continuation data below its publication threshold. Cohort 2022-23. Continuation 95% (2022-23; Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Curriculum & modules
Real modules published for this course, grouped only where the source gives a year, stage or level.
Year one 7 modules
- SOLIDS AND STRUCTURES 1Compulsory15 credits
- DESIGN COMMUNICATIONCompulsory7.5 credits
- ENERGY SCIENCECompulsory15 credits
- PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING: A SKILLS TOOLKITCompulsory30 credits
- DIGITAL ENGINEERINGCompulsory15 credits
- ENGINEERING MATHEMATICSCompulsory22.5 credits
- INTRODUCTION TO ENGINEERING MATERIALSCompulsory15 credits
Year two 12 modules
- PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT 2Compulsory15 credits
- HUMAN FACTORS IN PRODUCT DESIGN: THEORYCompulsory7.5 credits
- HUMAN FACTORS IN PRODUCT DESIGN: PRACTICECompulsory7.5 credits
- MANAGING PRODUCT DEVELOPMENTCompulsory7.5 credits
- ENGINEERING DESIGNCompulsory15 credits
- THERMODYNAMICSCompulsory15 credits
- SOLIDS & STRUCTURES 2Compulsory15 credits
- PRODUCT FORM AND MATERIALSCompulsory7.5 credits
- MATERIALS PROCESSING AND SELECTION ICompulsory7.5 credits
- MATERIALS PROCESSING AND SELECTION IICompulsory7.5 credits
- PROJECT MANAGEMENTCompulsory7.5 credits
- ENGINEERING MATHEMATICS IICompulsory7.5 credits
Year in industry 1 modules
- SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING YEAR IN INDUSTRYCompulsory120 credits
Year four 9 modules
- PRODUCT DESIGN GROUP PROJECTCompulsory15 credits
- ADVANCED MODERN MANAGEMENTCompulsory7.5 credits
- MATERIALS DESIGNCompulsory7.5 credits
- MECHATRONICSCompulsory7.5 credits
- MANUFACTURING SYSTEMSCompulsory15 credits
- MANAGEMENT OF DESIGNCompulsory7.5 credits
- PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT 3Compulsory15 credits
- INDIVIDUAL PROJECTCompulsory30 credits
- PRODUCT VISUALISATION & SIMULATION 2Compulsory15 credits
Source: provider course page. Modules can change; required/optional status, credits, descriptions and assessment are shown only when explicitly published.
Course in depth
What this course covers, who it suits and where it leads.
What you'll study
The four years are structured to build engineering and design competence progressively. Early study establishes core theory in engineering fundamentals and design principles, alongside research & methods that teach students how to investigate problems, test assumptions, and justify design decisions with evidence rather than instinct. This theoretical grounding is paired throughout with applied practice, workshops, prototyping, and hands-on project work that turn abstract concepts into tangible outcomes. As students progress, they move into specialist options, allowing them to steer their studies toward areas such as sustainable design, manufacturing processes, or human-centred product development, depending on where their interests lie. The placement year sits within this structure as a bridge between developing technical ability and applying it professionally, and students return to campus better placed to shape their final work. The degree culminates in an independent project, where students take a design or engineering challenge from concept through to a resolved outcome, supported by professional skills teaching that covers communication, project management, and the practical realities of working in industry, skills that complement the technical content and prepare students for the transition into employment.
Who it's for
This course suits someone who enjoys taking an idea from a rough sketch through to a working object, and who is equally happy discussing the physics of a mechanism as they are refining how it looks and feels to use. If you're the sort of person who tinkers, builds, or is constantly curious about how everyday products are put together, and who wants formal engineering knowledge to back up that curiosity, this is likely to feel like a natural fit. It also suits students who want their studies broken up by real workplace experience rather than four years of unbroken lecture theatres; the placement year appeals particularly to those who learn by doing and who want to test their skills against genuine professional expectations before graduating. Most entrants arrive with A-levels or equivalent, and the typical accepted student holds a UCAS tariff in the 128–143 range, though this reflects who tends to enrol rather than a fixed requirement. Studying here will involve a mix of independent design work, technical problem-solving, and collaborative studio-style projects, so a comfort with both ambiguity and precision, sketching freely one day, calculating tolerances the next, will serve you well.
Careers & job market
Nationally, Engineering graduates report strong continuation into work or further study, with 90% in work or further study 15 months after graduating across Engineering courses, and 80% of working graduates in highly skilled roles or further study, figures drawn from national Graduate Outcomes data rather than specific to this course or guaranteed for any individual. National earnings data (LEO) show starting salaries in the region of £29,000–£35,000 fifteen months after graduation, rising to roughly £26,775–£37,800 after three years and £33,150–£46,800 after five years; these are national ranges across relevant graduates, not figures specific to Liverpool or promises to any one student. Nationally, 88% of students on comparable courses continue past their first year, either still enrolled or having completed their studies. The Year in Industry adds a further, practical dimension to employability preparation: a substantial period in a genuine workplace, which many students find shapes their final-year project choices and gives them a concrete body of professional experience to discuss with future employers.
University & format
The University of Liverpool is a public, Russell Group university founded in 1903, with 28,693 students in total, based on its main campus. It holds a Gold award in the Office for Students' TEF 2023 for teaching quality and is. This BEng (Hons) is studied full-time over four years, including the Year in Industry, entirely in English.
Student satisfaction
How students on this course answered the National Student Survey, by theme.
Share of students responding positively.
Published threshold met NSS publication requires sufficient responses; small differences are not a rank. NSS mean of 7 published themes (Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Applicant information
The next application dates for this course, followed by facts the provider publishes.
- 2027 entryCompleted applications can be submitted
Your application needs a reference before you can send it.
- 2026 entryFinal date for 2026 applications
Applications must reach UCAS by 18:00 UK time.
- 2026 entryLast day to add a Clearing choice
Check that this course still has a vacancy before adding it.
- 2027 entryEqual-consideration deadline
18:00 UK time for most undergraduate courses.
Show 5 later dates
- 2027 entryUCAS Extra opens
Applicants who used all five choices and hold no offer may be able to add another choice.
- 2027 entryLast day applications go directly to providers
Applications received after 18:00 UK time are entered into Clearing.
- 2027 entryClearing opens
Eligible applicants can see vacancies and release themselves into Clearing.
- 2027 entryFinal date for 2027 applications
Applications must reach UCAS by 18:00 UK time.
- 2027 entryLast day to add a Clearing choice
Check that this course still has a vacancy before adding it.
Year in industry. Availability, selection and pay can vary.
Entry & how to get in
Who gets in
What recently admitted students actually held, official admissions data, not a stated requirement.
UCAS tariff of entrants
Grades are the A-level equivalent of each points band. Tap a band to check your own chances below.
Qualifications held on entry
| Qualification | Share |
|---|---|
| A-levels or equivalent | 65% |
| another higher-education qualification | 35% |
Entry & your chances
An honest read from the official entry data, plus your personal match.
Entry is set by the university and based on your offer. Use your predicted grades to see how you compare, then check the university's stated requirements.
Will you get in? Plot your grades
Pick your predicted A-levels and watch your UCAS points land on the real spread of students admitted to this course.
Each bar is the share of admitted students in that UCAS-points band (lower → higher). Grades show the A-level equivalent.
Based on the official admitted-student tariff distribution. Many universities make contextual (reduced-grade) offers, so a result below the range doesn’t rule you out.
How to apply
Undergraduate applications go through UCAS. Here’s what matters for this course, the right deadline, the grades to aim for, and the steps in order.
- 1Register on UCAS Hub
Create your UCAS application and add this course (code HW26). One application covers up to five choices.
- 2Write your personal statement
A single statement covers all your choices, so keep it broad enough for similar courses while showing genuine interest in this subject.
- 3Submit by 13 January 2027, 18:00 UK time
UCAS equal-consideration deadline for most undergraduate courses. Source: UCAS 2027 dates.
- 4Reply to your offers
When decisions are in, pick a firm (first) choice and an insurance (back-up) choice with slightly lower grades.
- 5Results day & confirmation
On results day (mid-August) your place is confirmed if you meet the offer. Just missed? Talk to the university, or find a place through Clearing.
Fees & funding
What this course costs and how UK student finance covers it.
Tuition per year
Provider fee page (England 2026/27 cap where not stated).
Check fees at University of Liverpool →For students who normally live in England
2026/27 Student Finance England figures. Maintenance support is means-tested and this two-point view is not an entitlement calculator. The course total uses its published length and home fee where both are available; a missing full-time fee uses the clearly labelled England-cap scenario, while part-time fees and unknown lengths are never guessed. Use the official calculator. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland use separate systems: SAAS, Student Finance Wales, and Student Finance NI.
Starting on or after 1 January 2027?
The Lifelong Learning Entitlement is a separate system. A new learner’s tuition entitlement is currently stated as £39,160 (about 480 credits at 2026/27 fee levels), subject to prior study and eligibility. Check the official LLE guide.
Paying for it
- Tuition Fee Loan: can cover eligible tuition up to the applicable limit and is paid straight to the provider.
- Maintenance Loan: up to £10,830/yr away from home outside London (England, 2026/27), means-tested on household income.
- Repayment: 9% of income above £25,000, nothing below it; written off after 40 years.
- Earn alongside: most students work part-time in term, part-time roles on the StudySmarter job board.
England figures shown; Scotland, Wales & NI run their own schemes, check gov.uk.
Scholarships & bursaries you could qualify for
That does not mean no funding exists. Check the university directory for current amounts, eligibility and application dates.
We only display a named award when its provider source identifies the award and who it is for.
Still deciding what to study?
StudyKit brings course choice, applications and funding together in one place, with a personal AI assistant. Find what really fits you and start your UCAS application step by step.
Careers & earnings
What Engineering graduates actually earn, from real outcome data, 15 months, 3 years and 5 years after graduating.
Graduate earnings: this course
| When | Median | Typical range | Graduates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 months after | £30,500 | £29,000 – £35,500 | 60 |
| 3 years after | £32,000 | £27,500 – £36,500 | 225 |
| 5 years after | £38,000 | £32,000 – £45,500 | 240 |
Nominal earnings for graduates of this course/subject at this provider. Moderate evidence. Published sample: 60; avoid reading small differences as meaningful. Cohort 2022-23.
Graduate outcomes, 15 months on: this course
- 1Graduate roleFirst role after the degree · 0–2 yrs
- 2Specialist / PractitionerWorking in engineering · 2–5 yrs
- 3Senior / LeadLeading work and people · 5–10 yrs
- 4Head of / ExpertSenior leadership or deep expertise · 10+ yrs
How pay grows: this course vs Engineering nationally
National figures for Engineering graduates, HESA Graduate Outcomes (15 months) and the Longitudinal Education Outcomes (LEO) dataset (3 & 5 years). These are national, not university-specific; actual pay varies by employer, region, role and experience. Different cohorts, so the bars are not one group over time.
Work out your pay
Headline figures hide a lot. Calculate realistic take-home pay for this field by role, region and experience, then check your CV before you apply.
What happened to 100 students?
Choose an outcome to translate the published percentage into a simple 100-person view. Each dot represents one percentage point, not an individual tracked student.
were in work or further study
15 months after graduation
Source: Discover Uni, using Graduate Outcomes and continuation data. Cohorts: 2022-23. Moderate evidence. Published sample: 60; avoid reading small differences as meaningful. Cohort 2022-23. Each tab is a separate published measure; categories can overlap and should not be added together.
Value compared with similar courses
How this course’s 5-year median earnings compare with Engineering courses at the same study level.
Compared with 2,256 courses with compatible official earnings data. This is a course-value comparison, not a quality ranking.
UK occupations graduates enter
Published graduate destinations, joined conservatively to UK SOC 2020, ONS pay and Skills England demand.
- Engineering professionalsSOC 2020 212 · 65% of published destinations · ASHE median £50,325
Discover Uni JOBLIST/JOBTYPE; ONS ASHE 2025 provisional, all employee jobs; Skills England Occupations in Demand 2025. SOC is shown only for an exact normalised label match; demand is shown only at exact four-digit SOC. Published sample: 190; response rate: 58%. Pay describes the occupation across workers, not a guaranteed graduate salary.
Job market & outlook
How Engineering graduates fare in the labour market, and how AI is reshaping the work.
How AI is changing the work
AI doesn't replace the profession, it shifts it: routine tasks get automated, while judgement, working with people and using AI well become more valuable.
What AI takes off your plate
- Routine information gathering
- First-draft writing and summaries
- Standard analysis and admin
- Repetitive processing tasks
More human than ever
- Judgement and original thinking
- Working with and leading people
- Owning and sense-checking AI output
- Ethics and accountability
The strongest graduates pair subject depth with the ability to use AI tools critically.
Roles & employers
Where Engineering graduates typically go, indicative destinations from graduate career data. Each role links to live openings on the StudySmarter job board.
Roles graduates go into
Where they work
- Engineering & manufacturing firms
- Automotive & aerospace
- Energy & utilities
- Defence & consultancies
Jobs after this course
Current roles from the StudySmarter job board that suit Engineering graduates.
Engineering Surveyor (Machine Control)BAM UK & IrelandEngineering Operations Project ManagerFdo Consulting LimitedEngineering ManagerVerto PeopleEngineering ManagerRobert WaltersEngineering ManagerPremier Technical RecruitmentEngineering ManagerRedline Group LtdIs this course right for you?
The essentials UK applicants ask about: finance, outcomes, entry and quality.
Student finance
For comparison, the standard full-time England tuition cap is up to £9,790 per year in 2026/27; the actual fee varies by course and provider. If you normally live in England, eligible students can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan, plus a Maintenance Loan for living costs. Under Plan 5 you repay 9% of income above £25,000, nothing below that, and the balance is written off after 40 years.
Where graduates go
86% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, with a median salary of £30,500. See the full breakdown in Careers & earnings above.
Your entry chances
Use the UCAS points calculator above to see how your predicted grades compare with admitted students, and whether a contextual offer could apply.
Official-data snapshot
Averaging the official measures published for it, this course scores 9.0 out of 10: NSS 88.6% · in work or study 86% · continued 95%.
Who studies here and in this subject?
Provider- and UK subject-level context.
The University of Liverpool
Engineering and technology across the UK
HESA student record 2024/25. Counts are rounded.
Local crime-data context
A neutral snapshot around the published teaching location.
Around Main Campus
5,175 street-level reports returned within roughly one mile across 2026-04 to 2026-06.
Police.uk street-level API. Approximate locations, not confined to campus. England, Wales and Northern Ireland; not Scotland.
Is Engineering right for you?
Tick what applies to you and see how good a fit it is.
International students
What applying to University of Liverpool from outside the UK involves: fees, English, visa, funding and living costs.
Tuition fees
International tuition is £32,000 / year for this course (from the provider’s fee page). You’re not eligible for UK Tuition Fee or Maintenance Loans, so plan for fees plus living costs upfront.
English language
Most UK undergraduate courses ask for around IELTS 6.0–6.5 (no band below 5.5–6.0), or an accepted equivalent. If you’re just short, most universities run a pre-sessional English course that counts towards the requirement.
Student visa
You’ll usually need a Student visa (Student Route). After you accept an offer the university issues a CAS; you then show funds for fees plus about £1,023–£1,334/month living costs and pay the Immigration Health Surcharge for NHS access.
Scholarships & funding
Many universities offer international/global scholarships (often £2,000–£6,000/yr), check University of Liverpool’s funding pages.
Living costs
Budget roughly £1,100–£1,400/month outside London and £1,400–£1,800/month in London for rent, food and travel; the figure also matters for your visa.
Working while you study
A Student visa usually allows up to 20 hours/week in term time and full-time in holidays, useful alongside study, though not something to rely on for fees.
Visa rules and fees change. Always confirm the current requirements with University of Liverpool and gov.uk before you apply.
Related courses
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Common questions
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