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Engineering
New solves global challenges
About engineering
By studying an engineering degree, you will learn to apply maths and science to find creative solutions to complex problems and bring exciting innovations to life. But the role of the engineer is changing. They have a critical part to play in overcoming the unprecedented challenges our world now faces. Challenges like food and water security, climate change, data security and our ageing population.
To solve these problems we’re going to need a new generation of engineering graduates who can see the big picture - who are bold, agile and entrepreneurial. Engineers who want to make a difference.
Why study engineering at UON?
- We’re No.1 in Australia for overall quality and No.2 for good teaching. Our graduate employment rate is 90%+.
- Connect with industry through live projects, guest lectures, real world examples and case studies. Take the opportunity to network and build your personal profile.
- Diversify your skills with an elective pathway, a cluster of courses of your choice – be it in computer science, business, maths, legal studies or design. Or spend a semester studying overseas.
- Be job ready with essential workplace skills in law, finance, project management, sustainability, communication and entrepreneurism.
- Fast-Track Masters - advance your career and gain a Master of Professional Engineering in just 1 year on top of your Bachelor of Engineering degree.
- Download the Engineering study area brochure (PDF, 2MB)
20%
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employment growth for Engineering 2015-2020
No.1
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Profession for career satisfaction (Engineering)
No. 1 in NSW
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for good teaching and median salaries
$80,000
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average starting salary for engineering graduates
World top 8
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for automation and control
Undergraduate engineering degrees
While you may be interested in the field of engineering, you may not be sure what type of engineer you want to be. At UON you can choose from 12 different engineering specialisations. Ranging from chemical to civil, electrical and electronic to mechanical, all UON engineering degrees lay the groundwork for you to be a successful engineer. Your studies will teach you vital skills to discover your place as one of the new engineers.
All degrees
Aerospace engineering
Aerospace engineering involves a systems approach to the design, efficient operation and modification of high-tech devices for the aeronautical and defence industries. A key challenge for the development of aerospace systems is the need to be as light-weight as possible, yet highly reliable.
A key challenge for the development of aerospace systems is the need to be as lightweight as possible, yet highly reliable. Aerospace engineers need to understand and control the response of aerospace structures to complex interactions using a broad range of technologies. Students can focus on design and high-performance materials or concentrate on the control of complex interacting aerospace systems.
Degrees
Chemical engineering
Chemical engineers help develop everyday products like toothpaste, puff pastry, chocolate, lipstick, paracetamol and petrol. You may be part of a team developing high-efficiency insulation products that improve heating and cooling. Within your degree, you will learn to use mathematics, science and creativity to overcome technical problems in a safe and economical fashion. You could work on biofuel production in remote communities, assisting with both waste disposal and energy production. Or, you might work in the food industry, refining products for people with special dietary needs.
Degrees
- Bachelor of Chemical Engineering (Honours)
- Bachelor of Chemical Engineering (Honours) / Bachelor of Business
- Bachelor of Chemical Engineering (Honours) / Bachelor of Mathematics
- Bachelor of Chemical Engineering (Honours) / Bachelor of Science
Civil engineering
Civil engineers are responsible for the physical infrastructure that enables modern societies to function. You will learn how buildings, highways and railways, tunnels, airports, power generation facilities and harbour facilities are all designed, built and managed by civil engineers.
After graduation, you could engineer energy efficient buildings, or help develop sustainable and resilient infrastructure in developing countries. Or perhaps you’ll design Australia’s first high-speed train network to connect communities and reduce carbon emissions. With a degree in civil engineering, the possibilities are only as limited as your creativity, and technical understanding.
Degrees
- Bachelor of Civil Engineering (Honours)
- Bachelor of Civil Engineering (Honours) / Bachelor of Business
- Bachelor of Civil Engineering (Honours) / Bachelor of Environmental Engineering (Honours)
- Bachelor of Civil Engineering (Honours) / Bachelor of Mathematics
- Bachelor of Civil Engineering (Honours) / Bachelor of Surveying (Honours)
Computer systems engineering
Computer systems engineers combine creativity with technology to develop solutions to some of the world’s greatest challenges. You will learn how to be an essential component in a wide range of industries like computer design, defence applications, communication networks and internet development. As a computer systems engineer you may develop a precision agriculture system to optimise food production and minimise chemicals in farming. Or, you could design a computer system that creates greater efficiency in wind turbine energy production.
Degrees
- Bachelor of Computer Systems Engineering (Honours)
- Bachelor of Computer Systems Engineering (Honours) / Bachelor of Business
- Bachelor of Computer Systems Engineering (Honours) / Bachelor of Computer Science
- Bachelor of Computer Systems Engineering (Honours) / Bachelor of Mathematics
- Bachelor of Computer Systems Engineering (Honours) / Bachelor of Science
Environmental engineering
Environmental engineering graduates may help rehabilitate land damaged by mining or work on the clean-up of an oil spill that threatens ecosystems. You could even help prevent inundations on one of the world’s fast-growing cities. Environmental engineering students apply their knowledge of chemistry, geomechanics, hydrology and land surface processes to find solutions for complex environmental problems. They learn to be responsible for developing sustainable engineering practices that have a profound impact on health and quality of life. They study how to work with other specialists to optimise the use of resources and minimise long-term environmental impacts.
Degrees
- Bachelor of Environmental Engineering (Honours)
- Bachelor of Environmental Engineering (Honours) / Bachelor of Science
- Bachelor of Civil Engineering (Honours) / Bachelor of Environmental Engineering (Honours)
Electrical and electronic engineering
By studying electrical and electronic engineering, you will learn to design and build systems and machines that generate, transmit, measure, control and use electrical energy essential to modern life. As an electrical and electronic engineer you could help develop precision agriculture technology to increase food production efficiency and even build smart grid systems to help manage alternative energy resources.
Degrees
- Bachelor of Electrical and Electronic Engineering (Honours)
- Bachelor of Electrical and Electronic Engineering (Honours) / Bachelor of Business
- Bachelor of Electrical and Electronic Engineering (Honours) / Bachelor of Computer Systems Engineering (Honours)
- Bachelor of Electrical and Electronic Engineering (Honours) / Bachelor of Mathematics
- Bachelor of Electrical and Electronic Engineering (Honours) / Bachelor of Science
- Bachelor of Mechatronics Engineering (Honours) / Bachelor of Electrical and Electronic Engineering (Honours)
Mechanical engineering
Mechanical engineering students learn to design, manufacture and optimise specialist machines and processes. They study how to solve important problems using robotics; new advanced materials; the fundamental laws of energy generation and transmission; and the computer control of physical systems – from nano to mega-tonne scale. Their projects will work on everything from power plants, to air conditioners, aircraft engines and race cars. As a mechanical engineer, you could design self-driving farm machinery for ultra-efficient food production or build revolutionary biomechanical solutions for people with disabilities.
Degrees
- Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering (Honours)
- Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering (Honours) / Bachelor of Business
- Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering (Honours) / Bachelor of Mathematics
- Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering (Honours) / Bachelor of Mechatronics Engineering (Honours)
- Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering (Honours) / Bachelor of Science
Mechatronics engineering
Mechatronics engineering is concerned with the synergy of electrical, computer and mechanical technologies that lead to new solutions to industrial problems. You might create robots, unmanned aircraft, bionic implants or an energy harvester. Mechatronics engineers are involved in the technical design, automation and operational performance of the electromechanical systems used in industries such as defence, advanced manufacturing, mining and health.
Degrees
- Bachelor of Mechatronics Engineering (Honours)
- Bachelor of Mechatronics Engineering (Honours) / Bachelor of Business
- Bachelor of Mechatronics Engineering (Honours) / Bachelor of Electrical and Electronic Engineering (Honours)
- Bachelor of Mechatronics Engineering (Honours) / Bachelor of Mathematics
- Bachelor of Mechatronics Engineering (Honours) / Bachelor of Science
- Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering (Honours) / Bachelor of Mechatronics Engineering (Honours)
Medical engineering
Medical engineering students are involved with the design, development, testing and implementation of safe and effective technological solutions for the health and medicine industry. Depending on their major or area of specialisation, a medical engineering graduate could work with biomechanical devices, surgical equipment, nanotechnology drug delivery systems and diagnostic tests, prosthetic limbs, artificial organs, or electrical and computing systems relating to radiotherapy, respiration or dialysis.
Medical engineers work in hospitals and other medical institutions, health-related manufacturing and technology companies, pharmaceutical companies, and research organisations.
Degrees
Mining engineering
Mining engineering is the design, supervision and management of coal, mineral and metal mines and their associated infrastructure with minimal damage to environments. Within your degree, you will learn why mining is a leading wealth producer for Australia and many parts of the world. Mining refers to the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the earth, usually from an ore body, vein or coal seam. Students who specialise in this area will develop a sound understanding of civil and mining engineering concepts and design, construct and manage mining projects for large multinational mining companies.
Degrees
Renewable energy
Renewable energy engineering students learn to research and develop creative ways to transform renewable energy into usable power. These graduates will be vital in the design of sustainable technologies as well as their implementation. Their areas of interest may include geothermal heat sources; carbon capture and storage; mineral sequestration; photovoltaics; polymer cells; oxyfuel technologies; and wind turbines.
Degrees
- Bachelor of Technology (Renewable Energy Systems)
- Bachelor of Electrical and Electronic Engineering (Honours)
- Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering (Honours)
- Bachelor of Chemical Engineering (Honours)
Software engineering
Software engineering is behind much of the everyday technology we take for granted – from our iPads, computer software and mobile phones through to digital televisions, computer games and online banking. By studying this area students will learn to develop software for digital forensics analysis to help fight crime, or work in defence and combat cyber attacks. After graduation you could design wearable health management devices or write the software that powers robotically assisted surgery.
Degrees
Surveying
Surveying undergraduates specialise in the measurement, management, analysis and display of spatial information describing the Earth and its physical features. The work of surveyors knows no bounds, and as a student in this area, you could play an important role not only within your local community, but also across countries and continents. Locally you could be involved in projects like preparation for building of a new tunnel or mapping of flood areas for disaster preparedness. Globally your degree could see you involved in the prediction of earthquakes and mapping of the ocean floor.
Degrees
- Bachelor of Surveying (Honours)
- Bachelor of Civil Engineering (Honours) / Bachelor of Surveying (Honours)
- Bachelor of Surveying (Honours) / Bachelor of Business
Career opportunities
Engineers work on a huge range of tasks in industries like electronics, energy, food, manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, construction, environmental health and transportation. You could work for yourself, for a big company, for the government, a not-for-profit, or for a big research organisation like the CSIRO.
Remarkably, engineering is the most commonly held degree among the highest performing Fortune 500 CEOs – the CEOs of companies such as Google, Microsoft, Amazon and Tesla Motors are all engineers.
Salaries: As an engineer you’ll be valued and well rewarded. Starting salaries average around $80,000 per annum. In 2016, 93% of our engineers had jobs when they graduated.
Flexibility: Some engineers work 9-5 in an office, others fly-in-fly-out from a project site. You may prefer hands-on fieldwork, design and development, or a leadership role managing people and projects.
Global opportunities: Professional recognition through Engineers Australia and the Washington Accord lets you work in places such as Asia, Europe, Canada and the USA.
Our position as one of the most highly ranked engineering faculties in Australia is recognised through our associate membership of the Group of Eight.
One of only three Australian member institutions of the Global Engineering Education Exchange Program.
Experience
RoboCup competition
Each year our NUBots team program soccer playing robots to compete in RoboCup, a global competition aimed at advancing artificial intelligence and robotics. Here's their qualification video for the 2017 RoboCup in Nagoya-shi, Aichi, Japan!
Go on a global exchange
Electrical Engineering student Ben Chen shares his experience of studying at one of our Global Engineering Education Exchange (Ge3) partner institutions, Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. The University of Newcastle is one of only three Australian member institutions of the Ge3 Program. The Ge3 is an International partnership agreement that enables UON's engineering students to venture abroad to a multitude of distinguished universities around the world.