You could develop world-changing engineering solutions.
As a global leader in engineering education, this is where you can develop world-changing engineering solutions. See yourself here.
The role of an engineer is ever-changing. From building complex computer systems and influencing the infrastructure we use every day, to finding new ways to harness energy or even designing prosthetic limbs to help amputees – engineers play a critical role in overcoming the challenges our world faces. Challenges like food and water security, climate change, data protection and the increasing impact growing populations have on society. As a global leader in engineering higher education, including being ranked Top 8 in the world for Automation Control engineering, this is the place to develop world-changing solutions.
Apply your maths and science skills to find creative solutions to complex problems and bring exciting innovations to life, finding quicker, better, and more efficient ways to do things. Engineers work on a huge range of tasks in industries like electronics, energy, biomedics, and construction. Engineering touches many parts of modern life and there is a need for a range of different professional specialisations. From Chemical to civil, environmental to electrical and electronic engineering – there’s an area to match your passion.
What excites and motivates you? Let us know what you’re interested in and we’ll keep you updated on all the latest info and events relevant to you.
While you may be interested in the field of engineering, you may not be sure what type of engineer you want to be. At the University of Newcastle you can choose from 12 different engineering specialisations. Ranging from chemical to civil, electrical and electronic to mechanical, all our 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Watch Sam's story
Are you interested in a degree that combines science and imagination to push us beyond what we thought was possible? Just three years into his degree, Bachelor of Engineering (Electrical) (Honours) student Sam Parker has already helped break new ground in technology that will elevate both individuals and industries to achieve more.
At the University of Newcastle, Sam’s area of focus is biological signal processing, and brain-computer interface prosthetics (BCI).
“I always planned to use engineering to help people,” says Sam. “And I’ve always known I wanted to develop prosthetic devices.”
“[BCI] allows patients to control a robotic arm, using the power of thought alone,” explains Sam. “A BCI device will use your brainwaves to control a computer, or a robot, or a wheelchair or something else.”
“When communicating with UON, they suggested I study electrical engineering, because there’s a strong focus on signal processing and control theory. And the UON is very strong in those fields—it’s ranked eighth in the world in automation and control—so it was a great choice.”
To Sam, the potential impact this technology could have for people with disabilities is a powerful motivator.
“We can help so many people with these devices. People with amputations or paralysis patients. People with spinal cord injuries, or strokes, or other sort of degenerative diseases.”
In the course of his studies, Sam leveraged the close relationship between The University of Newcastle and The University of Pittsburgh’s engineering programs.
“They’re both world-renowned engineering schools, and that allows them to share students for a semester. So I was fortunate enough to be selected for a study abroad semester at the University of Pittsburgh, where I observed BCI firsthand.”
His eyes light up when he describes that first experience seeing neuroprosthetics in action.
“To be able to see a patient who was tetraplegic and had very little function in their hand and arms, be able to manipulate objects and shake my hand through the help of these devices, was really amazing.”
Sam went from one life-changing learning experience right into another. While in Pittsburgh, he applied for an engineering internship at NASA—and got it.
“I was jumping around my room, I was so excited. Calling my family, letting them know the great news. It was truly a dream come true.”
Sam travelled to California, where he participated in a five-month internship at Armstrong Flight Research Center.
“While I was there I worked on the X-57 experimental aircraft, run entirely on batteries [using] electric motors,” explains Sam.
“My job was to put the engine through their paces and make sure it was safe before we put it on the aircraft. The data I was analysing was often used in mission-critical decisions,” he says.
“NASA was a really fast-paced environment, and it felt like every day I was drawing on the knowledge I gained at the UON. From day one in First Year Circuits, all the way up to Digital Signal Processing and the more advanced concepts.”
After graduation, Sam hopes to continue postgraduate work in the BCI field.
“I want to make as much as a positive impact as possible, change as many lives as possible, and give as many patients another grasp on life as possible.”
From helping people live fuller lives, to advancing our knowledge of aerospace engineering, Sam is turning human potential into human achievement.
Over the course of our 55-year history, more than 148,000 students have called Newcastle their home. And why wouldn't you want to? Our laid-back lifestyle, picture perfect beaches and thriving arts scene are just some of the reasons to love Newy.
Are you keen to take your studies around the world? There are opportunities for international experiences across every area of study, whether it’s an overseas exchange program, study tour or work placement.
We have over 100 scholarships available which support around 1000 new students at the University of Newcastle per year.
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.
