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Course review
Review by: Freddie W
University: University of Bristol
Course: Mechanical Engineering
Year of study: 2nd
Level of Study: Undergraduate
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The course in general
How many contact hours do you have in the average week?
25
Ideally, what 3/4 subjects would you recommend doing in order to be in the best position for your course?
Maths, Further Maths (ideally), and Physics.
Why did you decide to study your degree programme?
I am a technically minded person and wanted to have a 'hands-on' course.
Explain the things you wish you'd known about your degree before you applied:
I wish I had been prepared for how mathematical it was. And also, so far it has been almost exclusively theoretical with hardly any praticals - I thought there would be much more.
Had I known this I probably wouldn't have applied as it has to be a very strong subject of yours.
Describing your average day
Explain how your day is made up. For example, do you have labs/seminars/tutorials/lectures?
The day normally consists mostly of lectures between nine and five. Once a week we have a tutorial and a 3 hour lab session.
How much extra work/reading are you required to do out of lectures?
Yes, we are expected to do example sheets and further reading out of cass. This is all optional so it is up to you to set aside the time. We also are given coursework which is mandatory and usually takes in the region of 10-20 hours in a year.
Is there anything else you think is relevant or that you would like to add in respect of your course?
MATHS!
You must be aiming for a high A in maths and ideally be taking further maths at A Level.
You should be aware that you cannot choose which modules you take until the third year. So, if you're on the 3 year course like me, you will at no stage have any choice over what modules you do! Other engineering courses at Bristol do allow for some choice though, just not Mech Eng.
The best and worst parts of the course
What do you like best about your degree programme?
Certain modules are very interesting, for example I find the Thermofluids lectures interesting. I also enjoy some of the lab sessions.
What do you like least about your degree programme?
The course is extremely mathematical which I was not prepared for and also even in the second year we have absolutely no choice as to which modules we do. So far the course has been virtually all theoretical, with very little practical 'hands-on' work.
Academics and course content
What do you think of your university's academics and facilities?
There is huge inconsistency between lecturers - some are very good however some are particularly poor, the university is aware of this yet does nothing.
Feedback from staff seems to be very poor, and coursework can take literally months to be returned, if at all.
However, the facilitles are generally very good.
Explain how you expected your course to be and how it compares to how it actually is. Give an outline of the content of the course.
You must be prepared for the difference between school and university teaching. If you fall behind on your work it is almost impossible to catch up. You must also be prepared for different styles of lecturing within the same subject.
Generally lecture slides are used and the lecturer will go through examples throughout the lecture.
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Other reviews for Mechanical Engineering
Ron J, 1st Year doing Mechanical Engineering at University of Southampton
Sam F, 2nd Year doing Mechanical Engineering at University of Exeter Ian D, 2nd Year doing Mechanical Engineering at King's College London, University of London Rupert D, 2nd Year doing Mechanical Engineering at University of Bristol
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University review
Review by: Freddie W
University: University of Bristol
Course: Mechanical Engineering
Year of study: 2nd
Level of Study: Undergraduate
Visit the University of Bristol forum and see what people are discussing right now!
Click here to go back
Describing your university
Sum up your university in one paragraph:
Situated in a great city it is one of the top universities to go to with a great mix of people. It is however by no means perfect as some departments (in my experience) let themselves down with a series of poor lecturers, and even though they are aware of this, they change nothing.
What is the academic life like at your university?
It totally depends on your course - Mechanical Engineering is a very full on degree, which means you can't take on loads of extra curricular activities. A few is fine but you have to limit yourself.
Describe your Freshers' Week - was it as you expected, better or worse? Why?
Fresher's week was carnage! You will have the best few weeks of your life but you should be prepared for a lot of heavy drinking and late nights.
What is the best and worst thing about your university?
It is a very good university with a great mix of people.
The student union is very poor, it is simply too far away from the main university area, and consequently no one bothers to use it.
Sport and extra curricular
What are the sport and other activities on offer like at your university?
There is virtually a club for everything and anything in Bristol.
From my experience, the only problem is that the rugby pitches are pretty far away.
The social scene
What is the social scene (and/or nightlife) like at your university? Is it particularly alcohol orientated?
The night life at Bristol is great, with loads of clubs and bars. There is something to suit everyone.
Seemingly everything at University is alcohol related. You need to be prepared for this and particularly as a fresher you may well feel pressured to drink, particularly during initiations.
What do you think of the city your university is based in or near (as a city)?
Bristol is an amazing city to be in - it has everything you could want during the day and an amazing night life.
Accommodation
Do you live in a halls of residence or a student house (or college)? What would you suggest is best in your opinion?
For the first year I was in a hall of residence - this was great fun as it is hugely social, however they were located a 30 minute walk from the campus which is inconvinient.
The hall itself was in very poor condition and is in serious need of restoration - think peeling paint, mouldy walls, ancient stained carpet! It is exactly the same now as it was 40 years ago. I am very dissapointed that the management feel they can justify high rent when the accomodation itself is so poor.
If you are in a hall or college, is it catered or self catered? Which is better for the first year in your opinion and why?
I was catered. This is much better in my oppinion as you have a lot to deal with when you first start and food would have been one thing too many for me.
Approximately, what is the average cost of accommodation per week in your first year for catered and non-catered halls/colleges?
About £100
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