I would like to welcome you to Canterbury Christ Church University and your choice to study Product Design Engineering (BEng) with foundation. The course will focus on an understanding of applied engineering science in relation to mechanical and electrical systems and complimentary design studies influenced by Create, Design, Implement and Operate (CDIO) projects, allowing you to build a theoretical and practical knowledge in both disciplines.

Stuart Lambert
Course Director For Product Design Engineering

Key dates

Course start date: 16 September 2024

Academic Calendar: Semesters

View key dates for this Academic Calendar for 2024-25 including when teaching starts and finishes and when you break for holidays.  

Welcome and induction

Your Welcome Week is an essential introduction to your course and student life at CCCU, helping you to feel confident and prepared for your studies right from the very start.

It is important to check your Welcome Schedule for all the activities you are required to attend during the week.

Your teaching timetable 

UniTimetables provides an overview of all teaching activities on a course. Your individual timetable will be available via MyTimetable and is personalised to show you what modules and groups you are expected to attend.

Your individual student timetable can only be produced once you have engaged with online registration and created your computing account. It is essential you complete these tasks when invited, so that your course team can assign you to your teaching activities and publish your individual timetable.

Find out more about all aspects of timetabling for new students including user guides.

Welcome

The School of Engineering, Technology & Design at CCCU is a fast-growing department and an exciting place to be right now, we have a new building facility with impressive and well-equipped laboratories, workshops and classrooms. We would encourage you to do some preparation before you start your course, so take a look at some of the well-known designers / engineers and books and references indicated below. You will find plenty of study materials online so we don’t recommend you purchase books until you talk to tutors and get their personal recommendations.

The BEng with Foundation provides you with an extra year to make sure you are fully prepared for entry onto a BEng course.

Getting started

The academic year at Canterbury Christ Church University is split into two semesters – one running from September to January and a second one from late January to May. Each Semester you will study three different modules covering different areas of Product Design Engineering.

The course aims to develop your knowledge, understanding and skills in Product Design Engineering so that upon completion, you will be ready for employment in a variety of industries and careers that require your skills. You will get the opportunity to research, develop, prototype, test and manufacture products in both group and personal projects, learning as you progress and building confidence in the fascinating field of engineering.

Foundation Year Core Modules:

Semester 1

  • General Engineering Science Skills
  • Mathematics for Engineers
  • Fundamentals of Physics

 Semester 2

  • Fundamentals of Engineering
  • Fundamentals of Drawing
  • Fundamentals of Materials

Before your course commences, we would encourage you to look at the relevant pages of various online news sources (e.g. BBC News, The Guardian, The Telegraph, The Engineer) to see what is being talked about in the field of design and engineering.

During welcome week you will learn a lot about studying at CCCU; so please engage with as many of the activities as you can. You will also be assigned your Personal Academic Tutor (PAT), who will provide you with academic and personal support and signpost you to other relevant departments for any additional help you may need throughout your time with us.

You may wish to keep track of what we are doing in the Faculty by following us on our Faculty Instagram! 

Your welcome and induction will be w/c 16th September 2024 - we look forward to meeting you then.

Community

On the social side, the Student Union (CCSU) has a huge range of clubs and societies – all of which have unique social calendars of their own and offer endless opportunities to make lifelong friends and discover new hobbies. And you can always create your own society and cultivate your own community!

CCSU will be hosting their Welcome Fayre on Wednesday 18th September 2024. Make sure you keep checking the CCSU website for further details and how to get involved.

We understand that you may be nervous about your first few weeks on campus but rest assured - you'll be joining a nurturing and supportive environment where diversity, equality and individuality are part of everything we do.

You can find out more about our welcoming community and making friends.

If you are an International Student joining us then please see our International Student Support pages for further information and guidance.

Pre-course reading

  • Clive L. Dym. (2013) Engineering Design: A Project-Based Introduction, 4th Edition, John Wiley & Sons, New York.
  • Cross N. (2015). Engineering Design Methods: Strategies for Product Design, 5th Edition. John Wiley & Sons, New York.
  • Bridger Rs. (2018) Introduction to Human Factors and Ergonomics. Fourth Edition, CRC Press, New York.
  • Ashby M & Johnson K (2014) Materials and Design: The Art and Science of Material Selection in Product Design. Third edition, Butterworth-Heinemann,
  • Eissen K. (2013). Sketching: Drawing Techniques for Product Designers, First edition, BIS publishers, Amsterdam.
  • Pahl G, Beitz W & Feldhusen J. (2007). Engineering Design: A Systematic Approach. Third edition Springer
  • Norman D (2013), The Design of Everyday Things: Revised and Expanded Edition, Basic books
  • Jones JC (1992) Design Methods. Second edition. John Wiley & Sons, New York.
  • Jane Penty (2019) Product Design and Sustainability: Strategies, Tools and Practice. First edition. Routledge.

We recommend you take a look at the following online resources over the summer to help prepare you for your studies:

International student success programme

International students: don't miss out! Make sure you register for our international student success programme which provides practical advice on preparing to live and study in the UK.

Contact details

If you have any queries, please feel to contact the Foundation Year Engineering Team foundation.FSESS@canterbury.ac.uk

Dr. Azza Mahmoud

azza.mahmoud@canterbury.ac.uk