Access to HE Diploma (Engineering)

Build the university-level writing skills that underpin every graded assignment to follow. You learn how to plan, structure and develop a coherent written response, present work appropriately for different audiences and purposes, and apply academic conventions consistently throughout your studies.

Develop the reading strategies demanded by higher-level technical and scientific texts. The unit examines how purpose and context shape meaning across different types of source material, and equips you with practical methods for extracting, organising and retaining information from complex reading.

Examine the sub-atomic particles that determine the identity and behaviour of every element. The unit traces the properties and distribution of protons, neutrons and electrons, explains s, p and d orbital arrangements, and analyses how successive ionisation energies reveal electronic structure and underpin the trends observed across the periodic table.

Investigate how the arrangement of the periodic table reflects patterns in atomic structure and chemical behaviour. You examine the periodicity of Period 3 elements, analyse ionisation energy trends, study oxidation and reduction reactions, and explore the characteristic reactions of Group 2 metals as examples of these wider patterns.

Apply advanced algebraic techniques to the quantitative demands of engineering study. The unit develops skills in working with arithmetic and geometric series, performing logarithmic calculations, solving problems involving surds, and manipulating algebraic equations, all of which are tools used routinely in engineering analysis.

Explore the full scope of trigonometry as a mathematical language for engineering problems. You apply trigonometric ratios and functions, solve equations using the sine, cosine and tangent rules, construct formal proofs using trigonometric identities, and represent functions graphically to analyse waveforms and oscillatory behaviour.

Develop the two central tools of mathematical analysis, differentiation and integration, and apply them to engineering-relevant problems. The unit covers coordinate geometry of straight lines as a foundation, introduces differentiation of simple functions to find rates of change and turning points, and uses integration to calculate areas and model accumulation.

Examine the organic chemistry that underpins fuels, polymers and industrial chemical processes. The unit explores the environmental and industrial significance of organic compounds, analyses the structure and reactions of alkanes including combustion and substitution, and compares the more reactive alkenes and their addition reactions relevant to materials engineering.

Apply quantitative chemistry to the analysis and control of reactions. You calculate solution concentrations and perform mole calculations, study enthalpy changes in exothermic and endothermic reactions, analyse rate data to determine reaction order, and examine chemical equilibrium and Le Chatelier's principle as tools for optimising industrial processes.

Build the physical and mathematical foundations of mechanical engineering through Newton's laws, energy principles and gas behaviour. The unit covers vector calculations and resolution, uniformly accelerated and projectile motion, momentum and conservation, work, energy and power, and the ideal gas laws alongside the kinetic theory that explains them.

Apply a suite of mathematical techniques directly to engineering problem-solving contexts. You use the laws of logarithms and indices to simplify complex expressions, employ algebraic methods including transposition and partial fractions, and select and apply the most appropriate mathematical approach across a range of engineering scenarios.

Analyse the mechanics of movement, force and energy transfer in engineering systems. The unit develops calculations for linear and angular motion, examines the effect of forces on materials including stress and strain, solves problems involving friction, carries out heat energy and transfer calculations, and applies torque principles to rotating machinery.

Extend calculus techniques into engineering applications requiring rates of change and accumulated quantities. You apply differentiation to find velocities, accelerations and optimal values in engineering systems, use integration to determine areas under curves and solve engineering problems involving accumulation, and select appropriate techniques for more complex functions.

Integrate algebra and trigonometry to tackle the multi-step mathematical problems encountered in engineering design and analysis. The unit covers matrix algebra for solving technical systems, inverse and compound trigonometric calculations, proof of identities, and the binomial theorem for expanding expressions, drawing all these threads together in engineering problem contexts.

Apply the full engineering design process to a real brief. You analyse a design specification, generate and develop alternative design solutions for an engineered product, evaluate each option against performance, cost and manufacturing criteria, and present a justified recommendation, mirroring the professional practice of industry engineers.

Investigate the computational approaches engineers use when exact analytical solutions are impractical. The unit covers iterative techniques for solving equations, numerical differentiation and integration, error analysis, and the application of methods such as Newton-Raphson and the trapezoidal rule to engineering problems that arise in real design contexts.