Wondering where to study engineering? There are lots of options. Here’s why you should choose UQ.
We asked 3 Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) / Master of Engineering students about the unique advantages of studying engineering at UQ and why they chose to combine their undergraduate and postgraduate studies into one degree. Here’s what they had to say.
Extensive industry placement
UQ Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) / Master of Engineering students have a 6-month industry placement included in their degree. For Harrison Craig-Ward, who is specialising in mechanical and materials engineering, this was an invaluable drawcard of the program.
“The placement was key for developing professional skills and identifying the area of engineering I wanted to go into,” he says.
“Engineering is a very diverse profession, and many graduates end up with jobs they didn’t even know existed when they started their degrees.”
I worked up months of additional experience, allowing me to pinpoint exactly where I want to start my career and secure a graduate position.
If you choose to study this integrated engineering program at UQ, you’ll have a team of employability experts helping you secure a placement that aligns with your interests and career goals. They provide a high level of support throughout the entire experience, so you get the absolute most out of your placement.
What is the Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) / Master of Engineering?
The Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) / Master of Engineering – or BE(Hons)/ME for short – is what we call an integrated program. You’ve probably heard of double degrees, where you combine 2 bachelor’s programs to increase your knowledge across disciplines that complement one another. An integrated program is similar, but instead of combining 2 bachelor’s programs, you’ll study a bachelor’s and a master’s, so you graduate with 1 integrated undergraduate and postgraduate qualification.
Students typically complete the BE(Hons)/ME in 5 years instead of the 6 it would normally take to study these programs separately. It fast-tracks your way to graduation while ensuring you enjoy all the benefits of studying engineering at both an undergrad and postgrad level – including increased skills and employability.
Enhanced opportunities to explore specialisations
One of the key benefits of studying engineering at UQ is the range of majors on offer. Undertaking the BE(Hons)/ME means you have more time to find the right engineering specialisation for you, then hone your skills and knowledge in the area.
UQ student Imogen Berridge found this aspect of the program particularly useful, as it meant she had more room in her study plan for the courses that interested her.
“I like the extended learning experiences that I am offered with more opportunities for electives than what is available in the straight Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) program,” she says.
“For example, I get to do more aerospace electives and an extra control engineering course.”
As a student in this program, you’ll get to choose from 15 majors, including materials, aerospace, biomedical, bioprocess and metallurgical engineering, which are all explored in more depth than in the 4-year Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) program alone.
Being able to study Chemical and Bioprocess Engineering at UQ was a huge drawcard for Irene Stephen.
“I love the range of courses I am exposed to and how the knowledge from each course is versatile and interconnected,” she says.
The specialisation and flexibility of this program are major reasons I was drawn to it.
Harrison also acknowledges that UQ was one of the few places he could study materials engineering.
“Despite being a relatively niche field compared to the likes of other popular fields of study such as aerospace, I always found myself doing well in early materials courses and enjoying the material testing practicals the most,” he says.
“This degree offers you the ability to deep dive into an area of your choice at a postgraduate level in a very hands-on, practical way.”
“For me this was diving into materials engineering, where I have gained valuable insights into the world of material selection, manufacturing, and design, which has changed the way I see the world around me.”
Is UQ one of the best engineering universities in Australia?
Let’s look at the stats. UQ is ranked:
- #1 in Queensland and #2 in Australia for engineering, according to the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2024 by subject.
- #1 in Australia for chemical engineering and #4 in the world for mineral and mining engineering, according to the QS World University Rankings by subject 2024.
Unique overseas experiences
If you’re wondering ‘where can I study engineering?’, you might think it’s necessary to pick just one university. But why limit yourself to a single institution when you could go global and study a semester in France, Germany or Italy during your time at UQ?
Depending on your chosen major, fourth-year BE(Hons)/ME students have the opportunity to study overseas with the International Double Degree program. You’ll learn from some of the best engineering and technical teachers in the world and experience living in an exciting European city. What’s even better is you’ll graduate with a bachelor’s and master’s degree from UQ, and an additional master’s degree from our international partner university.
Harrison says the opportunity to study overseas was a very appealing selling point for the BE(Hons)/ME.
“Something very attractive for me was the fact that UQ has a vast array of exchange partners all over the world, as well as the opportunity to study an International Double Degree and be awarded with 2 master’s degrees!”
UQ’s Faculty of Engineering, Architecture and Information Technology runs a range of other global experiences too, including shorter (6–8 weeks) study tours to Vietnam, China and Japan.
Highly employable graduates
Arguably, what makes UQ one of the best universities for engineering is the employability of our graduates. Let’s look at the facts:
- 90% of UQ graduates secure employment within 12 months of completing their degree (Graduate Outcomes Survey 2023).
- UQ is ranked #1 in Queensland for employment (QS Graduate Employability Rankings 2022).
- 76% of our BE(Hons)/ME students were offered ongoing employment opportunities with their placement provider in 2023.
Imogen believes the extra year of study in the BE(Hons)/ME program is incredibly valuable as it’s helped her feel better prepared for full-time employment after graduating. She even managed to secure part-time work in her field in her fifth year of study.
My final year has been spent working part time as an undergraduate design engineer, whilst balancing my final courses and making the most of that last year of university life.
"This year has given me much more time to develop my practical skills in industry, as well as iron out where I want to start my career,” she says.
“If it wasn’t for choosing the BE(Hons)/ME, I wouldn’t be in the position I am today.”
Explore UQ’s Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) / Master of Engineering to discover more reasons it should be your first QTAC preference.
