Engineering

Curtin’s Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) offers you an industry-connected education experience in which you will learn how to provide solutions to complex societal challenges and improve the quality of life for people all around the world.

Your study will begin with the Engineering Foundation Year (EFY). You will learn the fundamental concepts and develop the required skills common to all areas of engineering – giving you the opportunity to explore our range of engineering majors before choosing the major you will study from your second year.

Our engineering majors are:

• Chemical Engineering
• Civil and Construction Engineering
• Electrical and Electronic Engineering
• Industrial and Systems Engineering
• Mechanical Engineering
• Mechatronic Engineering
• Metallurgical Engineering
• Mining Engineering
• Petroleum Engineering

We also offer a three-year Bachelor of Technology in Computer Systems and Networking.

Engineering Foundation Year

Developed in partnership with industry, our award-winning EFY program and its purpose-built first-year studios encourage learning by doing.

The EFY's cross-disciplinary curriculum was developed as a base for all Curtin engineering disciplines, to ensure you graduate with a solid theoretical grounding, strong practical experience and cultural awareness.

The program and its support services will help you progress smoothly into your area of specialisation and graduate as a sought-after and career-ready engineer.

The EFY includes:

• full-class lectures
• small group tutorials
• hands-on laboratory work
• team-based design and simulation projects
• web-based learning resources, bulletin boards, online tutorials and quizzes
• portfolio development, with an emphasis on reflection and self-evaluation
• participation by industry representatives, exposing students to professional practice.

First-year studio

The first-year studio and project rooms reflect the modern working environment, enabling you to familiarise yourself with the layout of a professional career setting.

The studio is also a hub to develop social and academic networks. It comprises:

• an open-plan office
• computing, electrical and mechanics laboratories
• one-on-one learning assistance Engineering Tutor Access Points (ETAPs)
• project meeting rooms. 

Years 2–4 

In years 2 and 3 of your engineering degree you will study units relevant to your chosen major. 

In year 4 you will undertake an honours-level, independent research project. Structured across two units of study, the project will give you an in-depth understanding on your thesis topic. It will demonstrate to potential employers your skills in planning and undertaking a complex body of work within deadlines.

Professional practice

To graduate from this course you must have completed 480 hours of exposure to professional engineering practice and completed senior first-aid training.

Professional practice can comprise a combination of real-world experiences. Examples include paid and voluntary work placements, university-based experience in industrial projects, attending extra-curricular technical lectures and workshops, and industry site visits in Australia and/or overseas.

Please refer to the handbook for more course information.

Why study

• The Bachelor of Engineering begins with the national award-winning Engineering Foundation Year (EFY). The EFY builds a solid base of the fundamental concepts common to all areas of engineering. This enables you to explore your options before selecting your engineering major at the end of your first year.
• The EFY was developed in partnership with industry to create a curriculum that reflects engineering practice. The program won a national award in the category of Programs that Enhance Learning for ‘The First Year Experience’.
• Curtin University is dedicated to the enhancement of teaching and research and to the pursuit of excellence and innovative applications of engineering technology as a contribution to the advancement of scientific knowledge, understanding and community relevance.

Student profile

View our student profile table to get an indication of the likely peer cohort for new students at Curtin University. This table provides data on students that commenced undergraduate study and passed the census date in the most relevant recent intake period for which data are available. It includes those admitted through all offer rounds and international students studying in Australia.

What you'll learn

• develop and apply fundamental theoretical and technical knowledge to identify and provide solutions to complex problems in an engineering discipline.
• demonstrate development of advanced knowledge and understanding in an engineering discipline.
• apply knowledge using realistic, practical and analytical approaches to problem-solving, design and research
• communicate effectively with a variety of audiences through the development of appropriate plans and reports
• identify and use suitable technologies to plan and execute project work and/or a piece of research and scholarship with some intellectual independence
• demonstrate self-discipline, self-management skills, personal responsibility and the ability to set learning and achievement goals
• work effectively in teams with global, international and environmentally responsible perspectives
• recognise the impact of cultural diversity in the implementation engineering works of projects
• demonstrate leadership, professional behaviour and ethical practice in the context of engineering projects