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Mechanical Engineering for England - NTU in Mansfield Higher National Diploma

UCAS code: H308 (Full-time)

Start year

Information for 2025

About this course

The HND Mechanical Engineering course provides you with advanced technical knowledge and practical skills for the modern engineering industry. This course, designed for both full-time and part-time study, focuses on a broad range of engineering subjects, from thermodynamics to manufacturing systems, preparing you for roles in sectors such as design, aerospace, and production engineering.

With a strong emphasis on real-world applications, you’ll gain hands-on learning experiences in state-of-the-art facilities, including our Engineering Lab and CAD suite. The course ensures you’re industry-ready by combining theory with practical work.

Upon graduation, you can pursue higher-level engineering roles or continue your education with a degree. Additionally, NTU Mansfield’s close ties to local industries provide valuable networking opportunities, enhancing employability.

  • You'll have access to a state-of-the-art Engineering Lab, equipped with the tools and technology you need to prepare for a career in Engineering.
  • The course is delivered full-time and part-time - enabling you to fit learning around your work and other commitments.
  • This course prepares you to progress to a range of roles in the engineering industry and the opportunity to continue your studies on a university degree course.
  • Our small classes provide a friendly, flexible, more personalised learning experience.

Accreditation

Higher Technical Qualification Certified

This course contains a Higher Technical Qualification (HTQ), which means that it has been quality marked by the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education to indicate their alignment to employer-led occupational standards and to ensure that you will be receiving a prestigious education met by employer needs.

Find out more by visiting the HTQ page.

  • An orange cog that serves as the logo for HTQs.

What you’ll study

You'll study the underpinning engineering theory and get to apply it through practical sessions in our engineering facilities. To develop your engineering skills you'll be applying your skills to real-world situations and problems, making you think and work like a professional engineer.

The modules will focus on relating theory to current engineering topics and issues. You'll explore developing and future technologies so you'll be at the forefront of what's happening in industry.

Professional Engineering Management (15 Credit Points)

Get an insight into how to develop the range of employability skills needed for professional engineers. You’ll learn about the professional standards expected of engineers and will cover topics such as services delivery planning, sustainability, Total Quality Management (TQM), engineering management tools and managing people.

Advanced Mechanical Principles (15 Credit Points)

Develop your advanced knowledge of the mechanical theories associated with engineering applications. During this module you’ll look at Poisson’s Ratio and typical values of common materials; the relationship between the elastic constants; the relationship between bending moment, slope and deflection in beams; calculating the slope and deflection using Macaulay’s method; analysing stresses in thin-walled pressure vessels; and stresses in thick-walled cylinders and flat and v-section belt drive theory.

Computational Modelling in Virtual Engineering (15 Credit Points)

Apply relevant Computer Aided Design (CAD) and analysis engineering tools and learn about standards, regulations and legal compliance in the context of engineering. You'll learn how to perform a computational fluid dynamics (CDF) simulation and explain the identification of faults in simulation techniques.

Further Thermodynamics (15 Credit Points)

Building on knowledge from previous modules, you'll learn how thermodynamics plays a significant role in everyday life from the refrigerators in our homes to power stations that generate the electricity we use.

Further Engineering Maths (15 Credit Points)

In this module you’ll develop the skills to analyse and model engineering situations and tackle engineering problems using mathematical techniques. You’ll cover number theory, complex numbers, matrix theory, linear equations, numerical integration, numerical differentiation, and graphical representations of curves for estimation all within an engineering context.

Manufacturing Systems Engineering (15 Credit Points)

You’ll develop your understanding of the complexity within a modern manufacturing environment. Exploring how to manufacture products that meet customers’ requirements, you’ll cover - production engineering, plant and maintenance engineering, product design, logistics, production planning and control, forecast quality assurance and accounting and purchasing.

Lean Manufacturing (15 Credit Points)

Learn to become an effective and committed practitioner of lean manufacturing during this module. You’ll be introduced to the principles and processes of lean manufacturing and explore the tools and techniques that are applied by organisations practicing lean. Topics included are scoping and defining lean manufacturing, benefits and challenges of adopting Lean, The Toyota Production System (TPS) and process improvement.

Advanced Manufacturing (15 Credit Points)

You’ll learn how to analyse and evaluate the potential of using advanced manufacturing technologies to improve an organisation’s competitive advantage. Understanding of advanced manufacturing technologies, digitalisation and a range of advanced manufacturing technologies will also be developed.

We regularly review and update our course content based on student and employer feedback, ensuring that all of our courses remain current and relevant. This may result in changes to module content or module availability in future years.

How you're taught

The course is delivered full-time and part-time, enabling you to fit learning around your work and other commitments.

The full-time course is studied over one year.

The part-time course is studied over 18 months (one day per week).

The course is predominantly coursework-based with some practical assessments and class tests.

Outside of timetabled sessions, you'll need to undertake self-directed independent study. This will include preparing for seminars, researching, completing coursework, and directed reading to expand your knowledge.

Seminars and lab sessions

You'll have seminars and lab sessions, where you'll apply theory learned to real-world situations. These sessions involve active learning and are driven by collaboration with your tutors and classmates. Due to the smaller class sizes, this approach enables individualised support to ensure you reach your learning potential.

Careers and employability

This course focuses on specialist technical skills and knowledge and provides you with a clear set of skills and goals for entering employment. Following this course, you can enter a wide range of engineering roles, including:

  • CAD / CAM Designer
  • Engineering Technician (Design of Rail Rolling Stock)
  • Technical Engineer (Metal Packaging Production)
  • Design Engineer (Aerospace Connectors).

As this is a vocational course part-time students would typically already be working in industry. This course is suitable for applicants planning to progress to the first level of supervisory responsibility in their career.

Employability team

Our expert employability team will work closely with you at every stage of your career planning, providing personal support and advice. You can benefit from this service at any time during your studies and for up to three years after completing your course.

NTU Enterprise

You'll also have the opportunity to turn your ideas into a viable business with help from NTU Enterprise, NTU's purpose-built Centre for Entrepreneurship and Enterprise, a support centre to help students create, develop and grow their own businesses.

Campus and facilities

As an NTU Mansfield student, you’ll benefit from the latest facilities and modern technology to support your studies and help you get the most out of student life.

We are continually investing in our facilities and enhancing our learning and teaching environment to make it an inspiring place for students.

Plus, as an Engineering student at Nottingham Trent University in Mansfield, you will have access to an Engineering Lab, a high-performance CAD suite, industry-standard robotics, hydraulics and pneumatics test equipment and electronics equipment.

Facilities and services include:

  • University Centre
  • Teaching and Learning Centre
  • Engineering Lab with robotics, 3D printing, CNC machining and automation equipment
  • CAD suite
  • Electronics equipment
  • Library
  • Dedicated study zones, including PC suites
  • On-site café
  • Social spaces
  • Sports facilities
  • Student Support Services
  • Nottingham Trent Students Union (NTSU) drop-in events.

Entry requirements

UK students

  • Standard offer: Higher National Certificate in General Engineering or equivalent
  • Other requirements: GCSE English and Maths grade C / 4.

To find out what qualifications have tariff points, please use our tariff calculator.

International students

This course is not suitable for students who require a Student Visa

Policies

We strive to make our admissions procedures as fair and clear as possible. To find out more about how we make offers, visit our admissions policies page.

Fees and funding

UK students

- see the fees for this course, as well as information about funding and support.

Full-time

  • £7,780

Part-time (18 months)

  • £5,190 (Year one)
  • £2,590 (Year two)

Please note that if you are considering a part-time route that runs over more than one year, the tuition fee stated is for year one of study. The course fee for year two is subject to annual review.

Bursaries

A university bursary is an award that can help those who may not have otherwise been able to afford to attend university. We offer the following cash bursaries to prospective students:

  • NTU Bursaries
  • NTU Opportunity Bursary
  • NTU Care Leavers and Foyer Resident Bursary
  • NTU Estranged Student Bursary
  • Nursing, Teacher Training and Social Work Bursaries

Find out more about bursaries

You will need to pay tuition fees for each year that you are at university. The tuition fees, including the placement year and study abroad options are subject to government policy and may change in future years of study.

Preparing for the financial side of student life is important, but we don’t want you to feel anxious or confused about it. Visit our fees and funding pages if you have any concerns.

International students

- see the fees for this course, as well as payment advice and scholarships.

This course is not suitable for applicants who require a student visa.

However, we do accept qualifications from schools, colleges and universities all over the world for entry onto our Bachelors and Masters degrees. If you’re not sure how your international qualification matches our course requirements please see our information about international qualifications.

Additional costs

Your course fees cover the cost of studies and include loads of great benefits, such as the use of our library, support from our expert Employability team and free use of the IT equipment across our campuses. There are just a few additional things you may need to budget for:

Textbooks and library books

Most modules will recommend one or more core textbooks, which most students choose to purchase. Book costs vary and further information is available in the University’s bookshop. Our libraries provide a good supply of essential textbooks, journals and materials (many of which you can access online) - meaning you may not need to purchase as many books as you might think! There may also be a supply of second-hand books available for purchase from previous year students.

Printing and photocopying costs

The University allocates an annual printing and copying allowance of £20 depending on the course you are studying. For more details about costs for additional print and copying required over and above the annual allowance please see the printing and photocopying information on the Library website.

Fees and funding advice

For more advice and guidance, you can email our Student Money Team or phone us on +44 (0)115 848 2494.

Cost of living information and support

Managing your money can help you make the most of life at NTU. Here's how we can support you, and now you can make your funding go further.

How to apply

For the full-time course, apply through UCAS. The UCAS code is H308.

For the part-time course, apply directly through out portal.

As part of your application, you’ll submit a personal statement. Tell us about your ambitions, skills and experience. You have 4,000 characters to impress us – here’s how to make your words count.

Keeping up to date

After you've applied, we'll be sending you important emails throughout the application process – so check your emails regularly, including your junk mail folder.

You can get more information and advice about applying to NTU on our Your Application page.

This course is not suitable for students who require a Student Visa

We accept qualifications from schools, colleges and universities all over the world for entry onto our undergraduate and postgraduate degrees. If you’re not sure how your international qualification matches our course requirements please visit our international qualifications page.

We have undergraduate Engineering courses which are suitable for Student Visa applicants.  Here is a list of all the undergraduate courses we offer.