Help & enquiries
- Admission enquiries
- admissions@plymouth.ac.uk
- +44 1752 585858
- PlymUniApply
BPIE112
Stage 1 Electrical/Robotics Placement Preparation
0 credits
This module is aimed at students who may be undertaking an industrial placement in the third year of their programme. It is designed to assist students in their search for a placement and in their preparation for the placement itself.
ELEC141
Analogue Electronics
20 credits
This module provides an overview of analogue circuit characterisation, analysis and design, linking theory to practice. It will examine how common analogue systems are constructed from elementary components.
60% Examinations
40% Coursework
ELEC142
Digital Electronics
20 credits
This is a foundation module in digital electronics and computer control, which introduces digital devices and provides a background in the principles, design and applications of combinational and sequential logic circuits.
60% Examinations
40% Coursework
ELEC144
Electrical Principles and Machines
20 credits
This module gives an introduction to the electrical properties of materials, capacitance, Inductance, and electromagnetism. Basic circuit principles and their application in dc and ac circuit analysis are then applied to electrical machines, transformers and energy conversion.
60% Examinations
40% Coursework
PROJ100
Embedded System Design and Build
40 credits
The module enables students to work collectively to build prototype solutions to real-world problems using both software and hardware. This will include development and verification skills in both hardware and software.
100% Coursework
ENGR104
Engineering Mathematics
20 credits
This module provides students with a number of fundamental mathematical skills, and techniques, which are essential for the analysis of engineering problems.
50% Coursework
50% Examinations
BPIE212
Stage 2 Electrical/Robotics Placement Preparation
0 credits
This module is aimed at students who may be undertaking an industrial placement in the third year of their programme. It is designed build on the Level 1 module (BPIE111) and to assist students in their search for a placement and in their preparation for the placement itself.
ELEC237
Power Electronics and Generation
20 credits
This module introduces power electronics devices and motors. Students will build switching power systems and also build and interface motor drive systems and generators.
60% Examinations
40% Coursework
ELEC239
Communication Systems
20 credits
This module extends the student's knowledge and understanding of electrical engineering in order to develop a deeper understanding of electronic engineering principles and their application to electronic and communication engineering.
70% Examinations
30% Coursework
MATH237
Engineering Mathematics and Statistics
20 credits
This module provides an introduction to mathematical and statistical methods that are important in the study of electronic and communications engineering. The mathematical techniques (transforms) are central to the study of linear, time-invariant systems. As well as introducing descriptive statistics, basic probability distributions, the module also considers the more advanced topics of reliability and quality control.
80% Examinations
20% Coursework
ROCO219
Control Engineering
20 credits
This module introduces basic concepts in how to control systems that have dynamics. This can involve making an unstable system stable, like balancing a Segway transporter to ensure it always remains upright. Or to get a system to follow a desired input and reach the desired goal. For example, controlling a robot arm so it moves directly to a target location without oscillating or overshooting.
60% Examinations
40% Coursework
PROJ200
Real Time Systems Project
40 credits
The module enables students to build robust and scalable real-time solutions to real-world problems using both Microcontroller and FPGA technologies. This will include both hardware and firmware development skills.
50% Coursework
50% Practicals
BPIE332
Electrical Industrial Placement
A 48-week period of professional training spent as the third year of a sandwich programme undertaking an approved placement with a suitable company. This provides an opportunity for the student to gain relevant industrial experience to consolidate the first two stages of study and to prepare for the final stage and employment after graduation.
ELEC347
Information and Communication Signal Processing
20 credits
This module provides a thorough understanding of basic and advanced signal processing and coding techniques. This will equip students with knowledge that is vital for the processing, manipulation, encoding and transmission and efficient storage of information in most areas of IT, electronics and communications.
80% Examinations
10% Coursework
10% Practicals
ELEC349
Design and Control of Renewable Energy Technology
20 credits
The focus of this module is on the generation of energy using solar photovoltaic (PV) technology. The effect of the environment, the PV material characteristics and the technology to achieve maximum power point tracking (MPPT) are described.
70% Coursework
30% Tests
ELEC351
Advanced Embedded Programming
20 credits
The module aims to develop programming skills in embedded programming, by making use of advanced features of high-level programming languages and by deepening the knowledge of modern programming techniques in embedded systems. The module has a strong practical bias where students are required to solve various problems by programming existing microcontroller hardware.
60% Coursework
40% Examinations
PROJ300
Individual Project
40 credits
Investigate problems from industry or current research, define the problem boundaries, investigate possible solutions and present your results. You’ll have the chance to demonstrate a wide range of skills in project management, ethics, IP, research, critical thinking, engineering decisions, hardware, electrical/electronic and mechanical, design and simulation, software implementation, schematic capture and testing.
70% Coursework
30% Practicals
ELEC345
High Speed Communications
20 credits
A circuit and system design module covering analogue and high frequency techniques and their place in modern communications systems.
80% Examinations
20% Coursework
ROCO351
Machine Learning for Robotics
20 credits
This module introduces basic concepts in the area of machine learning, which is a rapidly expanding field that allows computers to learn how to behave and perform complex tasks without being explicitly programmed to do them. Applications range from signal processing, image recognition through to the control of robotics systems.
50% Coursework
50% Examinations
UCAS tariff
112 -128
Student | 2024-2025 | 2025-2026 |
---|---|---|
Home | £9,250 | £9,250 |
International | £18,100 | £18,650 |
Part time (Home) | £770 | £770 |
To reward outstanding achievement the University of Plymouth offers scholarship schemes to help towards funding your studies.
International progression routes
“The building provides a state-of-the-art setting to inspire the engineers and designers of tomorrow, making it the ultimate place to bring together students, academics and industry in an environment that not only benefits them but also society as a whole.” – Professor Deborah Greaves OBE
We have one of the best-equipped undergraduate laboratory suites in the UK, and all courses are highly practical, with an emphasis on design and build. Use our dedicated robotics and communications laboratories to focus on industrial and intelligent robotic systems and high frequency electronics.
Our department offers strong teaching and research and we're very proud of the support we offer our students. Our facilities are world class, with bespoke laboratories and workshops where you will put your learning into practice.
“The thing that I enjoy most, and which attracted me the most, was the amount of practical work on the course. This, for me, is very important as you are able to learn a lot more from actually building and testing a circuit than just learning the theory.”
A ‘placement year’ is an excellent way to gain a competitive edge. It will set you up for when the graduate schemes launch and help you make better career decisions.
Celebrating the range of research and development projects students undertake, the event allows students to demonstrate their creations to industry.
Student experience
Jack speaks about his experience on the course and presenting his project at the Student Showcase event.
Employer insight
Kevin Stewart, Senior Designer at Alstom, talks about his experience as an employer at the Showcase.
Student Showcase
Find out more about the event.
The School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics was awarded an Athena Swan Silver award in September 2024 which demonstrates our ongoing commitment to advancing gender equality and success for all.