Mechanical engineering

Design the machines of tomorrow

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What is it?

Mechanical engineering is a diverse field which takes a knowledge of movement and uses it to create innovative mechanical systems which improve the way we live.

More than just machines and engines, studying mechanical engineering will see you cover topics such as human centred design, advanced materials, and environmental studies.

What do mechanical engineers do?

Mechanical engineers design, analyse, manufacture, and maintain the mechanical systems which are critical to a wide range of industries. This means they play an important role in many technology-driven industries, from environmental to biomedical, aerospace to transport.

As a mechanical engineer, you’ll design and maintain of a wide variety of machines. These could include power generation and transport systems, renewable energy and environmental systems, computing and biomedical systems, or vehicle and engine design.

There is growing demand for mechanical engineers in the environmental, biomedical, aerospace and nanotechnology fields, a mechanical engineering career can be diverse, with opportunities to innovate around every corner.

What careers could you have?

  • Develop and improve mechanical systems such as biomedical devices, automatic control systems, environmental pollution control devices, clean combustion, underwater exploration and space vehicles.
  • Become a space vehicle engineer, biomedical implant engineer, automotive engineer or automated airport facilities engineer, among many other career options.
  • There are many sectors in which you can lead the development of technologies, including health, the environment, travel, transport, construction and renewable energy. Work for small start-ups or large corporations like Google, Honeywell, Boeing, Rio Tinto or NSW Transport.

Why study mechanical engineering with us?

There are many reasons to study mechanical engineering at the University of Sydney:

  • Through practical learning and industry experiences, you will be ready to transform the use of machines across a range of innovative and emerging industries.
  • You’ll learn about all aspects of mechanical engineering, including power generation, transport, building services, machinery, manufacturing, computer-aided design, advanced materials and environmental studies.
  • From powder labs to wave labs, you'll have the opportunity to learn in cutting edge learning spaces. 
  • Our engineering degrees are designed to ensure our graduates are best positioned to engineer for the digital age, and are embedded with enhanced foundation studies in data and computation.
  • As part of your degree you will undertake the award-winning Professional Engagement Program enabling you to change your approach to learning through self-reflection, and undertake a six-week internship to gain valuable firsthand experience.
  • Choose a stream specialisation or broaden your studies with a breadth specialisation. 
  • You may also be eligible to undertake the Space Engineering program in conjunction with the Bachelor of Engineering Honours (Mechanical Engineering) degree – the only program of its kind in Australia.
  • Apply your skills to designing, building and racing an internal combustion car in the Formula SAE (FSAE) student-led competition. 
  • Broaden your career prospects by combining your Bachelor of Engineering Honours (Mechanical Engineering) with a second degree in arts, commerce, science, health science, medical science, laws or project management. Combined degrees range from 5 to 6.5 years in length, with the same annual workload as a single degree student.

I love the diversity a mechanical engineering degree offers – I can go from a lecture on manufacturing to one about designing efficient wind farms.”

Leah Cooke

Engineering Honours (Mechanical) / Arts