Develop a wide range of skills and knowledge as you work on real-life engineering problems on live railway projects

About the apprenticeship

Course length: 3 and a half years, part-time

Start date: September

Course level: Level 6

University award: BEng (Honours) Railway Engineering

How much it costs: funded through the employer

Course summary

• Develop your understanding of railway engineering
• Devise real-world solutions using modern technology
• Learn from skilled researchers and experts in the field
• Use industry leading equipment in state-of-the-art labs
• Specialise in your area of interest

This Railway Engineering course will provide you with a solid grounding in the underlying principles of railway engineering. You’ll study the sector’s various disciplines before going on to specialise in Railway Track Engineering, Electrical and Mechanical Engineering, Signalling and Telecommunications Engineering, or Civil Engineering.

Guided by industry experts, you’ll work on live railway projects, designing and developing solutions to address real-life problems. 

By the end of the course, you’ll be equipped with the skills you need to design, develop and test innovative solutions to a range of problems, allowing you to progress in your career as a railway engineer.

This course meets the rail and rail systems senior engineer apprenticeship standard.

How you learn

All our courses are designed around a set of key principles based on engaging you with the world, collaborating with others, challenging you to think in new ways, and providing you with a supportive environment in which you can thrive. 

You’ll gain the professional and personal skills you need to progress your career within industry and commercial engineering enterprises. You'll apply academic knowledge gained to the workplace in ways specific to your role to develop your skills and knowledge.

You learn through:

• part-time study at Sheffield Hallam
• workplace learning
• exams
• coursework
• project reports
• portfolio work

In your first year, you’ll study an overview of railway engineering principles. In your second year, you’ll specialise in Railway Track Engineering, Electrical and Mechanical Engineering, Signalling and Telecommunications Engineering, or Civil Engineering.

You will progress through the course following successful achievement of assessments, which address the learning outcomes for each module and allow you to complete the course.

Campus facilities

You'll study at our City Campus, in modern teaching labs with state of the art testing and measurement equipment including for each of the following pathways:

Track engineering

• Track Engineering Labs. 
• Electrical Labs 
• Mechanical labs 
• Thermo-Fluids Marks
• Hydraulics 

Electrical and Mechanical

• Electrical and Electronics Engineering Labs.  
• EMC labs.  
• Electrical Drives, Power Electronics and Electrical machines.  
• Material and Mechanical labs  
• SCADA and PLC labs.  

Civil Engineer

• Civil Engineering Labs.
• Electrical Engineering Labs.  
• Mechanical Engineering Labs.  
• Themofluids Labs.

Signalling and Telecommunications

• Electrical and Electronics Engineering Labs.  
• EMC labs
• Material and Mechanical labs  
• SCADA and PLC labs

Entry requirements

Throughout the course, apprentices spend at least 20% of their working hours at university. They can be existing employees looking to develop their careers, or new applicants to the business.

Applicants must:

• be over 18
• not be in full time education
• have the right to abode in the UK
• meet the course entry requirements

GCSE (or equivalent)

GCSE (or equivalent) mathematics and English at grade C or grade 4, or above.

If you don't have this yet, you'll need to achieve this level before you take your end-point assessment.

UCAS points and college grades

112 UCAS points including at least 64 points from two A levels or equivalent BTEC. National qualifications to include mathematics or a mathematics-based subject to at least AS level. For example:

• BBC at A Level including mathematics or a mathematics-based subject plus at least one other from physics, physical science, engineering science, computer science, technology or other science or technology subject. 

• DMM in BTEC Extended Diploma in a science or technology-based subject (including passes in mathematics and two other science or technology-based modules).
• Merit overall from a T level qualification - this must include a B in Core and can be from any engineering specific T level.

Or:

• A combination of qualifications which must include mathematics or a mathematics-based subject and may include L3 Apprenticeship, AS levels, EPQ and general studies.
• Access to HE Diploma with at least 15 Level 3 credits at merit grade or above, in a Maths or Engineering programme including mathematics.

Additional qualifications

 We may also consider applicants with relevant work experience. 

Modules

The programme adopts a blended learning approach with modules delivered through a combination of lectures, class-based seminars, practical work and site visits.

Throughout the course, you will study these core modules:

• Rail engineering mathematics 
• Rail engineering principles 
• Reflective skills and investigative project
• Rail specific engineering practice 
• Developing an engineering portfolio
• Applied project and engineering business management 
• Applied mathematics
• Reflective rail management

You will also study specific modules depending on the subject you choose to specialise in.

Civil pathway modules 

• Track engineering and railway structure 
• Geotechnics and drainage  
• Geotechnics and environment and structural design

Track pathway modules

• Track engineering and track standards for apprentices 
• Geotechnics and drainage 
• Geotechnics, environment, and track engineering analysis 

Signalling pathway modules 

• Train control system principles for apprentices  
• Electrical-electronics and control for apprentices   
• Train control system applications 

Mechanical and electrical pathway modules 

• Railway mechanical engineering for apprentices
• Electrical, electronics and control engineering 
• Railway electrical engineering 

Module and assessment information for future years is displayed as currently validated and may be liable to change.