Mechanical Engineering
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Mechanical Engineering Summer Courses
Explore how engineers design, analyse and improve the machines and systems around us with Atlas Summer Courses. Our two-week Mechanical Engineering summer courses, available for students aged 16–17 and 18–24, give you the opportunity to investigate the principles behind engineering design, mechanics and problem-solving.
Through seminars, tutorials and independent study, you'll explore how scientific and mathematical ideas can be applied to engineering challenges while developing your ability to analyse problems, evaluate solutions and think like an engineer.
What's Included?
Your residential Mechanical Engineering summer course includes academic teaching, accommodation, meals, a certificate on completion, airport transfer from Heathrow and insurance.
Choose from Plus, Superior and Premier packages, with accommodation and additional benefits varying by package.
What Is Mechanical Engineering?
Mechanical Engineering applies principles from mathematics and physics to the design, analysis and improvement of machines, devices and mechanical systems.
It can involve understanding how forces affect structures, how objects move, how energy is transferred and how different components work together within a system. Mechanical engineers use these principles to approach problems across areas ranging from transport and manufacturing to energy and robotics.
Studying Mechanical Engineering means looking beyond whether something works to understand why it works and how its performance could be improved. Engineers must often balance factors such as efficiency, reliability, materials and practical constraints when developing a solution.
A Mechanical Engineering summer course gives you the opportunity to explore this approach to problem-solving and discover how scientific principles can be applied to real engineering challenges.
What Will You Study on a Mechanical Engineering Summer Course?
There is no prescribed syllabus that every student follows. Atlas Summer Courses tutors create their own syllabi, drawing on their expertise while taking the interests, abilities and learning needs of their students into account.
Depending on your course, you could explore areas such as mechanics, forces and motion, energy, materials, engineering design, thermodynamics or mechanical systems.
You might consider questions such as:
- How do forces affect the behaviour of a mechanical system?
- How can engineers analyse and predict motion?
- How is energy transferred within machines and systems?
- How do engineers choose appropriate materials for a design?
- What factors make an engineering solution efficient and reliable?
- How can an existing design be analysed and improved?
This flexible approach allows tutors to explore their specialist areas while responding to the interests and progress of the group. Any syllabus shown on our website is therefore an example from a previous course rather than a guarantee of the exact topics you'll study.
How You'll Learn on a Mechanical Engineering Summer Course
The Atlas Summer Courses Mechanical Engineering summer course combines small-group seminars, tutorials and private study across the two-week programme.
18 hours of small-group seminars
You'll take part in six three-hour seminars, exploring engineering ideas through discussion, problems, case studies and activities. You'll be encouraged to apply mathematical and scientific reasoning, compare possible approaches and explain the thinking behind your solutions.
2 hours of tutorials
You'll have one tutorial each week, providing a focused environment in which to discuss the essay or problem sheet you've been working on and receive detailed feedback.
Around 20 hours of private study
You'll complete reading in preparation for seminars and work independently on an essay or problem sheet for each tutorial.
Together, these give you experience of a more independent approach to academic learning, where preparation, problem-solving and your own reasoning all play an important role.
Who Are Our Mechanical Engineering Summer Courses For?
Our Mechanical Engineering summer courses are designed for students who enjoy understanding how things work and using mathematics and science to solve problems.
You don't need to have studied Mechanical Engineering as a standalone subject before. The course may particularly appeal to you if you enjoy physics and mathematics, are interested in machines, technology or engineering design, or are considering studying engineering at university.
You'll develop transferable skills including mathematical reasoning, problem-solving, analytical thinking, independent study and communicating technical ideas clearly.
You can also explore related subjects through our Physics summer courses and Sustainable Engineering summer courses.
Learn from Expert Tutors
Atlas Summer Courses tutors are experienced educators and subject specialists active across academia, industry and education.
They bring their own academic expertise and interests into their teaching and have the freedom to shape their syllabus around both their specialism and the students in their group. This allows each Mechanical Engineering summer course to explore different engineering problems and approaches while maintaining an appropriate level of academic challenge.
Tutors are confirmed closer to the summer, so profiles on our website are examples of tutors who have previously taught with us rather than confirmation of who will teach your course.
Where Can Mechanical Engineering Take You?
Mechanical Engineering provides a foundation for work and further study across a wide range of engineering and technology fields.
Students interested in the subject may go on to study Mechanical Engineering itself or related disciplines such as aerospace engineering, automotive engineering, robotics, mechatronics, manufacturing or energy engineering.
The mathematical, technical and problem-solving skills associated with Mechanical Engineering can support future paths across engineering, manufacturing, transport, energy, robotics, technology and research.
A Mechanical Engineering summer course gives you the opportunity to explore the subject before making longer-term academic decisions and discover which areas of engineering interest you most.
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FAQs about Our Summer Courses
No. You don't usually need to have studied your chosen subject before joining an Atlas Summer Courses summer course. Courses are designed for the relevant age group, and tutors can adapt their approach to the abilities, interests and experience of the students in their group.
There is no fixed curriculum that every student follows. Our tutors create their own syllabi based on their academic expertise and the interests and learning needs of their students.
This means the exact topics can vary between courses and years. Any syllabus or topics shown on our website are examples from previous courses and shouldn't be taken as a guarantee of exactly what you'll study.
Teaching depends on your age group. Students aged 9–12 and Scholars aged 12–14 learn through structured, interactive small-group classes. Students aged 13–15 combine small-group seminars with private study, while students aged 16–17 and 18–24 experience seminars, tutorials and independent study.
Across our programmes, teaching is designed to encourage active participation, questioning and independent thinking rather than simply listening to lectures.
Your course includes your academic programme, accommodation, meals and a certificate on completion, alongside the activities and experiences included within your programme.
What's included can vary depending on the programme, age group and package you choose, so we recommend checking the individual course details for the full inclusions before applying.
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Choose from over 40 subjects taught through flexible, age-appropriate programmes. Our tutors adapt their teaching methodologies to different age groups and shape course content around students’ interests, rather than following a fixed curriculum.
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