Content of Course

Edexcel’s BTEC Level 3 National Subsidiary Diploma in Engineering give learners the knowledge, understanding and skills that they need to prepare them for employment or University in disciplines including Manufacturing Engineering, Electronics Engineering etc.

According to the Engineering Council UK, engineers on average enjoy better remuneration than accountants or solicitors. There are huge opportunities and many skills gaps within this diverse and rapidly developing sector, both in the UK and abroad.

The University of Ulster and Queens University now recognise the combination of a single National Subsidiary Diploma with two traditional A Levels as a legitimate alternative to three traditional A Levels.  For students who are reasonably certain that they want a career within Engineering, the further advantage of undertaking the National Subsidiary Diploma is that when they arrive at University they already understand the fundamentals of what they will be studying, which will ultimately give them a massive head start over their peers.

AS Level

Unit 01: Health and Safety in the Engineering Workplace

On completion of this unit a learner should:

  1. Understand the key features of health and safety legislation and regulations
  2. Know how to identify and control hazards in the workplace
  3. Be able to carry out a risk assessment, identifying control measures
  4. Understand the methods used when reporting and recording accidents and incidents.

Unit 06: Electrical and Electronic Principles

On completion of this unit a learner should:

  1. Be able to use circuit theory to determine voltage, current and resistance in direct current (DC) circuits
  2. Understand the concepts of capacitance and determine capacitance values in DC circuits
  3. Understand the principles and properties of magnetism
  4. Understand single-phase alternating current (AC) theory.

Unit 16: Engineering Drawing for Technicians

On completion of this unit a learner should:

  1. Know how the design process operates when dealing with customers
  2. Understand the impact of legislation, standards and environmental and manufacturing constraints on the design function
  3. Be able to prepare design proposals that meet the requirements of a product design specification
  1. Be able to produce and present a final design solution.
  2. Be able to determine the effects of energy transfer in thermodynamic systems.

A2 Level

Unit 05: Mechanical Principles and Applications

On completion of this unit a learner should:

  1. Be able to determine the effects of loading in static engineering systems
  2. Be able to determine work, power and energy transfer in dynamic engineering systems
  3. Be able to determine the parameters of fluid systems

Unit 25: Selection and Applications of Programmable Logic Controllers

On completion of this unit a learner should:

  1. Understand the selection, hardware and software requirements of a programmable controller
  2. Be able to use programming techniques to produce a program for a modern programmable controller
  3. Understand complex programmable controller applications
  4. Understand data communications media and networks used with modern programmable controllers.

Unit 22: Fabrication Processes and Technology

On completion of this unit a learner should:

  1. Know about health and safety legislation, regulations and safe working practices in the fabrication industry
  2. Know the processes used to mark out and prepare materials to produce fabricated structures
  3. Know how materials are formed and assembled to produce fabricated structures
  4. Be able to interpret the specification of a fabricated structure and plan and carry out its manufacture.

Assessment Arrangements

All units are continually assessed over the period of two years.  This course is particularly suited to those students who achieve high grades in course work and assignment work.

The course content is supported by a comprehensive set of course materials provided on the NRC VLE.

Subject Specific Entry Requirements

Entrants should possess at least 4 GCSE’s at Grade C or above or other relevant qualifications.  GCSE’s must include Maths and two science related subjects.