厙ぴ勛圖

Menu

Wananga landing Wananga landing
Topic

Engineering First Year

08 November 2023

UC's Engineering First Year will give you a solid foundation in engineering processes, mathematics, physics, and computer science. We offer a flexible Engineering First Year where you can keep a variety of discipline options open for your next three years of study. Learn more about our Engineering First Year.

HOW TO APPLY

The Engineering First Year will provide you with a solid foundation in engineering processes, mathematics, physics, and computer science.

At UC, we offer a flexible Engineering First Year where you can keep a variety of discipline options open for your next three years of study. There are opportunities to further explore the engineering disciplines throughout your First Year including information evenings, lab tours, and more.

Engineering First Year students are supported by our student-led, Faculty-enabled, peer mentoring programme ENGMe! You will be assigned a peer mentoring group, led by a current 2nd泭- 4th泭Year Engineering student who has successfully been there and done that, and is the perfect place to learn tips and tricks, ask questions, seek advice, and meet new people.

Entry to the First Year

Studying the Engineering First Year is possible for all students who meet the泭entry requirements. If you do not meet these requirements, there are泭alternative pathways, these are outlined below.

The 厙ぴ勛圖 does not use NCEA rank scores.

Engineering First Year Courses

The required courses for a standard Engineering First Year depend on the engineering discipline(s) you wish to study in the Specialist (2nd泭 4th) Years. The final semester of the standard Engineering First Year requires full time study (4 courses = 60 points).

The泭Engineering First Year Required Courses Chart泭outlines which courses are required for each of the engineering disciplines.泭

If you are required to complete Summer School courses as part of your Engineering First Year, please check泭available courses.

If you are unsure which elective course(s) to take as part of your Engineering First Year, have a look at our list of Recommended Elective Courses below.泭

Recommended electives by discipline

All Engineering disciplines
COURSESEMESTERDESCRIPTION
S1Strengthening Communities through Social Innovation
CULT114泭/泭MAOR108S2Te Patu a Maui : The Treaty of Waitangi - facing and overcoming colonisation
S1 & S2Introduction to Microeconomics
S1 & S2Introduction to Macroeconomics
S2Spark! The Art & Science of Learning
ENGL117泭/泭WRIT101S1 & S2泭Writing for Academic Success
MAOR165S1 & S2Tuakiri: Culture and Identity
S1 & S2Fundamentals of Management
S1 & S2Principles of Marketing
SCIM101S2Science, Mori and Indigenous Knowledge
SENS101S1Introduction to the Principles and Concepts of Sustainability泭
S1 & S2Statistics 1
TREO110S1 & S2Te Ngao Tu: Conversational Mori for Absolute Beginners
Chemical and Process Engineering
COURSESEMESTERDESCRIPTION
S1Cellular Biology and Biochemistry
S2Ecology, Evolution and Conservation
S2Structure and Reactivity in Chemistry and Biochemistry
S2Engineering Physics B: Modern Physics and Electromagnetism (2)
PROD131S2Introduction to Formulation Science
Civil Engineering泭
COURSESEMESTERDESCRIPTION
S2Structure and Reactivity
ENVR101S1Introduction to Environmental Science
S1 & S2Forests of the World
S1Trees, Forest and the Environment
S2Trees in the Landscape
S2Forest Growth and Measurements
S1Commercial Aspects of Forestry
S2Global Environmental Change
S1People, Places and Environments泭泭
S1Building Planet Earth: Fundamentals of Earth Science
S2Environmental Earth System Science
S2Engineering Physics B: Modern Physics and Electromagnetism (2)
PROD131S2Introduction to Formulation Science
S1Land Journeys and Ethics
Forest Engineering
COURSESEMESTERDESCRIPTION
S2Structure and Reactivity in Chemistry and Biochemistry
ENVR101S1Introduction to Environmental Science
S1 & S2Forests and Societies
S1 & S2Forests of the World
S1Trees, Forest and the Environment
S2Trees in the Landscape
S2Forest Growth and Measurements
S1Commercial Aspects of Forestry
S2Global Environmental Change
S1People, Places and Environments泭泭
S1Building Planet Earth: Fundamentals of Earth Science
S2Environmental Earth System Science
S2Engineering Physics B: Modern Physics and Electromagnetism (2)
Mechanical Engineering
COURSESEMESTERDESCRIPTION
S2Human Biology
S2Structure and Reactivity in Chemistry and Biochemistry
S2Engineering Physics B: Modern Physics and Electromagnetism (2)
PROD111S2Materials Science for Design
PROD121S2The Game Development Process
S2Anatomy and Physiology
Mechatronics Engineering
COURSESEMESTERDESCRIPTION
S2Human Biology
S2Introduction to Computer Science
DIGI101泭/泭COSC101S1泭Working in a Digital World
S1Big Data, Artificial Intelligence and Ethics
S2Engineering Physics B: Modern Physics and Electromagnetism (2)
S2Materials Science for Design
PROD121S2The Game Development Process
Software Engineering / Computer Engineering / Electrical & Electronic Engineering
COURSESEMESTERDESCRIPTION
S2Introduction to Computer Science -泭Compulsory for Software Engineering
DIGI101泭/泭COSC101S1泭Working in a Digital World
S1Big Data, Artificial Intelligence and Ethics
S1 & S2Business Information Systems and Technology
S1Introduction to Programming with Databases
MATH120S2Discrete Mathematics -泭Compulsory for Software Engineering
S2Engineering Physics B: Modern Physics and Electromagnetism (2)
S2The Game Development Process
Keeping a Computer Science major (BSc) open as an option
COURSESEMESTERDESCRIPTION
S1Working in a Digital World
S2Introduction to Computer Science
S2Discrete Mathematics
PHYS102S2Engineering Physics B: Modern Physics and Electromagnetism (2)
S1 & S2Statistics 1

Check with the泭Science Kaitoko (First Year student advisors)泭for this major and appropriate courses.

Keeping Product Design (BProdDesign) open as an option

COURSESEMESTERDESCRIPTION
S1Cellular Biology and BiochemistryChemical Formulation Design major
S2Ecology, Evolution and ConservationChemical Formulation Design major
S2Structure and ReactivityChemical Formulation Design major or Industrial Product Design technical elective
S2Introduction to Computer ScienceApplied Immersive Game Design major or Industrial Product Design technical elective
MGMT100S1 & S2Fundamentals of ManagementAll BProdDesign majors
MKTG100S1 & S2Principles of MarketingAll BProdDesign majors
S2Engineering Physics B: Modern Physics and Electromagnetism (2)Chemical Formulation Design major or Industrial Product Design technical elective
S2Materials Science for DesignIndustrial Product Design major
S2The Game Development ProcessApplied Immersive Game Design major
PROD131S2Introduction to Formulation ScienceChemical Formulation Design major
Download our enrolment guide

Guide to Enrolment - Engineering First Year (PDF, 165KB, 4 pages)

Download (application/pdf, 165 KB)
Download
Alternative Engineering First Year Options

Direct Entry and Modified Engineering First Year

If you have taken the泭STAR course , or equivalent course(s) at another tertiary institution and you achieve excellent NCEA, IB, or CIE results in relevant subjects at a泭NZ high school, you may be considered for Direct Entry to the 2nd Year of the BE(Hons), or a modified Engineering first year with acceleration in mathmatics泭

If you have not taken STAR MATH199 and achieve excellent NCEA, IB, or CIE results in relevant subjects at a NZ high school, you may be eligible to apply for a Modified Engineering First Year.泭

To be considered for a Modified Engineering First Year, you should be expecting to achieve at the following level:泭

STAR泭泭at 厙ぴ勛圖 (or equivalent courses at another tertiary institution);

AND EITHER:

A. NCEA:泭You must have achieved at least 20 credits, with an 'excellence' endorsement in both Physics and Chemistry;泭OR

B. International Baccalaureate:泭Scores of 7 HL in each of Physics and Chemistry;泭OR

C. Cambridge International Examination:泭An A grade in A Level in both Physics and Chemistry.

Consideration for direct entry will be on a case-by-case basis.

Expression of Interest 2025

If you think you may be eligible for studying a Modified泭First Year or Direct Entry to Second Year, submit an泭expression of interest form (see below) to the Faculty of Engineering Student Advisors. When your results become available in January, the Associate Dean (Academic: Engineering First Year) will consider the best study path for you and inform you of your options.泭

Direct entry to Second Year or Modified First Year- Expression of interest 2025

Two-year Pathway for Engineering First Year

You may be required to complete your Engineering泭First Year over two years of study if you do not have the泭required background knowledge or if you fail some courses in your first attempt.

If you do not have the entrance requirements for BE(Hons) in Maths, Physics, and/or Chemistry, you may be required to take one or more introductory courses to build up your knowledge before attempting the following courses:

Introductory courses are all offered in the first semester of the year so泭it is possible to complete your Engineering First Year in one year of study. However, you may have to complete your Engineering First Year over summer school or over two years because:

  • The introductory course MATH101 must be taken IN ADDITION to the eight required Engineering First Year courses for your chosen discipline(s).
  • Summer school options vary from year to year. Find out more about what is offered during the泭Summer Programme.
  • If you need to take all three introductory courses, you are advised to spread your learning over two years of study. You will need to take some additional courses to make your coursework full-time. Contact the泭Future Student Advisors泭for advice.

Science Headstart泭courses can be taken during the summer before Semester One starts.

Engineering First Year at another NZ university

It is possible to take an equivalent Engineering First Year泭year at another NZ university for some engineering disciplines. Your application for entry to the 2nd Year at UC Engineering is considered in the same way as students who have completed their Engineering First Year. Contact a泭Student Advisor泭if you have questions.

Pathways from a NZ Polytechnic

BEngTech

If you have completed a Bachelor of Engineering Technology in Civil, Mechanical or Electrical Engineering from a泭NZ tertiary institution, you can apply for entry to the泭BE(Hons) in Civil, Mechanical or Electrical and Electronic Engineering as appropriate. You will be considered for 2nd Year if you:

  • have a B+ average, or better, in your BEngTech
  • pass泭泭and泭泭(Civil or Mechanical) or泭泭(Electrical and Electronic Engineering) with a B average, or better, during the summer prior to beginning the 2nd Year

If you are granted entry to the泭2nd Year, you may be considered for exemption from individual courses depending on your background and experience. Note, this is at the discretion of the relevant department and is considered on a case-by-case basis only after admission to the programme.

NZDE

If you have completed a New 厙ぴ勛圖Diploma in Engineering in Civil, Mechanical, or Electrical Engineering from a泭NZ tertiary institution with a B+ average across all courses and an A- or better in a Level 5 Mathematics paper, you will be considered for a Modified Engineering First Year for Civil, Mechanical or Electrical and Electronic Engineering as appropriate, as follows:

Semester 2

  • COSC131
  • 泭(Civil or Mechanical) or an elective course (Mechatronics or Electrical and Electronic only)

Summer School

  • 泭(Civil, Mechanical or Mechatronics) or泭泭(Electrical and Electronic only)

On completion of the above courses, you will be considered for entry to the 2nd Year in the same manner as all other 2nd Year applicants, ie ranked by Grade Point Average (GPA).

If you are granted entry to the 2nd Year, you may be considered for exemption from individual courses depending on your background and experience. Note, this is at the discretion of the relevant department and is considered on a case-by-case basis only after admission to the programme.

Direct Entry with a BSc

Chemical and Process Engineering - Direct Entry to 3rd Year

Subject to the approval of the Associate Dean (Academic: Engineering and Forestry), in order to be considered for entry to the 3rd Year, a student applying with a Bachelor of Science (BSc) is expected to have:

  • an appropriate major for the specialisation they wish to study (an appropriate major for Chemical and Process Engineering would be Chemistry, Biochemistry, or Physics).
  • a B grade average, and
  • at least 200-level Mathematics泭

With this option, a student has the opportunity to gain a double degree (BSc and BE(Hons)) in five years.泭泭

For more information, contact:

Electrical and Electronic Engineering - direct entry to 3rd Year

Subject to the approval of the Associate Dean (Academic: Engineering and Forestry), in order to be considered for entry to the 3rd Year, a student applying with a Bachelor of Science (BSc) is expected to have:

  • an appropriate major for the specialisation they wish to study (an appropriate major for Electrical and Electronic Engineering would be Mathematics or Computer Science).
  • a B grade average
  • at least 200-level Mathematics

Additional papers at the 200 or 300 level in Management or Accounting and Information Systems would enhance your application.

With this option, a student has the opportunity to gain a double degree (BSc and BE(Hons)) in five years.泭

For more information, contact:

Ready to start your engineering journey?

Privacy Preferences

By clicking "Accept All Cookies", you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyse site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.