Welcome to Mechanical Engineering at Sheffield
Congratulations on gaining a place to study Mechanical Engineering here in Sheffield - we can't wait to see you! We know that going to university is a big step and so we've put together this guide to answer many of the questions you might have, before starting your university experience.
Before you arrive
Part of the excitement of starting university is the chance to discover things for yourself and the freedom to explore a new city. We want to make your transition to university life as easy as possible so on this page, we're giving you some resources to help you prepare before you arrive in Sheffield.
Get ready for Sheffield by completing your to-do list tasks from this helpful student checklist
Make sure you’re registered
Registration is the number one task before starting your studies. You should have already received information separately about the registration process and related activities that are run centrally by the University. If you haven’t please go to the registration homepage to find out more. You must complete online registration prior to arriving in Sheffield.
If you haven't registered by Friday 27 September 2024, you must get in contact with us (mac-studentsupport@sheffield.ac.uk).
The deadline for registering is Monday 21 October to start your course, and the in person appointment deadline is Friday 18 October 2024.
Semester dates 2024 - 2025
| Detail | Dates |
|---|---|
| Welcome Week | 23 - 27 September 2024 |
| Autumn Semester | 30 September 2024 - 8 February 2025 (vacation 21 December 2024 - 19 January 2025) |
| Autumn Semester examinations | 20 January - 7 February 2025 |
| Spring Semester | 10 February - 14 June 2025 (vacation 6 April - 27 April) |
| Spring Semester examinations | 26 May - 13 June 2025 |
Recommended book list
None of our first year or second year courses require students to buy a particular textbook. However, having a textbook to hand can help with study and is an invaluable reference throughout an engineering career.
The following text books are recommended to all students in the first and second years of their course. To be on this list a book has to satisfy three criteria:
- The lecturer of the relevant course believes them to be a useful aid to understanding the lectures.
- Students have found them useful in the past.
- The book covers material in at least two core modules.
We are aware that text books are not cheap but feel the following books would serve you well throughout your degree and beyond. Unless indicated, earlier editions can be purchased if available second hand.
| Title | Author | Publisher |
|---|---|---|
|
Engineering Mathematics |
K A Stroud, Dexter J Booth | Palgrave Macmillan |
|
Thermodynamics (SI units): An Engineering Approach |
Yunus A Cengel, Michael A Boles | McGraw Hill Higher Education |
|
Mechanics of Engineering Materials This book has a logical and structured approach to solid mechanics. The material in this book is serves all the way through to the 3rd year. |
P.P. Benham R.J. Crawford C.G. Armstrong |
Pearson ©1996 Second edition |
|
Essentials of Fluid Mechanics: Fundamentals and Applications This covers all the material in the first year and has lots of worked examples. It will also be useful in |
John M Cimbala and Yunus A Cengel |
McGraw-Hill |
|
Engineering Mechanics Statics |
Meriam, J L Kraige, L G | John Wiley & Sons |
|
Engineering Mechanics: Dynamics |
Meriam,J L Kraige,L G Palm,William | John Wiley & Sons |
|
Manufacturing Engineering and Technology |
Kalpakjian, S et al | Reading, Mass: Addison-Wesley, 2006 |
|
Materials and Processes in Manufacturing |
DeGarmo, P et al | Chichester: Wiley, 2007 |
Some places you might look for second hand books:
Abe Books, Amazon Marketplace, Biblio, Blackwells, Ebay
Maths revision
A good background in mathematics will make your first year at Sheffield easier and more enjoyable. If you want to revise, we recommend:
Khan Academy (Maths: High school and college Algebra 1, Geometry, Algebra 2, Trigonometry, Pre-Calculus) or Mathematics for Science and Technology which was developed by the Open University together with Russell Group universities.
Welcome Week
This is a week of events before teaching begins. It is full of important information and social events, so do make sure you attend. Your Welcome Week will begin on Monday 23rd September 2024. Once you have registered you will be able to view more details about each activity taking place and visit our Welcome Week google site too.
- Monday 23 September
-
Time Location Activity 10.30 - 11.40 The Diamond, lecture theatre 3 Programme Welcome - Dr Art Gower & Dr Rachel Tomlinson 11.40 - 13.30 Communal Space Outside D10, Heartspace Mechanical Engineering registration and collection of text books 14.00 - 14.30 Online Welcome to the School of Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil Engineering
Professor Martin Mayfield - Tuesday 24 September
-
Time Location Activity 09.15 - 10.15 The Diamond, lecture theatre 3 Academic Work Requirements 10.15 - 10.35 The Diamond, lecture theatre 3 Library Introduction 10.35 - 11.00 break 11:00 - 16:00
(drop-in)Octagon & Students’ Union Union Clubs and Activities Fair 11.00 - 11.30 The Diamond, lecture theatre 3 Signing up to free membership of IMechE 11.30 - 12.00 The Diamond, lecture theatre 3 Diamond Introduction Talk - Dr Rob Woolley 12.00 - 12.45 The Diamond, lecture theatre 3 Learning Trail Introduction - Dr Art Gower 12.45 - 14.30 lunch break - food not provided 14.15 - 15.00
(drop-in)The Diamond, lecture theatre 3 Introduction to MechSoc, Railway Challenge
and Women in Engineering (WIE)15.00 - 16.00 The Diamond, lecture theatre 3 Race & Equality Session - consent - Wednesday 25 September
-
Time Location Activity 09:00 - 09:30 38 Mappin St. Workroom 3 & 4 Health and Safety Talk 09:30 - 10:20 38 Mappin St. Workroom 3 & 4 Design Problem, Group Work Briefing 10:20 - 11:00 38 Mappin St. Workroom 3 & 4 Walk to tutor offices, 11:00 - 12:45 Portobello Centre
D05, D06, D07 Tutor groups 1 - 25
E05, E06, E08 Tutor groups 26 - 50Do it! Design and Build (students) 12:45 - 13:30 Lunch break - food not provided 13:30 - 15:30 Portobello Centre
D05, D06, D07 Tutor groups 1 - 25
E05, E06, E08 Tutor groups 26 - 50Do it! Design and Build (students) 15:30 – 17:00 Portobello Centre
D05, D06, D07 Tutor groups 1 - 25
E05, E06, E08 Tutor groups 26 - 50Competition/Testing/Prizes (students and staff) - Thursday 26 September
-
Time Location Activity 13:00 - 13:30 The Diamond, lecture theatre 2 Introduction to ELTC (International Students only) 13.00 - 16.00 Firth Court Engineering co-curricular activities fair 16.00 - 17.00 The Diamond, lecture theatre 3 Race and Equality Session - Race Conversations - Friday 27 September
-
Time Location Activity 09:00 - 12:00 Diamond Computer Room 1 PELLA (Technical English Assessment)
for Overseas Students from outside the EU
(You will receive an email if this is applicable to you)11:00 - 16:00
(drop-in)Octagon & Students’ Union Union Sports Fair 13:00 - 14:30 North Campus Modular Village PC Room 1-26
Tutor groups 1 - 25Diamond Computer Room 1
Tutor groups 26 - 50Introduction to MASH diagnostics (MASSA)
MASH diagnostics activity
When you arrive
Once you arrive in Sheffield and have registered, here are some things you should do:
- Visit the Students’ Union website and explore activities and societies that you can get involved with.
- Read the our Mechanical Engineering Students’ Handbook
- Learn more about the Disability and Dyslexia Support Service by watching this short online presentation.
- Familiarise yourself with the technologies you'll use for learning online. You can find more about these, and short introductions on the 301 Academic Skills Centre webpages. As a start, you should make sure you are familiar with Blackboard, Blackboard Collaborate and TurnitIn. You should also make sure that you are familiar with Google Mail and Google Calendar, and can find guides to these on the IT Services website.
- Watch the Library getting started guide
- Read the Library subject guide for Mechanical Engineering
- Take a look at the Uni Student Support Services available to you by visiting their web pages here. And also the SU support pages here.
- Find out more about what digital resources are available to you.
- International Students - visit the ELTC web pages to see what English Language support is available to you.
Mental health support
Starting university is a huge change, and there may be times when you need some extra support.
The Student Mental Health, Counselling and Therapies Service can help you navigate your support options and agree on a tailored plan of psychological support. Any University of Sheffield student can register online with the service. Further information on the service can be found on the Student Hub.
NHS support for mental health is also available via the University Health Service or at the Sheffield Walk-In Centre Wellbeing Hub. For the Walk-In Centre, no appointment is required. However, you can call to book a video consultation, phone consultation, or an appointment slot for you to attend.
The University Counselling Service (UCS) runs a number of mental wellbeing workshops, free of charge and operating on a drop-in basis. These require no registration and are free to all students.
Togetherall is an anonymous digital mental health support service available to all students, so you can have free access to support at home or while abroad. It provides immediate access to 24/7 online peer and professional support, with trained counsellors.
The Student Wellbeing Service offers short-term, tailored one-to-one support if you’re experiencing difficulties and challenges, to help you manage your wellbeing and succeed at University. If you’re feeling down, overwhelmed or struggling to adjust to student life, your Faculty Wellbeing Advisor can assist you in improving your wellbeing and help you get back on track.
Your guide to Sheffield
Whether you already live in Sheffield, or you're coming to us from elsewhere, there's plenty to see. From the stunning Peak District right on our doorstep to the trendiest cafes and bars, all the way to Tramlines music festival - we've got it all.
We have a full guide to Sheffield here, including food and drink, sports, arts and culture and how to get around.
Another guide can be found here, which includes information on our festivals, augmented reality art trail 'Look Up' and an alternative LGBTQ+ guide to the city.
There are also maps of Sheffield and information on local public transport to help you traverse Sheffield once you arrive. In fact, we have a range of different maps to help you find your way around: