Summary

The Tripos regulations state that: ‘to obtain honours in Part IIA of the Engineering Tripos or the Manufacturing Engineering Tripos, a candidate must satisfy the Examiners that he or she has such industrial or equivalent experience as shall be determined by the Faculty Board’.

Faculty Board Requirements

The Faculty Board of Engineering have agreed that, apart from the exception detailed below, students should be required to complete a minimum of 6 weeks of relevant industrial or equivalent experience by the end of Part IIA of the Engineering or Manufacturing Engineering Triposes.

Note for students who wish to transfer to Part IIA from other Triposes

Students who transfer to Part IIA of the Engineering or Manufacturing Engineering Triposes from another Tripos must complete a minimun of 4 weeks of relevant experience by the end of Part IIA. You must seek advice from the Industrial Placements Coordinator before applying to transfer. The Placements Coordinator will advise whether any vocational experience which they have undertaken to date can be counted towards the industrial or equivalent experience requirement.

Definition of relevant industrial or equivalent experience

Relevant industrial or equivalent experience is defined as work of a technical nature that is related to the subjects studied in the Engineering Tripos and the Manufacturing Engineering Tripos. It may involve research, design, development, testing, manufacturing, fabrication or construction-related work and should include interaction with the work of others who are likely to be professionally qualified.

Students who have undertaken any relevant experience prior to their arrival may be able to count it towards the requirement and should seek confirmation from the Industrial Placements Coordinator. A counter-signed report will be necessary to show as evidence.

Any dispute concerning the interpretation of these requirements will be determined by appeal to the Head of the Department of Engineering, whose decision will be final.

Documentation

Confirmation is required from an authorised officer of the company or institution where the industrial or equivalent experience has been obtained. A report template is available through the Industrial Placements Moode portal for current undergraduates, although a letter of confirmation including the relevant information complete with a counter-signature from the employer would suffice.

Advice

The Department of Engineering has a dedicated Industrial Placements Coordinator, who supports and advises students in finding suitable placements to meet the course requirements. The Placements Coordinator maintains a comprehensive database of suitable companies which is accessible to current students. The Placements Coordinator is also available for CV and Cover Letter advice and questions relating to interview processes and other practical elements of the process.

Further information is available on the Moodle portal and the Industrial Placement website.