You now know all the facts and stats about the Mechanical Engineering at UNSW. If you don’t, have a quick look here.
But, are you still curious about how people feel about this degree? Wonder no more!
We chatted with Matt, a Mechanical Engineering student at UNSW, about what this degree is really like to study.
Have a read!
Why should you study a Mechanical Engineering degree at UNSW?
Top 3 Pros of a Mechanical Engineering Degree
Top 3 Cons of a Mechanical Engineering Degree
Mistakes You Shouldn’t Make
Things to Know Before Starting UNSW Mechanical Engineering
What Makes this Degree Different
Motivations for Studying UNSW Mechanical Engineering
Potential Career Paths
Why should you study a Mechanical Engineering degree at UNSW?
Mechanical Engineers are innovators, coming up with new ways to do things, rarely satisfied with just leaving things the way they are! To study a Mechanical Engineering degree you need to be passionate and dedicated.
If you consider yourself to be a problem solver, enjoy pulling things apart to understand how they work, or just want to use your creativity towards designing new tools, Mechanical Engineering at UNSW could be for you.
“There are countless different directions this degree can take you. If you’re up for a challenge, I say go for it! You won’t regret it if you put yourself fully into it!” Matt tells us.
Top 3 Pros of a Mechanical Engineering degree
#1: The Teachers
Sometimes it can feel like the teachers and tutors can either make or break units during your studies! Mechanical Engineering students need not worry about teachers who are out of touch.
“The Mechanical Engineering lecturers and tutors are amazing! They are so dedicated to the subject and are always on the forefront of innovation. They are so helpful and have such a huge industry knowledge grasp as well!” Matt says.
With passionate and knowledgeable teachers, you will not feel lost.
#2: The Cohort
UNSW prides itself on being a diverse university! The Mechanical Engineering cohort is no exception to this, and you’ll find yourself within an inclusive and welcoming environment.
#3: The Career Paths this degree opens
The only limits to the careers a Mechanical Engineer can take are in their own minds. With roles for mechanical engineering graduates popping up in many places such as factories, labs and even accounting firms, you will be able to go wherever your heart desires you to go!
“There are so many different career paths that can be undertaken from what I understand — automobile manufacturing or even going to join a manufacturing team with the F1 is a pipe dream of mine, personally! This degree really helps you with joining the forefront of development and innovation!” Matt reveals.
Top 3 Cons of a Mechanical Engineering Degree
#1: Group work isn’t everyone’s favourite
Because of how social Mechanical Engineering at UNSW is as a degree, the work you’ll partake in tends to involve a lot of socialisation — plenty of group work within your different subjects. But, as Matt says, this is an opportunity for growth!
“From my experience, the group projects have been amazing at helping us develop teamwork and accountability skills. But also, if you’re a leader, you will definitely figure this out — someone will need to step up!” Matt tells us.
#2: This degree is content-heavy
This degree is not for someone who wants to just coast along and pass — lots of work and time is required to flourish within this degree!
“This is quite a content-heavy degree! In saying this, I’m not necessarily saying that you will need to be reading a lot — this degree is quite different to a history or english type degree! You will be doing lots of quizzes, and questions, getting a good understanding,” Matt tells us.
#3: The contact hours are long
With this degree, you’ll spend quite a lot of time on campus — typically 22 hours per week. This doesn’t take into account the time you’ll need for assignments or homework or meeting up for group work either.
Not to worry though, you won’t be in bad company. Matt tells us that his fellow cohort are some of the “most dedicated and passionate people I have come across!”
Any regrets?
Matt does not have anything he personally regrets about this degree, but he does have a warning for prospective students!
“Go to your lectures! Don’t just stay home — being home and trying things yourself will not help. Having your lecturer explain it to you will be much more beneficial,” Matt says.
So if you really want to get a solid grasp of the concepts taught in this degree, attend your lectures! Don’t waste your tuition fees to just stay at home and try to teach yourself.
What do you wish you had known before starting the degree?
There is a big balance within this degree of work and play, creativity and analytics, fun and hard work! It’s important to note this and take things as they come and be as prepared as you possibly can.
“This degree is so much fun, but in saying that, this degree also rewards and requires a lot of hard work! I love seeing how the world works in the scope of Mech Eng,” Matt says.
What makes this degree different from the ones offered at other universities?
“UNSW is such a diverse, innovative and driven university — Mech Eng definitely reflects this all!” Matt tells us.
UNSW has a 2025 Vision for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion. This means that UNSW has committed to become and continue to be a university that prides itself on accepting staff and students for who they are! UNSW as an institution also prides itself on being able to reflect and improve on the issues within the diverse and broad range of communities we have in Australia.
What inspired you to choose this degree?
“I love how within this degree, UNSW in particular teaches us how to be great Mechanical Engineers from the start to the finish of a project! There are programs out there that can automatically calculate and create things for you, but learning this skill from scratch has been extremely beneficial,” Matt says.
These days, with so many advances in technology, there are so many shortcuts you can take to get to your desired outcome. But at UNSW, you’ll be taught to do things manually so you know exactly how things are done!
What are the possible career paths?
Graduating from UNSW Mechanical Engineering will open up many career paths for you, especially since it’s a field that’s continuing to evolve. Mechanical engineers are also involved in many different industry, so they also need to learn how to market and sell the machines they’ve produced!
Some of the industries that you might find a mechanical engineer in include:
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- Automotive
- Aerospace and transport
- Power generation
- Insurance
- Building services
- Railway systems design
- Consumer goods design and production
- Management consultancies
Matilda Elliott is a Content Writer at Art of Smart and a Communication graduate with a major in Journalism at Western Sydney University. You can find some of her published work in a range of platforms including SBS World News, The Music Network and within her own creative exploits with her twin sister. Matilda is a lover of listening, helping people to tell their stories, making genuine connections, clowning around in her circus troupe and dancing like no one is watching at live music shows!
