Delivered at our Reading College and University Centre campus, this new Higher Technical Qualification (HTQ) which has been developed in collaboration with employers, professional bodies, and higher education providers to develop students as professional, self-reflecting individuals able to meet the demands of employers in the engineering sector.
Awarding body
Course overview
Application codes
Course Code
6EDEGHAP1R
Institution Code
025
Date, fees & location
Start date
September 2025
Location
Reading College
Fees
Fees for September 2025 entry are £3,265 per year for UK students.
Timetable
Duration
2 Years
Study mode
Part-Time
Attendance
1 day per week
Delivery
On Campus
Award
Course award
On successful completion, you will be awarded a Higher National Certificate (HNC) in Mechanical Engineering (HTQ) from Pearson Education Ltd
Year 1:
- Engineering Design
- Engineering Maths
- Managing a Professional Engineering Project
- Mechanical Engineering Principles
Year 2:
- Fluid Mechanics
- Fundamentals of Thermodynamics and Heat Engines
- Quality and Process Improvement
- Production Engineering for Manufacture
The HNC is an internationally recognised qualification for engineering technicians and will enhance your career prospects. For those wanting to upgrade to an HND, this should be discussed with their personal tutor at the end of a successful year one.
Teaching & Assessment
Support
You will have a range of support made available to you, including academic and pastoral support, learning support and access to additional support funds (if eligible). Please see our Support Pages for further information.
You will be provided with a suitably equipped place to work when attending college, which will include access to specialist staff, IT facilities and other learning resources which will be appropriate for the nature of work you will be required to undertake.
Additionally, the college offers a wide range of other resources and facilities including additional learning support, which will be available to you, further details of which can found in the Higher Education Student Handbook.
Additional study support
Whether you have a recognised disability, specific learning difficulty, or not, you will be eligible to access additional learning support in all the following areas:
- assistive software training
- IT upskilling
- essay planning and structure
- proofreading and editing written work
- bibliographies and referencing
- time management and personal organisation
- revision and exam tips
- presentation techniques
Entry Requirements
A typical offer would be a BTEC Level 3 Diploma at Merit or Distinction with GCSE Maths and English C grade or above/ Functional Skills at Level 2. A-levels in Maths, Science, or IT.
We will consider alternative qualifications or equivalent work experience. Please contact us to discuss your circumstances.
Applicants whose first language is not English must also demonstrate that their level of English is acceptable, by achieving a score in a recognised test such as British Council IELTS -normally minimum level 6.0 overall, with a minimum of 6.0 in the reading and writing components.
Activate Learning welcomes applications from mature students without formal qualifications, who wish to place their experience and knowledge within a formal educational framework. We are happy to support them through the application process via interview.
Normally, the requirement for mature students would be:
- a minimum of the equivalent of two years of relevant work experience and a – current role in an appropriate workplace setting
- evidence of ability to study at academic Level 4
- evidence of support/recommendation from their employer.
Careers
Upon successful completion of the HNC, students will be able to progress to an HND (Higher National Diploma) at Activate Learning or at another institution (dependent upon meeting their entry requirements)
After you complete
Course award
On successful completion, you will be awarded a Higher National Certificate (HNC) in Mechanical Engineering (HTQ) from Pearson Education Ltd
Ready to start your application?
Apply now
Fees
Fee Breakdown
Fees for September 2025 entry are £3,265 per year for UK students.
Please note:
Tuition fees are published for the first year of entry only and may increase in subsequent years for new students in line with an inflationary amount determined by the Office for Students.
There are a variety of funding options available to help finance your studies. If you are a UK (Home) student, you don’t have to pay your tuition fees up front. The government provides loans to cover your full tuition fee. You may also be eligible for a maintenance loan to help cover living costs. Alternatively, your fees may be paid by your employer, or we could arrange a payment schedule if you are paying your own fees.
Additional costs
Students are advised that they will need access to a laptop or PC. We recommend that you budget £100 a year additional costs such as for stationary to undertake your studies. You can borrow textbooks and access journals from the recommended reading lists are available from the Learning Resource Centre. If you choose to purchase textbooks, they may cost up to £60 each.
