About

Recognized programmes listed on the course search have been either accredited or approved by a professional engineering institution on behalf of the Engineering Council.

Recognition confirms that a programme:

• meets the standards set by the engineering profession
• fully or partially delivers the underpinning knowledge, understanding and skills and/or some of the competence required for professional registration as a Chartered Engineer (CEng), Incorporated Engineer (IEng), Engineering Technician (EngTech) or Information and Communications Technology Technician (ICTTech).

Holding a recognised degree, qualification or apprenticeship demonstrates achievement of some of the requirements for professional registration. However it is not the only route, and registration requires demonstration of competence and commitment through a professional review. Engineers without recognised qualifications may still be able to apply for registration via a professional engineering institution.

Recognition offers a mark of assurance that the programme meets the standards defined and set by the engineering profession. It also provides confidence that some or all of the underpinning knowledge, understanding and skills for eventual registration with a licensed institution have been met.

Recognition is recorded on the course search by intake date, with the exception of a few older Open University programmes. Any queries about Open University accreditations should be directed to the Professional Engineering Institution that accredited the programme.

Where individuals were given exemption from one or more years of a programme, their intake year is the year they would have started, if they had joined at the beginning of the programme. Eg a person who was admitted to a programme in 2000 with direct entry to the second year, their start year would be 1999 for the purposes of determining recognition status of the programme.

There are three programme types on the course search:

• Degrees are Higher Education programmes delivered by UK or non-UK providers, usually universities or HE colleges.
• Apprenticeships are nationally recognised work-based programmes, which may or may not contain qualifications.
• Qualification is a general term that covers all other types of programme. Many are ‘vocational’ qualifications, but there are other types.

Only degrees, apprenticeships or qualifications accredited or approved by a licensed institution in line with the Engineering Council’s requirements can be listed on the course search.
Approved professional development schemes are not listed on the course search.

The engineering degrees listed on this course search have been accredited by one or more of the licensed institutions. The period of accreditation is normally five years and, except where otherwise stated, the dates apply to the intake year. Accredited status is subject to periodic review normally every five years.

Accredited programme status indicated on this course search only applies to programmes delivered at the main campus of a listed university, unless otherwise stated. Graduates of the same programme at a different location will hold a non-accredited degree for the purposes of registration, unless it is explicitly stated in the note below the programme record, or on a separate record related to their location of study, that it is accredited.

A programme recognised as further learning or requiring further learning does not on its own deliver all the underpinning knowledge, understanding and skills for registration.

The qualifications and apprenticeships listed on this course search have been accredited or approved by one or more of the licensed institutions. The period of accreditation or approval is normally five years and, except where otherwise stated, the dates apply to the intake year. Accredited status is subject to periodic review normally every five years.

Accreditation covers delivery in a specific location (or in some cases by a specific education provider or employer). Approval covers national or international programmes where licensed institutions have determined that external quality assurance provides confidence that the delivery, facilities and assessment meet the required standards in all delivery locations.

Accredited and approved programmes have equivalent status in terms of providing evidence of meeting some or all of the underpinning knowledge, understanding and skills for eventual registration with a licensed institution.

Accredited programme status indicated on this course search only applies to programmes delivered at the specified location, unless otherwise stated.

A programme recognised as further learning or requiring further learning does not on its own deliver all the underpinning knowledge, understanding and skills for registration or international recognition.

You can check the recognition (accreditation or approval) status of any UK engineering degree, qualification or apprenticeship on the course search. Occasionally information published elsewhere, for example on UCAS, Unistats or a university website, does not reflect the information on the database. This may happen if accreditation or approval has expired, a decision has not yet been made, or if there has been an error. If the programme you are interested in is promoted as being accredited or approved but is not listed on the course search for your relevant intake year, check the accreditation or approval status with the licensed institution shown as the accrediting or approving body in the promotional material.

Recognition under the International Engineering Alliance (IEA) Washington, Sydney and Dublin Accords apply to degrees and technician qualifications recognised by a signatory within its jurisdiction. In the case of the Engineering Council this means programmes delivered by providers in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Programmes awarded by a UK provider in the jurisdiction of another Accord signatory may in some cases be accredited by both UK and overseas agencies, or by the overseas agency only. You should contact the Engineering Council for more information. For information related to any other programme studied in the jurisdiction of another Accord signatory you should contact that signatory for further information.

Check that the programme was completed in the UK and which Section the programme is recognised for. The Section will be to support Chartered Engineer (CEng), Incorporated Engineer (IEng), Engineering Technician (EngTech) or Information and Communications Technology ICTTech registration. This is shown within the recognition information for each programme on the course search.

• A Bachelors (with or without honours) started after 2001, accredited for IEng, is recognised under the Sydney Accord.
• An MEng started after 1989, accredited for CEng, is recognised under the Washington Accord.
• A Bachelors (honours), started in or after 1999 and accredited for CEng with further learning required, held alongside a Masters or Doctorate programme accredited as CEng further learning, is a combination of programmes recognised under the Washington Accord.
• If you have completed a programme accredited as further learning but do not have a Bachelors degree accredited in the CEng Section, your combination of qualifications is not recognised under any of the Accords.
• An MEng started after 1989, accredited for CEng, is recognised under the Washington Accord.
• The Dublin Accord applies to programmes recognised for Engineering Technician (EngTech) or Information and Communications Technology Technician (ICTTech) for 2002 and later intakes.

Only degrees, apprenticeships or qualifications accredited or approved by a licensed institution in line with the Engineering Council’s requirements can be listed on the course search.
Approved professional development schemes are not listed on the course search.