Bachelor of Engineering (Honours)
at The University of Sydney, New South Wales.
A four-year accredited engineering honours degree. Most programmes ladder a common first year into civil, mechanical, electrical, chemical, software or mechatronic majors with mandatory industry placement.
ATAR cutoff history
Published cutoff data for the The University of Sydney Bachelor of Engineering (Honours). We never invent figures; entries marked "not published" mean the university or admissions centre has not released a verified cutoff for that intake.
| Intake year | ATAR cutoff | Admissions centre |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | ATAR cutoff not published | UAC |
| 2023 | ATAR cutoff not published | UAC |
| 2022 | ATAR cutoff not published | UAC |
No verified cutoffs are available. Confirm the latest figure on the official UAC cutoff release.
Prerequisite Year 12 subjects
Brush up on each prerequisite with our state-syllabus explainers and dot points.
What you will study
The BE(Hons) at USyd is a four-year Engineers Australia accredited program. Year one is a shared engineering core: engineering computing (Python or MATLAB), engineering mathematics and statistics, engineering mechanics, design and innovation, plus a physics or chemistry unit. Most students confirm their major (Civil, Mechanical, Electrical, Chemical, Software, Mechatronic, Environmental, Mining, Aerospace, Materials, Biomedical) at the end of year one. Year two carries discipline core units, design studios and laboratories. Year three runs advanced discipline units, electives and starts the engineering thesis or project unit sequence. Year four is dominated by an individual research project or industry-linked thesis, professional engineering practice, electives and a capstone design project. Most BE(Hons) programs require 60 days (or 12 weeks) of supervised industry placement before graduation as a condition of EA accreditation.
Example first-year subjects
- Engineering Mechanics
- Engineering Mathematics 1A and 1B
- Engineering Computing
- Engineering Design and Innovation
- Physics 1A: Mechanics
- Materials and Manufacturing
How you will be assessed
- Final exams of 40 to 60 percent in maths-heavy engineering core units
- Laboratory reports and pre-lab quizzes
- Design studio submissions with drawings, prototypes and team presentations
- Programming and modelling assignments using MATLAB, Python or specialty software
- Capstone individual thesis (year four) supervised by an academic
- Industry placement logbook and supervisor evaluation
Placement and industry experience
Engineers Australia accreditation requires a minimum of 60 days of supervised industry placement before graduation. USyd runs an industry placement office to match students with engineering employers, predominantly in Sydney CBD. Hosts include major engineering consulting firms (consulting and design), contractors, infrastructure agencies, mining and energy companies, water utilities, NSW government departments and tech firms. Most students complete their placement across summer breaks in year two and year three. The placement is unpaid for credit or paid at industry-standard rates depending on employer.
Career outcomes
- Graduates work as professional engineers in civil, mechanical, electrical, mining and software roles after gaining Engineers Australia registration.
- Common destinations include consulting engineering firms (AECOM, Aurecon, Arup), infrastructure agencies and major mining and energy companies.
- Many alumni move into project management, technology start-ups or graduate management programmes within five years.
Professional accreditation
- Engineers Australia
Typical first jobs
- Graduate engineer at large consulting and design firms
- Graduate engineer at construction and infrastructure contractors
- Graduate engineer at mining and energy companies
- Software or systems engineer at tech, banking and defence companies
- Project engineer at infrastructure agencies and utilities
- Graduate in government engineering departments and councils
Graduate starting salary
$75,000 - $90,000 per year
Source: https://www.qilt.edu.au/surveys/graduate-outcomes-survey-(gos). Last reviewed 2026-05-21.
After graduation
Honours classification is built into the degree (no extra year required). Top students enter research masters or PhD pathways. Common postgraduate pivots include Master of Engineering Science (specialty stream), Master of Project Management, Master of Construction Management and the MBA. The Engineers Australia pathway leads to Chartered Status (CPEng) after typically three to five years of supervised work. Combined bachelors with Commerce, Science, Computer Science, Arts and Laws are widely offered.
Is this the right degree for you?
You probably thrive here if
- Students who excelled in Year 12 maths (typically Extension 1 or Extension 2) and physics
- Those who enjoy building and problem solving in teams
- People aiming for chartered engineering status and a long technical career
- Students happy to do industry placement during summers
- Those willing to manage demanding workloads across four years
It is probably not for you if
- Students wanting a three-year degree with light maths
- Those who dislike laboratory and design-studio work
- Anyone uncomfortable with high contact hours (typically 22 to 28 per week)
Careers this leads to
Australian career pathways that name this Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) as an entry route. Each page shows uni, TAFE and apprenticeship alternatives.
Sources
Course details are summarised by ExamExplained, not copied from the university. Confirm course content and ATAR cutoffs on the The University of Sydney handbook and on UAC before applying. Page generated at https://examexplained.com.au/uni/usyd/bachelor-of-engineering-honours.