Bachelor of Engineering with Honours

Study for a professional qualification that focuses on digital-based technology.

The Bachelor of Engineering with Honours (BE(Hons)) is a four-year professional degree that’s accredited by Engineering New Zealand to internationally recognised benchmarks.

Engineer your career

The Bachelor of Engineering with Honours will give you a solid grounding in engineering and science through the design and implementation of real-world systems. Gain the knowledge and skills to design and build exciting technology like autonomous robots, renewable energy systems, smartphone applications, computer games, or secure systems.

Get the chance to put your skills into practice through research and development projects, and have opportunities to work with industry throughout your time at university. You’ll also get training in project management and entrepreneurship and consider ethics and sustainability in your work.

When you graduate with your BE(Hons), you’ll have a degree that is recognised all over the world and has full accreditation from Engineering New Zealand.

Download our handbook

Fill in a form to download our qualification handbook and find out more about your study options in the School of Engineering and Computer Science.

Get a taste for university

Watch this short taster lecture to help you decide which degree is right for you. If you're curious to explore more, check out our full library of taster lectures.

Build your degree

You can major in one of four subjects for the BE(Hons):

• Cybersecurity Engineering
• Electrical and Electronic Engineering
• Mechatronics Engineering
• Software Engineering.

If you don't know which major you want to do yet, talk to your Student Success Adviser about choosing courses that will keep your options open. You can find their details in Pūaha, the University’s student portal.

Scholarships for international students

We are currently offering a NZ$15,000 VUW Undergraduate International Scholarship to all eligible international students enrolling in a Bachelor’s degree. Your scholarship will be processed automatically when your programme application is accepted, and the amount will be deducted from your tuition fees.

First year

In your first year of the Bachelor of Engineering with Honours, you’ll learn about:

• computer program design
• data structures and algorithms
• engineering mathematics and modelling
• cybersecurity
• computer games
• artificial intelligence
• engineering technology.

You’ll get a general introduction to engineering practice, covering the basics of software, hardware, and network systems. And you’ll apply this knowledge to complete a project—the Autonomous Vehicle Challenge. In this project, you’ll work as part of a team to build a vehicle that has a processing board, a motor driver, and a network link to communicate its progress back to a central computer.

Second, third, and fourth year

In your second, third, and fourth years of the degree, you’ll study 200-, 300-, and 400-level courses covering subjects specific to your major. You’ll also learn about professional practice and do 800 hours of approved work experience.

To add breadth to your BE(Hons) degree, you’ll be able to take some elective courses.

In your third and fourth years of study, you’ll work on industry projects and complete specialist and core courses. You’ll graduate ready to start your career.

If your grades are consistently good—particularly in your third and fourth years—you may be awarded the degree with First Class Honours, Second Class Honours (first division), or Second Class Honours (second division).

Future careers with your degree

As a BE(Hons) graduate, you’ll have the technical knowledge and practical experience to forge a career in a range of high-growth fields.

With international accreditation, you can be confident knowing your degree will be recognised both in New Zealand and overseas.

Future jobs

Your study may lead to a career as a:

• software engineer
• electrical power engineer
• robotics engineer
• space engineer
• product engineer
• data analyst
• information security analyst
• business analyst
• systems architect.

Potential employers

Recent BE(Hons) graduates work for employers such as:

• tech companies—Trade Me, Datacom, Atlassian, Catalyst IT, Xero, Google, IBM, Wētā FX, Apple, Microsoft, Eagle Technology, DXC Technology, Palantir
• engineering firms and electricity companies—Beca, Transpower, Wellington Electricity, Infratec, Aurora Energy, Powerco
• consulting firms—PwC, Ernst & Young, KPMG, Deloitte
• government and public sector organisations.

Scholarships

You may be able to get a scholarship to help fund your studies at Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington.

We have first year and school leaver scholarships available, scholarships for returning students in their second or third year of study, and specialised scholarships for different groups and subject areas.

Available scholarships

• First year and school leaver scholarships
• Search scholarships
• DataCom Systems Scholarship in Computer Science
• Entain NZ Scholarsip for Women in Mathematics, Engineering, and Technology
• T.J.A. Ballinger Scholarships
• InPhySec Cyber Security Scholarships
• Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington Data Science and Artificial Intelligence Māori Undergraduate Scholarship
• Trimble Karahipi Hangarau / Technology Scholarship
• The Graham Kelly Engineering and Computer Science Scholarships for Pasifika Students.

You can also apply for a TeachNZ Scholarship. These scholarships are awarded based on specific areas where teachers are needed, including science, technology and mathematics.

• TeachNZ Scholarships

International scholarships

Many scholarships are available for international students at Victoria University of Wellington. They can help with tuition fees and with accommodation costs.

Working as a tutor

You can apply to tutor undergraduate courses in the School of Engineering and Computer Science. To become a tutor, you need to be in your second year or above and have good results in your courses.

️Postgraduate study

Engineering and Computer Science are complex and fast-moving disciplines. We’re committed to excellence in both teaching and research.

Our postgraduate programmes support new graduates, professional engineers, and those who are looking for a change of career to explore any aspect of these disciplines.