Mechanical engineering courses

A mechanical engineering course covers diverse areas of expertise, ranging from physics to data to design, which you will apply when working within the profession.  

The subject matter will vary depending on your exact mechanical engineering course, but you may cover topics such as:  

• Chemistry 

• Physics  

• Numerical modelling  

• Advanced materials  

• Robotics  

• Aerospace systems  

• Renewable energy  

• Systems design

Mechanical engineering is a challenging but fascinating and satisfying field. If you enjoy finding new solutions to problems, collaborating with other talented professionals, and working on a range of interesting projects, you could make a great mechanical engineer. 

With a mechanical engineering degree under your belt, you’ll have a broad range of career paths to choose from. You could find yourself working on anything from automotive systems to aerospace projects to robotics.

Yes, you can absolutely study mechanical engineering online—especially the more conceptual topics. There are online options for undergraduate, postgraduate, and short courses or subjects in mechanical engineering.

To qualify for entry into undergraduate courses in mechanical engineering, you will likely need a minimum ATAR score and to have studied some specific subjects in high school. For postgraduate courses in mechanical engineering, you will generally need an undergraduate engineering degree.  

Make sure you read the ‘entry requirements’ section on the course pages you’re interested in, to check that you meet the criteria. 

Consider an Associate Degree in Engineering, if you don’t have a strong academic history. With its lower entry requirements, this 2-year qualification offers a pathway into a full engineering degree.

With a background in mechanical engineering, you’ll find your skills are transferable to a range of engineering roles.  

You may find work as a: 

• Mechanical engineer 

• Mechanical technician  

• Automotive engineer  

• Civil engineer 

• Biomedical engineer 

• Aerospace engineer

Mechanical engineering has its place in almost every field of work, but there are key industries where its impact is crucial: 

• General manufacturing 

• Medicine 

• Automotive  

• Rail 

• Aerospace 

• Building and construction 

• Minerals and energy 

• Defence 

• Heating, cooling and ventilation 

• Robotics 

• Acoustics

Enrolling online is simple. Here’s how it works:

1. Find your course

• Browse the options on this page.

• Use our comparison tool to explore the different choices.

• Need help? Book a free phone consultation with a student advisor for personalised guidance.

2. Start your enrolment

• When you’re ready, click ‘Start studying now’ on the course page.

• Follow the prompts to begin your enrolment.

• You’ll need to provide supporting documents, such as:

  • Proof of identity

  • Your tax file number

  • A Unique Student Identifier (USI)

3. Wait for confirmation

Your chosen university will email you to confirm if your enrolment has been successful.

Note: Some courses have enquiries and applications handled directly by the university. If this applies, it will be clearly stated on the course listing page.

For more details, check our online self-service enrolment guide. And if you need help at any stage, contact us and we’ll talk you through it.

There are other types of engineering that could interest you, as well as related study areas in STEM. Here are a few we recommend, based on what you might like to achieve:  

You can also book a phone consultation with an Open Universities Australia student advisor for personalised course advice.