×

Course basket

Your basket is empty.
Website search function
Engineering & Science

Engineering - Level 3 National Extended Diploma

Start Date: 1st September 2025
Code: PFFB02122

Essentials

Duration: 2 Years Full-time
Start date: 1st September 2025
End date: 11th June 2027
Information Event: Yes

Course fee: FREE (Eligibility criteria may apply)


  • 1080 Guided Learning Hours (1475 Total Qualification Time).
  • Equivalent in size to three A Levels.
  • 15 units of which 7 are mandatory and 3 are external.
  • Mandatory content (56%).
  • External assessment (33%).

Course Content

This qualification has been designed as a two-year, full-time course that meets entry requirements for learners wanting to progress to employment in engineering. Learners gain relevant skills and knowledge from studying a range of content focused on electrical/electronic and mechanical disciplines, for example, programmable logic controllers and manufacturing computer numerical control machining processes. Progression could be either directly to employment in Level 3 job roles, higher apprenticeship programmes or via higher education courses in engineering.

Throughout both years of study, the students undertake practical workshop activities to enhance the theoretical studies undertaken. If you are accepted onto this course without a Grade C or above in Maths and/or English, you will be required to complete the relevant Essential Skills qualification. This will be a compulsory part of your timetable.

Year 1 Units

  • Engineering Principles*
  • Delivery of Engineering Processes Safely as a Team
  • Applied Commercial and Quality Principles in Engineering  
  • Microcontroller Systems for Engineers*
  • Computer Aided Design in Engineering 
  • Electronic Printed Circuit Board Design and Manufacture
  • Manufacturing Secondary Machining Processes

Year 2 Units

  • Product Design and Manufacture*
  • A Specialist Engineering Project
  • Calculus to Solve Engineering Problems
  • Further Engineering Mathematics
  • Three Phase Electrical Systems
  • Mechanical Measurement & Inspection Technology
  • Programmable Logic Controllers
  • Manufacturing Computer Numerical Control Machining Processes
  • Industrial Robotics
  • Sustainable Transport

*Externally assessed


Farm Lodge
Ballymena
BT43 7DF
0333 034 8197

Contact

Admissions

This course is also available in other NRC campuses.

Essential Skills

All full-time students at Northern Regional College have the opportunity to improve their English, Maths and ICT skills and gain qualifications. The qualification you take will depend on the qualification you already have. If you do not have a grade C or above in GCSE English, Maths or ICT, you MUST complete Essential Skills; this will form a compulsory part of your timetable. If you are planning to go on to further study (for example university), please check if a GCSE qualification (rather than Essential Skills Level 2 equivalent) is required. For those who have a GCSE grade D in Maths or English, we offer a GCSE fast-track course.

Show Essential Skills courses