School of Mechanical, Aerospace & Civil Engineering. The School of Mechanical, Aerospace & Civil Engineering at the University of Manchester is one of the leading engineering schools in Europe. It was formed in 2004 when three departments from the Victoria University of Manchester and UMIST were united. Each of the three former departments had a long history of excellence in engineering starting in the 1890's with Osborne Reynolds’s study of Fluid Mechanics and Thermodynamics and many of the major advances of the 20th Century began in the University’s laboratories, such as the work by Rutherford leading to the splitting of the atom and the development of the world’s first programmable computer in 1948. Now the School has over 100 academics with a tradition of excellence in research, teaching and links with industry. Our reputation for pioneering research and our proactive relationships with industry and the public services make us not just a centre of academic excellence, but also a force for positive change. We offer a challenging and diverse learning environment and a degree from the School is an international passport to success, with many of our students achieving excellence on a worldwide stage. Our programmes are aimed at producing top quality graduates.