Engineering Reading List

The list of books below are ones that will be useful to you at Oxford, and provide an introduction to the materials you will study. Many are available secondhand if you choose to buy them, and there is certainly no need to buy all those listed here. In Oxford, all these are available in the College.

Please find below the welcome pack from your department which contains so exercise that you must complete before you come to Oxford and bring with you as there will be sessions on the work right at the beginning of term.

Engineering Faculty Welcome Pack + Exercises

Mathematics

Prior to arrival, those who have not done double maths will benefit from reading:

For the first year of study:

  • Advanced Engineering Mathematics: : E. Kreyszig (Wiley) OR
  • Advanced Engineering Mathematics: K.A Stroud and Dexter J. Booth (Palgrave MacMillan) — Note that this is a different book to Engineering Mathematics by the same authors OR
  • Mathematical Methods for Science Students: G Stephenson (Longman)

Materials

  • The New Science of Strong Materials: J.E. Gordon (Princeton Science Library), is a very accessible and readable introduction to the key ideas. Not a textbook, but a worthwhile read which would make for good pre-course reading over the summer vacation. See also “Structures” by the same author in the Mechanics section below
  • Engineering Materials I: M.F. Ashby and D.R.H. Jones (Butterworth Heinemann) — Any edition is fine

Fluid dynamics and Thermodynamics

  • Mechanics of Fluids: B.S. Massey (Taylor & Francis/CRC Press)
  • Fluid Mechanics: F. White (SI Units) (McGraw-Hill)
  • Introductory Transport Phenomena: R.B. Bird, W.E. Stewart, E.N. Lightfood, and D.J. Klingenberg (Wiley) — There is an older book on which this is based just called ‘Transport Phenomena’ by the first three authors which is extremely similar and may be significantly cheaper

  • Fundamentals of Engineering Thermodynamics: M.J. Moran, H.N Shapiro, D.D Boettner and M.B. Bailey (SI Units) (Wiley)
  • Introduction to Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics: J.M. Smith, H. Can Ness, M. Abbott, and M.T. Swihart (SI Units) (McGraw-Hill)
  • Thermodynamics: An Engineering Approach: Y.A Cengel, M.A. Boles, and M. Kanoglu (SI Units) (McGraw-Hill)
  • Basic Engineering Thermodynamics: P.B. Whalley (OUP)

4. Electricity

  • Electrical Circuits and Systems: an Introduction for Engineers and Physical Scientists: A.M. Howatson (OUP), chapters 1–3. (This is written by a former Balliol Tutor and follows the pattern of teaching used in the course. The book was out of print as of June 2014, but secondhand copies may be available online.)
  • Electrical and Electronic Technology: Hughes E. (Pearson)
  • Circuits, Devices and Systems: Smith, R.J. & Dorf, R.C.

5. Mechanics

  • Structures: J.E Gordon (Da Capo/Penguin). Similar to ‘The New Science of Strong Materials’ by the same author (recommended above in the ‘Materials’ section). This is not a textbook but provides a friendly introduction to important ideas and is well worth reading. This book would make good pre-course reading over the summer vacation.
  • Structures: Theory and Analysis: M.S. Williams and J.D. Todd (Red Globe Press/Macmillan Education)
  • Engineering Mechanics: Statics - J.L. Meriam and L.G. Kraige (SI units) (Wiley)
  • Engineering Mechanics: Dynamics - J.L. Meriam and L.G. Kraige (SI units) (Wiley)

General questions about the Engineering Courses should be addressed to Professor Jin-Chong Tan.

July 2023