A university has been awarded a £575,000 grant to fund a degree it hopes will change people's perceptions of engineering.

Students will study engineering alongside topics such as the environment, international development and education.

The money from the Higher Education Funding Council for England is funding jobs for two teachers and one field worker who will introduce school pupils to the possibilities of the subject.

Professor Richard Stobart, head of engineering and design at the University of Sussex, said: "One popular perception of engineering is of men tinkering with cars but there is much more to the subject.

"The world needs streetwise engineers who can create and communicate in industry, commerce and government. We will be opening a whole new branch of the profession."