Overview
Did you know that the Airbus A380, Boeing Dreamliner and Eurofighter Typhoon each had key mechanical and electrical systems designed and developed here in this country? The UK is also one of few countries in the world with the resources to design and manufacture aircraft and advanced helicopters.
The Aerospace Technology course concentrates on engineering mathematics, aircraft systems, control systems, aerodynamics, aircraft structures and manufacturing, mechanical engineering and engineering management. Gaining knowledge in these subject areas upon successful completion, will provide successful graduates with a strong base from which to start professional work in aerospace design using the latest software tools.
Previous graduates have gone on to become aircraft engineering officers (both military and civil), design engineers, quality engineers and engineering managers for a wide variety of companies. Our previous students have also become pilots and worked in the whole spectrum of aerospace careers.
The course aims to deliver teaching material in an integrated way to reflect the multi-disciplinary nature of the aerospace industry. The variety of teaching, learning and assessment strategies are designed to develop graduates who have the ability to work effectively, efficiently and collaboratively within an aerospace engineering company.
You will have the opportunity to develop practical system design skills with hands-on access to our modern equipment, which includes a Harrier Jump Jet, flight simulation suite, Mercedes Petronas Wind Tunnel and industry standard software.
Our suite of ‘Mechanical Engineering’ courses are ranked 3rd in the UK by the Guardian University Guide 2020.
Why Coventry University?
An award-winning university, we are committed to providing our students with the best possible experience. We continue to invest in both our facilities and our innovative approach to education. Our students benefit from industry-relevant teaching, and resources and support designed to help them succeed. These range from our modern library and computing facilities to dedicated careers advice and our impressive Students’ Union activities.
To ensure an optimised and continual student experience, the university may deliver certain contact hours and assessments via emerging online technologies and methods across all courses.
Global ready
An international outlook, with global opportunitiesEmployability
Career-ready graduates, with the skills to succeedTeaching Excellence
Taught by lecturers who are experts in their fieldCourse essentials
A degree which offers you more, at no extra costAccreditation and Professional Recognition
This course is accredited and recognised by the following bodies:
Royal Aeronautical Society (RAeS)
Aerospace Systems Engineering BEng (Hons) is currently accredited by the Royal Aeronautical Society (RAeS), as fully meeting the educational requirements for Incorporated Engineer (IEng) registration and partially satisfying the educational requirements for Chartered Engineer (CEng) registration.
The University’s accreditation with RAeS shall be up for renewal in 2022, and all students intakes up to and including the 2022 academic year should be covered by the current accreditation.
Our Facilities
Flight Simulators
Our simulators create an exciting way to learn, with 61 channels of flight data which can be analysed to assess the accuracy of a students’ own design. The simulators are incorporated into an air traffic control environment.
Harrier Jet
Our Harrier T4 allows students to gain hands-on experience with the parts, tools and mechanical aspects of a real aircraft. It is used by many engineering disciplines to learn how an aircraft works and how to maintain it.
Unmanned Systems Laboratory
Used by our aerospace students to build model aircrafts. Finished designs may be entered into the BMFA Heavy lift Challenge and the IMechE UAS Challenge.
What our students say...
Aerospace Technology as a course has taught me how to apply theory from the books to the real engineering problems. The modern technology enables your imagination to come to life. The amazing lecturers are always there to push you a little harder so that you can go an extra mile and achieve your dreams. Although I was an international student the people around me always made an extra effort to make me feel at home. The university along with the amazing faculty has not only helped me develop technical skills as an aerospace engineer but also made me a more confident and outgoing person.
Course information
Designed to support the UK Standard for Professional Engineering Competence (UK-SPEC), this course aims to develop a thorough understanding of the fundamental principles of systems engineering and aerospace management. Primarily based upon mechanical systems for aerospace vehicles, you will have the opportunity to gain good practical knowledge of electrical and electronic engineering.
96%
of students were satisfied overall with the course.
Discover Uni, 2020
Course specification
Download PDF
Modules
We regularly review our course content, to make it relevant and current for the benefit of our students. For these reasons, course modules may be updated.
Our mechanical engineering courses are ranked 3rd in the UK by the Guardian University Guide 2020.
In more detail...
This course offers variety of curriculum and learning opportunities, industrial insight and a range of technical facilities.
The aerospace industry can provide one of the most challenging environments for the development and testing of new technologies. Offering a range of exciting careers, there is a growing demand for aerospace engineers with systems knowledge who can perform in a multidisciplinary team to support the design, testing and in-service support aspects of the next generation of aircraft systems.
This course aims to enable you to develop and critically analyse engineering technologies, components and processes utilised in the aerospace industry. The course is designed for engineering students that are interested in working in the global aerospace sector as it continues to grow and evolve. You should learn how to apply your engineering knowledge to address the rapid development of technology and the requirement for, amongst others, cost-effective carbon reduction solutions. This course aims to meet the demand for skilled engineers and upon successful completion graduate career prospects could be wide ranging, including design, manufacturing, MRO engineering and management.
You could also gain experience of the industry first-hand through our exciting industry field trips which usually take place during your final year*, which have previously included Emirates Airlines in Dubai, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), NASA Goddard Space Flight Centre in the US,Airbus (Toulouse), Airbus (Marseille) and Finmeccanica in Europe. Trips are open to all students.
The School of Mechanical, Aerospace and Automotive Engineering enjoys an excellent reputation for teaching, student experience and research. We work closely with the Royal Aeronautical Society (RAeS) and our strong industry links, with companies such as Emirates, Jaguar Land Rover, GE Aviation, Meggitt, UTC Aerospace Systems, Airbus, Rolls Royce, Unipart and Birmingham International Airport, can lead to placement opportunities and collaborative projects*.
You will be taught by current staff with industry and research experience in a variety of disciplines, such as aerodynamics, flight dynamics and avionics having worked for Bombardier, Rolls Royce, BAE Systems, Marston Aerospace and the Ministry of Defence. Their research expertise ranges from aerodynamics, flight dynamics, aircraft structural analysis, crashworthiness modelling and avionics to human factors in aviation; it is utilised both within the research informed teaching on the course and in the final year project.
The highly practical and technical focus of the programme concentrates on engineering mathematics, aircraft systems, control systems, aerodynamics, aircraft structures and manufacturing, mechanical engineering and engineering management; all of which give our graduates the opportunity to build a strong base from which to start professional work in aerospace design using the latest software tools. Previous graduates have obtained jobs in the military as pilots and engineers, as systems design engineers and engineers in various aspects of the aerospace industry.
* Please note that we are unable to guarantee any trip, placement or study abroad opportunities and that all such opportunities may be subject to additional costs (e.g. travel, visas and accommodation etc.), competitive application, availability and/or meeting any applicable visa requirements. To ensure that you fully understand the requirements in this regard, please contact the International Office for further details if you are an EU or International student.
- Our ‘Mechanical Engineering’ courses are ranked 3rd in the UK (Guardian University Guide, 2020).
- Currently accredited by Royal Aeronautical Society (RAeS) for the 2021-22 intake, as fully meeting the educational requirements for Incorporated Engineer (IEng) registration and partially satisfying the educational requirements for Chartered Engineer (CEng) registration. If the accreditation of this course changes, we would seek to notify applicants and students as soon as possible.
- Expert free to attend guest lectures (subject to availability), which have previously covered topics such as green landing systems, airship developments, aircraft design and training, and non-destructive testing in aircraft braking systems.
- On and off site access to commercial engineering software, including 3D CAD, Finite Element Analysis, Computational Fluid Dynamics and Multibody Systems for design and simulation, as well as training in industry standard CATIA, HyperWorks, STAR-CCM+, SIMPACK and Matlab/Simulink software.
- A range of facilities including a full-size Harrier Jet (used for teaching), 3 full scale flight simulators, wind tunnel, composites lab, metrology lab, environmental test lab, flow lab, AVL engine test cell, automotive workshop, fatigue and tensile testing (Instron), civil engineering specialist testing equipment, a range of CNC machinery and a laser workshop.
Your main study themes are:
- Aerodynamics and Aircraft Systems: A broad introduction to each of the main aeronautical engineering disciplines. Covering the essentials of aerodynamics, aircraft systems and powerplants, you will have the opportunity to develop the skills to plan, perform, record, analyse and evaluate experimentation within an aerospace environment. Legal issues of relevance to the aerospace industry are also covered.
- Aerospace Technology: Aims to enhance your awareness of the design of typical aerospace systems through the study of the relevant aerodynamic theory and aircraft systems.
- Avionics: Presents the concepts of signal acquisition and processing required as part of the study of avionic systems, including data communication and signal conditioning as applied in aircraft systems.
- Industry and professional skills: Designed to develop your aerospace management skills and provide exposure to the specific regulatory environment associated with aerospace projects.
- Human factors in aerospace technology: Designed to provide you with the opportunity to develop a broad understanding of the human factors and their impact within the aerospace industrial environment, such as error, reliability, manufacturing, maintenance, methods and performance shaping factors.
This course can be studied full-time over three years or four years including the optional sandwich placement.
We incorporate a wide range of learning and teaching methods as part of our innovative Activity-Led Learning (ALL) approach, taking advantage of our hands-on facilities. We aim to motivate you to learn through activities, such as disassembling and inspecting the Harrier jet, building models and prototypes in our workshops and investigating a project, problem, scenario, case study or enquiry in a classroom, laboratory or work setting. This approach should challenge you to build your professional awareness and should help you learn technical, personal and professional skills. When exploring the effect of human factors within the aerospace industry, such as error, you may also study a number of real-life case studies, including air-accident investigations.
The full range of teaching methods include: lectures with associated practice, laboratory, workshop exercises and tutorials; problem-based learning in groups with tutor or industrial mentor support; group learning; formative modelling exercises; and independent research. Online teaching may also be used.
You will have the opportunity to work with staff on real-world problems from industry, commerce and research groups, as you would in professional practice; this means that you may develop a range of professional skills at the same time as you learn the technical content of your degree. For example, in the past, students have tackled the design of landing gear, steering and wing aerodynamics for a light aircraft industrial partner.
This course will be assessed using a variety of methods which will could vary depending upon the module. Assessment methods include formal examinations, coursework, tests, essays, practical or project work, group work and presentations.
The Coventry University Group assessment strategy ensures that our courses are fairly assessed and allows us to monitor student progression towards the achieving the intended learning outcomes.
On successful completion, you will have knowledge of:
- Aerospace systems
- Mechanical and electrical science
- Materials and design
- Operation of the aerospace industry
- Management of engineering (including social, economic, ethical and environmental concerns)
On successful completion, you will be able to:
- Solve engineering problems
- Analyse engineering systems
- Design system solutions
- Search and evaluate information sources
- Adopt a holistic approach to aerospace systems in a commercial context
- Undertake experimental investigations
- Employ appropriate engineering tools
- Work on aircraft systems
- Construct and maintain engineering documentation
- Use software tools
Actual teaching contact hours will vary depending on the level of study and the requirements of a particular semester. In a typical week your contact hours will be divided amongst personal tutorials; medium group teaching in tutorial sessions, lab sessions and workshops; and large group teaching, lectures. In addition, you will be expected to undertake significant self-directed study approximately 16-20 hours each week, depending on the demands of individual modules.
The number of contact hours may vary from semester to semester, however, on average, it is likely to be around 15 contact hours per week in the first year, around 18 contact hours per week in the second year and around 15 contact hours per week in the final year as you become a more independent learner.
The University is committed to providing a global educational experience and we encourage you to undertake a placement year or study year abroad* after your second year of study. We will endeavour to support you in finding a placement anywhere in the world and in seeking financing for that experience.
Placements are currently primarily available in Europe, America or Asia. Previous students have been placed in GKN Aerospace (Munich, Germany), Bertrandt (Hamburg, Germany), Airbus (Toulouse, France) and studied Aerospace Engineering (UPM, Spain).
We have traditionally organised a range of foreign field trips* and, as part of a new partnership deal with Emirates Aviation University, our students recently had the chance to visit the Emirates Maintenance Centre and explore Dubai, which provided the opportunity to experience Middle Eastern culture, the modern architecture of Dubai, the climate, food and interact with other multi-ethnic university students studying in Dubai.
*Please note that we are unable to guarantee any trip, placement or study abroad opportunities and that all such opportunities may be subject to additional costs (e.g. travel, visas and accommodation etc.), competitive application, availability and/or meeting any applicable visa requirements. To ensure that you fully understand the requirements in this regard, please contact the International Office for further details if you are an EU or International student.
Global ready
Did you know we help more students travel internationally than any other UK university according to data from the experts in higher education data and analysis, HESA?
In 2018/19, we were able to provide a total of 5,469 experiences abroad that lasted at least five days.
Much of this travel is made possible through our Global Leaders Programme, which enables students to prepare for the challenges of the global employment market, as well as strengthening and developing their broader personal and professional skills.
Explore our international experiences1st for
international experiences
Sending more students overseas than any other UK uni 2016/17
5,469
Student experiences
The number of student trips abroad for at least 5 days in 2018/19
12,000
and counting
The number of students we’ve helped travel internationally since 2016
12
global programmes
As well as trips, we offer other opportunities like language courses
Entry Requirements
Tuition Fees
We pride ourselves on offering competitive tuition fees which we review on an annual basis and offer a wide range of scholarships to support students with their studies. Course fees are calculated on the basis of what it costs to teach each course and we aim for total financial transparency.
For more information, please visit our Finance pages.
Course essentials at no extra cost
We're committed to communicating study costs clearly to make sure you're not faced with having to make any unexpected payments.
This is why our ‘Flying Start’ package provides you with a few course essentials. Your full-time fee for an undergraduate degree will cover the following:
UK field trips
Any mandatory site visits and trips within the United Kingdom.Key material
This can include core textbooks, software and equipment.Laser prints
1,000 A4 sides of black and white laser printing credits per year.Optional year
Pay no tuition fees for optional work placements or study abroad trips.This course may incur additional costs associated with any field trips, placements or work experience, study abroad opportunities or any other opportunity (whether required or optional), which could include (but is not limited to) travel, accommodation, activities and visas. This course may incur additional costs associated with any equipment, materials, bench fees, studio or facilities hire. Additional costs not included in the fees:
- Any optional overseas field trips or visits
- Optional personal computer and software
- Optional flying lessons and private pilot’s licence
EU student fees
EU nationals starting in the 2020/21 academic year remain eligible for the same fees as home students and the same financial support. Financial support comes from Student Finance England, and covers undergraduate and postgraduate study for the duration of their course, providing they meet the residency requirement.
For tuition fee loans
EU nationals starting in the 2020/21 academic year must have resided in the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland for the three years prior to the start of their course. The purpose of that three year residency should not have been mainly for the purpose of receiving full time education.
For maintenance loans
EU nationals starting in the 2020/21 academic year must have resided in the UK and Islands for the five years prior to the start of their course. The purpose of that five year residency should not have been mainly for the purpose of receiving full time education.
Career prospects
Graduate Immigration Route visa
Based on current information from the UK Government, international students whose study extends beyond summer 2021 may be eligible for a visa under the UK Government’s Graduate Immigration Route, which will enable students to stay and work, or look for work, in the UK at any skill level for up to two (2) years. Check the most up to date guidance available to check your eligibility and any updates from the UK Government before making an application or enrolment decision.
The UK aerospace industry is considered the largest in Europe and second only to USA (according to ADS Aerospace Facts & Figures). The industry had turnover of £31 billion in 2016 and includes BAE Systems, GKN and Rolls-Royce, and a range of international companies with operations in the UK, such as Airbus, Cobham, AgustaWestland, Finmeccanica, Thales, Boeing and Bombardier.
This course aims to produce graduates with the skills to become successful design engineers and engineering managers, both in aerospace and the wider engineering context, in fields such as aircraft and components design and manufacture, maintenance and testing, propulsion systems, flight simulation, aviation, avionics, patent engineering, financial services and many more.
Coventry University is committed to preparing you for your future career and giving you a competitive edge in the graduate job market. The university’s Talent Team provide a wide range of support services to help you plan and prepare for your career.
Where our graduates work
Previous graduates have gone on to become aircraft engineering officers (both military and civil), design engineers, quality engineers and engineering managers for a wide variety of companies. Our previous students have also become pilots and worked in the whole spectrum of aerospace careers.
Disclaimer
By accepting your offer of a place and enrolling with us, a Student Contract will be formed between you and the university. A copy of the 2020/21 Contract can be found here. The Contract details your rights and the obligations you will be bound by during your time as a student and contains the obligations that the university will owe to you. You should read the Contract before you accept an offer of a place and before you enrol at the university.
The tuition fee for the course that is stated on the course webpage and in the prospectus for the first year of study will apply. We will review our tuition fees each year. For UK and EU students, if Parliament permit an increase in tuition fees, we may increase fees for each subsequent year of study in line with any such changes. Note that any increase is expected to be in line with inflation. Following the UK’s exit from the European Union, EU students should be aware that there may be a change to UK laws following the UK’s exit, this may change their student status, their eligibility to study part time, and/or their eligibility for student finance. We will act in accordance with the UK’s laws in force in relation to student tuition fees and finance from time to time.
For International students the tuition fee that is stated on the course webpage and in the prospectus for the first year of study will apply. We will review our tuition fees each year. For international students, we may increase fees for each subsequent year of study but such increases will be no more than 5% above inflation.
