Aerospace Engineering MEng/BEng (Hons) with foundation year

Take your first steps into the world of aerospace engineering by exploring core concepts in aerodynamics, aircraft performance, propulsion and structures. Discover the fascinating history of flight, grasp the fundamentals of how aircraft perform and learn about the materials and structures that make flight possible. Through a blend of theory, problem solving and hands on projects and applications, build essential skills to analyse and understand aircraft systems, laying the groundwork for more advanced studies in aerospace engineering.

Compulsory

Discover the core concepts and principles that underpin electrical and electronic engineering and begin developing your understanding of this exciting discipline. Your learning will be enhanced through computer circuit simulation, hands-on circuit building and basic programming. Unlock the essentials of how electrical systems work, from analysing DC and AC circuits to exploring energy storage, magnetic circuits, digital logic, and modern power generation techniques. Gain practical insights and build a strong foundation for your development as an engineer.

Compulsory

Deepen your understanding of key mathematical methods in engineering by learning to translate real world problems into mathematical models. Develop your ability to analyse these problems using appropriate techniques and modern mathematical software. Explore topics including linear algebra, calculus, complex numbers, mathematical software, numerical methods, probability and statistics.

Compulsory

Engineering design is where creativity meets innovation, turning ideas into real products, processes, or systems that meet real world needs. You will tackle exciting technical and intellectual challenges, drawing on a wide range of engineering knowledge and skills to bring your solutions to life

Follow a structured design process, manage projects effectively and tackle problems with creative solutions. Using industry-standard tools and software, apply key design techniques through both individual and group work. Create a prototype of your design and use CAD software to clearly present your ideas and show how your design works.⁴

Compulsory

Gain an advanced understanding of aerospace structures, focusing on their mechanical behaviour under various loading conditions. Develop the ability to analyse, validate and simulate structural performance using computational tools and Computer-Aided Engineering (CAE) techniques. This module emphasises both theoretical foundations and practical applications in aerospace stress analysis, vibration and dynamic performance, preparing you for real-world engineering challenges.

Module content includes:

• Structural mechanics in aerospace: Stress-strain relationships, elasticity, failure theories.
• Loading conditions and structural integrity: Bending, torsion, shear and combined loading.
• Finite element analysis (FEA) in aerospace engineering: Principles, applications and software tools.
• Vibration and dynamics of aerospace components: Structural resonance, fatigue, damping.
• Computational techniques and case studies: Industry-focused simulations and problem-solving.

Compulsory

Explore how different aircraft systems work and how they support safe, efficient flights. Learn how aircraft generate and distribute power, including electrical, hydraulic and pneumatic systems. Look at how power controls key functions like landing gear, brakes and steering. Study how aircraft manage heat using systems like heat exchangers and learn how fluid dynamics affects performance. By the end of this module, you should have a solid understanding of the key technologies used in modern aircraft and how they work together.

Compulsory

Gain a comprehensive understanding of the fundamental principles of aerodynamics and flight dynamics of aircraft. Study using a blend of theory and software tools so you can develop skills to evaluate aerodynamic performance and flight dynamics, enabling you to design and optimise aircraft systems. Gain practical experience in flight testing offered within this module to facilitate applied understanding of aircraft performance, analysis of flight data and applying findings to improve design and safety.

Compulsory

Deepen your understanding of thermofluids and how they're used in real engineering systems. Build on what you already know about fluid mechanics and thermodynamics and apply new techniques-including Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD)-to analyse complex problems. Study topics like entropy, thermodynamic cycles, jet engine performance and fluid flow equations. Through real-world case studies and hands-on simulations, learn how to model, interpret and improve thermofluid systems across aerospace, automotive and energy industries using industry-standard tools.

Compulsory

This module² provides you with an opportunity to reflect upon and gain experience for an approved placement undertaken during your programme. A placement should usually be at least 26 weeks or equivalent; however, each placement will be considered on its own merits, having regard to the ability to achieve the learning outcomes.

Optional

This module² provides you with an opportunity to reflect upon and gain experience for an approved international study/work placement undertaken during your programme. A work/study placement should usually be at least 26 weeks or equivalent; however, each placement will be considered on its own merits, having regard to the ability to achieve the learning outcomes.

Optional

Complete an independent research project in aerospace engineering. Use your theoretical knowledge, analytical skills and engineering abilities to solve a challenging aerospace problem, showing creativity and professionalism.

Work individually with academic guidance on projects that can be research, experimental or design based. Start by defining the problem, setting goals and planning your work. Then, review existing research to find knowledge gaps and develop methods to tackle your project using experiments, simulations or calculations. Next, carry out your work, gather and analyse data and interpret your results in an aerospace context. Finally, write a detailed report and present your findings orally.

Build highly transferable skills in project management, problem solving, data analysis, and critical evaluation. Strengthen your ability to communicate complex technical information through a professionally written report and an oral presentation, preparing you to present and communicate your ideas confidently to future employers and industry stakeholders.

Compulsory

Develop a key understanding of avionics design and the related principles of operation for aircraft navigation, communication, autonomy and control algorithms within avionics systems to solve real-world aerospace challenges. This module links classical and modern avionics and classical control theory to ensure you gain hands-on experience in designing and analysing avionics architectures and control systems. Focus on how the aerospace industry designs and manages avionics systems-from the initial idea through to testing and final checks. Learn how to write and manage design requirements, gaining insight into each stage of the avionics system lifecycle.

Compulsory

Aircraft design is science and art. It requires cohesive integration of many specialists' subject areas, making it truly a complex, multidisciplinary endeavour. Use your knowledge gained in previous years of study and apply the basic principles to design a commercial aircraft or a small, unmanned aircraft.

The designed aircraft will need to meet all design requirements and conform to one of the overarching certification requirements such as the CS-VLA, CS-23 or CS25, as well as other relevant means of conformance and all other relevant certification standards.

Compulsory

Get a deep understanding of aircraft propulsion system design, encompassing fundamental and advanced principles of propulsion technologies. Acquire the analytical and practical skills necessary to design, evaluate, and optimise propulsion systems for modern aerospace applications. This module emphasises on performance assessment, environmental considerations, thermodynamic cycle optimisation and emerging propulsion technologies. Study and analyse the thermodynamic cycle, relating to both design and off-design point studies and their impact on engine control systems.

Compulsory

Build advanced skills in Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and aerodynamics. Learn how to use fluid mechanics and simulation tools to solve complex aerospace problems. Through hands-on lab work, theory and research projects, you will have the opportunity to explore turbulence modelling, advanced simulation techniques and real-world aerospace applications. Analyse, test and improve aerodynamic performance-equipping you with key skills for aerospace design and engineering research.

Compulsory

Focus on the advanced concepts of stress analysis and the dynamic behaviour of structures, essential for understanding and predicting the performance of engineering components and systems under various loading conditions. Explore sophisticated techniques in stress analysis, including nonlinear finite element analysis (NL-FEA), to assess and optimise the strength and stability of structures and dynamical systems. This module also covers the dynamic response of structures to time-dependent loads, vibrations, and impact, integrating theoretical foundations with practical case studies. Emphasis is placed on solving complex real-world engineering problems, enhancing your ability to design resilient and efficient structures capable of withstanding dynamic loading conditions.

Compulsory

Learn how to design sustainable products, services and systems by thinking about their full lifecycle-from resources to reuse. Explore real-world environmental and social challenges and use creative tools like visualisation, scenario building and ideation to design solutions. Study supply chains, climate adaptation and long-term thinking, gaining the skills to measure impact and reflect on your design decisions. This module aims to prepare you to tackle complex sustainability issues with innovative and responsible design approaches.

Compulsory

Aerospace engineering design is a multidisciplinary activity in which many aspects of engineering are merged to obtain the desired outcomes. Strengthen your critical thinking and integration skills through a challenging group project, where you'll design, test, and evaluate an aerospace system. The project requires the integration of a new aerospace systems package onto an existing complex platform, such as a UAV, and requires you to develop critical awareness insights into design problems at the forefront of professional aerospace engineering.

Work in small teams planning the work breakdown and project delivery. Define the problem through developing your own requirements and then construct a staged technical development plan through acquired knowledge of key techniques.

Learn how to develop systematic and creative working methods, making design decisions in the absence of complete data and communicating within your teams and to other non-specialist audiences. Build on an initial solution specification, the results of which should inform the next stage of physical design and integration onto the final aerospace platform.

Compulsory