Visit our website for more information on fees, scholarships, postgraduate loans and other funding options to study Aerospace Engineering at Swansea University - 'Welsh University of the Year 2017' (Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2017).
Aerospace Engineering at Swansea University has a distinguished history of working with aerospace companies around the world. As a student on the MSc Aerospace Engineering, you will be provided with a systematic understanding of the advanced knowledge, critical awareness and new insights required by effective practising aerospace engineers.
The MSc Aerospace Engineering degree is based on the world-class expertise available in the Materials Engineering Centre and the Zienkiewicz Centre for Computational Engineering.
At Swansea, world-class aerospace research drives excellent teaching within a cutting-edge learning environment with state-of-the-art facilities. The MSc Aerospace Engineering course prepares you for the design, analysis, testing and flight of the full range of aeronautical vehicles, including propeller-driven and jet-powered planes, helicopters and gliders.
Students on the Aerospace Engineering course will gain hands-on experience through access to one of the world’s most advanced engineering flight simulators housed within the College of Engineering. The MSc Aerospace Engineering course at Swansea University is accredited by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE), the Royal Aeronautical Society (RAeS), and the Institution of Engineering Designers (IED).
Modules on the Aerospace Engineering course typically include:
Finite Element Computational Analysis
Composite Materials
Flight Dynamics and Control
Advanced Airframe Structure
Advanced Aerodynamics
Numerical Methods for Partial Differential Equations
Aerospace Materials Engineering
Group Project
Research Dissertation
MSc Dissertation - Aerospace Engineering
“After passing all the modules on the MSc Aerospace Engineering course, I had the possibility to develop my final thesis in an industrial environment. I learnt about avionics and electronic equipment and developed team work and communication skills.
My favourite memory of the MSc Aerospace Engineering course is our team winning the International Aircraft Design and Handling competition. Our effort really paid off when we won the first prize!
Before starting my final thesis, I found a job as an Applications Engineer in one of the most important aerospace engineering companies, MTorres. Personally, I think obtaining a Master’s degree in a university with a great reputation such as Swansea University makes it much easier to find a job.
Swansea University provides a fantastic opportunity to study any field of engineering due to the professional and friendly staff.”
Roberto Morujo, MSc Aerospace Engineering
Aerospace Engineering at Swansea University has a distinguished history of working with aerospace companies around the world, including:
BAE Systems
Rolls Royce
EADS
Airbus
We have also contributed to many exciting projects, from the super-jet Airbus A380 to the 1,000mph land-speed record breaking BLOODHOUND SSC.
The MSc Aerospace Engineering course is suitable for those who would like to gain comprehensive knowledge, understanding and skills that will enable them to contribute to the creation and maintenance of aerospace and aeronautical equipment.
The MSc Aerospace Engineering course covers the necessary aspects for a successful career in the growing aerospace industry.
Our new home at the innovative Bay Campus provides some of the best university facilities in the UK, in an outstanding location.
Aerospace Engineering at Swansea University has a wide range of in-house facilities ranging from computer labs housing state-of-the-art PCs through to specialist equipment used almost exclusively by aerospace students.
Practical flying experience on the MSc Aerospace Engineering course is gained from the state-of-the-art Merlin MP521X engineering flight simulator mounted on a six axis hydraulic motion system and flying experience at a local airport.
The Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2014 ranks Engineering at Swansea as 10th in the UK for the combined score in research quality across the Engineering disciplines.
The REF assesses the quality of research in the UK Higher Education sector, assuring us of the standards we strive for.
World-Leading Research
The REF shows that 94% of research produced by our academic staff is of World-Leading (4*) or Internationally Excellent (3*) quality. This has increased from 73% in the 2008 RAE.
Research pioneered at the College of Engineering harnesses the expertise of academic staff within the department. This ground-breaking multidisciplinary research informs our world-class teaching with several of our staff leaders in their fields.
The School of Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil Engineering has a strong and unique tradition in the UK in Aerospace Design, Helicopters, Heat Transfer, Aerodynamics, Computational Fluid Dynamics and Flow Diagnostics. This course builds on those strengths and exploits our links with BAe Systems, Airbus, Rolls-Royce, DSTL, USAF, North West Aerospace Alliance, North West Development Agency and SBAC.
This MSc aims to produce high quality graduates with specialist training in aerospace engineering who will be suitable for employment in the engineering industries and consultancies linked to that industry. Aerospace engineering graduates are highly valued and are currently in great demand and the Manchester programme specifically seeks to serve this growing industry requirement. The programme is suitable for engineering and science graduates, as well as engineering professionals working in technical and commercial management. The programme is also well designed to be used for conversion toAerospace Engineering from some close enough specialities such as Mechanics, Mathematics and Physics.
The Aerospace Engineering MSc is a full time course which is studied over 12 months and there is one start date each year in September. You will develop advanced technical skills in Aerospace Engineering that will enable you to pursue a career in both general and specialised engineering industries or develop an in depth knowledge for a career in research in industry or academia.
For further information about the course content, please see the example programme structure .
Practical support and advice for current students and applicants is available from the Disability Advisory and Support Service. Email: [email protected]
The Aerospace Engineering MSc has a strong focus on employability to support you to take control of your future and give yourself the best chance of securing your ideal job after graduation.
Each year Manchester careers fairs, workshops and presentations attract more than 600 exhibitors and 20,000 visitors to target Manchester graduates.
After graduating with an Aerospace Engineering MSc you will be in a strong position to seek employment with companies such as: Airbus, Rolls Royce, GE Aviation, Airbus, Bombardier Transportation, BAe Systems, MBDA, SAFRAN, GKN Aerospace, Spirit, Finmeccanica, EDF, BP, Schlumberger, etc.
The UK Aerospace Engineering is 2nd largest in the world and around 30% of companies in the Aerospace sector currently have vacancies.
Destination of Leavers Survey
Past graduates have found employment in:
Two highly established organisations, the Royal Aeronautical Society and Institution of Mechanical Engineers , have accredited the Aerospace Engineering MSc course under license from the UK regulator, the Engineering Council . This allows satisfactory completion of the Aerospace Engineering MSc to contribute towards the academic requirements for registration with these Institutions as a Chartered Engineer.
This MSc aims to build up your knowledge of the design of flying vehicles such as aircraft, missiles, airships and spacecraft. Select from one of three specialist options and excel in a growing aerospace industry:
This MSc course provides a taught engineering programme with a focus on the technical, business and management aspects that encompass aircraft design in the civil and military aerospace sectors.
Teaching integrates a range of disciplines required for modern aircraft design, for example:
Cranfield have been at the forefront of postgraduate education in aerospace engineering since 1946 with the Aerospace Vehicle Design being one of the original foundation courses of the College of Aeronautics. Graduates from this course also become members of the Cranfield College of Aeronautics Alumni Association (CCAAA), an active community which holds a number of networking and social events throughout the year.
One unique feature of the course is that we have a range of external examiners, from industry and from academia who continually assess the quality of the course.
Cranfield University is very well located for students from all over the world, and offers a range of library, IT and support facilities to support your studies. This enables students from all over the world to complete this qualification whilst achieving the right balance of work/life commitments.
The course has an Industrial Advisory Committee with senior members from major UK aerospace companies, government bodies, and the military services. The committee meets twice a year to review and advise on course content, acquisition skills and other attributes which are deemed desirable from graduates of the course. Panel members have included professionals from organisations such as:
The MSc in Aerospace Vehicle Design, in part meets the exemplifying academic benchmark requirements for registration as a Chartered Engineer. Accredited MSc graduates who also have a BEng (Hons) accredited for CEng will be able to show that they have satisfied the required educational base for CEng registration.
The taught component of the Aerospace Vehicle Design masters is generally delivered from October to March (or March-August for the March intake). Modules for each option vary - please refer to MSc course option pages for descriptions of compulsory modules which must be undertaken. Students also have an extensive choice of optional modules to match their specific interests.
Group project
The extensive group design project is a distinctive and unique feature of this course. This teamwork project takes place from October to March (or March-August for the March intake), and recreates a virtual industrial environment bringing together students with various experience levels and different nationalities into one integrated design team.
Each team member is given the responsibility for the detailed design of a significant part of the aircraft, for example, forward fuselage, fuel system, or navigation system. The project progress a design from the conceptual phase through to the preliminary and detail design phases. Students will be required to run project meetings, produce engineering drawings and conduct detailed analyses of their design. Problem solving and project co-ordination must be undertaken on a team and individual basis. At the end of the project, the group is required to report and present findings to a panel of up to 200 senior engineers from industry and academia.
This element of the course is both realistic and engaging, and places the whole student group in a professional role as aerospace design engineers. Students testify that working as an integrated team on real problems is invaluable and prepares them well for careers in a highly competitive industry.
Students following the Structural Design option do not participate in the Group Design Project but instead undertake a more intensive individual project.
Watch past presentation videos to give you a taster of our innovative and exciting group projects
Individual project
The individual research project element aims to provide the training necessary for you to apply knowledge from the taught elements to research, and takes place from March to September (or October-February for the March intake). The project may be theoretical and/or experimental and can be selected from a range of topics related to the course as suggested by teaching staff, your employer or even focused on your own area of interest.
Assessment
Refer to MSc course option pages for breakdown of assessment
The MSc in Aerospace Vehicle Design is valued and respected by employers worldwide. The applied nature of this course ensures that our graduates are ready to be of immediate use to their future employer and has provided sufficient breadth of understanding of multi-discipline design to position them for accelerated career progression.
This course prepares graduates for careers as project engineers, systems design, structural design or avionic engineers in aerospace or related industries, with the aim of progressing to technical management/chief engineer roles. Graduates from the MSc in Aerospace Vehicle Design can therefore look forward to a varied choice of challenging career opportunities in the above disciplines.
Many of our graduates occupy very senior positions in their organisations, making valuable contributions to the international aerospace industry. Some example student destinations include BAE Systems, Airbus, Dassault and Rolls-Royce.
The specialist skills of aerospace production systems are vital to drive productivity improvements. You will gain the sought-after capability to manage major improvement programmes in the aerospace manufacturing industry or instigate intervention that delivers improvements to the performance of their businesses.
This course develops future aerospace manufacturing engineers and managers who will be able to manage major improvement programmes or instigate intervention that delivers improvements to the performance of their aerospace manufacturing businesses.
The course combines Cranfield's long standing expertise for delivering high-quality Masters' programmes in both aerospace and manufacturing. Courses receive strong support from the global aerospace industry, both the Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM) such as Airbus and Rolls-Royce, as well as their tiers of supplier. There is a strong emphasis on applying knowledge in the industrial environment and all teaching is in the context of industrial application. Many features of this course are shared with the Engineering and Management of Manufacturing Systems MSc, but this course specifically prepares graduates to embark on a career in aerospace manufacturing.
Students benefit from our wide range of equipment, analysis tools and specialist software packages. The course objectives are achieved through a carefully integrated and structured series of eight one-week assessed modules, a group project and an individual project.
Our courses are designed to meet the training needs of industry and have a strong input from experts in their sector. Students who have excelled have their performances recognised through course awards. The awards are provided by high profile organisations and individuals, and are often sponsored by our industrial partners. Awards are presented on Graduation Day.
The MSc in Aerospace Manufacturing is subject to ratification by Royal Aeronautical Society (RAeS) & Insitution of Engineering & Technology (IET) following an accreditation visit in March 2015, on behalf of the Engineering Council as meeting the requirements for Further Learning for registration as a Chartered Engineer. Candidates must hold a CEng accredited BEng/BSc (Hons) undergraduate first degree to comply with full CEng registration requirements.
Please note accreditation applies to the MSc award. PgDip and PgCert do not meet in full the further learning requirements for registration as a Chartered Engineer.
March intake: The course comprises eight compulsory modules, a group project and an individual project.
October intake: The course comprises eight modules (five compulsory and three electives), a group project and an individual project.
The modules include lectures, workshops, case studies, tutorials and company visits. Students need to complete a mix of modules that are fundamental to aerospace manufacturing systems and modules that are technology related.
Group project
The group project experience is highly valued by both students and prospective employers. Teams of students work to solve an industrial problem. The project applies technical knowledge and provides training in teamwork and the opportunity to develop non-technical aspects of the taught programme. Part-time students can prepare a dissertation on an agreed topic in place of the group project.
Industrially orientated, our team projects have support from external organisations. As a result of external engagement Cranfield students enjoy a higher degree of success when it comes to securing employment. Prospective employers value the student experience where team working to find solutions to industrially based problems is concerned.
View our Manufacturing, Materials and Design 2015 Manufacturing Group Projects
Watch video: Paul Ewers, Visteon Engineering Services, talks about his involvement in the Manufacturing Group Project at Cranfield University
Watch video: Manufacturing MSc students talk about their experience of the Manufacturing Group Projects at Cranfield University
Individual project
The individual thesis project, usually in collaboration with industry, offers students the opportunity to develop their research capability, depth of understanding and ability to provide solutions to real problems in aerospace manufacturing production systems.
Assessment
Taught modules 40%, Group project 20% (dissertation for part-time students), Individual project 40%
This qualification takes you on to a wide range of aerospace manufacturing roles such as management, operations, logistics and technology-related functions within global aerospace manufacturing organisations. Many graduates find employment with one of their project sponsors.
With the ever increasing traffic density of civil aircraft, and the need for increased military precision in conflicts around the world, safer aircraft operations require more sophisticated avionic systems.
This specialist option of the MSc Aerospace Vehicle Design provides you with an understanding of avionic systems design, analysis, development, test and airframe integration.
This course is suitable for students with a background in aeronautical or mechanical engineering or those with relevant industrial experience. It provides a taught engineering programme with a focus on the technical, business and management aspects of aircraft design in the civil and military aerospace sectors.
The Avionic Systems Design option aims to provide an understanding of avionic systems design, analysis, development, test and airframe integration. This includes a detailed look at robust and fault-tolerant flight control, advanced 4D flight management and RNP navigation, self-separation and collision avoidance and advanced digital data communications systems, as well as pilot-friendly and intelligent cockpit displays and situation awareness.
The course extent also covers future ATM systems which have been at the forefront of postgraduate education in aerospace engineering since 1946. Aerospace Vehicle Design at Cranfield University was one of the original foundation courses of the College of Aeronautics. Graduates of this course are eligible to join the Cranfield College of Aeronautics Alumni Association (CCAAA), an active community which hold a number of networking and social events throughout the year.
Cranfield University is well located for students from all over the world, and offers a range of library and support facilities to support your studies. This enables students from all over the world to complete this qualification whilst balancing work/life commitments.
The course has an Industrial Advisory Committee with senior members from major UK aerospace companies, government bodies, and the military services. The committee meets twice a year to review and advise on course content, acquisition skills and other attributes are desirable from graduates of the course. Panel members include:
We also arrange visits to sites such as BAE Systems, Thales, GKN and RAF bases which specialise in the maintenance of military aircraft. This allows you to get up close to the aircraft and components to help with ideas for the group project.
The MSc in Aerospace Vehicle Design is accredited by the Royal Aeronautical Society (RAeS). Candidates must hold a CEng accredited BEng/BSc (Hons) undergraduate first degree to comply with full CEng registration requirements.
This option is comprised of a number of mandatory modules and a minimum of 60 hours of optional modules, selected from a list of options. You are also required to complete a group design project and an individual research project. Delivered via a combination of structured lectures, industry guest lectures, computer based workshops and private study.
A unique feature of the course is that we have four external examiners; two from industry who assess the group design project and two from academia who assess the individual research project.
Group project
The extensive group design project is a distinctive and unique feature of this course. This teamwork project takes place over six months, usually between October and March; and recreates a virtual industrial environment bringing together students with various experience levels and different nationalities into one integrated design team.
You will be given responsibility for the detailed design of a significant part of the aircraft, for example, flight control system, or navigation system. The project will progress the design of the aircraft and avionic systems from the conceptual phase through to the preliminary and detail design phases. You are required to run project meetings, produce system schematics and conduct detailed analyses of their design. Problem solving and project coordination must be undertaken on a team and individual basis. At the end of the project, groups are required to report and present findings to a panel of up to 200 senior engineers from industry.
This element of the course is both real and engaging, and places the student group in a professional role as aerospace design engineers. Students testify that working as an integrated team on real problems is invaluable and prepares them well for careers in a highly competitive industry.
Watch past presentation YouTube videos to give you a taster of our innovative and exciting group projects:
Individual project
The individual research project aims to provide the training necessary for you to apply knowledge from the taught element to research, and takes place over six months. The project may be theoretical and/or experimental and drawn from a range of topics related to the course and suggested by teaching staff, your employer or focused on your own area of interest.
Assessment
Taught modules 10%, Group project 50%, Individual research project 40%
The Avionic Systems Design option is valued and respected by employers worldwide. The applied nature of this course ensures that our graduates are ready to be of immediate use to their future employer and has provided sufficient breadth of understanding of multi-discipline design to position them for accelerated career progression.
This course prepares graduates for careers as project design engineers, systems design, structural design or avionic engineers in aerospace or related industries, with the aim of progressing to technical management/chief engineer. Graduates from the MSc in Avionic Systems Design can therefore look forward to a varied choice of challenging career opportunities in the above disciplines.
Many of our graduates occupy very senior positions in their organisations, making valuable contributions to the international aerospace industry. Typical student destinations include BAE Systems, Airbus, Dassault and Rolls-Royce plc.
Visit our website for more information on fees, scholarships, postgraduate loans and other funding options to study Aerospace Engineering at Swansea University - 'Welsh University of the Year 2017' (Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2017).
Our world-leading technology has contributed to many exciting projects, including aerodynamics for the current world land-speed record car, Thrust SSC, and the future land-speed record car BLOODHOUND SSC and design of the double-decker super-jet Airbus A380. Swansea University provides an excellent base for your research as a MSc by Research student in Aerospace Engineering.
Aerospace Engineering at Swansea University is at the forefront of the latest technology. We are seen as a leader in many aspects of aerospace engineering, both internationally and in the UK. We pride ourselves in the extensive collaborations with international companies such as:
BAE Systems
Rolls-Royce
EADS
Airbus
Research within Engineering at Swansea University is multidisciplinary in nature, incorporating our strengths in research areas across the engineering disciplines.
Computational mechanics forms the basis for the majority of the MSc by Research projects within these engineering disciplines including Aerospace Engineering.
The MSc by Research in Aerospace Engineering typically lasts one year full-time, two to three years part-time. This is an individual research project written up in a thesis of 30,000 words.
Our new home at the innovative Bay Campus provides some of the best university facilities in the UK, in an outstanding location.
Aerospace Engineering at Swansea University has a wide range of in-house facilities ranging from computer labs housing state-of-the-art PCs through to specialist equipment used almost exclusively by aerospace engineering students.
The Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2014 ranks Engineering at Swansea as 10th in the UK for the combined score in research quality across the Engineering disciplines.
World-leading research
The REF shows that 94% of research produced by our academic staff is of World-Leading (4*) or Internationally Excellent (3*) quality. This has increased from 73% in the 2008 RAE.
Research pioneered at the College of Engineering harnesses the expertise of academic staff within the department. This ground-breaking multidisciplinary research informs our world-class teaching with several of our staff leaders in their fields.
Highlights of the Engineering results according to the General Engineering Unit of Assessment:
Research Environment at Swansea ranked 2nd in the UK
Research Impact ranked 10th in the UK
Research Power (3*/4* Equivalent staff) ranked 10th in the UK
Aerospace Engineering at Swansea University has a distinguished history of working with aerospace companies around the world, including:
BAE Systems
Rolls Royce
EADS
Airbus
We have also contributed to many exciting projects, from the super-jet Airbus A380 to the 1,000mph land-speed record breaking BLOODHOUND SSC.
This specialist option of the MSc Aerospace Vehicle Design provides you with an understanding of aircraft structures, airworthiness requirements, design standards, stress analysis, fatigue and fracture (damage tolerance) and fundamentals of aerodynamics and loading. Also covered is the selection of suitable materials, both metallic and composite.
Manufacturers of modern aircraft are demanding more lightweight and more durable structures. Structural integrity is a major consideration of today’s aircraft fleet. For an aircraft to economically achieve its design specification and satisfy airworthiness regulations, a number of structural challenges must be overcome. This course trains engineers to meet these challenges, and prepares them for careers in civil and military aviation. It is suitable if you have a background in aeronautical or mechanical engineering, or relevant industrial experience.
We have been at the forefront of postgraduate education in aerospace engineering since 1946. Aerospace Vehicle Design at Cranfield University was one of the original foundation courses of the College of Aeronautics. Graduates of this course are eligible to join the Cranfield College of Aeronautics Alumni Association (CCAAA), an active community which hold a number of networking and social events throughout the year.
Cranfield University is well located for students from all over the world, and offers a range of library and support facilities to support your studies. This enables students from all over the world to complete this qualification whilst balancing work/life commitments.
The course has an Industrial Advisory Committee with senior members from major UK aerospace companies, government bodies, and the military services. The committee meets twice a year to review and advise on course content, acquisition skills and other attributes are desirable from graduates of the course. Panel members include:
We also arrange visits to sites such as BAE Systems, Marshall Aerospace, GKN and RAF bases which specialise in the maintenance of military aircraft. This allows you to get up close to the aircraft components and help with your understanding.
The MSc in Aerospace Vehicle Design is accredited by the Royal Aeronautical Society (RAeS) & Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) as meeting the requirements for Further Learning for registration as a Chartered Engineer. Candidates must hold a CEng accredited BEng/BSc (Hons) undergraduate first degree to comply with full CEng registration requirements.
This option is comprised of 4 compulsory modules and a minimum of 120 hours of optional modules, selected from a list of 18 options. You will also complete an individual research project. Delivered via a combination of structured lectures, industry guest lectures, computer based workshops and private study.
A unique feature of the course is that we have four external examiners; two from industry who assess the group design project and two from academia who assess the individual research project.
Individual project
The individual research project aims to provide the training necessary for you to apply knowledge from the taught element to research, and takes place from January to September. It is sometimes associated with a real-world problem that one of our industry partners are looking to resolve.
Examples of recent Individual Research Projects include:
Assessment
Taught modules 20%, Individual research project 80%
This Aerospace Vehicle Design option in Structural Design is valued and respected by employers worldwide. The applied nature of this course ensures that our graduates are ready to be of immediate use to their future employer and has provided sufficient breadth of understanding of multi-discipline design to position them for accelerated career progression.
Graduates from this option have gone onto pursue engineering careers in disciplines such as structural design, stress analysis or systems design. Many of our graduates occupy very senior positions in their organisations, making valuable contributions to the international aerospace industry. Student destinations have included BAE Systems, Airbus, Dassault and Rolls-Royce.
The Masters in Aerospace Engineering & Management introduces you to contemporary business and management issues while increasing your depth of knowledge in your chosen aerospace engineering speciality.
There are two semesters of taught material and a summer session working on a project or dissertation. September entry students start with management courses and January entry students with engineering courses.
You will be based in the Adam Smith Business School, developing knowledge and skills in management principles and techniques. We offer an applied approach, with an emphasis on an informed critical evaluation of information, and the subsequent application of concepts and tools to the core areas of business and management.
You will study engineering courses, which aim to enhance your group working and project management capability at the same time as improving your depth of knowledge in chosen aerospace engineering subjects.
You will undertake an individual project or dissertation work in the summer period (May–August). This will give you an opportunity to apply and consolidate the course material and enhance your ability to do independent work, as well as present results in the most appropriate format. Project and dissertation options are closely linked to staff research interests. September entry students have a choice of management dissertation topics in addition to aerospace engineering projects, and January entry students have a choice of aerospace engineering projects.
Career opportunities include positions in aerospace, defence, renewable energy, nuclear energy and management. You can also continue studying, for a research Masters or a PhD.
The Masters in Aerospace Engineering is a multi-disciplinary programme that covers all aspects of modern aircraft design. This involves developing essential knowledge and skills in advanced aerodynamics and aerospace systems. By choosing specific options in the second semester the degree programme can be tailored to provide specialisms in either Aeronautics or Systems.
Modes of delivery of the MSc in Aerospace Engineering include lectures, seminars and tutorials and allow students the opportunity to take part in lab, project and team work.
The summer period is dedicated to project work, with either academic or industrial placements providing the context for your project.
Select a team project from:
Select five courses from the following:
* signifies courses that constitute the specialism in Aeronautics
** signifies courses that constitute the specialism in Systems
To design modern efficient aircraft requires a complex combination of aerodynamic performance, lightweight durable structures and advanced systems engineering. This specialist MSc Aerospace Vehicle Design option explores how different structural and systems elements can be designed and integrated using up-to-date methods and techniques.
This option is suitable for those students wishing to gain an overview of the whole aircraft design process as well as the design of aircraft structures and systems.
This Aircraft Design option aims to provide a comprehensive overview of whole aircraft configuration design as well as, structures and systems. A holistic teaching approach is taken to explore how the individual elements of an aircraft can be designed and integrated using up-to-date methods and techniques. You will learn to understand how to select and integrate specific systems such as fuel systems, and their effect on the aircraft as a whole.
We have been at the forefront of postgraduate education in aerospace engineering since 1946. Aerospace Vehicle Design at Cranfield University was one of the original foundation courses of the College of Aeronautics. Graduates of this course are eligible to join the Cranfield College of Aeronautics Alumni Association (CCAAA), an active community which hold a number of networking and social events throughout the year.
Cranfield University is well located for students from all over the world, and offers a range of library and support facilities to support your studies. This enables students from all over the world to complete this qualification whilst balancing work/life commitments.
The course has an Industrial Advisory Committee with senior members from major UK aerospace companies, government bodies, and the military services. The committee meets twice a year to review and advise on course content, acquisition skills and other attributes that are desirable for graduates of the course. Panel members include:
The MSc in Aerospace Vehicle Design is accredited by the Royal Aeronautical Society (RAeS) & Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) as meeting the requirements for Further Learning for registration as a Chartered Engineer. Candidates must hold a CEng accredited BEng/BSc (Hons) undergraduate first degree to comply with full CEng registration requirements.
The Aircraft Design option consists of a number of mandatory modules and a minimum of 60 hours of optional modules, which are selected from optional modules. You are also required to complete a group design project and an individual research project.
A unique feature of the course is that we have four external examiners, two from industry who assess the group design project and two from academia who assess the individual research project.
Group project
The extensive group design project is a distinctive and unique feature of this course. This teamwork project takes place over six months and recreates a virtual industrial environment bringing together students with various experience levels and different nationalities into one integrated design team.
Students are given responsibility for the detailed design of a significant part of the aircraft, for example, forward fuselage, fuel system, landing gear, environmental control system, wing. The project will progress from the conceptual phase through to the preliminary and detail design phases. You will be required to run project meetings, produce engineering drawings and detailed analyses of your design. Problem solving and project co-ordination must be undertaken on a team and individual basis. At the end of the project, groups are required to report and present findings to a large panel of senior engineers from industry.
This element of the course is both realistic and engaging, and places the student group in a professional role as aerospace design engineers. Students testify that working as an integrated team on real problems is invaluable and prepares them well for careers in a highly competitive industry.
Watch past presentation videos (YouTube) to give you a taster of our innovative and exciting group projects:
Individual project
The individual research project aims to provide the training necessary for you to apply knowledge from the taught element to research. The project may be theoretical and/or experimental and drawn from a range of topics related to the course and suggested by teaching staff, your employer or focused on your own area of interest. It provides the opportunity for you to deepen your knowledge of an area that is of particular interest, and is often associated with a real-world problem that one of our industry partners is looking to resolve.
Previous Individual Research Projects include:
Assessment
Taught modules 10%, Group project 50%, Individual research project 40%
This MSc is valued and respected by employers worldwide. The applied nature of this course ensures that our graduates are ready to be of immediate use to their future employer and has provided sufficient breadth of understanding of multi-discipline design to position them for accelerated career progression.
Graduates from this option have gone on to pursue engineering careers in disciplines such as structural design, stress analysis or systems design.
Many of our graduates occupy very senior positions in their organisations, making valuable contributions to the international aerospace industry. Typical student destinations include BAE Systems, Airbus, Dassault and Rolls-Royce.
The Master's degree in Aerospace Science and Technology provides advanced training in the sciences and technology that are currently most widely used and applied in the fields of aeronautics and space exploration. Graduates of this master’s degree will have been trained in an interdisciplinary area of knowledge that includes the study of theoretical and practical groundwork, techniques, methods and processes, and will be skilled at promoting, defining and managing innovative research projects.
The whole program consists of a total of 90 ECTS credits distributed in three semesters of 30 credits each. Students may enrol the program in September (mostly recommended) or February. Fall semester is devoted to mandatory courses and spring semester to elective courses. Once students have completed 60 credits in courses, the Master Thesis (30 credits) is performed at a University department or at an aerospace company.
Graduates from this Master's degree will be experts qualified to work in:
- University departments, institutes or research centers in order to produce a doctoral thesis.
- R&D&I departments in industry in the aerospace field or similar.
This Master is organized by the UPC Castelldefels School of Telecommunication and Aerospace Engineering (EETAC) with the collaboration of the Centre National d'Études Spatiales (CNES), the European Space Agency (ESA), and the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB).
Graduates from this master’s degree will be experts qualified to work in:
· University departments, institutes or research centers in order to produce a doctoral thesis.
· R&D&I departments in industry in the aerospace field or similar.
Generic competencies
Generic competencies are the skills that graduates acquire regardless of the specific course or field of study. The generic competencies established by the UPC are capacity for innovation and entrepreneurship, sustainability and social commitment, knowledge of a foreign language (preferably English), teamwork and proper use of information resources.
Specific competencies
On completion of the course, students will be able to:
This new and unique course covers a wide range of applications focused on aerospace computational aspects. As mirrored by developments in the motorsport industry, within the next five years there will be a demand for engineers and leaders who will be using 100% digital techniques for aeronautical design and testing.
With its blend of skills-based and subject-specific material this course aims to provide students with generic practical skills and cutting-edge knowledge adaptable to the wide variety of applications in the field of aerospace computational engineering.
The part-time option is suitable for qualified engineers to extend their knowledge and incorporate CFD into their skill set.
This course aims to enhance your skills through a detailed introduction to the state-of-the-art computational methods and their applications for digital age aerospace engineering applications. It provides a unique opportunity for cross-disciplinary education and knowledge transfer in the computational engineering of fluid and solid mechanics for aerospace industrial applications. Focusing on fully integrated digital design for aerospace applications you will be able to understand and implement numerical methods on various computing platforms for aerospace applications. You will be able to meet the demand of an evolving workplace that requires highly qualified engineers possessing core software engineering skills together with competency in mathematical analysis techniques.
Sharing modules with the MSc in Computational Fluid Dynamics and the MSc in Computational and Software Techniques in Engineering this course gives you the opportunity to interact with students from other disciplines.
Our strategic links with industry ensures that all of the materials taught on the course are relevant, timely and meet the needs of organisations competing within the computational analysis sector. This industry led education makes Cranfield graduates some of the most desirable for companies to recruit. Our industrial partners support this course by providing internship, act as visiting lectures and deliver industrial seminars.
Following the first graduation, this course will seek to obtain accreditation from:
The taught modules are delivered from October to April via a combination of structured lectures, and computer based labs. Many of the lectures are given in conjunction with some form of programming, you will be given time and practical assistance to develop your software skills.
Students on the part-time programme complete all of the compulsory modules based on a flexible schedule that will be agreed with the course director.
Group project
The Group project is related to digital wind tunnel development.
Individual project
The taught element of the course finishes in May. From May to September you will work full-time on your individual research project. The research project gives you the opportunity to produce a detailed piece of work either in close collaboration with industry, or on a particular topic which you are passionate about.
Assessment
Taught modules: 80%, Group project: 40%, Individual Research Project: 80%
The MSc in Aerospace Computational Engineering is designed to equip you with the skills required to pursue a successful career working in the UK and overseas in computational aeronautic design and engineering.
Our courses attract enquiries from companies in the rapidly expanding engineering IT industry sector across the world who wish to recruit high quality graduates who have strong technical programming skills in industry standard languages and tools. They are in demand by CAD vendors, commercial engineering software developers, aerospace, automotive and other industries and research organisations, and have been particularly successful in finding employment.
Some of our graduates go onto PhD degrees. Project topics are most often supplied by individual companies on in-company problems with a view to employment after graduation – an approach that is being actively encouraged by a growing number of industries.
Help Engineer the future with Loughborough University’s School of Aeronautical, Automotive, Chemical and Materials Engineering
