Aerospace Engineering
Master the advanced theoretical and practical skills and mathematics required to leave Earth’s atmosphere using cutting-edge equipment and real flight experience.
How to apply Apply Through UCAS Book an Open Day Chat to Us/prod01/channel_2/media/university-of-south-wales/site-assets/images/01-campus-and-facilities/16-pontypridd-facilities/161-treforest-facilities/Flight-Simulator-Exercise_41506-2-800X800.jpg)
Key Course Details
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UCAS Code
H500
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Start Date
September
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Location
Pontypridd
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Campus Code
A
Fees
Home students
£9,535*
International students
£16,200*
- Full-time fees are per year. Part-time fees are per 20 credits.
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UCAS Code
H503
-
Start Date
September
-
Location
Pontypridd
-
Campus Code
A
Fees
Home students
£9,535*
International students
£16,200*
- Full-time fees are per year. Part-time fees are per 20 credits.
Getting to space requires engineers who not only have outstanding technical skills, but the creativity to solve new and complex problems. The skills and hands-on experience you’ll gain in this course prepare you for roles across aerospace, as well as aviation, automotive, manufacturing and more.
DESIGNED FOR
If you have a curious mind, a love for space, and a drive to understand how things work, this course is for you. It primes you for a career in the aerospace sector, while also opening doors across the broad spectrum of mechanical engineering.
Industry ready
The course is designed to meet accreditation requirements of the RAeS and IMechE for Incorporated Engineer status.
Career Paths
- Certification and Airworthiness Engineer
- Design Engineer
- Mechanical Engineer
- Project Management
- Research Engineer
Skills Taught
- Problem-solving through analysis using scientific and engineering theory
- Hands-on practical engineering skills
- Developed knowledge of cutting-edge technology
- Teamwork, management and leadership
- Communication skills
- Understanding professional responsibilities
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Course Highlights
Module Overview
This degree blends mathematical analysis with hands-on design, beginning with a broad grounding in engineering concepts and skills. From the second year, you’ll explore unique aerospace modules and develop the soft skills, management and research prowess needed to master modern engineering.
Year One
Mathematics for Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineers
Design and Manufacture
Engineering Computing Applications
Engineering Mechanics 1
Electrical Science
Thermofluids 1
Year Two
Control and Instrumentation
Thermofluids 2
Engineering Materials
Further Engineering Mathematics
Rocket and Space Technology
Aerospace Design
Year Three
Computational Analysis
Aircraft Flight Dynamics
Individual Project
Aerospace propulsion
Aerospace Structures and Materials
Project Management and the Engineering Society
Supervised Work Experience
Learn the essential scientific principles and practices of aerospace engineering. You'll gain hands-on experience with design tools and manufacturing techniques, including industry-standard CAD packages and programming languages.
Mathematics for Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineers
Understand the relevance of mathematics in engineering and develop the mathematical and data skills needed to solve engineering problems.
Design and Manufacture
Learn how to define problems, identify requirements and apply engineering principles within design, manufacturing, materials and practice.
Engineering Computing Applications
Gain a grounding in the use of computing to simulate and solve engineering problems, including the use of programming code and computer-aided design.
Engineering Mechanics 1
Solve mechanical problems in static and dynamic systems, looking at key concepts such as stress, bending, torsion and vibration.
Electrical Science
Analyse alternating current (AC) and direct current (DC) circuits, including different combinations of resistor/inductor/capacitor (RLC), voltage and current sources.
Thermofluids 1
Understand the basic thermodynamic and fluid mechanic properties of both liquids and gases, applying thermodynamic principles to key engineering processes.
Explore key areas within aerospace engineering, including rocket and space technology and aerospace design. You’ll apply skills gained in year one to tackle aerospace engineering problems such as RC aircraft and model rockets.
Control and Instrumentation
Get to grips with widely used control strategies for single-input and single-output (SISO) control and instrumentation systems, looking at various sensors and transducers.
Thermofluids 2
Combine advanced principles of thermodynamics and apply them to aerospace engineering applications, exploring different methods of analysis for working fluids.
Engineering Materials
Use standard testing methods to identify causes of failure, and explore how the structure, properties and processing of engineering materials influence their use in aerospace.
Further Engineering Mathematics
Bring your inner Einstein to the fore as you solve engineering challenges using advanced mathematical models such as differential equations, eigenvalues and z-transform.
Rocket and Space Technology
Learn what it takes to get a rocket to space and keep spacecraft there safely as you explore orbital mechanics, rocket science, robotics and satellite communication.
Aerospace Design
Working in groups, develop a conceptual aircraft design and produce an RC aircraft. Explore rocket design by producing a model rocket.
Become an aerospace expert by gaining a deep understanding of spacecraft structure and propulsion. Experience test flights in the Jetstream aircraft and flight simulator and develop professional skills by leading an engineering project to become 'work ready.'
Computational Analysis
Use industry-leading tools such as Ansys Fluent software and wind tunnels to solve problems within finite element analysis and computation fluid dynamics.
Aircraft Flight Dynamics
Spend plenty of time in the flight simulator as you assess the flying and handling qualities of an aircraft and produce a detailed report.
Individual Project
Identify, research and present your findings on an aerospace engineering topic that fascinates you, bringing all your skills and knowledge together.
Aerospace propulsion
Explore a range of solid and liquid propulsion systems including scramjet and ramjet engines, and design and analyse your own system.
Aerospace Structures and Materials
Understand the design principles of aerospace structures and components such as wings, fuselages, control surfaces, stabilisers and satellite frames.
Project Management and the Engineering Society
Prepare to thrive in the engineering workplace as you develop key qualities around management, quality assurance, commercial and environmental knowledge.
Supervised Work Experience
You have the option to undertake a sandwich placement after your second year at a key aerospace, aeronautical or mechanical engineering organisation such as Airbus.
Course Highlights
How you’ll learn
The BEng Aerospace Engineering course combines lectures, tutorials, lab work and seminars. You’ll also get to visit the facilities of industry giants and benefit from guest lectures by prominent industrialists and academics discussing the latest technological progress.
Assessment methods include exams and coursework as well as practical assessment via simulations and problem-solving tasks. Group projects emphasise presentation skills, where you’ll deliver your findings to peers. A real highlight takes place in the final year, when you’ll fly in a real aircraft, giving you immersive insights into aircraft behaviour and control principles.
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Teaching staff
Our staff bring expertise from a broad range of engineering specialities. Some develop this through high-quality, globally significant research. Others have enjoyed successful careers in major engineering roles. This blend of backgrounds within our staff enriches your experience and means we not only provide great academic support but also help you find your way in the industry.
We’re fortunate to have international engineering giants like Airbus on our doorstep, and our staff work closely with these organisations. We know what firms are looking for in aerospace graduates so we can guide you towards becoming a highly valuable employee.
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Placements
We know nothing beats getting out into the real world, seeing how the engineering industry operates and developing your skills in real environments.
We support you in finding meaningful placements and you have the option for a year-long sandwich year after your second year. These include major engineering employers such as GE Aviation, Airbus and British Airways Maintenance, and we’re working hard to develop more opportunities within the aerospace sector.
We organise several field trips and invite industry experts from various companies to deliver lectures and support projects, giving you further insights into the world of work.
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Facilities
The university has invested £3.3m in its aerospace facilities. You'll gain hands-on experience with 3D printers, water and laser cutters, computer numerical control (CNC) machines, wind tunnels, and material testing facilities.
Our Aerospace Centre features two aircraft hangars with a Jetstream 31 and workshops for gas turbine maintenance, riveting, hand tools, and welding.
We also have clean and dirty composite workshops, and labs for electronics, avionics, hydraulics, and pneumatics. Don’t miss the Merlin MP521 simulator, programmable for any aircraft type, and crucial for design testing and flight test preparation.
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ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
UCAS points: 120 (or above)
Typical qualification requirements:
- A Level: BBB to include Mathematics and one other Science subject
- Welsh BACC: Advanced Skills Baccalaureate Wales Grade B and BB at A Level to include Mathematics and one other Science subject
- BTEC: BTEC Extended Diploma Distinction Distinction Merit in a relevant Maths, Science or Engineering subject which must include Maths modules
- Access to HE: Pass an Access to HE Diploma in Maths/Science and obtain a minimum of 120 UCAS tariff points
- T Level - M
Additional requirements include:
The University normally requires a minimum 5 GCSEs including Mathematics/Numeracy and English at Grade C or Grade 4 or above, or their equivalent, but consideration is given to individual circumstances.
International applications welcomed:
We welcome international applications with equivalent qualifications of our entry requirements. For more details related to your country of residence, please view our dedicated country pages.
English language requirements
International applicants will need to have achieved an overall of IELTS 6.0 with a minimum of 5.5 in each component/TOEFL 72 overall and a minimum of 18 in reading, 17 in listening, 20 in speaking and 17 in writing or equivalent.
Equivalents can be located on our English Language pages.
If you have previously studied through the medium of English, IELTS might not be required, please visit our country specific page for further details. If your country is not featured, please contact us.
If you do not meet the English entry criteria, please visit our Pre-Sessional course pages.
Contextual offers
We may make you a lower offer based on a range of factors, including your background (where you live and the school or college that you attended, for example), your experiences and individual circumstances (as a care leaver, for example). This is referred to as a contextual offer, and we receive data from UCAS to support us in making these decisions.
USW prides itself on its student experience and we support our students to achieve their goals and become a successful graduate. This approach helps us to support students who have the potential to succeed and who may have faced barriers that make it more difficult to access university.
We're here to help
Whether you a have a question about your course, fees and funding, the application process or anything else, there are plenty of ways you can get in touch, and we'd love to talk to you. You can contact our friendly admissions team by phone, email or chat to us online.
Fees and Funding
£9,535
per year*£16,200
per year*£16,200
per year*Additional Costs
As a student of USW, you’ll have access to lots of free resources to support your study and learning, such as textbooks, publications, online journals, laptops, and plenty of remote-access resources. Whilst in most cases these resources are more than sufficient in supporting you with completing your course, additional costs, both obligatory and optional, may be required or requested for the likes of travel, memberships, experience days, stationery, printing, or equipment.
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Introducing Calon
We are investing in the future of STEM at USW with an exciting new Computing, Engineering and Technology building at our Pontypridd Campus.
University Quality Assurance
At USW, we regularly review our courses in response to changing patterns of employment and skills demand to ensure we offer learning designed to reflect today’s student needs and tomorrow’s employer demands.
If during a review process course content is significantly changed, we’ll write to inform you and talk you through the changes for the coming year. But whatever the outcome, we aim to equip our students with the skillset and the mindset to succeed whatever tomorrow may bring. Your future, future-proofed.
How to apply
All applications for full-time undergraduate courses or foundation degrees should be made via UCAS. Take the next step: Apply through UCAS. You can apply to us directly for all part-time undergraduate courses, if you’re seeking advanced entry or you’re an international student. To apply directly, please choose the application form below for your preferred start date and mode of study (full-time or part-time.)
Advanced entry
If you already have a relevant qualification or experience related to the course you're applying for, you may be eligible to start at a later stage of the course. For example, students from partner colleges can ‘top up’ their qualifications to a degree by joining us in Year Two or Year Three of a course. This process is known as ‘advanced entry’, you can apply directly to the University for 'advanced entry' using the application forms provided above.
International admissions
International applicants can apply to us directly. If the University has an in-country team in your region, your application will be assigned to them for assistance.
