MSc

Aeronautical Engineering

Prepare yourself for a career in the aerospace industry. Gain relevant expertise and get hands-on with state-of-the-art facilities at USW.

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Key Course Details

  • Start Date

    September

  • Location

    Pontypridd

  • Campus Code

    A

Fees

  • Home students

    £10,800*

  • International students

    £16,900*

  • Full-time fees are per year. Part-time fees are per 20 credits.

The MSc Aeronautical Engineering meets the academic requirements for Chartered Engineer (CEng) status with the Institution of Mechanical Engineering (IMechE) and the Royal Aeronautical Society (RAeS). Progression to management is key to the careers of postgraduate engineers, so as part of the aeronautical engineering programme you will develop relevant managerial skills, as well as an awareness of the wider issues that affect the aeronautical industry.

DESIGNED FOR

Aeronautical engineers have an inquiring mind, wanting to understand how things work and how to apply knowledge to solving industry problems. Whilst many of our students pursue careers in the aerospace sectors, the course also provides the academic base for those interested in a career as a Mechanical Engineer.

Accredited by

  • The Royal Aeronautical Society (RAeS) and the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE)

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
  • Developed knowledge of cutting-edge technology
  • Teamworking, management and leadership.
  • Communication skills
  • Understanding professional responsibilities

Course Highlights

Professionally Recognised

This BEng (Hons) Aeronautical Engineering degree was developed in close consultation with industry professional bodies, including the Royal Aeronautical Society (RAeS) and the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) to boost your employability

Industry Focused

We have strong links with industry and place considerable emphasis on student projects and practical, problem-based learning.

Expert Knowledge

Staff are experts in their fields, some through research activities and some through professional practice in industrial careers.

Module Overview

Throughout the MSc Aeronautical Engineering programme, you will study a mix of core and optional modules and undertake a supervised 60 credit dissertation. Please note: If you’re an aeronautical engineering graduate from the University of South Wales intending to progress into postgraduate study, you will be required to complete the optional modules in advanced materials and manufacture, advanced computational fluid dynamics, fatigue and fracture and further FEA.

Advanced Materials and Manufacture
This module will enable the student to gain knowledge and analytical skills on a range of modern engineering materials, subsequently develop a critical awareness on the selection criteria for aeronautical and mechanical engineering applications. You will also develop knowledge on a range of manufacturing processes, methods
and techniques. 

Fatigue and Fracture 
The aim of this module is to enable students to carry out appropriate analysis to apply to designs where failure due to fatigue may be an issue. The analysis of cracks in structures allows the students to make informed decisions as to appropriate actions that can be taken to prevent unwanted catastrophic failure.

Further Finite Element Analysis
This will enable the student to assess the suitability of finite element analysis to solve a range of engineering analysis with an understanding of the limitations of the analysis. You will learn how to carry out appropriate finite element analysis using a range of modelling techniques and to critically analyse the results obtained from finite element software.

Further Computational Fluid Dynamics 
This will provide students with a practical understanding of the numerical methods which underlie computational fluid dynamics analysis.

Research Methods for Engineers 
This will provide the students with the ability to determine the most appropriate methods to collect, analyse and interpret information relevant to an area of engineering research. You will develop the ability to critically reflect on your own and others' work.

Robotics and Control
Provide the students with a comprehensive understanding of the principles behind Robotics with a focused base in Control Engineering.

Aeroelasticity
This module provides the student with an integrated understanding of the interaction among aerodynamic, inertia and elastic forces and how this interaction affects the design of an aircraft. You will learn how to predict, analyse and assess aeroelastic phenomena on an aircraft.

Professional Engineering Management
This module will enable learners to develop knowledge of strategic leadership within the context of an engineering business. Learners will develop the skills to critically analyse leadership and management theories and how these shape the strategic direction and effectiveness of an organisation. The learners will develop understanding of application of this knowledge to individual leadership skills in relation to professional engineering, using the Engineering Council UK-Spec
document as a framework for good practice.

Advanced Propulsion
This will provide the skills required to perform detail analysis of components of aircraft engines. You will develop a working knowledge and critical awareness of aircraft engine performance, analysing techniques, component, system design and associated technologies

Advanced Aircraft Design
You will develop an integrated understanding of the taught aeronautical engineering postgraduate modules, through a design and synthesis perspective. This module will provide you with the tools and methods to conceptually create, simulate and optimise an aircraft design.

Dissertation
The dissertation is the final component and the culmination of the MSc programme. The knowledge and skills of the taught elements of the MSc programe provide the foundation for this comprehensive research project along with additional guidance on research methodology. The dissertation represents a substantial piece of work, which brings the taught elements of the programme into context within a research or industrial based project work. The dissertation allows the students to undertake a substantial piece of investigative research work on an
appropriate engineering topic and further develop the students skills in research, critical analysis and development of solutions using appropriate techniques

Direct Entry students with no prior knowledge of Computational Fluid Dynamics
(CFD) or Finite Element Analysis (FEA) will also be given the option to enrol in the
following modules:

  • Engineering Computational Analysis - 20 credits

Course Highlights

How you'll learn

The MSc Aeronautical Engineering is delivered evenly throughout the year.
Modules involve lectures, tutorials and practical laboratory work, with continually
assessed coursework or a mixture of coursework and exams.

Teaching staff

The staff that deliver the modules have a breadth of expertise in their subject areas. 

Some have developed this expertise through high quality research. The research areas are international in their scope whilst also having a relevance locally, often working with
international companies that operate locally.

Others have developed their expertise through successful careers in industry and are now using that knowledge to teach and prepare the students for their own careers.
This blend of backgrounds represented in the academic staff give a breadth to the student experience and develops them technically and professionally.

Facilities

The University has invested £3.3m in its aerospace facilities, including a two-storey
Aerospace Centre extension, offering engineering students 1,000m2 of workshop and lab space, two aircraft hangars, and a MP521 flight simulator.
The Centre houses a Jetstream 31 aircraft, gas turbine maintenance, riveting, hand tool, and welding workshops. Additionally, it features clean and dirty composite workshops, labs for electronic tasks, avionics, hydraulics, and pneumatics. Sub-sonic wind tunnels facilitate aerodynamic instruction.
The Merlin MP521 simulator, programmable for any aircraft type, is pivotal in design testing and flight test preparation.

Careers and Employability

Graduate careers

We have links with the regional aviation industry, which includes GE Aviation, BAMC,
Nordam Europe, TES Aviation Group, and other members within the Aerospace Wales
Forum.
Graduates of our Aeronautical Engineering degree are in demand in the UK, and in the civil and defence sectors worldwide. Some of the companies with which our UK graduates work include Rolls Royce, GE Aviation, MBDA, Airbus, Jaguar Land Rover, BAMC, EasyJet, Emirates, Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) and the UK Ministry of Defence.

Possible career paths

You may have a clear career path that you are aiming for, and we can help you get there. On the other hand, you may still be unsure about the direction you wish to take and that’s why our lecturers, industrial contacts and careers services will want to talk to about these opportunities.

It’s an exciting time to be an Engineer – the world is facing some major challenges and we are at the forefront of developing solutions to many of these.

Careers support

Our careers service offers a range of advice and guidance to students. We can link you up with industry, we can help you with interview skills and CVs and help you to focus on your own direction of travel.

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

Typical qualification requirements:

A minimum 2:2 Honours degree in aeronautical or aerospace engineering, although other applicants with a relevant engineering degree will be considered. 

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

UK Full-time Fee

£10,800

per year*
International Full-time Fee

£16,900

per year*
International Full-time Fee

£16,900

per year*

Further Information

Studying at university is one of the most significant investments you'll ever make. Whilst you’re studying, you’ll have two main financial obligations – tuition fees and living costs. There’s lots of financial help available from the University of South Wales and external funding sources, that may provide loans (which have to be paid back) and grants, scholarships and bursaries (that don't).

*Full-time fees are per year. Part-time fees are per 20 credits. Once enrolled, the fee is anticipated to remain at the same rate throughout the duration of your study on this course except as described below.

Please be aware that we may increase the maximum fee for home students on full-time undergraduate courses only where the Welsh Government increases the permitted level of inflation of fees. Fees for all students (including part-time, postgraduate and international students) may be amended in accordance with our applicable Fees and Debt Management Policy.  We will ensure that students are given clear, intelligible, unambiguous and timely information about our courses and costs in good time, ahead of the next academic year.

 

Fees and Funding Scholarships and Busaries Alumni Discount

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.

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

There is an online application process for this course. Please choose the application form for your preferred start date and mode of study (i.e. full-time or part-time).

International admissions

Please see our international admissions advice for further information about how to apply as a prospective international student.