MEng Aerospace Engineering with a Year in Industry
2025 entry
Course summary
This five-year course in Aerospace Engineering combines our taught course with an opportunity to apply your knowledge in an industrial environment in your third year. The course is tailored to equip you with the broad set of skills required to solve the engineering problems of the future.
There is no direct entry into this course but you can apply to transfer from our other aerospace engineering courses if you meet the required academic standard and are successful at the industry interview. Places are limited and are highly competitive.
You will study a wide range of subjects, organised across four main themes: aerodynamics, structures and materials, dynamics and control, and systems and design. You will apply your knowledge and professional engineering skills to diverse applications such as fixed and rotary wing aircraft, spacecraft and space missions, and renewable energy.
The first two years of the course are devoted to core concepts, which are taught via lectures, supported by practical experience through coursework, and computer and physical lab activities. In addition to core theoretical knowledge, you will develop wider skills, such as teamwork and presentation skills, as part of our design-build-test project.
You will undertake your placement in your third year.
The research project in your fourth year will allow you to apply your technical knowledge to tackle an open-ended problem; for example, the automated landing of an unmanned air vehicle (UAV), design of a potential space mission, or experimental testing of advanced composite materials. You will be working closely with academics who are world-leading specialists in their research areas, and make use of our extensive facilities.
The degree is capped off by a group design project in the final year. This is an industrial-focused project where you will work in groups to undertake the design of a whole aerospace vehicle and replicate processes found in industry. You could be asked to design a hydrogen-powered civil aircraft, a future uncrewed aerial vehicle, or even an interplanetary science mission. In the final year, you also select optional units, which allow you to specialise in the areas that most suit your interests and career plans.
The diversity of topics in aerospace engineering makes this a challenging degree, but the reward is a uniquely broad education which equips you for an exciting career in solving the problems of the future.
A student who completed a year in industry shares how her placement year boosted her confidence, career prospects and appreciation for university life. Find out more about Yasmin's story.
Course structure
First-year students studying Aerospace Engineering, Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, and Design Engineering all start their degree with a shared foundation of technical knowledge and a command of the skills that underpin modern engineering. You will share common units with your peers in other disciplines and work on an interdisciplinary project. In addition, a dedicated unit will introduce you to the fundamentals of aerospace engineering.
The second year will see you specialise in aerospace engineering. This involves demanding units on topics such as aerodynamics, structures and materials, dynamics and control, and space systems engineering. You will undertake a group design-build-test project that will see you get hands on with tools and state-of-the-art test equipment.
You will undertake your placement in your third year.
The fourth year of the degree concentrates on advanced topics in aerospace engineering, such as computational fluid dynamics, finite element analysis, and feedback control. You will also apply your foundational knowledge to cutting edge research in your individual research project, working closely together with academics who are world-leading experts in their fields.
The final year consists of a capstone group design project, complemented by optional units on a range of specialist topics such as computational and experimental aerodynamics, aerial robotics, advanced composite materials, aircraft and rotor dynamics, space systems or renewable energy.
Entry requirements
We accept a wide variety of qualifications and welcome applications from students of all backgrounds. Below is a guide to the typical offers for this course.
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Selection process
- Regulations and codes of conduct we abide by to create a positive environment for learning and achievement are found in the University admissions policies and procedures.
- If applying with extenuating circumstances please see our policy.
- Full information about our selection processes for Aerospace Engineering with a Year in Industry can be found in the Admissions Statement:
Admissions statement