Aerospace Engineering Study Guide 2025/26
What you can study
Bristol lies at the heart of aerospace engineering in the country. Our historic association with the aerospace industry puts us in an excellent position to boost your career potential. Proximity to companies such as Airbus, Rolls-Royce, Leonardo Helicopters and BAE Systems benefits our teaching and our research.
You will find units on:
- aerodynamics
- structures and materials
- dynamics and control
- systems and design
Pre-requisites
At UK universities, students specialise from their first year and rarely take units outside their degree subject. This means that:
- Year 1 units are suitable for all students.
- Year 2 units require some university study in the discipline.
- Year 3 units require a strong background in the discipline.
- Masters-level units require three years of study in the discipline.
Subject pathway students
If you have been nominated to Bristol on the Study Abroad (Aerospace Engineering pathway), you are expected to take the majority of your credits from this guide. The School also permits students to consider units from the Civil Engineering guide.
Year 1
Pre-requisites: suitable for students majoring in Engineering
Teaching Block 1
- Engineering Science A - CADE10003
- Introduction to Design Practice - CADE10001 - this unit is graded as pass/fail so involves no numerical mark.
Teaching Block2
Teaching Block 4 (full year)
- Engineering Communication, Measurement, and Data Analysis - CADE10002 - this unit is graded as pass/fail so involves no numerical mark.
Year 2
Pre-requisites: some university study in the discipline.
Teaching Block 1
Teaching Block 2
Year 3
Pre-requisites: strong background of study in the discipline.
Teaching Block 1
- Advanced Structures and Materials - CADE30001
- Aerodynamics and Numerical Simulation Methods - CADE30002
- Feedback Systems and Automatic Control - AENG30022
Teaching Block 2
Masters-level units
Pre-requisites: at least 3 years of study in the discipline.
Teaching Block 1
- Aerial Robotics - AENGM0073 - this unit is open to students on the Study Abroad Aerospace Engineering Pathway programme, and requests are reviewed on a case-by-case basis. We advise students consider a back-up choice as the School cannot guarantee registration on this unit.
- Artificial Intelligence Applications in Structures and Materials - CADEM0019
- Composite Materials for Sustainability - AENGM0092
- Composites Design, Manufacture and Product Development - AENGM0091
Teaching Block 2
Project units
The following project unit is open on the condition that you have decided on a topic prior to your arrival in Bristol and confirmed these details with the School. You may receive an academic supervisor for project units. If a supervisor is unavailable to support a project, students may be required to select an alternative unit.
Teaching Block 2
Application queries
Contact the Centre for Study Abroad inbound team if you have any queries about the application process for the study abroad programmes:
Phone: +44 117 39 40207
Email: cfsa-inbound@bristol.ac.uk
You may also be interested in:
What you can study at Bristol
Browse other subjects and study themes.
Study Guides
Study Guides are updated every April for the following academic year.