Course summary

This degree is accredited by the Royal Aeronautical Society (RAeS) and Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE). As well as your main Imperial degree (MEng), you will also receive the award of the Associateship of the City and Guilds of London Institute (ACGI) on completion of this course. This professionally accredited course aims to provide you with a broad base of engineering, computational and analytical skills, as well as the specific knowledge and experience required for careers in the aeronautical industry. All students initially apply to this degree, MEng Aeronautical Engineering (H401), before choosing whether to continue or transfer to one of the other three Aeronautics options. The first two years are the same across all of our Aeronautical Engineering courses, covering a strong base of physical and engineering subjects. Year two includes more specialised aeronautical material such as aerodynamics, flight mechanics and propulsion and turbomachinery, plus the chance to attend a flighttesting course at the National Flying Laboratory Centre at Cranfield University. Both years include laboratory-based coursework plus design, make and test exercises to develop your design and analysis skills. You continue to cover core modules and laboratory work in years three and four. You also begin to tailor the course to your interests by choosing from a selection of optional modules on specialist topics. This gives you the chance to focus on the areas of aeronautical engineering that interest you the most and tap into cutting-edge research activities being undertaken by internationally recognised experts within the Department. Current choices include advanced propulsion, turbulence and turbulence modelling, wing design and advanced mechanics of flight, as well as general engineering options. A group project in year three gives you the chance to simulate the work of a design team to take a design concept through the different stages of feasibility. Working in design teams, you are tasked with developing a particular design concept to the stage where feasibility has been fully explored. Recent examples include an advanced tactical stealth fighter and an off-shore oil platform. Your study reaches Master’s level in the fourth year, with a range of advanced modules and a four-month individual research project, which gives you the chance to put your project management skills to the test. This can be carried out in the Department, in industry or at a research establishment, under the supervision of both College and industrial supervisors. There are opportunities throughout to take management and non-technical modules through Imperial Horizons. Students who have studied the appropriate foreign language also have the opportunity to undertake their project in Europe. At the end of the second year, students who are on target to achieve a 2:1 or above may apply to transfer to our Year Abroad course, Year in Industry course, or Spacecraft Engineering course. If you are an international student, transferring to a different course could have an impact on your Tier 4 visa, but our International Student Support Team are here to help advise and support you.