Course summary

Aeronautics and astronautics focuses on fast-moving aircraft and spacecraft in the Earth’s atmosphere and outer space. This course specialises in aeronautics with an emphasis on helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft, engine design and avionics. The first two years are the same across our Aeronautics and Astronautics degrees and focus on core engineering science, such as aerodynamics, propulsion systems, mechanics of flight, fluid dynamics and control, giving you a professional grounding for the design and operation of air vehicles and spacecraft. During your third and fourth years you will also learn about modern design, search and optimisation techniques. In your third year you will also carry out an individual project, bringing together the concepts and skills you have learned. During your fourth year, you will take further advanced and specialised modules and participate in a group design project, applying your engineering knowledge to solve a real-world problem. Your Industrial Placement Year will enhance your employability, with an additional year-long paid placement in an engineering organisation. You will be able to apply the knowledge and skills that you developed during the early years of your degree, developing vital professional knowledge and skills to prepare you to become a professional engineer after graduation. You will have access to extensive facilities, which include dedicated student design studios and workshops, the largest wind tunnel in any UK university, state-of-the-art jet engine and space propulsion facilities, a flight simulator and a professional manufacturing centre. Our courses are fully accredited by the Royal Aeronautical Society and Institution of Mechanical Engineers and offer a route to chartered status.