MSc Aeronautical Engineering

• A focus on the practical application of the advanced theories learnt.
• Familiarisation with a range of industry standard design and analysis software.
• The opportunity to undertake low cost gliding, with reduced price club membership for students.
• Good career prospects.

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The aerospace industry is one of the UK's most successful industrial sectors, with its involvement in major international project groups including Airbus, Rolls Royce, British Aerospace to name but a few.  Not every university that teaches engineering includes Aeronautical Engineering in its portfolio, but Staffordshire University is proud to be running a new and innovative MSc award in this area with a start date of September 2012.  The MSc in Aeronautical Engineering builds upon the success of the undergraduate Aeronautical programme which has been running at Staffordshire for ten years.

The MSc is an award for the graduate engineer (who will have usually studied a BEng(hons) in Mechanical or Aeronautical Engineering or equivalent, or possibly a BSc(hons) in Aeronautical Technology) and who wishes to expand and deepen their knowledge of aeronautical engineering. 

The MSc covers a broad range of areas including fixed wing and rotary aircraft, subsonic and supersonic flight regimes, aircraft propulsion systems, aircraft control systems, materials, etc. As well as taught classes, students use our extensive range of laboratories which include industry standard design and analysis software, including Pro Engineer, Phoenix CFD, ANSYS FEA, etc.

What you do

Students study eight taught modules then undertake a research-based dissertation, the length of the course being about 12 months in total. 

Modules studied include:

CE01201-7 Technical and Study Skills – giving an update on some of the advanced analysis techniques required for study at postgraduate level. And introducing university rules on plagiarism etc.

CE00633-7 Research Methods and Project Management – how to undertake a literature survey, managing a project proposal, project management, and writing an MSc dissertation.

CE TBA Control Systems for Aeronautics – covering flight control systems and the theory of advanced control systems.

CE00447-7 Structural Integrity – looking at materials used in aircraft structures and failure modes, including elastic and plastic deformation, finite element analysis, optimisation, non-linear materials.

CE01225-7 Aircraft Propulsion Systems – looking at the design and manufacture of turbojet and turbofan gas turbine engines.

CE01226-7 Advanced Aeronautics – looks at practical aerodynamics in fixed wing and rotary aircraft, subsonic and supersonic lift and drag, and the design and operation of aircraft systems and flight decks. Human Factors are also examined.

CE00576-7 Advanced Vehicle Aerodynamics – a theoretical review of aerodynamics including compressible and incompressible flow and related equations and CFD analysis of flow with an understanding of CFD calculations and theory.

CE00090-7 MSc Project – the 60 credit dissertation module, student-centred but with close staff guidance.

Options include:-

CED01228-7 MSc Project by Distance Learning (as an alternative to the MSc Project)
CE01060-7 Advanced Engineering Materials
CE00455-7 Technical Paper Authoring
CE00058-6 Industrial Responsibility

MSc Engineering and Applied Technology Handbook (PDF, file size: 140.05KB)

It is possible for the MSc students to join the undergraduate Aeronautics students in becoming a member of the local gliding club, where it is possible to experience gliding, whether this is just a couple of air-experience flights, or joining the club as a student member and in some cases taking hundreds of flights and achieving a gliding qualification.   Many airline pilots started their flying career by gliding.

A range of external speakers will be invited to give lectures to the MSc students, including designers from industry and airline pilots.  There is an opportunity for students on the MSc to undertake a placement with one of the local, regional, national or international aerospace companies, and assistance in finding these placements is given by the Placements Office.

It is envisaged that graduates from the MSc in Aeronautical Engineering will be in a position to apply for a large range of technical, engineering, analytical, operation or management jobs within the aerospace and airline industries.

For more information about Aeronautical Engineering please contact: