Aeronautical Engineering with Foundation Year

Flight remains one of mankind's greatest achievements. With technology taking aviation further, prepare for a future career in this thrilling and lucrative sector with our BEng (Hons) Aeronautical Engineering with Foundation year degree.

Aeronautical engineering is the application of scientific and technological methods to research, design, develop, maintain, and performance test both civil and military aircraft. We’ve designed this BEng course to equip you with relevant technical and transferable skills in these areas, so you are ready for exciting career opportunities.

Develop in-demand engineering knowledge and skills
The introductory foundation year is designed to provide a broad introduction to engineering and build your understanding of engineering situations and solving problems. With a focus on ensuring your academic progression, it builds core skills in communication and teamwork that are needed to succeed at an advanced study level. Once you successfully complete and pass the foundation year, you will progress on to our full BEng (Hons) Aeronautical Engineering degree.

Across three further years of study - or four, if you choose to include an industry placement year, you’ll study a suite of modules design to embed theoretical knowledge and creative application to help you become a world-class engineer. With a focus on real-world problem solving, you’ll explore how to take flight even further. You will experience group projects that will build your confidence and capabilities in team working, problem-solving and communication - all desirable skills for real-world aeronautical engineering careers.

Initially covering core engineering topics in relation to mathematics, electrical systems, thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, structures and dynamics, you will start to explore aircraft design, including aircraft structures, flight systems, navigation, aerodynamics and performance. As you progress, you will focus on advanced flight systems, the aerodynamics of high-speed vehicles, and structural analysis using finite element methods.

As an engineering student, you will experience hands-on learning using aeronautical laboratories, flight simulators and flight training system. You will also have the opportunity to gather real-time flight data with practical teaching using aircraft from Cranfield University’s National Flying Laboratory Centre. During the flight, the aircraft will conduct specific manoeuvres to gather flight data for your later analysis.

Get closer to industry
The course team has long-standing connections with the aviation industry, both in the North West and beyond. You will benefit from stimulating range of external guest lecturers, project and placement opportunities, and engagement with professional networks, as you learn about the decision-making methods used by industry.

Our new home for engineering
In Autumn 2022, we opened our new £65 million hub for science, engineering and the environment - and our new home for engineering. Sustainability-designed and 100% electric powered, the building offers unrivalled teaching, learning and research facilities and provides exciting new spaces for industry collaboration.

Features
• Initially study a foundation year to strengthen your maths, physics and study skills, ready to progress to the BEng (Hons) Aeronautical Engineering degree
• Develop a deeper understanding of the theory of statics and dynamics and flight control as related to the dynamic behaviour of an aircraft
• Learn about aircraft design, including detailed refinement of component design and major interactions that influence the overall design effectiveness
• Assess aircraft performance by modelling aerodynamic loads and propulsion system performance, leading to key results in both steady and accelerated flight

This course is not open to international students.