MSc Advanced Aeronautical Engineering
Multidisciplinary training in aircraft technologies aimed at reducing environmental impact and life-cycle costs.
Key information
Applications are now closed
Overview
This course is suitable if you have an engineering background and a particular interest in aircraft technologies.
Air travel is vital for the prosperity of the economy and is predicted to grow significantly over the next 20 years. The challenge facing aviation is to meet this demand while ensuring the environment is protected.
You will learn the fundamental disciplines needed to develop new technologies and greener aircraft.
The course offers multidisciplinary training in aircraft technologies for reducing environmental impact and life-cycle costs.
The facilities in the department are of a high standard, with the latest industry-standard software available for students to use.
Study programme
The programme can be completed in one year on a full-time basis.
The programme is comprised of core and optional modules. The core modules are compulsory and consist of a set of introductory non-examinable modules and modules related to the "Green Aviation" initiative. The optional modules deal with advanced aeronautical engineering topics.
You will also complete an extensive four-month individual research project. The project is made up of a piece of individual research which must include some element of originality and can be wholly experimental, wholly theoretical, or a mixture of the two.
Professional accreditation
This course is professionally accredited by The Royal Aeronautical Society. The Society is licensed by the Engineering Council to register candidates as Chartered Engineers (CEng), Incorporated Engineers (IEng) and Engineering Technicians (EngTech).
Our accreditation agreement with the Royal Aeronautical Society is renewed every five years. The current accreditation agreement is due to be renewed for students starting their studies in the 2024-25 academic year. The Department expects to be accredited into the future.
Structure
This page reflects the latest version of the curriculum for this year of entry. However, this information is subject to change.
Find out more about the limited circumstances in which we may need to make changes to or in relation to our courses, the type of changes we may make and how we will tell you about changes we have made.
Page last reviewed on 22 October 2021.
Structure
Core modules
You take all of the core modules below.
Aerospace Structures
Learn how to analyse and design aerospace structures and how loads affect them.
Aircraft Design and Airworthiness
Carry out the full conceptual design of a new modern aircraft, ensuring it meets requirements for airworthiness certification, from a simple set of operational requirements.
Applied Aerodynamics
Develop an advanced understanding of the aerodynamics of wings and aerofoil sections.
Emerging Technology for Green Aviation
Cover the key technological advances and the corresponding underlying principles of greener aviation.
Optional modules
You'll take five modules from the below.
Advanced Manufacturing
Cover the manufacturing principles and processes of composite materials and develop a deeper understanding of the relationship between material design, processing and properties.
Advanced Propulsion
Conduct aerodynamic and thermodynamic analysis of propulsion systems for high-speed flight.
Aerothermodynamics of Launchers and Re-Entry Vehicles
Explore the unique flow physics experienced by vehicles travelling at hypersonic speeds in an atmosphere.
Analytical Characterisation of Composite Materials
Cover advanced analytical techniques used to characterise polymer, fibre and fibre-matrix interfaces’ properties.
Artificial Intelligence for Aerospace Engineers
Get an introduction to popular machine learning and AI algorithms used in the aerospace industry and research.
Composite Innovation – Nanocomposites and Structural Power
Learn about the latest composite innovations including nanophase reinforced composites and multifunctional composites.
Computational Mechanics
Explore advanced concepts in the application of the finite element method to the analysis of aerostructures.
Control Theory for Flow Management
Discover how fluid flow may be controlled through sensing, and its subsequent control via actuation to produce a controlled disturbance, in order to achieve a desired effect.
Finite Elements
Gain an in-depth understanding of the theory and practice of finite element methods and learn to apply this to solving real-life structural problems.
Flow Instability & Transition
Learn how modern mathematical techniques are used to predict conditions when laminar-turbulent transition takes place.
Innovation Management
Cover key principles of innovation management from knowledge co-creation to developing sustainable business models.
Lightweight Structures
Broaden your understanding of the mechanics of composite materials and foams, including sandwich construction.
Orbital Mechanics
Apply orbital mechanics and rigid body mechanics to a wide range of problems in non-atmospheric flight.
Spacecraft Structures
Develop your understanding of methodologies for spacecraft structure design, from launchers to satellite platforms to habitable inflatable modules.
Spacecraft Systems
Learn industry standard methodology for spacecraft systems analysis and design.
Structural Integrity and Health Monitoring
Gain an in-depth knowledge of the fundamentals of safe design and learn to apply damage detection techniques to different types of structures.
Systems Engineering for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
Learn about engineering systems and how to apply their tools to the design of UAVs.
Turbulence and Turbulence Modelling
Develop your foundational knowledge and physical understanding to critically assess turbulent modules relevant to research and industry.
Research project
You'll complete an extensive four-month individual research project. The project is made up of a piece of individual research which must include some element of originality and can be wholly experimental, wholly theoretical, or a mixture of the two.
You'll select projects from a list of topics proposed by university staff and by industry. The results from the study must be set in context against published work. The project is assessed by progress in conducting the work, a dissertation of about 10,000 words, and an oral presentation.
Log books are good practice and may be required by your supervisor as part of your submission. Please ensure you speak to your supervisor at the start of your project to find out if a log book will be required.
It is expected that many projects will have significant industry support and may be wholly or partly undertaken in industry, as appropriate.
Teaching and assessment
Teaching methods
- Lectures
- Tutorials
- Group Work
- Blackboard (Virtual Learning Environment)
- Student Portal on Sharepoint
- Panopto Recordings
- Major Individual Research Project
Assessment methods
- Written Examinations
- Coursework
- Tutorial Material
- Oral Presentations
- Progress Reports
Entry requirements
We welcome students from all over the world and consider all applicants on an individual basis.
Admissions
Minimum academic requirement
Our minimum requirement is a 2.1 degree (or equivalent) in aerospace or mechanical engineering, with some experience of fluid and structural dynamics. Please note, a first class degree (or equivalent) is strongly preferred.
International qualifications
We also accept a wide variety of international qualifications.
The academic requirement above is for applicants who hold or who are working towards a UK qualification.
For guidance see our Country Index though please note that the standards listed are the minimum for entry to the College, and not specifically this Department.
If you have any questions about admissions and the standard required for the qualification you hold or are currently studying then please contact the relevant admissions team.
English language requirement (all applicants)
All candidates must demonstrate a minimum level of English language proficiency for admission to the College.
For admission to this course, you must achieve the standard College requirement in the appropriate English language qualification. For details of the minimum grades required to achieve this requirement, please see the English language requirements for postgraduate applicants.
Competence standards
Our competence standards highlight the core skills students should be able to demonstrate by the end of this course.
View the Department of Aeronautics' competence standards [pdf]
We believe in providing the widest practicable access to all of our degree programmes and will make reasonable adjustments wherever possible to support your study. For more information, please contact the Department using the contact details below.
Department of Aeronautics
T: +44 (0)20 7594 5066
E: aero.msc-admissions@imperial.ac.uk
Admissions
Making an application
Apply online
All applicants must apply online.
Visit our Admissions website for details on the application process.
You can submit one application form per year of entry. You can usually choose up to two courses.
Application fee
If you are applying for a taught Master’s course, you will need to pay an application fee before submitting your application.
The fee applies per application and not per course:
- £80 for taught Master's applications (excluding MBAs)
- £135 for MBA applications
There is no application fee for MRes courses, Postgraduate Certificates, Postgraduate Diplomas or research courses, such as PhDs and EngDs.
If you are facing financial hardship and are unable to pay the application fee, we encourage you to apply for our application fee waiver.
ATAS certificate (overseas candidates)
An ATAS certificate is required for all visa-nationals, with the exception of EEA/Swiss nationals and nationals of the following countries: Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea and the USA.
To apply for an ATAS certificate online, you will need your programme’s Common Aggregation Hierarchy (CAH) code and ‘descriptor’, as well as your university supervisor name. For this course, these are:
| CAH code | Descriptor | Supervisor name |
|---|---|---|
| CAH10-01-04 | aeronautical and aerospace engineering | Professor Paul Robinson |
Your student visa application, or extension of stay, will automatically be refused if you need an ATAS certificate and cannot provide one.
For further guidance on obtaining an ATAS certificate please see the information on our International Student Support website.
Further questions?
Find answers to your questions about admissions. Answers cover COVID-19, English language requirements, visas and more.
Tuition fees and funding
The level of tuition fees you pay is based on your fee status, which we assess based on UK government legislation.
Find out more about fees and funding opportunities.
Tuition fees
Home rate of tuition
2022 entry
£15,400
Fees are charged by year of entry to the College and not year of study.
Except where otherwise indicated, the fees for students on courses lasting more than one year will increase annually by an amount linked to inflation, including for part-time students on modular programmes. The measure of inflation used will be the Retail Price Index (RPI) value in the April of the calendar year in which the academic session starts e.g. the RPI value in April 2022 will apply to fees for the academic year 2022–2023.
Fee status
Whether you pay the Home fee depends on your fee status.
Your fee status is assessed based on UK Government legislation and includes things like where you live and your nationality or residency status.
Find out more about how we assess your fee status.
EU/EEA/Swiss students
The Government has confirmed that EU/EEA/Swiss students who begin a course before the 31 July 2021 will be eligible to pay the same fee as Home students and have access to student finance for the duration of their course, as long as they meet certain requirements which are unchanged from previous years. This includes students who begin the course remotely.
EU/EEA/Swiss students starting a course on or after 1 August 2021 will no longer be eligible for the Home fee rate and so will be charged the Overseas fee. Please note we do not expect this to apply to Irish students or students benefitting from Citizens' rights under the EU Withdrawal Agreement, EEA EFTA Separation Agreement or Swiss Citizens’ Rights Agreement respectively. However, we are currently awaiting the formal publication of the amended Fees and Awards regulations.
The UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) website has useful information on the conditions you currently need to meet to be entitled to pay tuition fees at the Home rate for study on a higher education course in England and reflect the regulations as they currently stand (not the amended regulations which are subject to publication).
Overseas rate of tuition
2022 entry
£35,700
Fees are charged by year of entry to the College and not year of study.
Except where otherwise indicated, the fees for students on courses lasting more than one year will increase annually by an amount linked to inflation, including for part-time students on modular programmes. The measure of inflation used will be the Retail Price Index (RPI) value in the April of the calendar year in which the academic session starts e.g. the RPI value in April 2022 will apply to fees for the academic year 2022–2023.
Fee status
Whether you pay the Overseas fee depends on your fee status.
Your fee status is assessed based on UK Government legislation and includes things like where you live and your nationality or residency status.
Find out more about how we assess your fee status.
EU/EEA/Swiss students
The Government has confirmed that EU/EEA/Swiss students who begin a course before the 31 July 2021 will be eligible to pay the same fee as Home students and have access to student finance for the duration of their course, as long as they meet certain requirements which are unchanged from previous years. This includes students who begin the course remotely.
EU/EEA/Swiss students starting a course on or after 1 August 2021 will no longer be eligible for the Home fee rate and so will be charged the Overseas fee. Please note we do not expect this to apply to Irish students or students benefitting from Citizens' rights under the EU Withdrawal Agreement, EEA EFTA Separation Agreement or Swiss Citizens’ Rights Agreement respectively. However, we are currently awaiting the formal publication of the amended Fees and Awards regulations.
The UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) website has useful information on the conditions you currently need to meet to be entitled to pay tuition fees at the Home rate for study on a higher education course in England and reflect the regulations as they currently stand (not the amended regulations which are subject to publication).
Postgraduate Master's loan
If you're a UK national, or EU national with settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, you may be able to apply for a Postgraduate Master’s Loan from the UK government, if you meet certain criteria.
For 2022-23 entry, the maximum amount is £11,836. The loan is not means-tested and you can choose whether to put it towards your tuition fees or living costs.
Scholarships
We offer a range of scholarships for postgraduate students to support you through your studies. Find out more about our scholarships to see what you might be eligible for.
A number of external organisations also offer awards for Imperial students. Find out more about non-Imperial scholarships.
Accommodation and living costs
Living costs, including accommodation, are not included in your tuition fees.
You can compare costs across our different accommodation options on our Accommodation website.
A rough guide to what you might expect to spend to live in reasonable comfort in London is available on our Fees and Funding website.
Further information
Got a question?
T: +44(0) 20 7594 5066
E: aero.msc-admissions@imperial.ac.uk
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