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Studying aerospace engineering degree guide

Aerospace engineers research, design and build both aircraft and spacecraft. Sound good? Believe us, it’s as cool as it seems.

Eleanor Foulds
by Eleanor Foulds
Last Updated:
03 Nov 2022

To succeed in aerospace engineering, you’ll need to be a hard-working and creative maths whizz with top-notch technical skills, as well as being fascinated with everything to do with air and space travel. If that sounds like you, consider studying aerospace engineering at uni.

Find aerospace engineering courses

What do you need to get on an aerospace engineering degree?


Average entry requirements for aerospace engineering are:

  • UCAS points: 80 –200  
  • A-levels: A*A*A* – CDD   
  • Scottish Highers: AAAAA – AABB (or Advanced Higher AAA – AB) 
  • BTEC Nationals: may be accepted alongside A-levels 
  • International Baccalaureate: 40–32 

Most universities will ask for an A-level in maths as well as physics or another science or engineering subject.

What aerospace engineering degrees can you study?
 

Degrees in aerospace engineering include:

  • BEng in Aerospace Engineering
  • BEng in Aeronautical Engineering 
  • BEng in Aeronautical and Aerospace Engineering
  • BEng in Aeronautics and Astronautics  
  • BEng in Aerospace Technology

You can also usually enrol on a four-year course with a built-in master’s degree. There's also often the chance to do a sandwich year, also known as a year in industry.

What topics does an aerospace engineering degree cover?


Common modules for aerospace engineering include:

  • Aerodynamics and/or flight dynamics
  • Aircraft systems and performance
  • Design (engineering, aircraft, aerospace vehicles)
  • Mathematics and engineering mathematics
  • Fluid mechanics
  • Structures and materials
  • Solid mechanics

“I chose to study Aerospace Engineering because I wanted the chance to invent something new!” – Luke, aerospace engineering graduate at Kingston University 

What do you learn studying an aerospace engineering degree?
 

Studying an aerospace engineering degree will help you gain industry-specific skills like:

  • Computing
  • Systems engineering
  • Aircraft design and manufacture
  • Practical lab work
  • Flight testing

More general, transferable skills you’ll pick up include:

  • Computer literacy
  • Project management 
  • Analytical skills
  • Team working
  • Working to client briefs 

“The course will definitely help you get a job in aerospace engineering, which is a well-paid and under-saturated market. It prepared me for life’s endless difficulties. It means I can fix my own boiler and I’m a quick problem solver.” – Luke, aerospace engineering graduate at Kingston University  

What professional accreditations can you get with an aerospace engineering degree?


An aerospace engineering degree may give you the chance to gain professional accreditations from organisations like:

  • Royal Aeronautical Society (RAeS)  
  • Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) 

The degree may also include: 

  • Registration as an Incorporated Engineer (IEng) 
  • Partial registration as a Chartered Engineer (CEng)  

What can you do with an aerospace engineering degree?


As an aerospace engineering graduate, you should be able to find a variety of jobs, including:  

  • Roles at aeronautical companies like BAE, Rolls Royce and British Airways
  • Aeronautical or aerospace engineer, e.g. in the army or for a major airline
  • Aerodynamics engineer, e.g. in Formula 1
  • Engineering consultant
  • Manufacturing engineer
  • Mission specialist (space exploration) 

Where to study aerospace engineering?

How long is an aerospace engineering degree?  


Typically, an undergraduate degree in this subject is completed over three years and there’s often the chance to add an additional year for a master’s degree or year in industry, or both. 

How will you be assessed?


Aerospace engineering courses are usually assessed through:

  • Coursework  
  • Exams 
  • Observed practical performance in workshops 
  • Individual and group presentations 
  • Essays and reports 

What are the postgraduate opportunities?


Your options for further study include:

  • MEng in Aerospace Engineering, or similar 
  • Further academic research with an MPhil or PhD 
  • MSc Advanced Aeronautical Engineering  
  • PhD Aerospace Engineering or Aeronautical and Automotive Engineering  
  • Diplomas in areas like industrial automation, mechanical engineering technology and plant engineering 

What alternatives are there to an aerospace engineering degree? 
 

Not sure if an aerospace engineering degree is right for you? Check out these related subjects: