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Aeronautics and Astronautics with Industrial Placement Year

Entry requirements


A level

A*,A,A

A*AA including mathematics (minimum grade A) and physics (minimum grade A), with a pass in the physics Practical (where it is separately endorsed). If you are taking an EPQ in addition to 3 A levels, you will receive the following offer in addition to the standard A level offer: AAA including mathematics and physics, with a pass in the physics Practical (where it is separately endorsed) plus grade A in the EPQ. We are committed to ensuring that all applicants with the potential to succeed, regardless of their background, are encouraged to apply to study with us. The additional information gained through contextual data allows us to recognise an applicant's potential to succeed in the context of their background and experience. Applicants who are highlighted in this way will be made an offer which is lower than the typical offer for that programme. Applicants who have not studied the required subjects at A-level can apply for the Engineering/Physics/Mathematics Foundation Year.

AQA Level 3 Technical Level (720 glh)

DD-D*D

Typical entry criteria will be to achieve Grade A* in A-level Maths plus DD in the Tech Level or Grade A in A-level Maths plus D*D in the Tech Level Accepted subjects: Engineering. Must be offered in combination with A-level Mathematics and units M1 and M2 must be taken. Applicants who have not studied mathematics at A-level can apply for the Engineering/Physics/Mathematics Foundation Year.

Cambridge International Pre-U Certificate - Principal

D2,D3,D3

D2, D3, D3 in three Principal subjects including mathematics (minimum grade D3) and physics (minimum grade D3) Applicants who have not studied the required subjects can apply for the Engineering/Physics/Mathematics Foundation Year.

Extended Project

A

If you are taking an EPQ in addition to 3 A levels, you will receive the following offer in addition to the standard A level offer: AAA including mathematics and physics, with a pass in the physics Practical (where it is separately endorsed) plus grade A in the EPQ. Applicants who have not studied the required subjects at A-level can apply for the Engineering/Physics/Mathematics Foundation Year.

GCSE/National 4/National 5

Applicants must hold GCSE English language (or GCSE English) (minimum grade 4/C) and mathematics (minimum grade 4/C)

International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme

38

Pass, with 38 points overall with 19 points required at Higher Level, including 6 at Higher Level in Physics and 6 at Higher Level in Mathematics (Analysis and Approaches) or 7 at Higher Level in Mathematics (Applications and Interpretation). Applicants who have not studied mathematics and/or physics at Higher Level can apply for the Engineering/Physics/Mathematics Foundation Year.

Leaving Certificate - Higher Level (Ireland) (first awarded in 2017)

H1,H1,H1,H2,H2,H2

H1 H1 H1 H2 H2 H2 including mathematics, applied mathematics and physics

OCR Cambridge Technical Diploma

DD-D*D

Typical entry criteria will be to achieve Grade A* in A-level Maths plus DD in the Technical Diploma or Grade A in A-level Maths plus D*D in the Technical Diploma Accepted subjects: Engineering Applicants who have not studied mathematics at A-level can apply for the Engineering/Physics/Mathematics Foundation Year.

OCR Cambridge Technical Extended Certificate

D-D*

Typical entry criteria will be to achieve a grades A*A in Maths and Physics at A-level plus D in the Technical Extended Certificate or grades AA in Maths and Physics at A-level plus D* in the Technical Extended Certificate. A pass in the physics Practical is required where it is separately endorsed. Applicants who have not studied the required subjects at A-level can apply for the Engineering/Physics/Mathematics Foundation Year.

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Certificate (first teaching from September 2016)

D-D*

D in the BTEC National Extended Certificate plus grades A*A in A-level mathematics and physics (the A* can be in either subject), with a pass in the physics Practical (where it is separately endorsed) or D* in the BTEC National Extended Certificate plus grades AA in A-level mathematics and physics, with a pass in the physics Practical (where it is separately endorsed). Applicants who have not studied the required subjects at A-level can apply for the Engineering/Physics/Mathematics Foundation Year.

Pearson BTEC Subsidiary Diploma (QCF)

D-D*

D in the BTEC Subsidiary Diploma plus grades A*A in A-level mathematics and physics (the A* can be in either subject), with a pass in the physics Practical (where it is separately endorsed) or D* in the BTEC Subsidiary Diploma plus grades AA in A-level mathematics and physics, with a pass in the physics Practical (where it is separately endorsed). Applicants who have not studied the required subjects at A-level can apply for the Engineering/Physics/Mathematics Foundation Year.

Offers will be based on exams being taken at the end of S6. Subjects taken and qualifications achieved in S5 will be reviewed. Careful consideration will be given to an individual’s academic achievement, taking in to account the context and circumstances of their pre-university education. Please see the University of Southampton’s Curriculum for Excellence Scotland Statement (PDF) for further information. Applicants are advised to contact their Faculty Admissions Office for more information.

Offers will be based on exams being taken at the end of S6. Subjects taken and qualifications achieved in S5 will be reviewed. Careful consideration will be given to an individual’s academic achievement, taking in to account the context and circumstances of their pre-university education. Please see the University of Southampton’s Curriculum for Excellence Scotland Statement (PDF) for further information. Applicants are advised to contact their Faculty Admissions Office for more information.

Welsh Baccalaureate - Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate (first teaching September 2015)

A

A*AA including mathematics (minimum grade A) and physics (minimum grade A), with a pass in the physics Practical (where it is separately endorsed) or A*A from two A levels including mathematics and physics (the A* can be in either subject), with a pass in the physics Practical (where it is separately endorsed) and A from the Advanced Welsh Baccalaureate Skills Challenge Certificate. Applicants who have not studied the required subjects at A-level can apply for the Engineering/Physics/Mathematics Foundation Year.

UCAS Tariff

152

We've calculated how many Ucas points you'll need for this course.

About this course


Course option

5years

Full-time | 2024

Subject

Aerospace engineering

This integrated masters degree covers the core subjects of aeronautics and astronautics, focusing on fast-moving aircraft and spacecraft in the Earth’s atmosphere and outer space. 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.

Modules in your third year will deepen your understanding of aircraft design, including their environmental impacts. You will also carry out an individual project, bringing together the concepts and skills you have learned.

During your fourth year, you will take advanced aerospace engineering modules and participate in a group design project, applying your engineering knowledge to solve a real-world problem.

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.

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.

Our courses are fully accredited by the Royal Aeronautical Society and Institution of Mechanical Engineers and offer a route to chartered status.

Modules

Typical modules include:

Year one: Introduction to Aeronautics and Astronautics; Engineering Design; Electrical and Electronic Systems; Mathematics; Mechanics, Structures and Materials; Thermofluids.

Year two: Aerodynamics; Astronautics; Engineering Management and Law; Materials and Structures; Mathematics; Mechanics of Flight; Propulsion; Systems Design and Computing.

Year three: Individual Project; Aerospace Control Design; Aerothermodynamics; Aircraft Structural Design; Finite Element Analysis in Solid Mechanics; Introduction to Aircraft Design; plus module options.

Year four: Group Design Project; plus additional module options to deepen your knowledge, such as Race Car Aerodynamics or Spacecraft Propulsion.

Assessment methods

Testing is conducted through a combination of unseen written examinations and assessed coursework in the form of problem-solving exercises, laboratory reports, design exercises, essays, and individual and group projects. Experimental, research and design skills are assessed through laboratory reports, coursework exercises and oral presentations.

The Industrial Placement Year is assessed via an individual reflective report.

Tuition fees

Select where you currently live to see what you'll pay:

Channel Islands
£9,250
per year
England
£9,250
per year
EU
£27,400
per year
International
£27,400
per year
Northern Ireland
£9,250
per year
Republic of Ireland
£9,250
per year
Scotland
£9,250
per year
Wales
£9,250
per year

The Uni


Course location:

Main Site - Highfield Campus

Department:

Aerospace Engineering

Read full university profile

What students say


We've crunched the numbers to see if overall student satisfaction here is high, medium or low compared to students studying this subject(s) at other universities.

78%
Aerospace engineering

How do students rate their degree experience?

The stats below relate to the general subject area/s at this university, not this specific course. We show this where there isn’t enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.

Aeronautical and aerospace engineering

Teaching and learning

83%
Staff make the subject interesting
78%
Staff are good at explaining things
79%
Ideas and concepts are explored in-depth
76%
Opportunities to apply what I've learned

Assessment and feedback

Feedback on work has been timely
Feedback on work has been helpful
Staff are contactable when needed
Good advice available when making study choices

Resources and organisation

92%
Library resources
84%
IT resources
88%
Course specific equipment and facilities
65%
Course is well organised and has run smoothly

Student voice

Staff value students' opinions
Feel part of a community on my course

Who studies this subject and how do they get on?

80%
UK students
20%
International students
86%
Male students
14%
Female students
79%
2:1 or above
4%
First year drop out rate

Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)

A
A
A

After graduation


The stats in this section relate to the general subject area/s at this university – not this specific course. We show this where there isn't enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.

Aeronautical and aerospace engineering

What are graduates doing after six months?

This is what graduates told us they were doing (and earning), shortly after completing their course. We've crunched the numbers to show you if these immediate prospects are high, medium or low, compared to those studying this subject/s at other universities.

£26,000
med
Average annual salary
90%
low
Employed or in further education
77%
med
Employed in a role where degree was essential or beneficial

Top job areas of graduates

38%
Engineering professionals
12%
Information technology and telecommunications professionals
10%
Senior officers in protective services

Just over a thousand UK graduates got a degree in aerospace engineering in 2015. There are a few dedicated employers, unevenly spread around the country, and so there's often competition for graduates looking for their first job - which leads to a relatively high (although improving) early unemployment rate, and a good grade is particularly important for graduates. Sponsorship and work experience can be key if you're after the most sought-after roles in the industry. Starting salaries are usually good and graduates commonly go into the aerospace (yes, this does include manufacture of equipment for satellites and space operations) and defence industries. Bear in mind that a lot of courses are four years long, and lead to an MEng qualification — this is necessary if you want to become a Chartered Engineer.

What about your long term prospects?

Looking further ahead, below is a rough guide for what graduates went on to earn.

Aeronautical and aerospace engineering

The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.

£29k

£29k

£34k

£34k

£41k

£41k

Note: this data only looks at employees (and not those who are self-employed or also studying) and covers a broad sample of graduates and the various paths they've taken, which might not always be a direct result of their degree.

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Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF):

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This information comes from the National Student Survey, an annual student survey of final-year students. You can use this to see how satisfied students studying this subject area at this university, are (not the individual course).

This is the percentage of final-year students at this university who were "definitely" or "mostly" satisfied with their course. We've analysed this figure against other universities so you can see whether this is high, medium or low.

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This information is from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), for undergraduate students only.

You can use this to get an idea of who you might share a lecture with and how they progressed in this subject, here. It's also worth comparing typical A-level subjects and grades students achieved with the current course entry requirements; similarities or differences here could indicate how flexible (or not) a university might be.

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Post-six month graduation stats:

This is from the Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education Survey, based on responses from graduates who studied the same subject area here.

It offers a snapshot of what grads went on to do six months later, what they were earning on average, and whether they felt their degree helped them obtain a 'graduate role'. We calculate a mean rating to indicate if this is high, medium or low compared to other universities.

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Graduate field commentary:

The Higher Education Careers Services Unit have provided some further context for all graduates in this subject area, including details that numbers alone might not show

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The Longitudinal Educational Outcomes dataset combines HRMC earnings data with student records from the Higher Education Statistics Agency.

While there are lots of factors at play when it comes to your future earnings, use this as a rough timeline of what graduates in this subject area were earning on average one, three and five years later. Can you see a steady increase in salary, or did grads need some experience under their belt before seeing a nice bump up in their pay packet?

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