Objectives
This specialist MSc course has been developed to equip graduate engineers with the skills required of a highly demanding aerospace industry. Over 12 months, students of this course will be actively involved in learning such topics as: aircraft design; advanced aerodynamics; space mechanics; spacecraft design; propulsion systems; and the role of flight simulation in aerospace. These taught modules are balanced with practical and challenging individual and group aerospace project work. Such projects may include, for example: the design, fabrication and testing of a scale aircraft; computational fluid dynamics and structural analysis modelling of a critical aerospace component; flight performance evaluation using a flight simulator. Although the course has a distinct specialist and technical flavour, the MSc also seeks to provide graduates with a raft of non-technical skills to enable them to realise their professional potential to its fullest. To this end, the course provides modules that cover topics in strategic management, enterprise, research and innovation, as well as exploring issues that are of special importance to the future of the aerospace industry, such as safety, security, and sustainability.
Course description
This specialist course has been developed to equip graduate engineers with the skills required of a highly demanding aerospace industry. Students will be actively involved in learning such topics as: aircraft design; advanced aerodynamics; space mechanics; spacecraft design; propulsion systems; and the role of flight simulation in aerospace.
Although the course has a distinct specialist and technical flavour, it also seeks to provide graduates with a raft of non-technical skills to enable them to realise their professional potential to its fullest.
Course Details
The MSc aerospace engineering course consists of five taught modules, a group project, and an individual project and dissertation. The taught modules are:
* Design and Analysis of Aerospace Vehicles
* Advanced Aerodynamics, Propulsion Systems, and Space Mechanics
* Current and Specialist Topics in Aerospace: Environment, Safety and Flight Simulation
* Strategic Management and Enterprise
* Research Methodology and Innovation
* Group Presentation
* Dissertation
These modules are taught over eight months (from October to May) and are assessed by a balanced combination of examination and assignment. For the final four months (June to September), students will conduct an individual project and prepare a dissertation, allowing the opportunity to undertake original research relating to the aerospace engineering field. The group project is conducted throughout the year and is assessed by means of project logbooks, oral presentations and final project reports.
Special Features
Mechanical Engineering at Brunel is one of the top Mechanical Engineering subject areas in the UK and was rated 5 in the 2001 Research Assessment Exercise. Furthermore, the Guardian league table, April 2005, placed Mechanical Engineering at Brunel as tenth in the UK. Post-graduate students can therefore expect to benefit from an experienced and supportive teaching base whilst having the opportunity to thrive in a dynamic and high-profile research environment.
Careers
Aerospace engineering is currently one of the key areas where there is significant industry demand to recruit well qualified engineers. This demand exists especially in the UK, but also in other European countries. Brunel's MSc Aerospace Engineering course aims to prepare students with the knowledge and skills to fulfil this burgeoning industrial demand. Roles within the aerospace industry might include working in a broad range of areas including strategic management, enterprise, research and innovation, specifically research in safety, security, and sustainability which are of special importance to the future of the aerospace industry.
