Course structure
Year 1 core modules
Aircraft Principles
This is a group project module which is part of the group project theme running through the engineering programmes. This module introduces you to the practice of creating an engineered design and the organisational issues of controlling a group project. It will provide you with the opportunity to work in a team in order to solve a well defined problem. It will give you an understanding of their knowledge and limitations and the importance of working with other members of a team. There is one week long assignment period allocated to this module and this allows the real time application of skills and knowledge developed in the preceding weeks to be applied to enable manufacture of the designed product. Each group of students will be expected to produce a tangible output from the design and manufacturing work which will account for 60% of the module. For the remaining 40% of marks you will be assessed on the group work process.
Electrical Principles (AC/DC)
This module will introduce you to the fundamentals of electrical circuit theory and how to apply it to analyse simple electric circuits. The module will also introduce you to electromagnetic energy conversion and AC power.
The module is taught with lectures, seminars and related practical work. Your lectures will provide an explanation of principles and discussion of applications. Practical sessions will provide you an opportunity to develop practical skills through the use of laboratory setups that reinforce the lecture material.
Engineering Mathematics
This module introduces the range of mathematical skills that are relevant to an engineering degree. You revisit and develop your knowledge of the fundamentals of algebra, trigonometry and basic statistics. The central ideas of vectors, matrices, complex numbers, and differential and integral calculus are also examined.
Throughout the module you develop a range of mathematical skills and techniques fundamental to the solution of engineering problems. You also advance your skills in selecting and applying mathematical techniques.
This module is delivered through a combination of lectures and tutorial sessions.
Materials and Sustainability
You look at engineering materials in lab-based practical sessions. Fundamental relationships between processing, structure, properties and performance are explored to highlight factors which influence the suitability of materials for various engineering applications.
Structural Mechanics
This module introduces common types of structure used in engineering, assesses the types of loads they must resist and provides you with the analytical skills necessary to design the components that make up the structure.
Specific areas of study include: basic concepts of force, stress and strain; properties of materials and sections; analysis of frames, beams and columns; equilibrium conditions and statical determinacy; beam bending movement, shear force and deflection; and
lightweight cables.
Lectures will introduce each major topic on the module with tutorials used to practise calculations. Laboratory practicals are used to investigate the properties of construction materials and develop a deeper understanding of structural theory.
The module is assessed by in-course assignment and an examination, comprising calculations and short answer questions on the module indicative content.
Thermofluids
This module introduces the student to the basic principles of fluid mechanics, properties of fluids, hydrostatics, continuity equation, Bernoulli's equation, flow measurements, real flow in pipes, friction losses and momentum equation. It deals with the transfer of heat, energy for solids, liquids and gases. It explores the various mechanisms for this heat transfer and laws of thermodynamics, quantifies these mechanisms and applies them to mechanical systems, principally engines and compressors.
Year 2 core modules
Aeroengines and Rocket Science
You look at the fundamental thermodynamics and operational characteristics of a range of engines and their components including gas turbines, jet engines, turbofans, turboshaft engines, ramjets, scramjets and rockets (which are used in aerospace applications) and torque power producing gas turbines (used in industrial and marine applications).
You explore the fundamental thermodynamics of engine operation, the equation for thrust calculations, Mach number, stagnation properties, shock waves, steady one dimensional flow, and analyses of flows through convergent and convergent-divergent nozzles. You learn how to calculate the performance and efficiencies of the engine and its components.
Components include burners and afterburners, compressors, turbine and nozzles. You also look at the calculation and analyses of flows through compressor and turbine blading stages, and fundamentals of rocket propulsion, trajectory analysis, and performance of solid and liquid rocket engines.
You attend a series of keynote lectures as well as problem-solving tutorials and practical investigations.
Aircraft Performance and Stability
This is a multi-disciplinary module on fixed-wing aircraft. It covers fundamental concepts of the rigid-body aircraft and its degree of freedom. The main purpose of the module is to introduce the student to the calculation and analysis of aircraft flight performance and stability, with focus on steady-state or quasi steady flight. The flight conditions considered include ground manoeuvre, take-off and landing, cruise condition, and turning.
The module will be delivered in a combination of lectures/ tutorials and experimental flight programme. The module will look to establish preparatory experimental design, implementation and analysis of flight data.
This module will be assessed by a combination of in-course assessments and an examination.
Aircraft Structures
This module studies the relationships between the external loads applied to a deformable body and the intensity of internal forces acting within the body, and the characteristics of the materials often found in aerospace applications. The subject also involves calculating the deformations and stability and stability of a body when the body is subject to external loadings.
The module will develop the essential theory and fundamental principles of structural mechanics and will provide an insight into different materials and their characteristics, thus developing student knowledge, skills and ability to apply this knowledge in aerospace structural analysis and design.
Lectures on basic principles and then applications through analysis and laboratory experiments. There is an increasing emphasis on self learning and the use of computational simulation.
Assessment will be in the form of written laboratory reports and an examination.
Avionics and Aircraft Systems
Avionics and aerospace systems are major constituents of all modern aerospace vehicles on which their overall performance and safety is critically dependent. This module considers the development of avionics, investigates the principles that underpin avionic systems operation and examines the current types and applications of avionic systems in use. The module develops your understanding of the engineering issues related to the specification, design and operation of aerospace systems and their overall performance and safe operation by providing an introduction to the types of systems found on aerospace vehicles and their main functions.
The module introduces the fundamental principles and concepts for avionics design including radio and radar technology, navigation systems, flight management systems and automatic flight control systems and focuses on the design and operation of hydraulic and flight control systems using standard engineering tools.
We use a variety of learning and teaching methods to create and maintain your involvement including lectures, practical activity using a flight simulator, assignments, presentations, seminar exercises and tutorials.
The module is assessed via an assignment and end-of-course exam.
Dynamic Analysis and Aeroelasticity
Engineers are responsible for the design, construction, and testing of the devices we use. In doing so, they need a deep understanding of the physics that underpins these devices, and must be familiar with mathematical models that predict system behaviour. You learn how to analyze and predict the behaviour of physical systems by studying mechanics.
Dynamics is a branch of elementary mechanics that studies the object in motion. The results obtained from dynamics directly apply to many fields of engineering. This module develops the essential theories and fundamental principles of dynamic and vibration analysis, and enhances your knowledge, skills, and ability to apply them to the analysis of dynamic and vibration problems.
Integral Transforms and Matrices
You deepen your mathematical knowledge in key areas to use in a number of techniques to solve problems that arise in engineering domains. You develop competence in identifying the most appropriate method to solve a problem and its application.
You are introduced to the techniques and principles, and you are provided with problems that develop your competency in applying these techniques. You are shown how to implement numerical methods using software techniques.
Year 3 core modules
Aerospace Materials Analysis
In the aircraft industry, there will continue to be a need for competent engineers skilled in structural design and analysis. Such an engineer will have a sound understanding of aerospace materials and experience in the use of computer based structural analysis. You gain an understanding of the material science and engineering necessary to appreciate the structure-property relationships involved in the principal metals, alloys, polymers, ceramics and composite materials used in the construction of aircraft and space vehicles. You are introduced to finite element analysis using industry standard software. You consider how to select appropriate materials for the different parts of an aircraft structure and how to analyse the performance of that structure to the loads applied to it.]
Analysis of Aerodynamics
Aerodynamics is an applied science which finds practical application in many areas of engineering. Irrespective of the complexity of a particular problem, the use of aerodynamics is typically aimed to provide insight into either the loadings on a body moving through air or determination of airflows moving through or around physical systems. This module aims to give a broad introduction to aerodynamics, developing the fundamentals of the discipline and applying these to a number of examples and case studies involving both streamlined and bluff bodies. A key aspect of the module is to provide practical experience of the use of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software to analyse a variety of flows. Lectures will be used to introduce techniques and underlying principles. Tutorials will provide the opportunity for you to deepen understanding and develop competence in the application of these. Assessment is by an in-course written report and an end examination.
Electric Power Systems
This module aims to provide you with the capability to design and analyse electrical power circuits and systems. You learn a broad range of topics related to generation and conversion of electrical power.
The module is delivered through a combination of lectures, guided reading, laboratory sessions and tutorials. Extensive use of modern experimental facilities will give you the opportunity to explore electrical power systems and to gain a deep understanding of practical constraints.
Flight Dynamics and Control
This module aims to introduce the equations of motion for rigid symmetrical aircraft, to develop simplified models for characteristic motions and to enable students to understand the response of an aircraft to control inputs and disturbances. It develops the concepts of classical control and applies these to controlling an aircraft. The module also introduces the notion of computer programming as a tool to enable development and design in flight dynamics and control.
The module will be delivered via lectures, seminars and IT laboratories.
Assessment will be via an assignment of no more than 1500 words and a 3 hour time-constrained assessment.
Integrated Masters Project
This module extends the development of independent learning skills by allowing the student to investigate an area of engineering for an extended period. The student will work independently or in a small team, but will produce individual work.
Training will be given in writing technical reports for knowledgeable readers and the student will produce a report/dissertation of the work covered. In addition, the student will give an oral presentation, poster presentation or both. The topic can be in the form of a research project or a design project. Key skills in research, knowledge application and creation will be developed through keynote lectures and self-managed independent study.
Optional work placement year
Work placement
You have the option to spend one year in industry learning and developing your skills. We encourage and support you with applying for a placement, job hunting and networking.
You gain experience favoured by graduate recruiters and develop your technical skillset. You also obtain the transferable skills required in any professional environment, including communication, negotiation, teamwork, leadership, organisation, confidence, self-reliance, problem-solving, being able to work under pressure, and commercial awareness.
Many employers view a placement as a year-long interview, therefore placements are increasingly becoming an essential part of an organisation's pre-selection strategy in their graduate recruitment process. Benefits include:
· improved job prospects
· enhanced employment skills and improved career progression opportunities
· a higher starting salary than your full-time counterparts
· a better degree classification
· a richer CV
· a year's salary before completing your degree
· experience of workplace culture
· the opportunity to design and base your final-year project within a working environment.
If you are unable to secure a work placement with an employer, then you simply continue on a course without the work placement.
Final year core modules
Advanced Fluid Dynamics
This module covers incompressible and compressible aerodynamics applicable to flight of subsonic and supersonic aircraft, and introduces hypersonic flow applicable to re-entry vehicles.
The content of this module includes a revision of the fundamental fluid flow and thermodynamic governing equations, subsonic and supersonic around wings, flow through nozzles and diffusers, oblique shock waves and expansion waves, fundamentals of boundary layers, convective heat transfer, viscous high temperature flows, and experimental methods for hypersonic flows.
The module content will be delivered through the use of lectures, seminars, laboratory sessions, problem solving tutorials and IT laboratory sessions providing an opportunity to explore complex flows through the use of CFD codes.
Assessment will comprise of a laboratory report compiled from practical laboratory investigations and an end exam.
Industry-related Group Project
This module will provide you with the opportunity to work in an interdisciplinary team in order to solve a complex, employer-relevant problem. It will give you an understanding of your knowledge and limitations, and the importance of bringing in and working with people with a different knowledge base and skill set. Working in an interdisciplinary team will enable problems to be successfully resolved which otherwise would not have been possible within a single disciplinary team.
It will develop a consolidated set of employability skills in project management, presentation of work, research and commercial awareness in order to support complex problem solving in a technical context, and enhance the awareness of professional issues such as health, safety, environment and ethics in the workplace. A problem-based learning approach is adopted and where appropriate, supporting lectures/ seminars will be delivered to include technical knowledge or skills development. You will be assessed through two in-course assignments.
Integrated Masters Research Project
This module extends the development of independent learning skills by allowing the student to investigate an area of engineering for an extended period. The student will work independently or in a small team, but will produce individual work.
Training will be given in writing technical reports for knowledgeable readers and the student will produce a report/dissertation of the work covered. In addition, the student will give an oral presentation, poster presentation or both. The topic can be in the form of a research project or a design project. Key skills in research, knowledge application and creation will be developed through keynote lectures and self-managed independent study.
and two optional modules
Finite Element Methods
You gain practical experience of commercially available finite element packages. The application of the method is demonstrated using a number of case studies, and you are encouraged to use the technique as an extension of your standard text books in solving design and manufacturing problems.
Manufacturing Systems
Manufacturing technology is of paramount importance, as no manufacturing industry can exist without it. Modern manufacturing technology entails a diverse range of disciplines and their interaction including Computer Aided Design and Manufacture, Materials, Processes, and Manufacturing Automation.
This module considers typical hardware and software involved with automated machinery and production processes: showing how machines can be integrated into flexible cells and flexible manufacturing systems and, when linked with appropriate production management software, into computer integrated manufacturing systems.
You extend your knowledge and skills within the context of the manufacturing industries, and gain practical experience in the specification, design, and build of an automated manufacturing system You are also introduced to the fundamental concepts for production, utilising lean manufacturing principles and practices and a detailed investigation of a topic of current engineering such as: computer-aided manufacturing, special topics in robotics, and lean/agile manufacturing.
Space Mission Analysis and Trajectory Design
This module elaborates the fundamental concepts of space mission analysis, spaceflight orbital mechanics and introduces trajectory design for planet centred and interplanetary missions. It starts with a short review of mission selection process and introduces the design and characterisation of planet-centred orbits and related orbit transfer manoeuvres.
The module investigates the mathematical modelling and analysis of orbital perturbation, Earth-bound and interplanetary trajectory design, and gravity assist manoeuvres. An introduction to concepts of space system theory applied to missions around the Lagrange’s points will be covered.
A variety of teaching and learning methods will be used to create and maintain student involvement including lectures, practical activity using the industry standard software such as General Mission Analysis Tool (GMAT), an open source NASA software, seminars, problem solving exercises and tutorials.
Supply Chain Management
This module investigates a range of applied Quality Management techniques and has been designed to enable students to develop the skills necessary to apply these techniques to their own work environment. This module also examines the appropriate statistical techniques in Quality Control, Auditing, Supply Chain Management and a range of Accreditation Schemes including BRC, EFSIS, ISO, UKAS and Industry Standards. In course assessment (ICA) is via a 5000 words written piece of work, with a weighting of 100%.
