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Aerospace Engineering with Pilot Studies with a Year in Industry

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Although the UCAS equal consideration date has now passed, many of our courses are still accepting applications from UK students for 2024 entry through UCAS.

The deadline for international students is 30 June 2024.

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Bachelor of Engineering

A Bachelor of Engineering (BEng) is a bachelor’s degree awarded for an undergraduate programme in engineering.

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Course overview

If you are interested in becoming either private or professional pilot, this is the programme for you.

Introduction

In addition to studying the core aerospace engineering topics outlined, you will also take the pilot studies modules and develop knowledge, skills and experience of flying. As well as the flight training, pilot studies students also have access to and use of the students’ pilots’ lab and can join the Flight Simulation Group (FSG). Study Aerospace Engineering and by the end of your time at Liverpool, you will be able to show that you can now design, build, test and fly an aircraft.

As an aerospace engineering student, you will experience a wide variety of topics and modes of study, whether it be conducting research, analysing reports or designing and building an aircraft. You will have have the opportunity to study a wide range of topics during your time at Liverpool such as; aerodynamics, aerostructures, flight dynamics and control, propulsion systems, avionics, aerospace materials and aircraft design.

Aerospace engineers design, analyse, build, test and maintain vehicles, their sub-assemblies and components as well as their associated systems that fly. Flight is not limited to simply within the Earth’s atmosphere, and can also be outside of it.

Conducting independent research as part of an individual project will provide you with the knowledge to develop innovative concepts in your preferred technical area of interest. All of our Aerospace Engineering degree programmes are accredited, or pending accreditation, by our professional bodies, the Royal Aeronautical Society and the Institute of Mechanical Engineers and are a recognised qualification on the route to Chartered Engineer status.

On this year in industry programme, you will spend year three of this programme on a year-long placement with an approved company/organisation. During this time, you will develop work-based transferrable skills and professional competences leading to enhanced employability which will make you well placed to take up opportunities in project-based, research and management roles, both within the Aerospace sector as well as other engineering industries and beyond. The year in industry is dependent upon placements being available and is subject to your performance in previous years.

What you'll learn

  • Aircraft design and manufacturing
  • Flight testing
  • Systems engineering
  • How to conduct independent research
  • Aerodynamics
  • Flight dynamics and control
  • How to deal with complex problems that may  require compromise to meet competing requirements
  • Access to and use of pilots lab

Accreditation

All of our BEng/MEng degree programmes are accredited, or preparing for accreditation, by at least one professional engineering institution, providing you with a solid foundation for your career. An MEng degree in aerospace, civil and mechanical engineering from Liverpool, satisfies all of the academic requirements for registration as a Chartered Engineer (CEng). We have excellent links with the professional engineering institutions and benefit from their support.

Accreditations in detail

Teaching Excellence Framework 2023

We’re proud to announce we’ve been awarded a Gold rating for educational excellence.

Accreditations

All of our BEng/MEng degree programmes are accredited, or preparing for accreditation, by at least one professional engineering institution, providing you with a solid foundation for your career. An MEng degree in aerospace, civil and mechanical engineering from Liverpool, satisfies all of the academic requirements for registration as a Chartered Engineer (CEng). We have excellent links with the professional engineering institutions and benefit from their support.

Course content

Discover what you'll learn, what you'll study, and how you'll be taught and assessed.

Year one

You will study the core engineering topics that provide a firm background and understanding of aerospace engineering, in addition you will also study pilot studies modules and develop your knowledge, skills and experience of flying.

Compulsory modules

PILOT STUDIES 1 (AERO131)

Credits: 7.5 / Semester: semester 1

The module is designed to provide students, who are contemplating a career as a commercial pilot, with an insight into the practical and intellectual skills required to become a pilot. Classroom lectures covering PPL ground school material are given together with 20 hours of practical flight training at a local flying school.

SOLIDS AND STRUCTURES 1 (ENGG110)

Credits: 15 / Semester: whole session

This module aims to introduce students to the fundamental concepts and theory of how engineering structures work to sustain loads. It will also show how stress analysis leads to the design of safer structures. It will also provide students with the means to analyse and design basic structural elements as used in modern engineering structures.

Professional Engineering: a skills toolkit (ENGG111)

Credits: 30 / Semester: whole session

This module aims to provide students with an interesting and engaging project that will help them to immediately relate the material being taught,both within and without this module, to a practical problem that is identifiable to their engineering discipline, thus reinforcing its relevance to the topixc.

The module:
1) Seeks to provide students with an early understanding of the preliminary design processes
2) Will introduce students to formal engineering drawing and visualisation
3) Will expose the students to group work and the dynamics of working in a team
4) Will expose students to the complexity of an engineering design task
5) Will enable students to develop data analysis and plotting skills
6) Will embody an approach to learning that will engage the students for the remainder of their lives
7) Seeks to provide students with an early understanding of the detail design and manufacturing process
8. Will introduce students to industry standard computer aided engineering drawing tools and practice
9. Will enable students to develop report writing and oral presentation skills
10. Will provide students with a basic understanding of engineering components and mechanisms
11. Will embody an approach to learning that will engage the students for the remainder of their lives

Energy Science (ENGG116)

Credits: 15 / Semester: whole session

To develop an understanding of the basic principles of fluid mechanics, the laws of thermodynamics, and an appreciation of how to solve simple engineering problems. To develop skills in performing and reporting simple experiments.

Digital Engineering (ENGG125)

Credits: 15 / Semester: whole session

Students completing the module should be able to understand simple computer programs and write their own simple MATLAB programs to solve problems and process data as required by other modules and in engineering practice.
Students completing the module will be able to understand simple electrical circuits with passive and active components, mechanical (mass-spring-damper) systems and electromechanical systems (DC machines). They will learn basic mathematical, practical and computational methods for analysing and modelling these.

Engineering Mathematics (ENGG198)

Credits: 22.5 / Semester: whole session

To provide a basic level of mathematics including calculus and extend the student’s knowledge to include an elementaryintroduction to complex variables and functions of two variables.

Introduction to Engineering Materials (MATS105)

Credits: 15 / Semester: whole session

To provide students with a basic introduction to various classes of engineering materials, their mechanical properties, deformation and failure and how the properties structure and processing can be controlled to design materials with desired properties for various engineering applications.

Programme details and modules listed are illustrative only and subject to change.

Our curriculum

The Liverpool Curriculum framework sets out our distinctive approach to education. Our teaching staff support our students to develop academic knowledge, skills, and understanding alongside our graduate attributes:

  • Digital fluency
  • Confidence
  • Global citizenship

Our curriculum is characterised by the three Liverpool Hallmarks:

  • Research-connected teaching
  • Active learning
  • Authentic assessment

All this is underpinned by our core value of inclusivity and commitment to providing a curriculum that is accessible to all students.

Course options

Studying with us means you can tailor your degree to suit you. Here's what is available on this course.

Global Opportunities

University of Liverpool students can choose from an exciting range of study placements at partner universities worldwide.

What's available on this course?

Year in China

Immerse yourself in Chinese culture on an optional additional year at Xi'an Jiaotong Liverpool University in stunning Suzhou.

  • Learn Chinese
  • Study in a bustling world heritage city
  • Improve employment prospects
  • Study Chinese culture
  • 30 minutes from Shanghai
  • Learn new skills

Read more about Year at XJTLU, China

Year in industry

This course is also available without an included year in industry.

View Aerospace Engineering with Pilot Studies BEng (Hons)

To spend a year in industry, you'll need to secure a placement with an organisation. If you're unable to find a placement, you'll continue with the standard version of the course without a year in industry.

Language study

Every student at The University of Liverpool can study a language as part of, or alongside their degree. You can choose:

  • A dedicated languages degree
  • A language as a joint or major/ minor degree
  • Language modules (selected degrees)
  • Language classes alongside your studies

Read more about studying a language

Study as a master's degree

This course is also available as a five year MEng programme.

View Aerospace Engineering with a Year in Industry MEng

Your experience

The School of Engineering has world-class, modern, engineering teaching and learning facilities. Within the School there are traditional lecture theatres as well as teaching laboratories, PC teaching centres, smaller study rooms and one of the University’s largest PC teaching/study rooms with over 160 high-specification workstations with specialist engineering software installed. The School also houses impressive specialist engineering research laboratories and research facilities that provide the setting for student practical work and many student projects.

Virtual tour

Suppporting your learning

From arrival to alumni, we’re with you all the way:

What students say...

I chose engineering because even if I decided not to do engineering, the skills I learn are very transferable, which gives me wider variety of job prospects. My placement has given me an insight into what I want my future to look like. Working in a company is not like anything I have experienced at university and it has changed how I want my career to look.

, MEng Aerospace Engineering with a Year in Industry

Careers and employability

As a graduate of aerospace engineering, you will be equipped with the skills to work in the development and maintenance of aircraft, satellites, and space vehicles.

Typical types of work our graduates have gone on include:

  • Airline operators
  • Armed forces,
  • Government research agencies like the Ministry of Defence (MoD)

Recent employers of our graduates are from the following industries and companies:

  • Engineering and Infrastructure: ABB Ltd, Bentley, Metronet Rail, Rolls Royce;
  • Utilities: United Utilities;
  • Defence and Military: BAE Systems, British Army, RAF (Royal Air Force), Royal Navy;
  • Aviation: British Airways;
  • Government organisations: National Nuclear Laboratory (Government-owned).

4 in 5 of our engineering students find their main activity after graduation meaningful.

Graduate Outcomes, 2018-19

Meet our alumni

Hear what graduates say about their career progression and life after university.

Fees and funding

Your tuition fees, funding your studies, and other costs to consider.

Tuition fees

UK fees (applies to Channel Islands, Isle of Man and Republic of Ireland)
Full-time place, per year £9,250
Year in industry fee £1,850
Year abroad fee £1,385
International fees
Full-time place, per year £27,200
Year in industry fee £1,850
Year abroad fee £13,600
Fees are correct for the academic year 2024/25. Please note that the Year Abroad fee also applies to the Year in China.

Tuition fees cover the cost of your teaching and assessment, operating facilities such as libraries, IT equipment, and access to academic and personal support. Learn more about paying for your studies..

Additional costs

We understand that budgeting for your time at university is important, and we want to make sure you understand any course-related costs that are not covered by your tuition fee. This includes the cost of flight training, an aircraft checklist, and a study pack. All safety equipment, other than boots, is provided free of charge by the department.

Find out more about the additional study costs that may apply to this course.

Additional study costs

We understand that budgeting for your time at university is important, and we want to make sure you understand any course-related costs that are not covered by your tuition fee. This includes the cost of flight training, an aircraft checklist, and a study pack. All safety equipment, other than boots, is provided free of charge by the department.

Pilot studies students should expect to cover the following additional costs:

Stationery and equipment:

All essential safety equipment, other than boots, is provided free of charge by the department.

Flight training:

There is a one-off up-front fee of approximately £4,700 inclusive of VAT for training using the Tomahawk aircraft and £5,300 inclusive of VAT for the Warrior aircraft. A total of 20 hours of ground and airborne rotary-wing flight training is conducted by HELISPEED at Blackpool International Airport. There is a one-off up-front fee of £9112.20 inclusive of VAT for this training.

Please note, these prices are correct at the time of publication but may change at any time. Please check with the School for the correct pricing.

Study pack:

Costs are only for those doing their flight training at Liverpool Flying School. Students have to pay for their own travel to and from the airport.

Students are also required to purchase a study pack costing approximately £100 (for the smaller pack) or £210 (for the larger pack) and an aircraft checklist for £10 (2022 entry costs).

Find out more about additional study costs.

Scholarships and bursaries

We offer a range of scholarships and bursaries to provide tuition fee discounts and help with living expenses while at university.

Check out our Liverpool Bursary, worth up to £2,000 per year for eligible UK students. Or for international students, our Undergraduate Global Advancement Scholarship offers a tuition fee discount of up to £5,000 for eligible international students starting an undergraduate degree from September 2024.

Discover our full range of undergraduate scholarships and bursaries

Entry requirements

The qualifications and exam results you'll need to apply for this course.

We've set the country or region your qualifications are from as United Kingdom. Change it here

Your qualification Requirements

About our typical entry requirements

A levels

AAB including Mathematics and a second science.

Applicants with the Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) are eligible for a reduction in grade requirements. For this course, the offer is ABB with A in the EPQ.

You may automatically qualify for reduced entry requirements through our contextual offers scheme.

If you don't meet the entry requirements, you may be able to complete a foundation year which would allow you to progress to this course.

Available foundation years:

T levels

T levels are not currently accepted.

GCSE 4/C in English and 4/C in Mathematics
Subject requirements

Mathematics and a second science.

Applicants following the modular Mathematics A Level must be studying A Level Physics or Further Mathematics as the second science (or must be studying at least one Mechanics module in their Mathematics A Level).

Accepted Science subjects are Biology, Chemistry, Computing, Economics, Electronics, Environmental Science, Further Mathematics, Geography, Geology, Human Biology, Physics and Statistics.

For applicants from England: For science A levels that include the separately graded practical endorsement, a "Pass" is required.

BTEC Level 3 National Extended Certificate

Acceptable at grade Distinction* alongside BB in A Level Mathematics and a second science.

BTEC Level 3 Diploma

Distinction* Distinction* in relevant BTEC considered alongside A Level Mathematics grade B. Accepted BTECs include Aeronautical, Aerospace, Construction, Mechanical, Mechatronics and Engineering.

BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma

D*DD in acceptable BTEC, plus B in A level Maths (not accepted without B in A level Maths)

International Baccalaureate

35 overall including 5 in Higher Level Mathematics and 5 in Higher Level Physics.

Irish Leaving Certificate H1,H1,H2,H2,H2,H3, including H2 in Higher Maths and Higher Second Science. We also require a minimum of H6 in Higher English or O3 in Ordinary English
Scottish Higher/Advanced Higher

Pass Scottish Advanced Highers with grades AAB including Mathematics and a second science

Welsh Baccalaureate Advanced Acceptable at grade B alongside AA in A Level Mathematics and a second science
Cambridge Pre-U Diploma D3 in Cambridge Pre U Principal Subject is accepted as equivalent to A-Level grade A M2 in Cambridge Pre U Principal Subject is accepted as equivalent to A-Level grade B Global Perspectives and Short Courses are not accepted.
Access Considered if taking a relevant subject. 42 Level 3 credits at Distinction, including 15 Level 3 credits in Mathematics is required. GCSE English and Mathematics grade C/4 or above also required.
International qualifications

Many countries have a different education system to that of the UK, meaning your qualifications may not meet our direct entry requirements. Although there is no direct Foundation Certificate route to this course, completing a Foundation Certificate, such as that offered by the University of Liverpool International College, can guarantee you a place on a number of similar courses which may interest you.

English language requirements

You'll need to demonstrate competence in the use of English language, unless you’re from a majority English speaking country.

We accept a variety of international language tests and country-specific qualifications.

International applicants who do not meet the minimum required standard of English language can complete one of our Pre-Sessional English courses to achieve the required level.

English language qualification Requirements
IELTS 6.0 overall, with no component below 5.5
TOEFL iBT 78 overall, with minimum scores of listening 17, writing 17, reading 17 and speaking 19
Duolingo English Test 105 overall, with no component below 95
Pearson PTE Academic 59 overall, with no component below 59
LanguageCert Academic 65 overall, with no skill below 60
Cambridge IGCSE First Language English 0500 Grade C overall, with a minimum of grade 2 in speaking and listening. Speaking and listening must be separately endorsed on the certificate.
Cambridge IGCSE First Language English 0990 Grade 4 overall, with Merit in speaking and listening
Cambridge IGCSE Second Language English 0510/0511 0510: Grade C overall, with a minimum of grade 2 in speaking. Speaking must be separately endorsed on the certificate. 0511: Grade C overall.
Cambridge IGCSE Second Language English 0993/0991 0993: Grade 5 overall, with a minimum of grade 2 in speaking. Speaking must be separately endorsed on the certificate. 0991: Grade 5 overall.
International Baccalaureate Grade 5 at Standard Level or grade 4 at Higher Level
Cambridge ESOL Level 2/3 Advanced 169 overall, with no paper below 162

PRE-SESSIONAL ENGLISH

Do you need to complete a Pre-Sessional English course to meet the English language requirements for this course?

The length of Pre-Sessional English course you’ll need to take depends on your current level of English language ability.

Find out the length of Pre-Sessional English course you may require for this degree.

Pre-sessional English

If you don’t meet our English language requirements, we can use your most recent IELTS score, or the equivalent score in selected other English language tests, to determine the length of Pre-Sessional English course you require.

Use the table below to check the course length you're likely to require for your current English language ability and see whether the course is available on campus or online.

Your most recent IELTS score Pre-Sessional English course length On campus or online
5.5 overall, with no component below 5.5 6 weeks On campus
5.5 overall, with no component below 5.0 10 weeks On campus and online options available
5.0 overall, with no component below 5.0 12 weeks On campus and online options available
5.0 overall, with no component below 4.5 20 weeks On campus
4.5 overall, with no component below 4.5 30 weeks On campus
4.0 overall, with no component below 4.0 40 weeks On campus

If you’ve completed an alternative English language test to IELTS, we may be able to use this to assess your English language ability and determine the Pre-Sessional English course length you require.

Please see our guide to Pre-Sessional English entry requirements for IELTS 6.0, with no component below 5.5, for further details.

Contextual offers: reduced grade requirements

Based on your personal circumstances, you may automatically qualify for up to a two-grade reduction in the entry requirements needed for this course. When you apply, we consider a range of factors – such as where you live – to assess if you’re eligible for a grade reduction. You don’t have to make an application for a grade reduction – we’ll do all the work.

Find out more about how we make reduced grade offers.

About our entry requirements

Our entry requirements may change from time to time both according to national application trends and the availability of places at Liverpool for particular courses. We review our requirements before the start of the new UCAS cycle each year and publish any changes on our website so that applicants are aware of our typical entry requirements before they submit their application.

Recent changes to government policy which determine the number of students individual institutions may admit under the student number control also have a bearing on our entry requirements and acceptance levels, as this policy may result in us having fewer places than in previous years.

We believe in treating applicants as individuals, and in making offers that are appropriate to their personal circumstances and background. For this reason, we consider a range of factors in addition to predicted grades, widening participation factors amongst other evidence provided. Therefore the offer any individual applicant receives may differ slightly from the typical offer quoted in the prospectus and on the website.

Alternative entry requirements

Changes to Aerospace Engineering with Pilot Studies with a Year in Industry BEng (Hons)

See what updates we've made to this course since it was published. We document changes to information such as course content, entry requirements and how you'll be taught.

7 June 2022: New course pages

New course pages launched.