Aeronautical Engineering

Aeronautical engineering is the discipline that makes powered flight possible, encompassing the design, analysis, and manufacture of aircraft and the systems that enable them to operate safely and efficiently. It draws on fluid dynamics, structural mechanics, materials science, thermodynamics, and control systems to address the extraordinary engineering challenges involved in moving vehicles through the air at speed, under a wide range of conditions, and to very demanding safety standards. The field is at the forefront of efforts to make aviation more sustainable, developing new propulsion technologies, lightweight materials, and more efficient aerodynamic designs.

At the University of Salford, you will develop the knowledge and skills to design, analyse, and understand aircraft as complete engineering systems over three years full-time. The programme combines strong theoretical foundations in the core engineering sciences with extensive practical work, including simulation and design projects that reflect how aeronautical engineering operates in industry. You will develop skills in computational fluid dynamics, structural analysis, avionics, and propulsion, and the practical emphasis of the course ensures that your theoretical knowledge is grounded in real engineering problems.

The programme includes a sandwich year, giving you the opportunity to spend a year working in the aeronautical or aerospace industry before completing your degree. Work placement provision is built in, and the sandwich year in particular gives you a significant professional advantage on graduation. The typical entry tariff is 120 UCAS points.

Graduates of aeronautical engineering go on to work in aerospace manufacturing, aircraft design and maintenance, defence, aviation consultancy, and the emerging sectors of unmanned aerial vehicles and urban air mobility. Many also work in neighbouring engineering fields such as automotive or mechanical engineering, where the skills transfer well. Postgraduate study at MEng or MSc level, or progression towards chartered engineer status with institutions such as the Royal Aeronautical Society, are common further paths.