Aeronautics and Astronautics

Aeronautics and astronautics encompasses the engineering of flight, from the aircraft that carry passengers across continents to the satellites that provide navigation, communication, and observation from orbit, and the spacecraft that explore beyond. It is one of the most technically demanding of all engineering disciplines, requiring deep knowledge of aerodynamics, structures, propulsion, materials, and control systems, combined with the mathematical and physical foundations to analyse complex systems under extreme conditions.

At the University of Southampton, this four-year full-time programme is taught in a department with a strong research profile and excellent facilities, covering both the atmospheric flight of aircraft and the domain beyond the atmosphere where spacecraft and satellites operate. You will study aerodynamics, structural mechanics, propulsion and thermodynamics, flight dynamics and control, materials science, and design methodology, developing the analytical and design skills that aerospace engineers need. Southampton has a strong track record in aerospace research, including work on next-generation aircraft design, composite materials, and spacecraft systems, and the programme benefits from that research culture.

You will develop the ability to model complex engineering systems, to apply mathematical and physical principles to real design problems, and to work in multidisciplinary teams on the integrated challenges that aerospace engineering presents. These skills are valued not only in aerospace but across engineering sectors where rigorous quantitative analysis and systems thinking matter.

Graduates move into careers in the aerospace industry, working on aircraft and spacecraft design, propulsion systems, avionics, structural engineering, and systems integration with companies spanning civil and defence aviation and the growing space sector. Many also move into motorsport, automotive engineering, and other high-performance engineering domains. Postgraduate study in aerospace, structural, or mechanical engineering is a well-established pathway for those who want to specialise in research or advanced design.