MEng Hons Aerospace Engineering with Industrial Experience

5 Years On Campus Masters Program

Queen Mary University of London

Program Overview

This programme is your gateway to the exciting world of aerospace design and technology. From wind tunnels and jet engine rigs to state-of-the-art flight simulators, you’ll learn in facilities that mirror the real aerospace industry. Add in a year-long industrial placement, and you’ll graduate not only with advanced technical knowledge but also with real-world experience, professional connections, and a clear pathway towards Chartered Engineer (CEng) status.

Curriculum Structure

Year 1 – Building the Foundations

Your first year is all about mastering the essentials of engineering. You’ll explore:

Engineering Design Methods – learning how engineers think and create.
Mechanics of Fluids I – the basics of how air and liquids move.
Mathematics and Computing for Engineers – applying maths to solve real problems.
Exploring Aerospace Engineering – your first real taste of aerospace.
Thermodynamics 1 – understanding energy, heat, and engines.

This year sets you up with the toolkit every engineer needs.

Year 2 – Diving Deeper

Now the pace picks up. You’ll strengthen your technical knowledge and start to apply it:

Aerothermodynamics of Fluid Flows and Low Speed Aerodynamics – sharpening your understanding of flight.
Engineering Materials for Design – learning which materials make rockets, planes, and satellites strong and efficient.
Solid Mechanics and Control Systems Analysis and Design – mastering how structures behave and how systems stay stable.
Plus, modules in Design for Manufacture, Vector Calculus, and Instrumentation that link theory with practice.

Year 3 – Specialisation and Projects

This is the year where you take control of your learning.

A major Individual Project lets you explore an area of personal interest.
Core learning in Computer Aided Engineering and Aircraft Stability and Control brings you closer to real aerospace design challenges.
Electives open up pathways in Aircraft Design, Spacecraft Design & Orbital Mechanics, Propulsion, High Speed Aerodynamics, Composites, and more.

By the end of this year, you’ll know where your aerospace passion lies—whether that’s propulsion, spacecraft, aerostructures, or advanced materials.

Year 4 – Leadership & Innovation

Your final year is all about collaboration and pushing boundaries.

A Research and Design Team Project (60 credits) puts you in a group tackling real-world engineering problems, just like in industry.
Electives allow you to dive into cutting-edge fields: Advanced Aircraft/Spacecraft Design, CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics), Flight Simulation and Control, Vehicular Crashworthiness, Aeroelasticity, Numerical Optimisation, and even Engineering Law & Intellectual Property.

This year polishes your leadership, teamwork, and problem-solving skills, ready for a career at the forefront of aerospace.

Focus Areas

Aerospace design & innovation
Aerodynamics, propulsion, and power
Aircraft & spacecraft structures
Systems and sustainability
Hands-on engineering projects and teamwork

What You’ll Graduate With (Learning Outcomes)

By the end of the programme, you’ll be able to:

Design and analyse complex aerospace systems.
Apply knowledge from multiple fields—fluid mechanics, thermodynamics, control systems, and materials.
Use advanced computational tools and experimental methods confidently.
Work effectively in multidisciplinary teams.
Develop creative, sustainable solutions to real engineering challenges.

Professional Recognition

The programme is accredited by the Royal Aeronautical Society (RAeS), meeting the academic requirements for Chartered Engineer (CEng) status. This gives you a professional edge as you launch your career.

Reputation & Employability

Russell Group University: Queen Mary is part of the UK’s elite research-intensive universities.
Rankings: 41st overall and 16th for Research Quality in the UK (Complete University Guide 2026); 110th in QS World Rankings 2026; 141st in THE World Rankings 2025.
Industry links: Your industrial placement year, guest lectures, and the Industrial Liaison Forum mean you’ll graduate with both skills and connections.
Facilities: From flight simulators to wind tunnels, you’ll train in environments that mirror real aerospace engineering workplaces.

✨ In short: This is more than a degree—it’s a launchpad into a career designing the future of flight and space exploration.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

Here’s how experiential learning comes to life in the MEng (Hons) Aerospace Engineering with Industrial Experience at Queen Mary University of London—this isn’t just about learning theory from textbooks. You’ll be testing, designing, and problem-solving in real engineering environments, using world-class facilities and gaining experience that employers truly value.

Facilities & tools you’ll actually get to use:

Aero lab with both low- and high-speed wind tunnels, a flight simulator, anechoic (sound-proof) chamber, and a jet engine simulator
Mechanical testing facilities, teaching labs, and a fully equipped workshop where you can design, build, and test your ideas

These spaces aren’t just for demonstrations—you’ll be using them to explore concepts, run experiments, and understand how theory meets reality.

Learning through doing:

Your learning is hands-on and varied: a mix of lectures, lab practicals, group projects, and problem-based learning. For example:

Modules like Simulation Tools in Engineering Analysis and Design put industry-grade modeling software in your hands
The Integrated Design Project and an Industry/Research Project challenge you to think creatively, work in teams, and deliver solutions like a real engineer

Teamwork & collaboration:

Engineering rarely happens in isolation. You’ll work closely with your peers on design challenges and problem-solving tasks, building the communication and collaboration skills that employers look for.

A year in industry:

One of the highlights of this degree is the year-long industrial placement, usually in Year 4 or 5. This isn’t just work experience—it counts toward Chartered Engineer status.
Past placements have taken students into some of the world’s most exciting companies, including Airbus, GE, Red Bull, Leonardo, AWE, GSK, Roche, and UKRI-STFC.

Networking & employer engagement:

Industrial Liaison Forum Day: your chance to showcase project work directly to employers
Guest lectures: professionals from companies like Airbus and Altair Engineering share real-world challenges, from handling global crises to navigating the shift to sustainable energy

Professional recognition & research links:

The course is fully accredited by the Royal Aeronautical Society (RAeS) and the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE), giving you a clear path toward Chartered Engineer status. You’ll also be learning alongside active researchers tackling some of aerospace’s biggest challenges.

Support & resources:

Beyond labs and workshops, you’ll have access to Queen Mary’s libraries, digital tools, and academic support services, ensuring you’ve got everything you need to thrive.

👉 In short, this degree is about living aerospace engineering, not just studying it—from the flight simulator to your industrial placement, you’ll constantly be putting your skills into action.

Progression & Future Opportunities

In just over a year after finishing their degree, about 85% of Aeronautical and Aerospace Engineering graduates from Queen Mary are either in employment or further study. On average, they start on a salary of around £30,000, with strong progression in the years that follow.

Our graduates step into exciting roles such as aerospace engineer, systems engineer, data analyst, or engineering consultant, applying their skills across industries from aviation to energy and beyond.

University Services

Industrial Placement Support
Queen Mary has a dedicated Industrial Placement Officer who will help you secure a paid year in industry. From application support to connecting you with employers and guiding you through the whole process, you’ll have someone by your side to make the most of this opportunity.

Careers & Enterprise Team
You’ll also benefit from Queen Mary’s award-winning Careers & Enterprise service. They offer 1-to-1 coaching, tailored workshops, industry insight events, professional skills courses, and networking opportunities — all designed to help you stand out to employers.

Employment Stats & Salaries

85% of graduates are in work or further study 15 months after graduation.
Average salaries grow steadily:
- ~£30,000 at 15 months
- ~£32,000 after 3 years
- ~£37,000 after 5 years

This reflects both the demand for aerospace engineers and the strong foundation you’ll build at Queen Mary.

University–Industry Partnerships

At Queen Mary, you’ll benefit from close links with leading employers like GE, Airbus, Leonardo, Red Bull, AWE, Siemens Healthineers, Deloitte, Cummins, Mercedes, GSK, Roche, and UKRI-STFC.

Courses also include input from companies such as Airbus and Altair Engineering, so what you study is shaped by real-world industry expertise.

Long-Term Accreditation Value

The programme is fully accredited by the Royal Aeronautical Society (RAeS) and by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers under licence from the Engineering Council. This means your degree counts toward achieving Chartered Engineer status, giving you a real professional edge long after graduation.

Graduation Outcomes

80% of graduates go into highly skilled roles.
Of these:
- 40% become engineering professionals
- 20% move into IT roles
- The rest spread across business, science, and public service.

And perhaps most importantly — 90% of graduates say their current job feels meaningful, showing the real impact of the skills and experience gained at Queen Mary.

✨ With strong career support, outstanding industry connections, and a degree that’s recognised worldwide, studying Aeronautical and Aerospace Engineering at Queen Mary sets you up for a future where you can really take off.