MSc in Aerospace Vehicle Design - Structural Design Option
Cranfield University
Key Information
Campus location
Cranfield, United Kingdom
Languages
English
Study format
On-Campus
Duration
1 Year
Pace
Full time
Tuition fees
GBP 11,500 / per year *
Application deadline
Request Info
Earliest start date
Request Info
* Home: £11,500 Overseas: £24,000
Introduction
Overview
This specialist option of the MSc Aerospace Vehicle Design provides you with an understanding of aircraft structures, airworthiness requirements, design standards, stress analysis, fatigue and fracture (damage tolerance), and fundamentals of aerodynamics and loading. Also covered is the selection of suitable materials, both metallic and composite.
Ideal Students
Who is it for?
Manufacturers of modern aircraft are demanding more lightweight and more durable structures. Structural integrity is a major consideration of today’s aircraft fleet. For an aircraft to economically achieve its design specification and satisfy airworthiness regulations, a number of structural challenges must be overcome. This course trains engineers to meet these challenges and prepares them for careers in civil and military aviation. It is suitable if you have a background in aeronautical or mechanical engineering or relevant industrial experience.
Admissions
Curriculum
Why this course?
We have been at the forefront of postgraduate education in aerospace engineering since 1946. Aerospace Vehicle Design at Cranfield University was one of the original foundation courses of the College of Aeronautics. Graduates of this course are eligible to join the Cranfield College of Aeronautics Alumni Association (CCAAA), an active community that hold a number of networking and social events throughout the year.
Cranfield University is well located for students from all over the world and offers a range of libraries and support facilities to support your studies. This enables students from all over the world to complete this qualification whilst balancing work/life commitments.
Course details
This option is comprised of 4 compulsory modules and a minimum of 120 hours of optional modules, selected from a list of 18 options. You will also complete an individual research project. Delivered via a combination of structured lectures, industry guest lectures, computer-based workshops and private study.
A unique feature of the course is that we have four external examiners; two from industry who assess the group design project and two from academia who assess the individual research project.
Compulsory modules
All the modules in the following list need to be taken as part of this course
- Design and Analysis of Composite Structures
- Fatigue, Fracture Mechanics and Damage Tolerance
- Finite Element Analysis
- Structural Stability
Elective modules
A selection of modules from the following list needs to be taken as part of this course
- Aeroelasticity
- Aircraft Aerodynamics
- Aircraft Performance
- Aircraft Power Plant Installation
- Aircraft Stability and Control
- Crashworthiness
- Computer-Aided Design (CAD)
- Design for Manufacture and Operation
- Design of Airframe Systems
- Detail Stressing
- Flight Experience
- Initial Aircraft Design
- Landing Gear Design
- Loading Actions
- Reliability, Safety Assessment, and Certification
- Structural Dynamics
Career Opportunities
Your career
This Aerospace Vehicle Design option in Structural Design is valued and respected by employers worldwide. The applied nature of this course ensures that our graduates are ready to be of immediate use to their future employer and has provided sufficient breadth of understanding of multi-discipline design to position them for accelerated career progression.
Graduates from this option have gone onto pursue engineering careers in disciplines such as structural design, stress analysis or systems design. Many of our graduates occupy very senior positions in their organizations, making valuable contributions to the international aerospace industry. Student destinations have included BAE Systems, Airbus, Dassault, and Rolls-Royce.