Key information
- UCAS code
- H3A1
- Level
- Undergraduate
- Delivery type
- Full Time
- Degree qualification
- BEng (Hons)
- Mode of delivery
- On-Campus
- Duration
- 4 years
- Location
- Edinburgh
- Start date
- September
Aerospace Engineers design, develop and build aircraft, spacecraft, and satellites. Advancements in commercial space exploration, drone technology, low carbon technologies and aerospace commerce make it one of the fastest growing specialisms in engineering.
BEng (Hons) Aerospace Engineering combines the core disciplines of mechanical engineering with specific application to aerospace engineering, with a strong focus on the current and emerging needs of the aeronautical industry.
The undergraduate degree will provide you with the core skills and specialist knowledge needed to launch your thriving career as an aerospace engineering. You’ll take courses from across our engineering disciplines to ensure you gain a foundation of essential knowledge.
In your first two years, you’ll study courses from our established mechanical engineering degree, respected by industry and employers for the way it builds capacity to solve problems, analyse engineering components, and design solutions to real-life challenges. You will also be introduced to key concepts from Aerospace Engineering.
In years three and four, you’ll have the opportunity to expand your knowledge in Aerospace Engineering with a Group Design Project, whilst learning from specialist optional courses such as Spacecraft Engineering, Industrial and Sustainable Aerodynamics, Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Technologies and Aerospace Simulation.
Throughout your studies, you will apply your learned theoretical knowledge to practical work, using state-of-the-art equipment and facilities including wind tunnels, a supersonic test rig, and industry-standard software for computational fluid dynamics, finite element, and computer aided design.
Your student experience
Heriot-Watt has recently been ranked first in Scotland for General Engineering (The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide, 2023).
Your learning will be informed by the expertise of our research-active aerospace engineers and academics.
96% of Heriot-Watt University’s engineering research was classed as world-leading in the REF 2021 review, which ranked us 1st in Scotland and 3rd in the UK for engineering research through a joint submission with the University of Edinburgh.
Our BEng (Hons) Aerospace Engineering is directly informed by the world class research carried out by Heriot-Watt’s Mechanical, Process and Energy Engineering (IMPEE) research institute which focuses on promoting excellence across four main research themes:
-
Biomedical Engineering
-
Digital Engineering
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Energy Harvesting and Conversion
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Multiphase Flow
The research relevance of this undergraduate programme ensures your studies remain cutting-edge and industry focused.
Go Global
There are currently no Go Global opportunities for this particular programme. However, other Go Global opportunities may be available. Please contact studywithus@hw.ac.uk for more information.
Course content
September Intake - Edinburgh
Mandatory September
- Introduction to Electrical and Electronic Engineering
- Mechanics, Fields and Forces
- Engineering in Context 1
- Mathematics for Engineers and Scientists 1
Mandatory January
- Introduction to Aerospace Engineering
- Introduction to Mechanical Engineering
- Mathematics for Engineers and Scientists 2
- Engineering in Context 2
Programme Video
Engineering at Heriot-Watt University
Fees and funding
| Status | Fee |
|---|---|
| Scotland | Paid by SAAS |
| England / Wales / N Ireland / Rep of Ireland | £9,535 |
| International | £25,008 |
- Status: Your residency status is usually defined as the country where you have been ordinarily resident for the three years before the start of your course.
- International: 'International' includes applicants from European Union countries who do not hold Pre-Settled or Settled status in UK. (This does not include students from the Republic of Ireland - see above).
Scholarships and bursaries
Bursaries for students from England, Northern Ireland or Wales
In addition to government loans and grants towards the costs of fees and living costs, we are offering generous financial support to attract and support eligible undergraduate students from England, Northern Ireland or Wales:
- Heriot-Watt University Bursary (up to £3,100 per year)
Entry requirements
We have standard entry requirements for all of our courses that you will have to meet.
Standard entry requirements
- Highers AABB (over two sittings). Must include Maths and one of Physics or Engineering Science, with one required subject achieved at A.
- A-Levels BBC- ABB. Must include Maths and Physics, with both achieved at B.
- International Baccalaureate 29 points. Must include Maths and Physics, with both achieved at Higher Level 5.
- BTEC Extended Diploma DMM. Must be in a relevant Engineering subject including sufficient Maths and Physics.
- HNC A in graded unit. Must be in a relevant Engineering subject including sufficient Maths and Physics. All HNCs must include Engineering Maths 1 and one of Engineering Maths 2 or 3.
- HND AB / BA in graded units. Must be in a relevant Engineering subject including sufficient Maths and Physics. All HNDs must include Engineering Maths 1 and one of Engineering Maths 2 or 3.
- Please check that you meet our University-wide National 5/GCSE (or equivalent) English and Maths requirements.
Minimum entry requirements*
- Highers BBBC (over two sittings). Must include Maths and one of Physics or Engineering Science, with both required subjects achieved at B.
- A-Levels BCC. Must include Maths and Physics, with one required subject achieved at B.
- International Baccalaureate 29 points. Must include Maths and Physics, with both achieved at Higher Level 5.
- BTEC Extended Diploma DMM. Must be in a relevant Engineering subject including sufficient Maths and Physics.
- HNC B in graded unit. Must be in a relevant Engineering subject including sufficient Maths and Physics. All HNCs must include Engineering Maths 1 and one of Engineering Maths 2 or 3.
- HND BB in graded units. Must be in a relevant Engineering subject including sufficient Maths and Physics. All HNDs must include Engineering Maths 1 and one of Engineering Maths 2 or 3.
*Minimum: under our Fair Access Policy, we will relax our standard entry requirements for some Scottish and Rest of UK status students depending on their circumstances. Our minimum requirements will apply if you:
- live in an area within the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation lowest 20% (SIMD20) or POLAR4 Quintile 1 regions (RUK)
- or are care experienced.
We can also make exceptions for some Scottish students with grades above minimum but below standard. Read more about our Minimum and standard entry requirements.
Why Heriot-Watt
We're the top university in Scotland for graduate outcomes which means that more of our graduates are employed or in postgraduate education than any other institution in the country and we ranked 5th in the UK.
We're also rated number one in the UK for CEO or MD roles, meaning more of our graduates go on to become CEOs or MDs than any other university in the whole of the UK. On top of that, we have beautiful campuses, across the globe, so you'll get a truly international education. Our Edinburgh Campus is home to Oriam, Scotland's National Sports Performance Centre combined with plenty of wellbeing resources, prioritising fitness and mental health for all students. Our Global Research Institutes look at solving real world issues such as climate change and saving our oceans as well as working on the next medical technological breakthrough and the future of AI and robots.
Student life
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