About this course
- Entry year: 2012/13
- Course code: H40C4
- Applications: CPDA Office at UWE, Frenchay Campus
- Level: Postgraduate
- Department: Engineering, Design and Mathematics
- Campus: Frenchay and other venues as appropriate
- Duration: Part-time only over a period of between two and five years. Each module is normally delivered over a period of three - five days in total. Students attend modules to suit their work commitments.
- Delivery: Part-time only
- Study Abroad: No
- Course director: Dr John Lanham
- Programme leader: Dr Chris Toomer
- Key fact: This course provides an excellent vehicle for management at the highest levels within the Aerospace industry.
Introduction
The MSc Aerospace is offered by the Bristol and West of England Consortium for Continuing Professional Development in Aerospace (CPDA). The CPDA aims to increase the professional capabilities of engineers and managers in the Aerospace industry through strategic understanding of major technical, business and environmental factors both now and in the future, by:
- Developing and broadening technical and business skills within the context of the industry as well as, more specifically, with individual participating organisations
- Enhancing the competitiveness of the industry with a high quality and carefully positioned professional development scheme
- Creating, developing and implementing flexible and innovative research and development opportunities geared to the needs of the industry
Students on the course come from a range of different companies within the sector, including primes and throughout the supply chain. This mix of students from different companies and with different roles adds a unique perspective to the learning environment, as they network and learn from each other.
The course is delivered part-time by block release. You can select to study the MSc, PG Diploma or PG Certificate if you wish. Additionally, modules can also be studied on their own as short courses.
Student's view
The course has been beneficial to my career in that it has helped me develop a better understanding of the business, my role within it and how I interact with other colleagues. I now feel more capable of supporting the business, its functions and its long term goals as it evolves within the market place.
Paul Morrell, DMU Manager, Airbus UK
Structure
Content
All modules, with the exception of the industrial project (dissertation) are clustered around four areas, as follows:
Aerospace Technology
- Introduction to Aeronautics
- Aircraft Operations
- Aircraft Structural Design and Stress Analysis
- Aircraft Propulsion
- Avionic Systems
- Flight Test Principles and Practice
- Airworthiness
- Aerospace Materials Engineering
- Aerodynamics and Performance
- Civil Aircraft Maintenance
- Introduction to Helicopter Design
- Aircraft Systems Technology
- UAV Systems
- Sustainable Aviation
- Holistic Gas Turbine Design
Manufacture
- Aircraft Manufacture and Assembly
- Manufacturing Systems Engineering
- Decision Making for Manufacturing
- Manufacturing Technology
Design
- Reliability and Maintainability
- Aerospace Life Cycle Analysis and Cost Modelling
- Non-Linear Flight Mechanics
- Foundations of Systems Engineering
- Aerospace Design Process: Concept to Compliance
- Requirements Engineering
- Control of Engineering Systems
- Gas Turbine Performance
- Introduction to Materials Engineering
- Gas Turbine Materials
- Basic Stress Loads
Business and Management
- Aerospace Strategic Management
- Aerospace Marketing
- Business Systems Excellence
- Management of International Aerospace Projects
- People in Organisations
- Project Management
- Financial Management and Control
- Product Liability and Contract Law
- Corporate Culture and Management of Change
- Aerospace Risk Management
- Lean Thinking for Continuous Business Improvement
- Excellence through Programme Management
You will need to study at least one core module from each of the four clusters above. This is to ensure that you have the breadth of learning required to really optimise on the holistic nature of the programme. The balance of modules can be chosen from any of the areas above to suit the needs of your sponsoring employer as well as your own career objectives. You can choose to select these options just from one area of specialism or more broadly across two or more clusters. However, we recommend as wide a range as possible, to ensure you gain a broad set of skills and knowledge, with the ability to implement them as required by you and your organisation.
If you are planning to use the MSc to support your application for CEng, it is worth checking with the relevant Institution once you have selected your modules. Most combinations will be acceptable to them, but they may want justification for a large number of management and business related modules.
Industrial project or dissertation
A significant part of the MSc Aerospace is taken up with the project, which is required to be industrially-based. The project integrates the taught material and will develop your ability to engage in an in-depth study of a substantial technical or management problem, relevant to your organisation's business objectives, or within the Aerospace industry as a whole.
The industrial project will have both an industrial and academic supervisor appointed. Their role is to work with you to scope out the project, to provide both industrial and academic guidance and to assess the completed dissertation.
The industrial project is a particularly attractive part of the MSc for employers. It provides the opportunity to deal with a real issue or problem in a very cost effective way. The project outcomes could have a significant impact on the operation or sustainability of the business within its competitive environment.
Teaching and learning
Each module is worth 10 credits and includes e-learning, lectures, tutorials, industry visits, lab sessions and pre and post module activity. Contact time varies from three - five days depending on the module. The course emphasises industrial applications and shared work experience. There are contributions from experts from both academia and industry. Assessment will be done through a post module assignment, which will be based on a problem or issue within your workplace.
Special Features
Professional accreditation
The MSc has been accredited by the Royal Aeronautical Society and the Institution of Mechanical Engineers. Therefore, if you have an accredited undergraduate (or first) degree or equivalent, completion of this MSc then meets the academic requirements for Chartered Engineer registration at these Institutions.
Created and delivered in partnership with the Aerospace industry
The CPDA Scheme has been running for over 20 years. It started life as an EPSRC-funded Integrated Graduate Development Scheme, the aims of which were to develop advanced level study which met the needs of industry. Thus the Aerospace IGDS was born from which the CPDA Scheme has now emerged. It is a well-established scheme which is internationally renowned for the excellent training and development that it delivers.
A particular feature of the CPDA is its partnership and collaboration with industry. The scheme is run by both an Industrial Advisory Board (IAB) as well as an Academic Management Committee (AMC). Representatives from both groups sit on the other. The IAB, chaired by Professor Duncan Greenman of Airbus UK, has a remit to ensure the Scheme remains relevant to the needs of the Aerospace industry. Representatives of the IAB work closely with the AMC and subject experts to guide the development of new modules and to provide industrial expertise for particular technical areas.
Careers/further study
The MSc Aerospace provides an excellent vehicle for management at the highest levels within the Aerospace industry. It combines technical and business learning and teaching allowing you to progress in each to meet your career objectives. This makes it ideal for engineers and those from a more technical background who do not want to concentrate on a business-only degree, but wish to enhance on their technical learning as well. It is this which distinguishes the MSc Aerospace from an MBA programme.
The Department also offers both a professional doctorate as well as the opportunity to progress to PhD study, after successfully completing this award.
Entry
Advice on typical offers
Our students are normally company-sponsored with at least three years' industrial experience working as a professional engineer or manager within the Aerospace industry (or a closely-related industry, including military operations). You should have an undergraduate degree in an engineering, science or mathematics subject.
We will consider applications from those who have achieved a Foundation Degree or HND in an engineering, science or mathematics subject, and who have at least 5 years general engineering experience together with two years working at professional engineer level.
Special arrangements are now in place for other graduates to join the Scheme. We are also able to consider non-standard applications on a case by case basis. Please contact us for further information.
Fees
You will pay for each module as you attend it.
MSc/PG Diploma/PG Cert student: £1150 per module
Short course attendee: £1400 per module
Flight Test Principles and Practice which is £2000
How to apply
Web site:
http://www.uwe.ac.uk/et/edm/cpda/
Email:
cpda@uwe.ac.uk
For further information
Page last updated 14 December 2011