Bachelor/Masters of Engineering in Aeronautical Engineering

The Bachelor of Engineering (B.E.) and Masters of Engineering (M.E.) programmes are 4 years and 5 years in duration, respectively. Both include an eight month period of Cooperative Education spent in an appropriate industrial environment. The course provides a broad and practical programme of study, which gives you a good understanding of aircraft design, aerodynamics, structures, propulsion, control, materials, avionics, business and maintenance, and enables you to work in all sectors of the aerospace industry.

The programme is fully ECTS (European Credit Transfer System) compliant, allowing student mobility across Europe. In addition, students wishing to transfer from Level 6 or Level 7 Engineering programmes can gain access into the second or third year of the programme.

The first two years provide you with a foundation in the fundamental engineering disciplines, and subjects taught include:

• Air Transportation Management
• Mathematics
• Thermodynamics
• Materials Science
• Introduction to Engineering
• Production Technology
• Aerodynamics
• Aircraft Maintenance
• Engineering Mechanics
• CAD (Computer Aided Design)
• Fluid Mechanics
• Electrical Engineering
• Chemistry

The eight-month industry placement occurs at the end of year two. The University has links throughout the aviation industry, which has enabled students to be placed in prestigious aerospace companies such as Boeing and Airbus.

During the third and final years, all students study fundamental aeronautical engineering subjects such as:

• Flight Mechanics
• Aircraft Design
• Aircraft Stability and Control
• Aircraft Propulsion
• Aircraft Structures

The Flight Mechanics module deserves special mention as the laboratory element of this course is conducted in-flight. A series of flight exercises are carried out over the course of a week, in a twin-engine turboprop aircraft, in which students are provided with individual consoles for monitoring the aircraft's performance.

In fourth year M.E. students will get the opportunity to apply their knowledge of aircraft design in the Design, Build and Fly project. Run over two semesters, the students are required to Design, Build and Fly a model aircraft that has to satisfy specifications set annually by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA). For videos of previous designs check out YouTube (search for "œUL DBF").

Employability skills from this degree

• Developing specialist knowledge in areas including aerodynamics, stress engineering, materials and structures, and sustainable aircraft design
• Working effectively in multinational teams
• Using creativity to establish innovative solutions
• Managing the design process and evaluating outcomes
• Meeting the changing needs of customers

• Numeracy, IT skills and attention to detail
• Teamwork
• Leadership
• Project management
• Communicatiion (written and verbal)
• Development of economically viable, ethically sound and sustainable solutions

The year after graduating with this degree

The University of Limerick Graduate Outcomes Survey (GOS) is a detailed review of the employment outcomes of UL graduates conducted annually by the University and supported by the Higher Education Authority (HEA). The survey forms part of a nationwide review of the employment outcomes of Irish University Graduates. The table below illustrates a five-year trend for UL graduate employment levels and location the year after graduation.

Further Study Options

• MSc in Aeronautical Engineering
• Structured PhD in Aeronautical Engineering

Job titles for graduates with this degree

Graduates progressing directly into employment take up a wide variety of roles. The following provides a sample of initial roles listed on the Graduate Outcomes Survey by graduates approximately one year after graduation:

• Aero Design Engineer
• Aeronautical Engineer
• Aerospace Stress Engineer
• Aircraft Design Engineer
• Associate Technical Professional
• Camo Engineer
• Design Engineer
• Design Liaison Engineer
• Development Engineer
• Engineering Technician
• Graduate Engineer
• Maintenance Coordinator
• Maintenance Programme Engineer

• Material and Process Engineer
• Project Engineer
• Quality Engineer
• Research Assistant
• Service Engineer
• Support Engineer
• Technical Consultant
• Technical Designer
• Technical Project Manager
• Technical Representative
• Technical Services Engineer
• Trainee Pilot