Aerospace Engineering with Pilot Studies (with Foundation Year)

Get on track for our BEng(Hons) Aerospace Engineering with Pilot Studies degree by completing a foundation year. If you're committed to an engineering future and have a less conventional background, this is the course for you.

Why study Aerospace Engineering with Pilot studies?
BEng(Hons) Aerospace Engineering with Pilot Studies offers an Aerospace Engineering degree with aviation industry-focused insight and skills development, allowing graduates to become more informed engineers or pilots depending on their future career interest and training.

If you're fascinated by the history, technology and progress of aircraft and aviation, we'll take your passion and transform it into career-shaping skills and experience.

Why UWE Bristol?
Our new inclusive, problem-based curriculum will broaden our engineering audience, enabling students from a wider range of backgrounds to pursue a career in engineering. To date, we're the first university in the UK to transform our curriculum alongside constructing a new engineering building.

You'll explore aerospace engineering alongside the competencies required of a Private Pilot Licence. The Pilot Study modules are based on real-world pilot training material (but not approved/certified training assessments) with a focus on providing knowledge in areas such as navigation, aviation safety, aircraft instrument systems and regulations at a practical level. The Aerospace Engineering modules provide skills and capabilities in disciplines such as materials and structures; aerodynamics, propulsion and manufacturing. Additional modules provide tutoring towards professional practice, such as project work, communication, and presentation skills.

This course will give you a good grounding towards a Private Pilot Licence (PPL) but completion of the degree does not lead to a full PPL and does not assure being granted a flying licence of any sort.

See the Structure section below for more details.

The course has been accredited in part by the Royal Aeronautical Society (RAeS) on behalf of the Engineering Council, up to and including the 2025 intake. Intake year 2025 is accredited as meeting the EngC CEng academic requirement in part.

Re-accreditation is currently being sought for the intakes from 2026 onwards.

Where can it take me?
You'll be able to work as a graduate aerospace engineer across the engineering sector as an effective member of a multidisciplinary team or further develop your pilot training and skills to pursue a career as, for example, a first officer with a major airline.

The course will provide you with the requisite knowledge, skills and preparation for progression to study for higher degrees in appropriate engineering disciplines.