This MSc aims to build up your knowledge of the design of flying vehicles such as aircraft, missiles, airships and spacecraft. Select from one of three specialist options and excel in a growing aerospace industry:
Aircraft Design
Avionics Systems Design
Structural Design
Who is it for?
This MSc course provides a taught engineering programme with a focus on the technical, business and management aspects that encompass aircraft design in the civil and military aerospace sectors.
Why this course?
Cranfield has been at the forefront of postgraduate education in aerospace engineering since 1946 with the Aerospace Vehicle Design programme being one of the original foundation courses of the College of Aeronautics. Graduates from this course also become members of the Cranfield College of Aeronautics Alumni Association (CCAAA), an active community which holds a number of networking and social events throughout the year.
One unique feature of the course is that we have a range of external examiners, from industry and from academia who continually assess the quality of the course.
Cranfield University is very well located for students from all over the world, and offers a range of library, IT and support facilities to support your studies. This enables students from all over the world to complete this qualification whilst achieving the right balance of work/life commitments.
Accreditation
Re-accreditation for the MSc in Aerospace Vehicle Design is currently being sought with the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) and the Royal Aeronautical Society (RAeS) on behalf of the Engineering Council as meeting the requirements for Further Learning for registration as a Chartered Engineer. Candidates must hold a CEng accredited BEng/BSc (Hons) undergraduate first degree to comply with full CEng registration requirements.
Your career
The MSc in Aerospace Vehicle 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.
This course prepares graduates for careers as project engineers, systems design, structural design or avionic engineers in aerospace or related industries, with the aim of progressing to technical management/chief engineer roles. Graduates from the MSc in Aerospace Vehicle Design can therefore look forward to a varied choice of challenging career opportunities in the above disciplines.
Many of our graduates occupy very senior positions in their organisations, making valuable contributions to the international aerospace industry. Some example student destinations include BAE Systems, Airbus, Dassault and Rolls-Royce.
September 2025
Cranfield Campus 1
Cranfield, Bedfordshire,
Bedfordshire,
Milton Keynes,
MK43 0AL, CENTRAL ENGLAND, England
*There may be different IELTS requirements depending on your chosen course.