MSc in Airworthiness

Who is it for?

The Airworthiness Master's course is highly flexible and designed to meet the needs of individuals who are balancing work commitments with study. It is especially relevant to engineers and technologists working in the airworthiness field of aviation safety, either in a regulatory authority or in the industry. The format is especially suitable for those who wish to enhance and focus their knowledge in a structured but flexible part-time format while continuing to work.

The subject of your research project can be chosen to match the research needs of your employer and/or your own career ambitions.

Why this course?

This course provides an academically recognised high standard of qualification related to the wide spectrum of technologies met in aerospace. It offers a wide range of technical knowledge in the context of related regulatory and safety issues, a background that managers in today's aerospace industry need to possess. Detailed knowledge of airworthiness issues early in the product development stage helps the downstream business operation which must balance cost and safety. This will also help to optimise the aircraft design, modification and/or repair process.

We appreciate that students will be balancing employment with a study which is why we aim to minimise the number of visits required to Cranfield University and offer modules in one-week blocks. Students undertaking the full MSc programme would be expected to come to Cranfield ten times in the 2-3 year period. We are well located for part-time students from across the world and offer a range of support services for off-site students.

We welcome delegates from all over the world and this provides a unique learning environment for both students and delegates who benefit from the mix of experience and backgrounds. Attendance of our short courses is a popular entry route onto this course as delegates are able to carry their credits forward onto the Airworthiness programme which a choice of qualification levels available to choose from:

• The Master’s Degree (MSc) option of this course consists of a taught element (ten modules), an individual research project and a course portfolio.
• The postgraduate Certificate (PgCert) option of this course consists of only the taught element where students must complete six modules.
• The Postgraduate Diploma (PgDip) option of this course consists of a taught element (ten modules) and course portfolio.

Course details

There are seven mandatory modules that aim to provide you with a common basis of knowledge and skills on which the specialist options can build further. You are then free to choose three optional modules in line with your developing interests.

The course uses a range of assessment types. Students can expect to have written examinations, assignments and presentations as well as the group design and individual research projects. The range of assessment methods has been chosen to develop skills and be of relevance to the taught materials.

Compulsory modules

All the modules in the following list need to be taken as part of this course

• Airworthiness Fundamentals
• Safety Assessment of Aircraft Systems
• Air Transport Engineering - Maintenance Operations
• Aircraft Fatigue and Damage Tolerance
• Gas Turbine Fundamentals
• Aviation Safety Management
• Airframe Systems

Elective modules

A selection of modules from the following list needs to be taken as part of this course

• Mechanical Integrity of Gas Turbines
• Practical Reliability
• Aircraft Accident Investigation and Response
• Fundamentals of Aircraft Engine Control
• Fundamentals of Aerodynamics
• Manufacturing for Airworthiness
• Design, Durability and Integrity of Composite Aircraft Structures
• Introduction to Avionics
• Human Factors in Aviation Maintenance
• Flight Experimental Methods (Group Flight Test Report)
• Detail Stressing
• Introduction to Aircraft Structural Crashworthiness

Your career

Many of our students are already in employment with aerospace/defence companies and choose to pursue an internationally recognised qualification with Cranfield University to enhance their career. Graduates are able to use this qualification to obtain secure permanent positions abroad.

Destinations of our students vary as many remain with their sponsoring company, often being promoted upon completion of the course. Some companies have used the Airworthiness programme as pre-employment training.