Aerospace Engineering, Ph.D. Distance Learning

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Key Course Details

Ph.D. Distance Learning 3 Year Part Time

Mode of Study: Distance Learning
Location: Bay Campus

Start Date	Tuition Fees - Year 1
Oct 2024	£ 4,786
Oct 2025	£ 4,900

Ph.D. Distance Learning 3 Year Part Time

Mode of Study: Distance Learning
Location: Bay Campus

Start Date	Tuition Fees - Year 1
Oct 2024	£ 23,100
Oct 2025	£ 23,800

Aerospace Engineering, Ph.D. Distance Learning

UK Top 16 for Research Quality – Aeronautical & Aerospace Engineering

(The Complete University Guide 2023)

Course Overview

The PhD Aerospace Engineering - Distance Learning is subject to the same University regulations as the standard PhD programme, except that all meetings with the academic supervisors and other relevant Swansea University staff members can be held online. The student is welcome, but not required to visit Swansea University in-person, unless if told otherwise if/when some presence is required on campus.

Start dates: PhD/MPhil - 1st October, 1st January, 1st April & 1st July.

Our world-leading technology has contributed to many exciting projects, including aerodynamics for the current world land-speed record car, Thrust SSC, and the future land-speed record car and design of the double-decker super-jet Airbus A380.

Research within Engineering at Swansea University is multidisciplinary in nature, incorporating our strengths in research areas across the engineering disciplines.

mechanics forms the basis for the majority of the PhD and MPhil projects within these engineering disciplines.

Swansea University provides an excellent base for your research as a PhD or MPhil student in Aerospace Engineering.

Recent PhD theses supervised in the area of Aerospace Engineering at Swansea University include:

Uncertainty Quantification for Complex Engineering Structures: Statics and Dynamics
The Application of Composite Corrugated Panels to Morphing Aircraft
On the Isogeometric Finite Element Method
Design, Modelling and Optimisation of Morphing Structures for MALE UAVS
Rolling contact fatigue detection via high frequency acoustic emission
Development of Numerical Schemes to improve the efficiency of CFD Simulation of High Speed Viscous Aerodynamic Flows

Entry Requirements

Qualifications

MPhil: Applicants for MPhil must normally hold an undergraduate degree at 2.1 level (or Non-UK equivalent as defined by Swansea University) in Engineering or similar relevant science discipline. See - Country-specific Information for EU and International Candidates.

PhD: Applicants for PhD must normally hold an undergraduate degree at 2.1 level (or Non-UK equivalent as defined by Swansea University) in Engineering or similar relevant science discipline. See - Country-specific Information for EU and International Candidates.

English Language

IELTS 6.5 Overall (5.5+ each comp.) or Swansea University recognised equivalent. Full details of our English Language policy, including certificate time validity, can be found here.

We welcome applications by prospective students from around the world and look for evidence of previous study that is equivalent to the entry requirements stated above. The Postgraduate Admissions Office are happy to advise you on whether your qualifications are suitable for entry to the course you would like to study. Please email admissions@swansea.ac.uk for further information.

As well as academic qualifications, Admissions decisions may be based on other factors, including (but not limited to): the standard of the research synopsis/proposal, performance at interview, intensity of competition for limited places, and relevant professional experience.

Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) Requirement

Non UK/EU applicants are required to obtain ATAS clearance for this programme of study. Successful applicants are sent ATAS application details by the University PGR Admissions team. Further details on the ATAS scheme can be found at on the government Academic Technology Approval Scheme webpage.

Reference Requirement

As standard, two references are required before we can progress applications to the College/School research programme Admissions Tutor for consideration.

Applications received without two references attached are placed on hold, pending receipt of the outstanding reference(s). Please note that any protracted delay in receiving the outstanding reference(s) may result in the need to defer your application to a later potential start point/entry month, than what you initially listed as your preferred start option.

You may wish to consider contacting your referee(s) to assist in the process of obtaining the outstanding reference(s) or alternatively, hold submission of application until references are sourced. Please note that it is not the responsibility of the University Admissions Office to obtain missing reference(s) after our initial email is sent to your nominated referee(s), requesting a reference(s) on your behalf.

The reference can take the form of a letter on official headed paper, or via the University’s standard reference form. Click this link to download the university reference form.

Alternatively, referees can email a reference from their employment email account, please note that references received via private email accounts, (i.e. Hotmail, Yahoo, Gmail) cannot be accepted.

References can be submitted to pgradmissions@swansea.ac.uk.

How you are Supervised

Your supervisor will:

Help you develop your research plan in the early stages of your PhD
Advise on research aims and objectives and suggest relevant training or skills courses
Provide direction in terms of relevant literature and sources
Give guidance on gathering, recording and analysing data
Supervise your written work, providing constructive criticism and ensuring you keep to deadlines
Support and advise you when it comes to presenting papers at conferences, publishing your work and attending your viva (the final oral examination of your thesis)

Find your supervisor through our Directory of Expertise.

Welsh Provision

Tuition Fees

Start Date	UK	International
October 2024	£ 4,786	£ 23,100
October 2025	£ 4,900	£ 23,800

Tuition fees for years of study after your first year are subject to an increase of 3%.

You can find further information of your fee costs on our tuition fees page.

Note: The 2025/2026 UK fee is indicative pending confirmation from UKRI.

You may be eligible for funding to help support your study. To find out about scholarships, bursaries and other funding opportunities that are available please visit the University's scholarships and bursaries page.

Current students: You can find further information of your fee costs on our tuition fees page.

Funding and Scholarships

You may be eligible for funding to help support your study.

Government funding is now available for Welsh, English and EU students starting eligible postgraduate research programmes at Swansea University. To find out more, please visit our postgraduate loans page.

To find out about scholarships, bursaries and other funding opportunities that are available please visit the University's scholarships and bursaries page.

Academi Hywel Teifi at Swansea University and the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol offer a number of generous scholarships and bursaries for students who wish to study through the medium of Welsh or bilingually. For further information about the opportunities available to you, visit the Academi Hywel Teifi Scholarships and Bursaries page.

Additional Costs

Access to your own digital device/the appropriate IT kit will be essential during your time studying at Swansea University. Access to wifi in your accommodation will also be essential to allow you to fully engage with your programme. See our dedicated webpages for further guidance on suitable devices to purchase, and for a full guide on getting your device set up.

You may face additional costs while at university, including (but not limited to):

Travel to and from campus
Printing, photocopying, binding, stationery and equipment costs (e.g. USB sticks)
Purchase of books or texts
Gowns for graduation ceremonies

How to Apply

Once you have identified a topic area within which you would like to work, we recommend that you submit a research proposal and discuss this with an Admissions Tutor for the subject area before making an application. You can email fse-recruitment@swansea.ac.uk to express your interest in a PhD or MPhil Aerospace Engineering.

Apply online and track your application status for the PhD or MPhil Aerospace Engineering at www.swansea.ac.uk/applyonline

If you're an international student, find out more about applying for the PhD or MPhil Aerospace Engineering www.swan.ac.uk/international/students/apply

Suggested Application Timings

In order to allow sufficient time for consideration of your application by an academic, for potential offer conditions to be met and travel / relocation, we recommend that applications are made before the dates outlined below. Please note that applications can still be submitted outside of the suggested dates below but there is the potential that your application/potential offer may need to be moved to the next appropriate intake window.