A week in the life of an aerospace engineering undergraduate

From lectures to laboratory-based practicals and personal tutorials, discover what a typical week looks like as a first-year BEng or MEng Aerospace Engineering student at Surrey.

Credit: University of Surrey

How will I be taught?

Your teaching will be delivered through a combination of seminars, tutorials, group work, laboratory-based practicals, lectures and online learning. You’ll receive approximately 15-20 contact hours each week.

You’ll be given coursework to help consolidate what you’ve learnt, and you’ll be expected to carry out independent study and reading. We have a wide range of study spaces available, including our library, open 24/7, and more relaxed spaces like Hillside Coffee café.

What will I be taught?

In Semester 1, lectures and tutorials will typically cover the following modules: Fluid Mechanics and Thermodynamics; Design and Component Production; Materials: Properties and Performance and Engineering Mathematics.

Read about the modules you will take in Semester 2 here.

Will a typical week differ to other engineering courses?

In general, the subjects taught in first year will vary slightly from one engineering discipline to another; however, the four streams of engineering that run within our Mechanical Engineering Sciences subject area – mechanical, aerospace, biomedical and spacecraft – have a common first year. This provides an excellent foundation and allows for flexibility if you want to change to a different stream in Year 2.

Read more about our undergraduate mechanical engineering sciences courses here.

I like that the course gives us so many different ways to understand the material. Having all the lectures recorded is very helpful, especially when I need to go back over the more challenging parts at my own pace. Will T.

What about other interests? Will I have time for those during the week?

Absolutely. Studying is only one aspect of your time here at Surrey. You will have opportunities to focus on sporting, societies, events or just relaxing. Students have access to approximately 170 student clubs and societies, with interests ranging from mixed martial arts to mah jong, and poker to politics. There is a mechanical engineering society, MechSoc, which puts on a range of social and academic-related events throughout the year.

We also have Peryton Space, which is our student-led rocketry and space society, open to all students who have an interest in space and/or engineering in general.

Nearby Surrey Sports Park is a £36m facility, offering state-of-the-art training facilities such as a climbing wall and an Olympic-size swimming pool.

What’s life like outside lectures?

We’re a campus university so everything you need is within a five-minute walk, including the Students’ Union building, grocery shopping, wellbeing and support services, the launderette and the medical centre.

Guildford’s picturesque cobbled high street boasts a wide range of shops and restaurants, plus an excellent range of pubs and a busy nightlife. The town is also only a 35-minute train journey to London.

Disclaimer: The modules listed are indicative, reflecting the information available at the time of publication and may be subject to teaching availability, student demand and/or class size caps.