Aircraft Engineering introductory year, foundation degree FdEng and top-up year BSc(Hons): Which course is right for me?

Our programme of aircraft engineering courses – from foundation to MSc level – has been developed to enable you to start at different points depending on your qualifications and/or experience. The innovative programme structure also allows you to complete a course, obtain employment and then return to the next course at a later date. This gives you the opportunity to gain professional experience – or simply to top-up the bank account!

• Don't have the entry requirements? There is an Introductory Year Zero (Part 66 A-Licence) course at KLM UK Engineering Ltd, and Newcastle College offers National Certificate programmes.
• The foundation degree will assist maintenance organisations and airlines find the well-qualified, skilled people they need to fill their skills shortage, or to develop existing staff for more challenging and responsible roles. It will arm you with the confidence to enter into the workforce, knowing you have the academic knowledge and practical skills needed to succeed in the aircraft engineering industry.
• Already a licensed maintenance engineer? We can provide you with the opportunity to gain academic recognition and professional engineer status for the training and experience you have acquired over the years. Our part-time honours degree course allows you to continue working whilst you study. Whether you study part time or full time, the honours degree significantly raises the status of aircraft engineers, and provides you with a wider range of options to help you fulfil your career potential.
• If you are already an aircraft engineer and would like to broaden your knowledge and skills to enable you to take on a leadership role within the aircraft industry, our Aircraft Engineering MSc could be ideal.

Introductory Year Zero (course code H415)

This one-year, full-time course is delivered at KLM UK Engineering Technical College in Norwich. Designed as a preparation course for the foundation degree, it can also be taken as a stand-alone Part 66 A-Licence course. The syllabus is Part 66 compliant and KLM UK Engineering has EASA 147 approval for the course.

Successful completion of the course satisfies the entry requirements of the foundation degree in Aircraft Engineering. Successful completion also enables you to obtain an EASA Part 66 after completion of one year's aircraft maintenance experience.

The course is delivered entirely at either KLM UK Engineering Technical College, Norwich Airport from late September to May the following year. You can view a typical course calendar (PDF) for further information.

Students applying for H415 at KLM UK Engineering need to make arrangements for accommodation in Norwich. In the first instance, please contact Accommodation Services at Kingston, making it clear that you are on the course delivered entirely at Norwich.

The National Certificate in Aircraft Engineering

Delivered at Newcastle College, this programme provides an alternative access course for the foundation degree in Aircraft Engineering, B-Licence course. It is specially designed for this purpose.

Foundation Degree in Aircraft Engineering (course codes H410 and H418)

This two-year course aims to equip graduates for the job market by combining academic learning with vocational skills. We emphasise the technical expertise and other skills that are increasingly sought by employers.

On successful completion of the course, you are awarded a foundation degree in Aircraft Engineering and are eligible to enrol on the BSc(Hons) top-up course. Successful completion also enables you to obtain a Part 66 B licence after completion of two years' aircraft maintenance experience.

Whilst timetable hours, module sequence and course duration vary slightly between sites, all students complete the 2,400 hours required by Part 147 – you will be expected to attend between 30 and 35 hours per week for 36 to 42 weeks per year. Poor attendance will jeopardise your chance of obtaining the EASA training certificate required to obtain alleviation from the work experience requirements.

Students on all sites follow one course of study, but have two independent sets of assessment – one for the award of the foundation degree, the other to satisfy the Part 66 licence requirements. It is possible to fail EASA assessment and still complete the course – failed Part 66 examinations can be re-taken whilst you are gaining the work experience.

Start and finish dates, holidays and weekly timetable hours depend on the site chosen and course selected:

• Kingston University/KLM course (course codes H410 and H418)
  H410 is taught jointly by Kingston University and KLM UK Engineering Technical College. Year 1 comprises two full semesters at Kingston University followed by a further 11 weeks at KLM UK Engineering Technical College in Norwich; year 2 is taught entirely at KLM. You can view a typical course calendar (PDF) for further information.
  
  Students applying for H410 should contact Kingston University's Accommodation Services about accommodation. Accommodation in Norwich can be organised once you have started the course.
  
  H418 is presented solely by KLM UK Engineering Technical College in Norwich. The course has a duration of 42 weeks, finishing in May. You can view a typical course calendar (PDF) for further information.
  
  Students applying for H418 need to make arrangements for accommodation in Norwich. In the first instance students should contact Accommodation Services at Kingston, making it clear that they are on the course presented entirely at Norwich.
• Newcastle Aviation Academy course (course code H410, site code C)
  The Newcastle Aviation Academy is jointly operated by Kingston University and Newcastle College. Students wishing to apply for the foundation degree at this site need to apply for H410 through Kingston University using site code C (on the UCAS application form). For more information on the courses and facilities at the Newcastle Aviation Academy, please visit www.newcastleaviation.co.uk

BSc(Hons) top-up

(NB: direct entrants to the top-up course can achieve a BEng(Hons) providing they start by September 2011)

The programme is accredited by the Royal Aeronautical Society, and can be taken over one year full time or between two and five years part time. The attendance pattern for the part-time option allows students to continue (or start) work as an engineer whilst studying.

Part-time course (no course code: apply direct to Kingston University): This course is designed as a top-up for the foundation degree and provides professional engineer status. It also offers an opportunity for licensed maintenance engineers to obtain an academic qualification and recognition of their training/experience. The standard two-year, part-time delivery pattern requires:

• one day's attendance in September of year one for the course introduction, briefings, enrolment and project group selections;
• two weeks' full-time attendance each year – usually the University's reading weeks, which fall in early April and early November. These weeks are quite intense, comprising 30 hours of lectures/tutorials on a module, followed by some evening sessions to discuss project progress (November) or complete project presentations (April);
• two consecutive days' attendance at the end of each academic year for examinations associated with the two taught modules; and
• completion of an aircraft engineering-related group project in year 1 and individual project in year 2.

However, delivery is very flexible and it is possible to complete the course in three, four or even five years. For example, you could complete the group project in year 1, two taught modules in year 2, the individual project in year 3, and the and last two taught modules in year 4. The only thing you cannot do is complete more than two taught modules in any one academic year.

The flexibility and minimal full-time attendance makes the course ideally suited to both maintenance engineers employed in the industry and students who are completing their work experience post-foundation degree studies. You can view a typical course calendar (PDF) for further information.

Full-time top-up course (course code H416): The modules and module content of the full-time course are the same as for the part-time course. However, the attendance pattern for the full-time course will be the same as for other degree programmes, with two semesters of 15 weeks starting at the end of September and finishing in May the following year.

Notes:

1. Application for a Part 66 licence is made to the CAA after satisfactory completion of the required period of maintenance experience. All examinations must have been completed in the five years prior to the application, and all experience must have been gained in the seven years prior to application. Maintenance experience must be recorded and certified in a logbook, ideally CAP741 produced by the CAA.
2. Students who complete a Part 147 approved course are able to obtain an EASA licence with less maintenance experience than those who do not. For the B Licence it is two years' experience as opposed five years for self-starters. To obtain this alleviation, students must attend the whole course (2,400 contact hours) – poor attendance will jeopardise this privilege.