Applied Aircraft Engineering foundation degree

Why choose this course?

Through this course you will develop the leadership tools, skills and qualifications required to enable aircraft maintenance engineers to progress into leadership and management positions. You'll build your professional network by studying alongside students working in different organisations with varying backgrounds and managerial experience. Successful completion of this programme will enable you to apply to the BSc (Hons) Aircraft Engineering top-up programme.

This course is offered part-time and online, and leads to the award of a Foundation Degree. The course will start with an onsite induction session at Kingston University. For those students that are unable to attend, an induction via Canvas/MS Teams will be available, followed by an ongoing online support.

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Attendance UCAS code Year of entry
2 years part time 2024
2025
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Reasons to choose Kingston University

  • You can balance your studies with your career through part-time online learning.
  • You will be taught by expert staff who continue to practise and research at the cutting edge of their discipline.
  • There is the option to progress to an honours degree on successful completion of the course.

What you will study

You will study three taught modules (90 credits), usually taken over two years.

150 credits will be awarded through Recognition of Prior Learning.

Modules

Modules

Applied Engineering Analysis and Communication

30 credits

The module will ensure that you have a range of skills to enable you to apply and communicate the knowledge acquired in the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) modules and to extend that knowledge as required.

The module covers four main themes: mathematics, engineering problem solving, communication skills and research methods. It also provides a foundation for further study at higher levels.

Professional Development

30 credits

This module will enable you to develop self-reflective skills and reflect on your progress throughout your professional career to date. You will assemble a portfolio of evidence of the key and practical skills you have acquired in their normal job role. The portfolio will then be used to support the creation of a Development Plan for the next 2 to 3 years.

Aircraft Engineering Leadership

30 credits

This module will develop leadership and management skills, introducing a broad range of skills for effectively managing others. It will consider the basic principles of project management and accounting, and develop the ability to analyse and describe the external environment facing managers. The module will introduce the principles of leadership and team development and the management of people and teams and the topic of Corporate and Social Responsibility/ESG which will include ethics and sustainability.

Aims of this module:

  • introduce a broad range of skills which are necessary to move from being managed themselves to managing others.
  • evaluate the economic environment and the key influences on that environment to understand the context of business decisions
  • develop the leadership and team management skills to manage themselves and others.

Department of Aerospace and Aircraft Engineering

Future Skills

Knowledge to give you the edge

Embedded within every course curriculum and throughout the whole Kingston experience, Future Skills will play a role in shaping you to become a future-proof graduate, providing you with the skills most valued by employers such as problem-solving, digital competency, and adaptability.

As you progress through your degree, you'll learn to navigate, explore and apply these graduate skills, learning to demonstrate and articulate to employers how future skills give you the edge.

At Kingston University, we're not just keeping up with change, we're creating it.

Learn employability-enhancing Future Skills
A female engineering student, in the engineering lab.

Entry requirements

Typical offer 2025

The minimum entry requirements are successful completion of a CAT B licence training course and have successfully passed the approved examinations or equivalent from the Military. Active students on a CAA/EASA licence course with minimum of 90 RPL completed credits, will also be considered on an individual basis.

Typical offer 2024

The minimum entry requirements are successful completion of a CAT B licence training course and have successfully passed the approved examinations or equivalent from the Military. Active students on a CAA/EASA licence course with minimum of 90 RPL completed credits, will also be considered on an individual basis.

Additional requirements

Entry on to this course does not require an interview, entrance test, audition or portfolio.

International

We welcome applications from International Applicants. View our standard entry requirements from your country.

All non-UK applicants must meet our English language requirements. For this course it is Academic IELTS of 6.0, with no element below 5.5.

Country-specific information

You will find more information on country specific entry requirements in the International section of our website.

Find your country:

Typical offer and UCAS points explained

Like most universities, we use the UCAS Tariff point system for our course entry requirements.

Find out more about UCAS Tariff points and see how A-level, AS level, BTEC Diploma and T-level qualifications translate to the points system.

Teaching and assessment

You will study online through synchronous interactive video (e.g. through Microsoft Teams), teacher guided and supported asynchronous learning and teaching, and independent study.

Guided independent study (self-managed time)

Outside the scheduled learning and teaching hours, you will learn independently through self-study which will involve reading articles and books, working on projects, undertaking research, preparing for and completing your work for assessments. Some independent study work may need to be completed on-campus, as you may need to access campus-based facilities such as studios and labs.

Academic support

Our academic support team here at Kingston University provides help in a range of areas. 

Dedicated personal tutor

When you arrive, we'll introduce you to your personal tutor. This is the member of academic staff who will provide academic guidance, be a support throughout your time at Kingston and who will show you how to make the best use of all the help and resources that we offer at Kingston University. 

Your workload

A course is made up of modules, and each module is worth a number of credits. You must pass a given number of credits in order to achieve the award you registered on. The number of credits you need for your award is detailed in the programme specification which you can access from the link at the bottom of this page.

One credit equates to 10 hours of study. Therefore 120 credits would equate to 1,200 notional hours. These hours are split into scheduled and guided. On this course, the percentage of that time that will be scheduled learning and teaching activities is shown below for each year of study. The remainder is made up of guided independent study.

Most students will take the course over 2 years.

  • Year 1: 20% scheduled learning and teaching
  • Year 2: 10% scheduled learning and teaching

How you will be assessed

Type of assessment:

  • Coursework: 67%
  • Exams: 33%

Feedback summary

We aim to provide feedback on assessments within 20 working days.

Who teaches this course?

The course is taught by the Department of Aerospace and Aircraft Engineering. Staff have a wide range of experience across research and industry and continue to practice and research at the cutting edge of their discipline. This ensures that our courses are current and industry informed ensuring you get the most relevant and up-to-date education possible.

Dr Odeh Dababneh

Mr Phil Hudson

Course fees and funding

2024/25 fees for this course

The tuition fee you pay depends on whether you are assessed as a 'Home' (UK), 'Islands' or 'International' student. In 2024/25 the fees for this course are:

 Fee category Amount
Home (UK students) £9,250*
International Year 1 (2024/25): £17,800
Year 2 (2025/26): £18,500
Year 3 (2026/27): £19,200

For courses with Professional Placement, the fee for the placement year can be viewed on the undergraduate fees table. The placement fee published is for the relevant academic year stated in the table. This fee is subject to annual increases but will not increase by more than the fee caps as prescribed by the Office for Students or such other replacing body.

* For full-time programmes of a duration of more than one academic year, the published fee is an annual fee, payable each year, for the duration of the programme. Your annual tuition fees cover your first attempt at all of the modules necessary to complete that academic year. A re-study of any modules will incur additional charges calculated by the number of credits. Home tuition fees may be subject to annual increases but will not increase by more than the fee caps as prescribed by the Office for Students or such other replacing body. Full-time taught International fees are subject to an annual increase and are published in advance for the full duration of the programme.

Eligible UK students can apply to the Government for a tuition loan, which is paid direct to the University. This has a low interest-rate which is charged from the time the first part of the loan is paid to the University until you have repaid it.

2023/24 fees for this course

The tuition fee you pay depends on whether you are assessed as a 'Home' (UK), 'Islands' or 'International' student. In 2023/24 the fees for this course are:

 Fee category Amount
Home (UK students) £9,250*
International Year 1 (2023/24): £15,800
Year 2 (2024/25): £16,200
Year 3 (2025/26): £16,600

For courses with a professional placement year, the fee for the placement year can be viewed on the undergraduate fees table. The placement fee published is for the relevant academic year stated in the table. This fee is subject to annual increases but will not increase by more than the fee caps as prescribed by the Office for Students or such other replacing body.

* For full-time programmes of a duration of more than one academic year, the published fee is an annual fee, payable each year, for the duration of the programme. Your annual tuition fees cover your first attempt at all of the modules necessary to complete that academic year. A re-study of any modules will incur additional charges calculated by the number of credits. Home tuition fees may be subject to annual increases but will not increase by more than the fee caps as prescribed by the Office for Students or such other replacing body. Full-time taught International fees are subject to an annual increase and are published in advance for the full duration of the programme.

Eligible UK students can apply to the Government for a tuition loan, which is paid direct to the University. This has a low interest-rate which is charged from the time the first part of the loan is paid to the University until you have repaid it.

Note for EU students: UK withdrawal from the European Union

The Government has announced that new students from the European Union and Swiss Nationals starting their course after August 2021 will no longer be eligible for a student loan in England for Undergraduate or Postgraduate studies from the 2021/22 academic year. This decision only applies to new EU students starting after 2021/22. If you are an existing/continuing EU student, you will continue to be funded until you graduate or withdraw from your course.

Need to know more?

Our undergraduate fees and funding section provides information and advice on money matters.

Additional costs

Depending on the programme of study, there may be extra costs that are not covered by tuition fees which students will need to consider when planning their studies. Tuition fees cover the cost of your teaching, assessment and operating University facilities such as the library, access to shared IT equipment and other support services. Accommodation and living costs are not included in our fees. 

Where a course has additional expenses, we make every effort to highlight them. These may include optional field trips, materials (e.g. art, design, engineering), security checks such as DBS, uniforms, specialist clothing or professional memberships.

Textbooks

Our libraries are a valuable resource with an extensive collection of books and journals as well as first-class facilities and IT equipment. You may prefer to buy your own copy of key textbooks; this can cost between £50 and £250 per year.

Computer equipment

There are open-access networked computers available across the University, plus laptops available to loan. You may find it useful to have your own PC, laptop or tablet which you can use around campus and in halls of residence. Free WiFi is available on each campus. You may wish to purchase your own computer, which can cost between £100 and £3,000 depending on your course requirements.

Photocopying and printing

In the majority of cases, written coursework can be submitted online. There may be instances when you will be required to submit work in a printed format. Printing, binding and photocopying costs are not included in your tuition fees, this may cost up to £100 per year.

Travel

This course is taught remotely. However you may occasionally need to travel to campus, for example for your annual course induction (an online alternative will be offered if you are unable to attend onsite). Travel costs are not included in your tuition fees but we do have a free intersite bus service which links the campuses, Surbiton train station, Kingston upon Thames train station, Norbiton train station and halls of residence.

After you graduate

Successful completion of this programme enables you to progress to the final year of the BSc (Hons) Aircraft Engineering top-up programme. Kingston graduates work at British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, KLM UK Engineering, DHL, the Royal Navy, the British Army and BAES.

Course changes and regulations

The information on this page reflects the currently intended course structure and module details. To improve your student experience and the quality of your degree, we may review and change the material information of this course. Course changes explained.

Programme Specifications for the course are published ahead of each academic year.

Regulations governing this course can be found on our website.