Fly High & Reach for the Stars
Do you want to reach new heights in your Australian Defence Force (ADF) career? Does the thought of sending an astronaut to the moon fill you with excitement? Aeronautical engineers work at the cutting-edge of engineering designing, manufacturing, and maintaining aircraft in the aviation and aerospace industries. A Bachelor of Aeronautical Engineering from UNSW Canberra at ADFA will kickstart your career in this highly valued industry with the skills you need to thrive in your defence force career.
This degree is also available to non-defence students.
Study at UNSW Canberra at ADFA
Our Bachelor of Aeronautical Engineering degree is a four-year degree with an in-built Honours year. It is specifically designed to prepare you for the needs of the ADF as Australia’s largest aircraft operator. This program is tailored to aeronautical engineers and covers the fundamentals of aeronautics, aerodynamics and engine propulsion, aircraft design and more.
As you progress further in your degree, you’ll be given further opportunities to study courses that interest you. You could choose from electives including:
- aerospace engineering
- helicopter and rotorcraft design
- hypersonic flight, which is five times faster than the speed of sound.
You will also complete a 60-day internship in a professional aeronautical engineering environment. Put into action everything you have learnt and see how a practicing aeronautical engineer approaches and solves problems in the real world.
World-Class Teaching & Facilities
When you study with us, you’ll have access to purpose-built workshops and facilities and benefit from the best university campus teacher-to-student ratio in Australia. Working with experienced engineers and client representatives on industry-focused design and research projects, you’ll gain the hands-on experience needed to meet the global challenges of the future.
In your fourth and final year, you’ll also design and conduct your very own research project. You’ll work with one of our world-class academics to make an original contribution to the field of aeronautical engineering.
What Our Students Say
I have been interested in engineering as far back as I can remember. I have always been excited by the way engines and aircraft work and move. So far, I’ve been exposed to a multitude of different learning environments, from lectures to hands-on workshops. The highlight so far was learning how to operate equipment and machinery required to design and build systems. The opportunity to develop hands-on skills such as welding, oxyfuel cutting and working with a lathe is unique to UNSW Canberra.
Dominic Hill, Aeronautical Engineering student
Aeronautical Engineering in Your ADF Career
By studying aeronautical engineering at UNSW Canberra, you’ll be accredited by Engineers Australia to begin working immediately as an aeronautical engineer within the ADF and around the world.
Air Force
Air Force graduates operate and maintain aircraft. They become responsible for the airworthiness and modification of aircraft and engines and the acquisition and introduction of new equipment into the Australian fleet.
Army
As an Army graduate, you will be involved in the maintenance and repair of the Army’s rapidly growing fleet of fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft, including the ARH-Tiger, Chinook and MRH-90 Taipan helicopters, as well as other fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft.
Navy
As a Navy graduate, you will find yourself working with a variety of aircraft ranging from heavy transporters to multi-role strike fighters. You will engage in the maintenance, repair, modifications, operational deployments and airworthiness of the Navy’s fleet of rotary-wing aircraft.