MSc in Advanced Computational Methods for Aeronautics ~ Interview tomorrow?

Hey,
Had a quick search but didnt find anything about the MSc course for Aeronautics here. I've got an interview tomorrow for the MSc in Advanced Computational Methods for Aeronautics, Flow Management and Fluid-Structure Interaction course and I really don't know what to expect! Im in my final year studying Computer Systems Engineering at Kent at the moment..

Anyone done this interview before? Will I be asked a lot of maths questions etc ^^?

Thanks,
Tom

Reply 1

Tomo8281

Well, I'll update this for future reference for other people :smile:

!

Interview was great, I had a really nice russian guy. All he wanted to know was my grip on the subject and the modules. He asked me what my motiviation was like for the course, then my grip on fluid dynamics (dont lie, i said I havnt done anything on it), then my calculus skills (being from electronics I said they were basic, not advanced), then my programming skills (I have a lot of matlab/fortran/c/etc skills), then just general stuff about my education. At the end he said that he gets a mix of people and that I fit in perfectly. Lots of maths grads come in with amazing calculus skills, but zero programming, so its good to have a mix of all.

In the end, he said he'll offer me a place :smile:

! I belive its a 2:1 but i'll get the offical offer in a few weeks. Also got a awesome tour round the department (massive wind tunnels + flight simulators)!

All in all, happy! If anyone reads this in preperation for their interview, just don't lie and be honest!

Imperial College London

London

Reply 2

danh60

Hey,

Congratulations on the offer!

Only just found this thread but would have been of great use! I must have had an interview for the computational methods course just after you, sometime towards the end of april, and got an offer for a 2:1 also.

So true about not lying, I'm a maths student, and fluid dynamics I have a good background in but have done absolutely no programming before, which I was hesitant about saying but honest in the end. He put my mind at rest saying rarely does anyone have all 3! Although I think I have a fair bit of programming to learn this summer to get up to scratch...

Hopefully see you next year!

Reply 3

dim340

Congratulations on the offer from me too!
I also have an offer for that msc and as long as i find a room i will be joining you!
Do you know if there are opportunities to do the thesis in a company and not inside the uni?

Reply 4

Epic-o

Hey,

I have checked the module descriptors available in the programme page and this seems the right MSc for me. I am particularly interested in CFD but I wouldn't want to become too specialised at this level so the combination of structural and fluid mechanics subjects that this programme offers is perfect.

I have some questions about the course. Is it very intensive? I am a hard worker but 19 modules for distinction seems too much for just an academic year. This also makes me ask if the topics are treated in depth or just superficially. What do you think about the CFD courses? Do they involve coding and implementation or just practical experience with commercial software? Some of the other MScs that I have applied for have pretty strong industrial connections so I would also like to know more about the industrial links of this course.

Any info about your personal experience studying at Imperial College and your career after completing this MSc would be also greatly appreciated.

Thanks :wink:

Reply 5

Brubeckian

Original post by Epic-o

This thread is 5 years old, I highly doubt you will receive a relevant reply :P

Reply 6

Geminist

Original post by Epic-o

Ex-student here.

Yes it is a very intensive course and you need to work very very hard to have a shot at getting the distinction. One of the students in class took all the subjects and aced all of them. He spent most of his waking hours studying.

You will find yourself moving from coursework to coursework, then to exams. The exams are intense, with short duration 1-2 hours and the questions are set such that they are very difficult (to separate out the top students).

The CFD course is only one part. You will learn about fluid mechanics, turbulence, structural dynamics, linear algebra etc. The course's emphasis is on teaching the fundamentals of computational methods, so instead of using existing software you will be coding your own solvers mainly in MATLAB or Fortran.

Reply 7

Epic-o

Thanks for chiming in Geminist.

Can you comment on the career opportunities and the different paths that people take after completing this MSc? I have read that a high percentage of the graduates do their final thesis at the university and this makes me wonder if the course content is mainly oriented towards research topics without too much emphasis on industrial applications.

My other option is the MSc in CFD at Cranfield, more specialised but with very good job-placement numbers. The MSc in Advanced Computational Methods for Aeronautics is my first option but I want to be sure that I will find easily a place in the industry as I don't want to be an academic in the future.

Reply 8

Geminist

Original post by Epic-o

As far as I know, some students went into PhD, some got jobs at Formula 1 teams, Rolls Royce, Boeing, CFD specialists, specalised firms in the aero field etc. The university is fairly open to you looking for an industry partner yourself for your thesis. There are also a wide range of topics for you to chose, from the more practical ones to more theoretical based ones.

Having a job placement for your thesis certainly gives you a higher chance of landing a job in the company, but it's not a guarantee.

Also the aeronautics department at Imperial has a very good reputation in the industry, and obviously the Imperial College brand name as well.