I wanted to study something that would give me a broad range of skills and the best chance of making a difference to the world

I wanted to study something that would give me a broad range of skills to give me the best chance of making a difference to the world.

During work experience within an engineering consultancy firm at the age of 15 and after speaking with many engineers, I realised that aerospace engineering would open many opportunities far and wide and give me the best chance of achieving my goal, that is why I chose to study it. Also learning about the inner-workings of planes and rockets sounded like a challenge that I could not resist.

An aircraft is made up of so many parts and systems integrated together, from the electronics to the mechanics to the material selection. That’s why the Aerospace Engineering course contains such a broad range of engineering. As it is an interdisciplinary program, I find myself sitting next to a bioengineer one day and an Electronic Engineer the next. The focus will always relate back to aircraft and there are some specific modules developed just for us aerospace engineers.

Learning about the inner workings of planes and rockets sounded like a challenge that I could not resist.

Amy McLauchlan

Aerospace Engineering with a Year in North America MEng

We get to select which stream we want to specialise in from year two and I chose the avionics stream, so have modules more focused towards the systems and computing side of the course. The range of modules and people is why I came to study this degree at Sheffield and it has certainly lived up to that expectation.

My favourite part of the degree so far has probably been the opportunity that I had to spend a year of my course studying abroad in North America at The University of Oklahoma. I hadn’t originally planned to spend a year abroad but when I saw the opportunity advertised I thought I had to go for it and I was successful in securing a place.

It was an experience like no other. I was fully immersed within an American university, with a whole new teaching style and way of life to adapt to whilst trying to get used to their grading system. The interesting thing was to see how engineering was taught in another country. I had the most wonderful time while managing to improve my grades, it's an experience that I would recommend to anyone.

To make my mark on the world I am hoping to succeed in obtaining a graduate position within an engineering company, learn all I can, find the areas I’m really passionate about and then go on to either work with NGOs in developing countries or set up a business of my own.

The broad range of engineering and technical knowledge, as well as my course project work and the opportunities such as my year abroad have given me the best start possible for completing my missions in life.