I'm at Salford just about to start the 3rd and (hopefully!) final year of the Aircraft Engineering with Pilot Studies degree. Sure, not all of the lectures are riveting, and its certainly not an easy option if you want to pass with a good grade, but i feel i will come out of it with a good foundation of knowledge of the aviation industry, a PPL from Ravenair at around half the price it would normally cost (subject to a means tested bursary) and a range of career options still available. Don't get me wrong, I am intent on becoming a commercial pilot, but it offers that bit of security should employment prospects in the airlines take a turn for the worse at just the wrong moment.
I'm now in the process of deciding what route to take towards an ATPL after graduating, something which the time spent at uni has allowed me to research fairly thoroughly. And what's more I'm fairly confident that the grounding in ATPL theory I have received at Salford from, amongst other lecturers, an experienced 757 captain and current CPL examiner, will mean that a good chunk of the ATPL syllabus will be revision for me, at least the basics anyway. Hence, I'll be able to focus more attention on the bits I find difficult.
The downsides - yes it takes longer to reach the ultimate goal, it adds to the overall cost, and the social life in my experience (although I must say I'm living with my parents rather than in halls of residence) isn't a shaddow of the stereotypical student partying every night and coming in at all hours drunk and merry - but hey, that can all wait 'til i'm a F/O right?!
. But I think overall, especially for those who are prepared to be patient and who would like to feel they are well prepared for a career as a pilot (or engineer of course), this is a good path to go down before committing everything to a FTO with no guarantee of a job at the end of it. I'm not saying it suits everyone, and of course I can't say everything will go to plan as I've not even finished the degree yet, let alone secured a place with a good FTO, but I hope this is of some help to anyone who is trying to make that decision if a degree would be right for them.