Nov 02, 2024  
Graduate Catalog 2024-2025 
    
Graduate Catalog 2024-2025

Master of Science in Aerospace Engineering (ASPM)


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Advisor: Peter A. Gustafson

Graduates with the Master of Science in Aerospace Engineering look forward to career opportunities at higher levels of responsibility. Areas of opportunity include, but are not limited to, mechanics of aerospace vehicles and structures, composite materials, finite element analysis, experimental and computational fluid dynamics, flight dynamics and control of aerospace vehicle, advanced control theory and its application to aerospace system, and electric propulsion. Opportunities for aerospace engineers continue to develop with the rapid expansion of the knowledge base.

Class sequencing and scheduling (in evening hours) are arranged so that a working engineer can complete the program in three years while maintaining full-time employment.

Admission Requirements

1. Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering or a similar discipline from an institution with an ABET/EAC accredited program.
2. Submit results of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE).

Applicants with degrees in other engineering fields or related disciplines may be considered for admission after they have satisfactorily completed the necessary undergraduate prerequisite courses prescribed by the department’s graduate advisor. At the Graduate Advisor’s discretion, these courses can be all or a subset of:

ME 2560 Statics
ME 2570 Mechanics of Materials
ME 2580 Dynamics
AE 2610 Introduction to Aerospace Engineering
AE 3610 Aerodynamics I
AE 3710 Aerodynamics II
AE 3800 Flight Vehicle Performance
AE 4600 Aircraft Stability and Control
AE 4630 Aircraft Structural Design
AE 4660 Aeronautical Propulsion System
MATH 2720 Multivariate Calculus and Matrix Algebra
MATH 3740 Differential Equations and Linear Algebra

Conditional admission may be granted to a student with a baccalaureate degree and less than the required academic record or anyone having a baccalaureate degree from a non-accredited college or anyone needing more than three prerequisite courses.  A student admitted on non-degree conditional status may establish eligibility for regular admission by completing the specified prerequisite courses, and securing grades of “B” or better in each course in the first nine hours of graduate work.

A student with a baccalaureate degree who wishes to enroll in courses but does not plan to pursue a program leading to a master’s degree, or is not eligible for regular admission may enroll in courses for which prerequisite requirements are satisfied with Non-degree status.  If the student later decides to apply for regular admission, no more than nine hours of work taken under Non-degree status will be considered part of a degree program.

Program Options & Graduation Requirements for Master of Science in Aerospace Engineering


Students may choose the Thesis Option or the Non-Thesis Option as described below. A specific program of study for each student is determined in conjunction with and subject to approval of the student’s advisor.

Thesis Option


This option of the Master of Science in Aerospace Engineering consists of 30 hours, of which six must be taken as thesis.

1. A minimum of 30 semester hours of credit


Nine hours:

Of core Aerospace Engineering graduate level courses.

Six hours:

2. A minimum of six hours must be mathematics oriented


The mathematics-oriented courses may include aerospace and mechanical engineering courses or electives selected from any engineering department in the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, or in mathematics, computer science, and the physical sciences. Aerospace and mechanical engineering courses satisfying the mathematics requirement include:

Note:

Students who choose to take a class outside the AE approved list of graduate courses must obtain the approval of the AE graduate advisor prior to registering for such class.

3. Satisfactory completion of six (6) hours of the following course:


Under guidance of the thesis advisor and committee.

Non-Thesis Option


This option of the Master of Science in Aerospace Engineering consists of 36 hours, of which up to six may be taken as project (AE 6970).

1. A minimum of 36 semester hours of credit


Nine hours:

Of core Aerospace Engineering graduate level courses.

2. A minimum of six hours must be mathematics oriented


The mathematics-oriented courses may include aerospace and mechanical engineering courses or electives selected from any engineering department in the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, or in mathematics, computer science, and the physical sciences. Aerospace and mechanical engineering courses satisfying the mathematics requirement include:

Note:

Students who choose to take a class outside the AE approved list of graduate courses must obtain the approval of the AE graduate advisor prior to registering for such class.

3. Up to six hours of project as seen below


may be taken as part of the 30 hours of approved courses in the area of aerospace engineering for research conducted under the supervision of a department faculty member.

Area of Concentration for Master of Science in Aerospace Engineering


Aerospace Structure and Materials


Core Aerospace Engineering Course:


Recommended Elective Courses:


Aerodynamics and Propulsion


Flight Dynamics and Control


Multidisciplinary/Emerging Aerospace


Approved Elective Courses


Applied Mathematics


Recommended Elective Courses


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