What courses do I need for aerospace engineering?

What types of classes do aerospace engineering students take?

Independent of college or program, most aerospace engineering students take a similar set of courses. Aerospace engineering majors can expect to take a minimum of two years of university-level mathematics, one year of university-level physics, and one year of university-level chemistry. Additional course work stresses the fundamental skills necessary for aerospace engineering: basic engineering courses (e.g., statics, dynamics, materials science, solid mechanics, thermodynamics, and electric circuits/electronics); and discipline-specific courses. Students concentrating in aeronautics will take courses in aerodynamics, aerospace materials, structures, air-breathing propulsion, flight mechanics, and stability and control. Students concentrating in astronautics will take courses in orbital mechanics, space environment, attitude determination and control, telecommunications, space structures, and rocket propulsion. Many programs, known as aerospace engineering programs, combine courses from these two disciplines.

The curriculum is one area where there are substantial differences between colleges. You should check carefully about the emphasis of the program you are interested in!

Two major factors drive differences in program curricula. One factor is whether the focus of the curriculum emphasizes learning the principles of engineering science in a broad general way or focuses on more rapidly learning the specifics of an individual engineering discipline. The other factor affecting curriculum is the university’s internal organization and can be categorized as formula and non-formula funded structures. A program’s curriculum is typically available on their Web site.

The following are two examples of generic curricula: a generalist non-formula funded program and a focused formula funded program.

A sample general engineering science program:

Freshman Year

2 Core Curriculum or breadth requirement courses (These may include foreign languages, humanities, communication courses and physical education)
Freshman English (e.g., expository writing)
Math (e.g., calculus, linear algebra)
Physics

Sophomore Year

Complete Core Curriculum or breadth requirement courses
Math (e.g., vector calculus, differential equations)
Chemistry
Introduction to engineering survey course

Junior Year

Advanced breadth electives
Additional math (e.g., numerical methods or advanced analysis)
Engineering courses (e.g., circuits, mechanics, thermodynamics, principles of design, programming)
Senior Year

Same as Junior Year
Under this structure, specific aeronautics and astronautics classes are not offered until graduate school. However, basic courses in fluid dynamics and structures are taken as an undergraduate.

A sample focused engineering program:

Freshman Year

2 Core Curriculum or breadth requirement courses (These may include foreign languages, humanities, communication courses and physical education)
Freshman English (e.g., expository writing)
Math (e.g., calculus, linear algebra)
Physics
Freshman lab/design course
Sophomore Year

Math (e.g., vector calculus, differential equations)
Department specific engineering courses (e.g., intro to aerospace engineering, aerospace engineering mechanics, fundamentals of circuits, aerospace materials, aerospace thermodynamics, and/or aerospace computation and numerical methods)
Junior Year

Aerodynamics
Aerospace Structures
Junior Laboratory
Aerospace Propulsion
Vehicle Dynamics
1 or 2 breadth electives

Senior Year

Advanced topics within major
Aerospace Vehicle Design
Space Systems and Technology
Additional breadth electives
For more information, look at individual program curricula. Most aerospace programs have course curricula available on their program Web page. The links below list all the accredited aerospace programs in the United States.

Two major factors drive differences in program curricula. One factor is whether the focus of the curriculum emphasizes learning the principles of engineering science in a broad general way or focuses on more rapidly learning the specifics of an individual engineering discipline. The other factor affecting curriculum is the university’s internal organization and can be categorized as formula and non-formula funded structures. A program’s curriculum is typically available on their Web site.

The following are two examples of generic curricula: a generalist non-formula funded program and a focused formula funded program.

A sample general engineering science program:

Freshman Year

2 Core Curriculum or breadth requirement courses (These may include foreign languages, humanities, communication courses and physical education)
Freshman English (e.g., expository writing)
Math (e.g., calculus, linear algebra)
Physics

Sophomore Year

Complete Core Curriculum or breadth requirement courses
Math (e.g., vector calculus, differential equations)
Chemistry
Introduction to engineering survey course

Junior Year

Advanced breadth electives
Additional math (e.g., numerical methods or advanced analysis)
Engineering courses (e.g., circuits, mechanics, thermodynamics, principles of design, programming)
Senior Year

Same as Junior Year
Under this structure, specific aeronautics and astronautics classes are not offered until graduate school. However, basic courses in fluid dynamics and structures are taken as an undergraduate.

A sample focused engineering program:

Freshman Year

2 Core Curriculum or breadth requirement courses (These may include foreign languages, humanities, communication courses and physical education)
Freshman English (e.g., expository writing)
Math (e.g., calculus, linear algebra)
Physics
Freshman lab/design course
Sophomore Year

Math (e.g., vector calculus, differential equations)
Department specific engineering courses (e.g., intro to aerospace engineering, aerospace engineering mechanics, fundamentals of circuits, aerospace materials, aerospace thermodynamics, and/or aerospace computation and numerical methods)
Junior Year

Aerodynamics
Aerospace Structures
Junior Laboratory
Aerospace Propulsion
Vehicle Dynamics
1 or 2 breadth electives

Senior Year

Advanced topics within major
Aerospace Vehicle Design
Space Systems and Technology
Additional breadth electives
For more information, look at individual program curricula. Most aerospace programs have course curricula available on their program Web page. The links below list all the accredited aerospace programs in the United States.