Aerospace Engineering in USA

A degree in aerospace engineering is designed to prepare students to assume leadership positions in the aerospace industry and related industries. This includes the traditional aeronautics and astronautics applications (subsonic and supersonic aircraft, satellites, space shuttle, space station, etc.) as well as aerospace-related component development (design of structures, devices and instruments), and vehicle and propulsion system design. A variety of industries appreciate and seek the talents of aerospace engineers.

Airplanes are complex mechanical marvels, utilizing several different disciplines of science, engineering and mathematics. A degree in aeronautical engineering technology will provide you with the skills and knowledge to create and maintain these machines as well as improve the quality of life for those who depend on and use them. Over the course of the program you will learn how to design, manufacture, maintain, operate and support all varieties of aerospace vehicles.

Disciplines covered in the AET program include applied aeronautical structures and materials, electrical systems, powerplants, vehicle systems and design.  A Bachelor of Science degree in AET will optionally provide you with an opportunity to take the Airframe and Powerplant Certification exam.

The University of North Dakota is the place to be for UAS. The New York Times called our Grand Forks campus “the Silicon Valley of unmanned aircraft systems,” and students here regularly have the chance to interact with small and large UAS companies such as:

• Northrup Grumman
• General Atomics
• Rockwell Collins
• SkySkopes

Our students benefit from a curriculum high on hands-on, real-world UAS experience. Systems engineering curriculum well-suited for a broad spectrum of engineers — including mechanical, electrical and robotic — as well as aerospace and computer science majors.

Aerospace engineering explores both the design and manufacturing of aircraft, as well as the design and flight of vehicles beyond Earth’s atmosphere. Knowledge of aerodynamics, structures and materials, propulsion systems, and flight mechanics and controls are important to this field.

Aerospace engineers are primarily employed in civil aeronautics, the defense industry, and the space program. However, applications of aerospace technology are also found in related areas such as ground and undersea transportation systems, pollution control, wind power and the effects of wind on structures, and the development and use of advanced materials.

Aerospace engineers conceive, design, develop, test, and supervise the construction of aerospace vehicle systems such as commercial and military aircraft, helicopters, and other types of rotorcraft, as well as space vehicles and satellites, including launch systems. Aerospace engineers are employed by aerospace companies, airframe and engine manufacturers, government agencies such as NASA, the military services, and research and development organizations.

The aerospace industry is a high-technology activity, and aerospace engineers are generally well versed in applied mathematics and the fundamental engineering sciences, particularly fluid mechanics and thermodynamics, dynamics and control, and structural and solid mechanics. Aerospace vehicles are complex systems, and their proper design and construction involves the coordinated application of several disciplines, including aerodynamics, structural analysis and design, stability and control, aeroelasticity, performance analysis, and propulsion systems technology.

Aerospace engineers make extensive use of computer systems and programs and should have at least an elementary understanding of modern electronics. Aerospace engineers work in a challenging and highly technical professional atmosphere and are likely to operate at the forefront of scientific discoveries, often stimulating these discoveries and providing the inspiration for the creation of new scientific concepts.

The aerospace engineer is primarily concerned with the design, analysis, testing, and overall operation of vehicles which operate in air and space. The curriculum is designed to provide the student with an education in the fundamental principles of aerodynamics, flight dynamics, propulsion, structural mechanics, flight controls, design, testing, and space technologies. A wide variety of opportunities awaits the aerospace engineering graduate in research, development, design, production, sales, and management in the aerospace industry, and in many related industries in which fluid flow, control, structural, and transportation challenges play major roles. 

Aerospace engineering concerns processes involved in design, manufacture and operation of aerospace vehicles within and beyond planetary atmospheres. Vehicles range from helicopters and other vertical takeoff aircraft at the low-speed end of the flight spectrum, to spacecraft traveling thousands of miles per hour during launch, orbit, trans-planetary flight or re-entry at the high-speed end. Between are general aviation and commercial transport aircraft flying at speeds well below and close to the speed of sound, and supersonic transports, fighters and missiles. Although each speed regime and each vehicle poses its special problems, all aerospace vehicles can be addressed by a common set of technical specialties or disciplines.

Sub-disciplines of Aerospace Engineering are: aerodynamics, flight dynamics, propulsion, structures, and design. Aerodynamics addresses the flow of air and associated forces, moments, pressures, and temperature changes. Flight-dynamics addresses the motion of vehicles including trajectories, rotational dynamics, sensors, and control laws required for successful accomplishment of missions. Propulsion addresses the engines that have been devised to convert chemical (and occasionally other forms) energy into useful work to produce the thrust needed to propel aerospace vehicles. Structures addresses material properties, stresses, strains, deflection, and vibration along with manufacturing processes required to produce very light weight and rugged elements needed in aerospace vehicles. Aerospace design addresses the process of synthesizing vehicles and systems to meet defined missions and more general needs. This process draws on information from other sub-disciplines while embodying its own unique elements. The Aerospace Engineering program is designed to provide a firm foundation in various sub-disciplines.

Build a future working with aircraft, spacecraft, rockets, unpiloted aerial and space robotic platforms, and more. In this program, you'll have opportunities for advanced education and creative research. These are essential skills for careers in teaching, research, or design. Through your study, you'll also find opportunities to contribute to the body of knowledge in the field. When you graduate, you'll be ready to design and analyze the systems used in aerospace, aeronautics, and astronautics.

Aerospace engineering is primarily concerned with the design and analysis of aircraft and spacecraft. Subfields include aerodynamics, structures, controls, and propulsion systems. Students who choose to earn an aerospace engineering degree at Florida Tech are part of a prestigious program that consistently receives accolades, at a university that is ranked in the nation’s top tier.

Whether you want to design aircraft, develop new methods of propulsion, or be part of the team for space exploration, an aerospace engineering degree from Florida Tech is the one you want. Here you'll develop a strong background in engineering and get hands-on experience in fields like aerodynamics and fluid mechanics.

The MEng in Engineering, Aerospace Systems Engineering Concentration is a professionally-oriented degree program for students whose primary intent is a career in industry or government. This degree differs from the Master of Science degree in that it is a terminal degree and not a pathway to a doctoral program. The Aerospace Systems Engineering Concentration is available on campus and online. Other concentrations under the MEng in Engineering major include Autonomy and Robotics, Energy Systems, Plasma Engineering, and Railway Engineering.

Engineering is the art of applying the knowledge of science for the benefit of humanity. Mechanical Engineering is the most broadly based area of engineering. It is concerned with the analysis, design, development and application of equipment for such diverse fields as energy conversion, transportation, production machinery, consumer goods, and environmental control. Today’s advanced technology is largely a result of the skill of mechanical engineers who are heavily represented in most fields of modern industry.

Aerospace Engineering is concerned with the analysis, design and development of a wide variety of aircraft and space vehicles and systems.  The undergraduate aerospace engineering program is designed to provide a broad based foundation in aeronautics and astronautics, including topics such as aerodynamics, propulsion, aerospace structures and materials, flight dynamics, control and performance.

The BS degree requires completion of at least 120 credit hours of course work. The curriculum consists of a group of required courses chosen to provide students with the basic tools for the professional practice of mechanical engineering and to assist students in developing a sense of responsibility as professionals. The objectives of the lower division curriculum are to build a foundation in the basic sciences and mathematics, provide an introduction to engineering design and professional ethics, develop communications and computer programming skills, and acquire an appreciation for the humanities and social sciences. The objectives of the upper division program are to provide a sound foundation in the engineering sciences; build on that foundation for applications in the areas of energy conversion, mechanical systems and control, experimentation, and manufacturing; and encourage creativity culminating in a capstone design experience. To provide sufficient flexibility, technical elective courses enable students to acquire additional competence in areas compatible with their career objectives.