Master of Aerospace Engineering

(MS-AE)

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Level:

Master's Degree

Credits required:

33 credits

Cost per credit:

$1,000

Next start date:

August 26, 2024

Launch Your Aerospace Career

Our master's in aerospace engineering is tailored for engineers aspiring to be a leader in the aerospace industry. With courses covering optimization, compressible fluid flow, aerodynamics, propulsion, and more, it offers a comprehensive curriculum aligning with the latest industry demands. Dive into spacecraft navigation, optimal guidance, and hypersonics, gaining specialized knowledge crucial for success.

The program's unique blend of theoretical understanding and practical application ensures graduates are well-equipped to navigate the complexities of aerospace engineering, making it the ideal choice for those seeking a competitive edge in their careers. The online track is a coursework only track. Students interested in researching a thesis or report are encouraged to complete this master's on-campus.

Utah "Space" University

USU is a designated space-grant university that aims to enhance education, research, and public outreach in space-related fields. USU is ranked number two in the nation (2010) when it comes to funding for space research, according to the National Science Foundation. This funding, along with stellar faculty, has given the USU aerospace engineering program national recognition.

The USU rocket team, consisting of graduate and undergraduate students, took home the grand prize at NASA’s University Student Launch Initiative the last three years in a row. Also, through its Space Dynamics Lab, USU holds the world record for the most student experiments sent into space.

The First Step is a Conversation. Talk to Joan.

Joan Rudd

Joan Rudd

MS-AE Program Coordinator
(435) 797-0330
joan.rudd@usu.edu

College: College of Engineering

Department: Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

Catalog Details
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Learn from Experts

You will learn the same topics online as you would in the classroom. We foster a creative and inclusive learning environment where students and faculty are empowered with the knowledge and experience to become the leaders in engineering who will improve tomorrow’s economy, environment and society. The College of Engineering has six programs accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET.

Doug Hunsaker

Doug Hunsaker

Associate Professor

Graduate school is where I expanded my skillset the most. It prepared me more than my undergrad in many ways and had a large impact on the career opportunities I’ve had. I enjoy working with students who are pursuing their own graduate degrees. If you’re interested in a meaningful career in aerospace, I highly recommend completing your master’s in aerospace engineering through USU.

Matt Harris

Matt Harris

Assistant Professor

Our MS program at USU is a great opportunity to gain a deeper understanding in all areas of aerospace engineering. I enjoy working with students in my classes, and I look forward to seeing this degree provide technical and leadership opportunities for you.

Student Feedback

We strive to create a community where co-curricular experiences strengthen and broaden student learning inside and outside of the classroom.

Graduate school has been one of the most challenging times in my life. I wouldn’t have been able to get through my classes and deal with the challenges life had thrown at me without the very supportive and understanding faculty and staff in addition to the Catholic community that I am a part of. My professors have taken the time to get to know me. They are approachable, willing to help, very knowledgeable and have great industry connections.

Natalie Wisniewski

Graduate school may not be for everyone, but it has been the best for me. I have been able to take courses that mesh with my career interests, and I’ve been able to dive into my research and connect with industry professionals. The process has helped me recognize my skills and strengths, as well as develop other technical abilities. Graduate school has left me with lasting connections and wonderful opportunities. It has not always been easy, but it has always been worth it.

Ben Moulton

Career Outlook

With an MS-AE in hand, you will open many doors to new and exciting opportunities spanning many different industries. Graduates of the MS-AE have a 100% job placement rate upon graduation. You will be able to start or advance your career in aersopace immediately.

Skills You'll Learn

Students work on learning the skills they need to pass industry standards

  • Aersopace Vehicle and Analysis
  • Propulsion System Analysis
  • Flight Simulation
  • Optimization
  • Hypersonics
  • Guidance and Navigation Techniques

Potential Employers

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Curriculum

Program courses focus on improving your leadership skills and personal performance while expanding your technical knowledge and skillset.

Students learn the fundamentals of incompressible, inviscid flow; aerodynamic forces and moments; airfoil characteristics; incompressible flow around two-dimensional airfoils and finite wings; three-dimensional incompressible flow; and are introduced to aircraft performance.
This course covers the fundamentals of spacecraft dynamics, including Keplerian orbits, orbital position as a function of time, three-dimensional orbits, orbital determination, orbital maneuvers, satellite attitude dynamics, and rocket vehicle dynamics.
Aircraft equations of motion; aerodynamic forces and moments; aircraft stability and control in roll, pitch, and yaw; aircraft motion with six degrees of freedom; aircraft performance and design; and design project.
This course covers N-dimensional constrained and unconstrained nonlinear parameter and dynamic system optimization. It emphasizes solutions to optimal spacecraft trajectory problems and optimal guidance algorithms. It also covers the Space Shuttle Powered-Explicit-Guidance (PEG).
Formulation and solution of practical or theoretical problems.
Aircraft control and maneuverability, control response and transfer functions, nonlinear dynamics with gyroscopic and aerodynamic coupling, Euler angle formulations, direction cosine formulation, quaternion formulation, numerical integration methods, software design and development.
Students learn the application of conservation of mass, momentum, and energy to the design and analysis of compressible fluid systems. Proficiency in computer programming is essential for students enrolling in this course.
Fundamentals of aircraft and spacecraft navigation systems. Techniques in celestial and inertial navigation. Global Positioning System (GPS) principles. Least squares estimation and Kalman filtering for optimal estimation of stochastic systems.
Fundamentals of rocket and air breathing propulsion, including space flight dynamics, nozzle theory, combustion processes, and flight performance. Rocket propulsion systems, including solid, liquid, hybrid, and combined cycles. Air breathing propulsion systems, including ramjet, scramjet, turbojet, and turbofan engine concepts.
Students learn the mathematical theory of optimization and computational techniques for solving problems. Topics include unconstrained optimization, linear programming, integer linear programming, convex programming, and nonlinear programming. The emphasis is to develop fundamentals and capabilities for solving real-world problems.
Introduction to hypersonic flows, including aerodynamics and aero-thermal effects.

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