Program Overview

Aerospace Engineering (BS)

The Aerospace Engineering degree program prepares its graduates for careers in aircraft and space systems design, analysis, and manufacturing.

Aerospace engineering is the application of science and engineering principles to the design, development, and implementation of systems or vehicles that travel above the surface of the earth. These vehicles may include low-speed propeller-powered aircraft, high-speed jet-powered aircraft, remotely piloted vehicles, micro air vehicles, hovercraft, and helicopters, as well as rockets, spacecraft, space stations, planetary rovers, and such specialty equipment as heat shields and other protective and deployment devices. The design of these vehicles and systems is both difficult and challenging because they must operate reliably and efficiently in harsh environments. Aerospace engineering is intimately involved in the design, manufacture, control, and operation of these systems coupled with a consideration of environmental, economical, ethical, and social issues.

Plan Requirements

• First Year:
  • Fall Semester:
    • CH 101: Chemistry - A Molecular Science 1 (3 hours)
    • CH 102: General Chemistry Laboratory 1 (1 hour)
    • E 101: Introduction to Engineering & Problem Solving 2 (1 hour)
    • E 115: Introduction to Computing Environments (1 hour)
    • MA 141: Calculus I 1 (4 hours)
    • ENG 101: Academic Writing and Research 2 (4 hours)
    • Select one of the following Economics Courses: (3 hours)
      • ARE 201: Introduction to Agricultural & Resource Economics
      • ARE 201A: Introduction to Agricultural & Resource Economics
      • EC 201: Principles of Microeconomics
      • EC 205: Fundamentals of Economics
  • Spring Semester:
    • CSC 113: Introduction to Computing - MATLAB (3 hours)
    • GC 120: Foundations of Graphics (3 hours)
    • MA 241: Calculus II 1 (4 hours)
    • PY 205 & PY 206: Physics for Engineers and Scientists I and Physics for Engineers and Scientists I Laboratory 1 (4 hours)
    • E 102: Engineering in the 21st Century (2 hours)
• Second Year:
  • Fall Semester:
    • MA 242: Calculus III (4 hours)
    • MAE 206: Engineering Statics 2 (3 hours)
    • MAE 250: Introduction to Aerospace Engineering (1 hour)
    • MAE 251: Aerospace Vehicle Performance 2 (3 hours)
    • PY 208 & PY 209: Physics for Engineers and Scientists II and Physics for Engineers and Scientists II Laboratory (4 hours)
  • Spring Semester:
    • MA 341: Applied Differential Equations I (3 hours)
    • MAE 208: Engineering Dynamics 2 (3 hours)
    • MAE 214: Solid Mechanics 2 (3 hours)
    • MAE 252: Aerodynamics I 2 (3 hours)
    • MAE 253: Experimental Aerodynamics I (1 hour)
• Third Year:
  • Fall Semester:
    • MAE 201: Thermal-Fluid Sciences 2 (3 hours)
    • MAE 315 or MAE 361: Fundamentals of Vibrations or Dynamics & Controls (3 hours)
    • MAE 371: Aerospace Structures I (3 hours)
    • MAE 372: Aerospace Vehicle Structures Lab (1 hour)
    • ENG 331: Communication for Engineering and Technology (3 hours)
  • Spring Semester:
    • MAE 351: Aerodynamics II (3 hours)
    • MAE 352: Experimental Aerodynamics II (1 hour)
    • Both MAE 457 and MAE 467 are required. One can be taken in the third year and the other in the fourth year. (3 hours)
    • MAE 457 or MAE 467: Flight Vehicle Stability and Control or Introduction to Space Flight
    • Structures Elective (3 hours)
    • Math Elective (3 hours)
• Fourth Year:
  • Fall Semester:
    • MAE 405: Controls Lab (1 hour)
    • MAE 435: Principles of Automatic Control (3 hours)
    • MAE 451: Experimental Aerodynamics III (1 hour)
    • MAE 480: Aerospace Vehicle Design I (3 hours)
    • Propulsion Elective (3 hours)
    • Technical Elective (3 hours)
  • Spring Semester:
    • MAE 481: Aerospace Vehicle Design II (3 hours)
    • Both MAE 457 and MAE 467 are required. One can be taken in the third year and the other in the fourth year. (3 hours)
    • MAE 467 or MAE 457: Introduction to Space Flight or Flight Vehicle Stability and Control
    • Technical Elective (3 hours)
    • Ethics Elective (verify requirement)

Course List

• GEP Courses:
  • GEP Humanities (6 hours)
  • GEP Social Sciences (3 hours)
  • GEP Health and Exercise Studies (2 hours)
  • GEP Elective (3 hours)
  • GEP Interdisciplinary Perspectives (3 hours)
  • GEP Global Knowledge (verify requirement)
  • GEP Foundations of American Democracy (verify requirement)
  • World Language Proficiency (verify requirement)
• Structures Elective:
  • MAE 430: Applied Finite Element Analysis (3 hours)
  • MAE 472: Aerospace Structures II (3 hours)
• Math Elective:
  • MA 305: Introductory Linear Algebra and Matrices (3 hours)
  • MA 405: Introduction to Linear Algebra (3 hours)
  • ST 312: Introduction to Statistics II (3 hours)
  • ST 370: Probability and Statistics for Engineers (3 hours)
  • ST 371: Introduction to Probability and Distribution Theory (3 hours)
  • ST 372: Introduction to Statistical Inference and Regression (3 hours)
• Propulsion Elective:
  • MAE 458: Propulsion (3 hours)
  • MAE 459: Rocket Propulsion (3 hours)
• Technical Electives:
  • Aerodynamics & Propulsion:
    • MAE 452: Aerodynamics of V/STOL Vehicles (3 hours)
    • MAE 455: Boundary Layer Theory (3 hours)
    • MAE 456: Computational Methods in Aerodynamics (3 hours)
    • MAE 458: Propulsion (3 hours)
    • MAE 459: Rocket Propulsion (3 hours)
  • Structures & Manufacturing:
    • MAE 430: Applied Finite Element Analysis (3 hours)
    • MAE 472: Aerospace Structures II (3 hours)
  • Non-MAE Technical Electives:
    • ECE 331: Principles of Electrical Engineering (3 hours)
    • MSE 201: Structure and Properties of Engineering Materials (3 hours)
    • NE 419: Introduction to Nuclear Energy (3 hours)
  • Additional Technical Electives:
    • MAE 398: Relativistic Dynamics: An Evolution in Space, Time, and Matter (3 hours)
    • MAE 402: Aerosol Science and Technology (3 hours)
    • MAE 403: Air Conditioning (3 hours)
    • MAE 406: Energy Conservation in Industry (3 hours)
    • MAE 407: Steam and Gas Turbines (3 hours)
    • MAE 408: Internal Combustion Engine Fundamentals (3 hours)
    • MAE 410: Modern Manufacturing Processes (3 hours)
    • MAE 412: Design of Thermal System (3 hours)
    • MAE 413: Design of Mechanical Systems (3 hours)
    • MAE 420: Dynamic Analysis of Human Movement (3 hours)
    • MAE 421: Design of Solar Energy Systems (3 hours)
    • MAE 426: Fundamentals of Product Design (3 hours)
    • MAE 430: Applied Finite Element Analysis (3 hours)
    • MAE 440: Non-Destructive Testing and Evaluation (3 hours)
    • MAE 470: Space Exploration Systems (3 hours)
    • MAE 448: Computational Methods in Engineering (3 hours)
    • MAE 495: Special Topics in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (3 hours)
    • MAE 496: Undergraduate Project Work in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (3 hours)
    • MAE 500 Level Courses (with departmental approval)
• Ethics Electives:
  • EED 414/514: Ethics for Engineering Education (3 hours)
  • IDS 201: Environmental Ethics (3 hours)
  • MS 402: Advanced Military Science - Military Justice, Ethics and Professionalism (3 hours)
  • NS 420: Naval Leadership and Ethics (3 hours)
  • PHI 214: Issues in Business Ethics (3 hours)
  • PHI 227: Data Ethics (3 hours)
  • PHI/STS 325: Bio-Medical Ethics (3 hours)
  • PHI 375: Ethics (3 hours)
  • STS 302: Contemporary Science, Technology and Human Values (3 hours)
  • STS 304: Ethical Dimensions of Progress (3 hours)

Semester Sequence

This is a sample plan of study.

Career Opportunities

Career Titles

• Aeronautical & Aerospace Engineer
• Aerospace Engineering Technician
• Airline Flight Control Administrator
• Airport Engineer
• Architect
• Aviation Inspector
• Electrical Engineer
• Engineering Professor
• Industrial Engineer
• Materials Engineer
• Mechanical Engineer
• Nuclear Engineer
• Pilot
• Product Safety Engineer
• Ship Pilot
• Structural Engineer

Learn More About Careers

• NCcareers.org: Explore North Carolina’s central online resource for students, parents, educators, job seekers, and career counselors looking for high-quality job and career information.
• Occupational Outlook Handbook: Browse the Occupational Outlook Handbook published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics to view state and area employment and wage statistics.
• Career One Stop Videos: View videos that provide career details and information on wages, employment trends, skills needed, and more for any occupation.
• Focus 2 Career Assessment: A career, major, and education planning system available to current NC State students.
• Focus 2 Apply Assessment: A career assessment tool designed to support prospective students in exploring and choosing the right major and career path.
• American Institute of Aeronautics & Astronautics: National Society of Professional Engineers.