Program Overview

Master of Aerospace Engineering

The Master of Aerospace Engineering (MAE) is a multidisciplinary, part-time professional graduate degree for recent graduates as well as working professionals.

Program Overview

The MAE emphasizes the applied skills and experience needed in industry and differs from the Master of Science in Aeronautics & Astronautics (MSAA), which emphasizes preparation for independent, academic research. The MAE is a terminal, coursework-only degree (does not lead to a PhD).

Credits, Enrollment, and Time-to-Degree

• Total Credits: MAE students are required to complete a minimum of 45 graduate-level MAE-specific credits within the William E. Boeing Department of Aeronautics & Astronautics.
• Part-Time Enrollment: Students are expected to enroll part-time, taking one technical course and one professional development course (5 credits total) per quarter. Courses meet in the evening, once per week.
• Time-to-Degree: Assuming continuous enrollment (autumn, winter, spring) and satisfactory academic performance, students can finish in three years.

Curriculum and Requirements

The 45 required MAE credits are distributed among an analytical methods course, prescribed core courses, technical electives, and a weekly professional development colloquium.

• Analytical Methods: All MAE students are required to take A E 501, "Analytical Methods for Aerospace Engineering" in their first quarter in the MAE program.
• Core Area: Students must formally declare their concentration by the end of their first year in the program. Each concentration corresponds to a set of five required core courses.
• Technical Breadth: In addition to the courses required by their core area, students must complete breadth electives outside their concentration.
• Professional Development: Every quarter, the department will offer a weekly professional development seminar: A E 598, "Aerospace Engineering Colloquium". The colloquium will feature a series of guest speakers presenting on topics relevant to professional aerospace engineers. MAE students are required to enroll in the colloquium every quarter on a CR/NC basis.

Master of Aerospace Engineering Curriculum

Choosing a Concentration

By the end of their first year in the MAE program, students must declare an area of concentration. Their area of concentration will dictate which five courses will be required as their "core area" requirements.

• CONCENTRATION | REQUIRED COURSES
  • Controls | AE 510, Linear Systems Theory, AE 511, Classical Control Theory, AE 512, Dynamics, Stability, & Control of Vehicles, AE 513, Multivariable Control, AE 514, Estimation Theory
  • Fluids | AE 520, Fluid Dynamics, AE 521, Aircraft Propulsion, AE 522 Rocket Propulsion, AE 523, Aircraft Noise, AE 524 Computational Methods in Aerodynamics
  • Structures | AE 540, Mechanics of Solids (required) Take 4 out of the 5 following classes: AE 541, Finite Element Methods, AE 542, Fatigue & Fracture, AE 543, Structural Vibrations, AE 544, Additive Manufacturing, AE 550, Mechanics of Composites
  • Composites | AE 550, Mechanics of Composites, AE 551, Aerospace Composite Design I, AE 552, Aerospace Composite Design II, AE 553, Advanced Composite Structural Analysis, AE 554, Manufacturing of Aerospace Composites

Typical Schedule

MAE students are expected to maintain part-time enrollment and finish in three years. This will require satisfying core requirements at the appropriate times. Many courses are offered on an every-other-year schedule.

Online Learning

All MAE courses are online, including for international students. Students may view lectures via live webcast or access them after they have been recorded. They also complete homework and exams remotely.