Program Overview

Ph.D. - Aerospace Engineering

Introduction

The Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering is a graduate program that features a meaningful research project in areas such as aerodynamics, computational fluid dynamics, control theory, flight dynamics, orbital mechanics, propulsion, structures, or structural dynamics under the guidance and supervision of a senior faculty member.

Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible to apply for the Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering, candidates must:

• Hold a bachelor's degree in aerospace or mechanical engineering or equivalent from an institute of recognized standing (transcripts required).
• Have an undergraduate GPA of 3.0/4.0, with 3.4-plus considered more competitive.
• Provide GRE scores, with 160-plus for quantitative reasoning and 150-plus for verbal reasoning considered competitive.
• Submit three letters of recommendation.

Program Requirements

To complete the program, students must:

• Take a minimum of 60 credit hours of graduate coursework, which includes any hours earned in a master's program at Auburn.
• Complete 30 of the 60 credit hours in graded courses (6000 level or higher), with:
  • 15 of the 30 credit hours taken at Auburn University (if transferring).
  • 6 of the 30 credit hours taken in MATH.
• Take 10 of the 60 credit hours in AERO 8990 Research and Dissertation.
• Take the remaining 20 credit hours in graded courses or AERO 8990.

Program Structure

Once admitted into Auburn Engineering's graduate program, students will work with the graduate program officer to create a plan of study.

Research Areas

The Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering features research projects in areas such as:

• Aerodynamics
• Computational fluid dynamics
• Control theory
• Flight dynamics
• Orbital mechanics
• Propulsion
• Structures
• Structural dynamics

Coursework

Graduate courses are those listed as level "6000" and up, with some courses also offered online. A complete list of AERO courses and course descriptions is available.