Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering

The Aerospace Engineering undergraduate bachelor's degree program consists of 87 credit hours out of 120 credit hours. Those 87 credit hours in aerospace engineering include classes in applied physics, applied mathematics, engineering science and mechanical engineering. 

The aerospace engineering program consists of 36 credit hours in aerospace engineering, 21 credit hours in electrical science, and at least 35 credit hours in other courses. 3 credit hours are in free electives.

All courses are 3 credits unless noted.

Clarkson Common Experience

The following courses are required for all students, irrespective of their program of study. These courses are offered during the fall semester, with FY100 First-Year Seminar being required of only first-year students. Both FY100 and UNIV190 are typically taken during the fall semester of the first year at Clarkson. 
FY100 First-Year Seminar (1 credit) 
UNIV190 The Clarkson Seminar (3 credits)

Aerospace Engineering

Students are required to complete the following courses:

• AE201 Introduction to Experimental Methods in Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering (1 credit) 
• AE212 Introduction to Engineering Design 
• AE301 Experimental Methods in Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering (1 credit) 
• AE324 Dynamical Systems  
• AE342 Intro to Comp Methods (1 credit) 
• AE350 Aircraft Structural Analysis 
• AE401 Advanced Experimental Methods in Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering (1 credit)
• AE425 Aerodynamics  
• AE427 Design of Propulsion Systems 
• AE429 Aircraft Performance & Flight Mechanics 
• AE430 Stability & Control of Aerospace Vehicles 
• AE431 Gas Dynamics 
• AE450 Aircraft Design I  
• AE451 Aircraft Design II 
• AE458 Design of Aircraft Structures

Professional Experience

Students are required to complete the following Professional Experience: 
Internship, co-op, or directed research related to the student's professional goals.

Core Electives

Students must complete the following courses:

Electrical Science

• ES220 Statics
• ES222 Strength of Materials
• ES223 Rigid Body Dynamics 
• ES250 Electrical Science
• ES260 Materials Science & Engineering I 
• ES330 Fluid Mechanics
• ES340 Thermodynamics 

Mathematics

• MA231 Calculus III
• MA232 Elementary Differential Equations
• or MA331 Fourier Series & Boundary Value Problem 
• and STAT383 Probability & Statistics

Electives

Biology/Chemistry

Students must complete one course from the following:

BY160 Biology II: Cellular & Molecular Biology
CM132 General Chemistry II (4 credits)
 

Professional Electives

The student must complete 9 credits of professional electives. Professional electives are upper-division courses in mathematics, physics, other engineering disciplines; for example, STAT383 Applied Statistics, MA339 Fourier Series and Boundary-Value Problems, ME444 Computer-Aided Engineering (CAD), ME443 Optimal Engineering, ES350 Biomechanics, ME390 Additive Manufacturing and ME429 Welding and Metallurgy.

Knowledge Area/University Course Electives

Students majoring in aerospace engineering are required to take at least 15 credit hours to satisfy the Knowledge Area and/or University Course electives general education requirement. This must include ES110 Engineering & Society and a course in economics, such as EC350 Engineering Economics.

Free Electives

Students majoring in aerospace engineering have at least 3 credit hours available to use toward courses of their choice.

As an undergraduate student, you'll have the opportunity to have hands-on research experience with a faculty expert. Aerospace engineering majors benefit from the wide variety of research projects being pursued by faculty and graduate students within the department, from optimizing luge sleds for the U.S Olympic Luge Association and creating the newest ducted wind turbine technology to improving the operation and design of engineering systems for industry partners and understanding the laryngeal aerodynamics of voiced speech. Learn more about research at Clarkson.

Twice a year, nearly 200 employers come to campus to recruit undergraduate Clarkson students for internships and co-ops, and aerospace engineering students are in demand. Many students who have internships or co-ops with companies they meet at one of our Career Fairs receive full-time job offers before graduation. Learn more about co-ops and internships.

Undergraduate aerospace engineering students get hands-on experience through our SPEED (Student Projects for Engineering Experience and Design) teams, especially representing the department on our Design, Build, Fly team, which competes in the international American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) Competition each year. Any major can join any of our 12 SPEED teams, with aerospace engineers joining other teams like FIRST Robotics, Baja SAE, Concrete Canoe, Formula SAE and Human-Powered Vehicle.

Aerospace engineering students can get involved outside the classroom through over 200 clubs and organizations on campus, including several related to aerospace engineering. Explore all clubs and organizations.

Biomedical Engineering Minor

As various fields of medicine and healthcare increasingly depend on advances in technology, graduates with combined expertise in biomedical engineering principles and knowledge of biological sciences will be in high demand. Learn more about the biomedical engineering minor.

Robotics Minor

The minor in robotics provides a solid and coherent introduction to the field with four required core courses and three elective courses. Learn more about the robotics minor.

Or Choose From a Range of Other Minors

Clarkson has a wide range of minors, concentrations and professional advising tracks. We'll help you design an education that meets your goals and interests. Learn more about minors, concentrations and tracks.