Wichita State University
Undergraduate Program | Aerospace Engineering, Wichita State University
General Description
The Aerospace Engineering (AE) program at Wichita State University specializes in the study of both aircraft and spacecraft. Courses are offered in the following general areas:
- Aerodynamics (e.g., what keeps the vehicle in the air)
- Propulsion - (e.g., what makes the vehicle move)
- Stability and Control - (e.g., what keeps the vehicle on course)
- Structures - (e.g., what holds the vehicle together)
The aerospace engineering curriculum is designed to develop skills in these five areas, as well as in math, physical science, general engineering, digital computation, and written and oral communication. When you're a senior, you'll be ready for courses in aerospace design. The aerospace engineering department has well-equipped laboratory facilities for required courses and student projects. You'll have access to laboratory facilities that are among the finest found in academic institutions nationwide - including five wind tunnels, a water tunnel, a water table, a structural testing, flight simulation, controls, propulsion (with a jet engine), astronautics, and prototyping labs. College of engineering students also have access to computer laboratories and a campus-wide wireless network.
You may want to participate in cooperative education, a voluntary program in which you'll have the opportunity to integrate formal course work with periods of relevant off-campus employment. Our co-op students have worked at: NASA centers; Spirit AeroSystems; Boeing; Cessna; Bombardier; Beechcraft; the Federal Aviation Administration; and many others.
ABETAccreditation
The Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering program is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, www.abet.org. For additional program accreditation information, select the link below.
Model Program
The undergraduate program requires the completion of 129 semester credit hours for
graduation. The suggested course of study for aerospace engineering students is given
in the following tables.
A printable version called the "Check Sheet" and another document called "AE Tips" can be downloaded. They provide helpful advice to help you complete your degree.
The following tables outline the sequence of courses for a Bachelor of Science Degree in Aerospace Engineering.
| Course | Hrs |
|---|---|
| Engl 101 and 102, College English I and II | 6 |
| Chem 211/L General Chemistry I **** | 5 |
| Math 242 and 243, Calculus I and II **** | 10 |
| Phys 313 and 315, Physics for Scientist I and University Physics Lab **** | 5 |
| General Education - In Fine Arts or Humanities or Social & Behavior Science *** (1st year students must take FYS) | 3 |
| AE 227/L Engineering Digital (Fall/Spring) | 3 |
| Course | Hrs |
|---|---|
| Comm 111 Public Speaking | 3 |
| Math 344 Calculus III | 3 |
| Math 555 Differential Equations | 3 |
| Phys 314 Physics for Scientist II | 4 |
| AE 223 Statics (Fall/Spring/Summer) **** | 3 |
| AE 324 Fundamentals of Atmospheric Flight (Fall/Spring) **** | 3 |
| AE 333 Mechanics of Materials (Fall/Spring/Summer) **** | 3 |
| AE 373 Dynamics (Fall/Spring/Summer) **** | 3 |
| ME 250 Materials Engineering | 3 |
| ME 398 Thermodynamics I | 3 |
| IME 222 and 222L, Engineering Graphics & Lab | 3 |
| ECON 201 Principles of Macroeconomics (counts as General Education Intro Social and Behavioral Sciences) | 3 |
| Course | Hrs |
|---|---|
| AE 415 Introduction to Space Dynamics (Fall Only) | 3 |
| AE 424 and 524 Aerodynamics I and II (Fall/Spring) | 6 |
| AE 502 Aerospace Propulsion I (Spring Only) | 3 |
| AE 512/L Experimental Methods in Aerodynamics (Fall/Spring) | 3 |
| AE 514 Flight Dynamics and Control (Spring Only) | 3 |
|
AE 525/L and 625/L Flight Structures I and II |
6 |
| Phil 385 Engineering Ethics (counts as General Education in Humanites) | 3 |
| ECE 282/L Circuits I | 4 |
| Course | Hrs |
|---|---|
| AE 607 Flight Control Systems (Fall Only) | 3 |
| AE 528 and 628, Aerospace Design I and II (AE 528 Fall Only) (AE 628 Spring Only) |
8 |
| Technical Electives * (Fall/Spring) | 9 |
| General Education - In Social & behavioral Sciences (not ECON)** | 3 |
| General Education - In Arts or Humanities (not PHIL)** | 3 |
| General Education or Open Elective (Open elective if GE is complete) | 3 |
* A minium of 2 courses from aerospace engineering. The third course must be chosen
from a departmentally approved list.
** To be chosen from a list of approved courses.
*** Refer to the graduation requirements of the university catalog for details.
**** MATH 242, MATH 243, CHEM 211, PHYS 313, AE 223, AE 324, AE 333, AE 373 require
a “C or better” grade to meet prerequisite requirements. A C-minus will not meet prerequisite
requirements.
As the "AE Tips" sheet indicates, you should do the best you can to follow the "Check Sheet" (see underlined sections above for downloads). Doing this assures you stay on pace to graduate on time and you never miss critical prerequisites or course offerings.
Unfortunately, not all courses are offered every semester. AE classes listed in the tables above include notes indicating when courses are regularly offered (e.g., Fall/Spring/Summer, Fall Only, etc.).
Contact the Office of Admissions
For more information about admission or to arrange a campus visit, contact the Office of Admissions at (316) 978-3085.