Curriculum in Aerospace Engineering

www.ae.uiuc.edu

E-mail: aerospace@uiuc.edu

For the Degree of Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering

The Aerospace Engineering curriculum provides a strong fundamental background in engineering, mathematics, and science, along with the ability to apply this fundamental knowledge to the analysis and design of future aircraft and spacecraft. It also prepares students for lifelong learning and the attainment of their career goals in the field of aerospace engineering and in a wide range of other areas. The concepts of system design are introduced early in the curriculum and culminate in the yearlong senior capstone design experience (AE 440, AE 441), in which students work in teams to respond to a design challenge from industry, government, or a professional engineering society. A total of 18 hours of technical and free electives allows the student to pursue an individualized program of study.

Overview of Curricular Requirements

The curriculum requires 134 hours for graduation and is organized as follows.

Orientation and Professional Development

These courses introduce the opportunities and resources your college, department, and curriculum can offer you as you work to achieve your career goals. They also provide the skills to work effectively and successfully in the engineering profession.

Hours	Requirements
(1)	AE 100 —Intro to Aerospace Engineering ^1,2
0	ENG 100 —Engineering Lecture ²
0	Total

1. This optional course may be used to help meet free elective requirements.
2. External transfer students take ENG 300 —Engineering Transfer Lecture instead.

Foundational Mathematics and Science

These courses stress the basic mathematical and scientific principles upon which the engineering discipline is based.

Hours	Requirements
3	CHEM 102—General Chemistry I
1	CHEM 103—General Chemistry Lab I
3	CHEM 104—General Chemistry II
1	CHEM 105—General Chemistry Lab II
4	MATH 221—Calculus I
2	MATH 225—Introductory Matrix Theory
3	MATH 231—Calculus II
4	MATH 241—Calculus III
3	MATH 385—Intro Differential Equations
4	PHYS 211—Univ Physics, Mechanics
4	PHYS 212—Univ Physics, Elec & Mag
2	PHYS 213—Univ Physics, Thermal Physics
34	Total

Aerospace Engineering Technical Core

These courses stress fundamental concepts and basic laboratory techniques that comprise the common intellectual understanding of aerospace engineering.

Hours	Requirements
2	AE 201—Aerospace Systems Principles
2	AE 252—Intro to Aerospace Dynamics
3	AE 302—Aerospace Flight Mechanics
3	AE 311—Incompressible Flow
3	AE 312—Compressible Flow
3	AE 321—Aerospace Structures I
3	AE 322—Aerospace Structures II
3	AE 352—Aerospace Dynamics
3	AE 353—Aerospace Control Systems
2	AE 360—Structures & Control Lab
3	AE 433—Aerospace Propulsion
3	AE 440—Aerospace Systems Design I
3	AE 441—Aerospace Systems Design II
2	AE 460—Aerodynamics & Propulsion Lab
3	AE 470—Aerospace Numerical Methods
3	CS 101—Intro to Computing, Eng & Sci
3	ECE 205—Intro Elec & Electr Circuits
1	ECE 206—Intro Elec & Electr Ckts Lab
3	GE 101—Engineering Graphics & Design
3	ME 300—Thermodynamics
3	MSE 280—Intro to Eng Materials
2	TAM 210—Introduction to Statics
59	Total

Technical Electives

These courses stress the rigorous analysis and design principles practiced in the major subdisciplines of aerospace engineering.

Hours	Requirements
12	Technical electives. Six hours of these must be 400-level aerospace engineering courses. The remaining six hours are to be chosen from a departmentally approved list of Technical Electives.

Social Sciences and Humanities

The social sciences and humanities courses, as approved by the College of Engineering, ensure that students have exposure in breadth and depth to areas of intellectual activity that are essential to the general education of any college graduate.

Hours	Requirements
18	Electives in social sciences and humanities approved by the College of Engineering and satisfying the campus general education requirements for social sciences and humanities, including cultural studies western and non-western.

Composition

These courses teach fundamentals of expository writing.

Hours	Requirements
4	RHET 105—Principles of Composition
	Advanced Composition (satisfied by completing the sequence AE 440 and AE 441 in the Aerospace Engineering Technical Core )
4	Total

Free Electives

These unrestricted electives give the student the opportunity to explore any intellectual area of unique interest. This freedom plays a critical role in helping students to define research specialties or to complete minors.

Hours	Requirements
7	Free electives. Additional unrestricted course work so that there are at least 134 credit hours earned toward the degree.

Suggested Sequence

The schedule that follows is illustrative, showing the typical sequence in which courses would be taken by a student with no college course credit already earned and who intends to graduate in four years. Each individual’s case may vary, but the position of required named courses is generally indicative of the order in which they should be taken.

First year

Hours	First Semester
(1)	AE 100—Intro to Aerospace Engineering¹
3	CHEM 102—General Chemistry I
1	CHEM 103—General Chemistry Lab I
0	ENG 100—Engineering Lecture
3-4	GE 101—Engineering Graphics & Design or RHET 105—Principles of Composition²
4	MATH 221—Calculus I³
3	Elective in social sciences or humanities⁴
14-15	Total

Hours	Second Semester
3	CHEM 104—General Chemistry II
1	CHEM 105—General Chemistry Lab II
2	MATH 225—Introductory Matrix Theory
3	MATH 231—Calculus II
4	PHYS 211—Univ Physics, Mechanics
4-3	RHET 105—Principles of Composition or GE 101–Engineering Graphics & Design²
17-16	Total

Second year

Hours	First Semester
3	CS 101—Intro to Computing, Eng & Sci
4	MATH 241—Calculus III
2	PHYS 213—Univ Physics, Thermal Physics
2	TAM 210—Introduction to Statics
3	Elective in social sciences or humanities⁴
3	Free elective
17	Total

Hours	Second Semester
2	AE 201—Aerospace Systems Principles
2	AE 252—Intro to Aerospace Dynamics
3	MATH 385—Intro Differential Equations
3	ME 300—Thermodynamics
4	PHYS 212—Univ Physics, Elec & Mag
3	Elective in social sciences or humanities⁴
17	Total

Third year

Hours	First Semester
3	AE 311—Incompressible Flow
3	AE 321—Aerospace Structures I
3	AE 352—Aerospace Dynamics
3	Technical elective⁵
3	Elective in social sciences or humanities⁴
3	Free elective
18	Total

Hours	Second Semester
3	AE 302—Aerospace Flight Mechanics
3	AE 312—Compressible Flow
3	AE 322—Aerospace Structures II
3	AE 353—Aerospace Control Systems
2	AE 360—Structures & Control Lab
3	Elective in social sciences or humanities⁴
17	Total

Fourth year

Hours	First Semester
3	AE 433—Aerospace Propulsion
3	AE 440—Aerospace Systems Design I⁶
2	AE 460—Aerodynamics & Propulsion Lab
3	AE 470—Aerospace Numerical Methods
3	MSE 280—Intro to Eng Materials
3	Technical elective⁵
17	Total

Hours	Second Semester
3	AE 441—Aerospace Systems Design II⁶
3	ECE 205—Intro Elec & Electr Circuits
1	ECE 206—Intro Elec & Electr Ckts Lab
6	Technical electives⁵
3	Elective in social sciences or humanities⁴
1	Free elective
17	Total

1. Entering freshmen are expected to enroll for the fall term in AE 100. This optional course may be used to help meet free elective requirements.

2. RHET 105 may be taken in the first or second semester of the first year as authorized. The alternative is GE 101.

3. MATH 220—Calculus may be substituted with four of the five credit hours applying toward the degree. MATH 220 is appropriate for students with no background in calculus.

4. Each student must satisfy the 18-hour social sciences and humanities requirements of the College of Engineering and the campus general education requirements for social sciences and humanities.

5. Technical elective credits totaling twelve hours are required for graduation. Six hours of these must be 400-level aerospace engineering courses. The remaining six hours are to be chosen from a departmentally approved list of Technical Electives.

6. Sequence satisfies the General Education Advanced Composition requirement.