UCF Aerospace Engineering Curriculum: Reaching New Heights

Aerospace engineering is a field that propels the world forward, taking us to new heights by designing and developing aircraft and spacecraft, including missiles, rockets, and satellites. Aerospace engineers are involved in all stages of product development, from initial design and testing of prototypes to the final evaluation of designs and proposals. They conduct research and ensure that their products meet stringent quality standards. The Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering program at the University of Central Florida (UCF) Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering provides students with the fundamental knowledge and skills necessary for a successful career in this exciting field.

A Comprehensive Curriculum

The UCF Aerospace Engineering curriculum offers a broad education with a strong foundation in mathematics, science, and basic engineering sciences. Students delve into advanced courses covering key areas such as:

Aerodynamics: The study of air and other gaseous fluid motion and the forces acting on objects in the flow, which is essential for designing efficient aircraft and spacecraft.
Aerospace Materials: Understanding the properties and behavior of various materials used in aerospace applications, including metals, composites, and ceramics.
Structures: Analyzing and designing the structural components of aircraft and spacecraft to ensure they can withstand the extreme loads and stresses encountered during flight.
Propulsion: Studying the principles of jet and rocket propulsion, including the design and analysis of engines and other propulsion systems.
Stability and Control: Understanding the principles of flight dynamics and control systems, which are essential for designing stable and maneuverable aircraft and spacecraft.
Flight Mechanics: Analyzing the motion of aircraft and spacecraft in flight, including trajectory optimization and performance analysis.
Computer-Aided Design: Using CAD software to create and modify engineering designs.
Solid and Fluid Mechanics: Applying the principles of mechanics to understand the behavior of solid and fluid materials.
Motion Planning & Control: Developing algorithms and systems for controlling the motion of aerospace vehicles.
Aerostructures: Analyzing and designing aerospace structures, focusing on lightweight and high-strength designs.
Composite Materials: Studying the properties and applications of composite materials in aerospace structures.
Finite Element Analysis: Using computational methods to analyze the stress and strain distribution in aerospace structures.

This comprehensive curriculum is supplemented by elective coursework in specialized areas such as bioastronautics, supersonic & hypersonic flows, astrodynamics, and autonomous vehicle systems, allowing students to tailor their education to their specific interests.

Hands-on Learning and Research Opportunities

Beyond classroom instruction, the UCF Aerospace Engineering program emphasizes hands-on learning and research opportunities. Laboratories are available for basic instrumentation, thermal and fluid sciences, solid mechanics, data acquisition, controls, and CAD/CAE, providing students with practical experience in applying their knowledge.

As an undergraduate student at UCF, there are plenty of opportunities to get involved in research, from projects in our faculty laboratories to Student Research Week events. The department's active research programs are sponsored by private industry, the National Science Foundation, Department of Defense, NASA, National Institutes of Health and other agencies. Undergraduate students in any degree program are able to participate in undergraduate research. Several options exist to show mentored undergraduate research activity on a student’s official transcript.

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Accelerated B.S. to M.S. Program

For students seeking to further their education, the program offers an accelerated B.S. to M.S. option. The Aerospace Engineering professional often benefits from an advanced degree to meet the challenging needs of industry and government. Accordingly, the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (MAE) actively participates in the combination BS/MS degree program that allows students to double-count graduate courses toward both degrees. The combination-degree program reduces the cost for both degrees and enhances the student’s marketability for career advancement.

Ethical and Societal Considerations

The UCF Aerospace Engineering curriculum also emphasizes the importance of ethical, environmental, economic, safety, and quality issues. Students develop an awareness of these considerations and learn to incorporate them into their engineering designs and decisions.

Career Opportunities

With a Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering from UCF, you can prepare to work for a variety of aerospace and defense organizations including NASA, Lockheed Martin, and Boeing. Our graduates work for these organizations and more, including Pratt & Whitney, Northrop Grumman, Siemens, Embraer, Dynetics, and Abacus Technology Corporation. Aerospace engineers solve exciting problems of design, construction and operation of aircraft and spacecraft to meet the ever-increasing requirement for improved performance at lower unit cost.

Internship Opportunities

The College of Engineering and USF’s Center for Career and Professional Development Cooperative Education (Co-Op) program provides services for students interested in experiential educational experiences. Various industries and government agencies offer engineering students internships and cooperative education employment opportunities. Participants gain valuable expertise in practical applications and other aspects of operations and development in a professional engineering environment. Students typically apply for participation in this program during their first year in the engineering college and pursue actual internships during their sophomore, junior, and senior years.

Department History and Evolution

The Department of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering (MAE) graduates many exceptional mechanical and aerospace engineers each year. The Mechanical Engineering program celebrated its 100 year anniversary in 2009 and is one of the founding departments of the Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering. Starting within mechanical as an aeronautical option, the Aeronautical Engineering program was founded in 1946. It grew to become the Aerospace Engineering program, which merged with Engineering Science and Mechanics in 1969. All these programs united (or reunited) in 2002. Going strong into the 21st century, MAE remains a vibrant and intellectually diverse program at both the undergraduate and graduate levels.

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Curriculum Details and Requirements

The undergraduate curriculum in Aerospace Engineering is a fully accredited baccalaureate program that provides a broad education with a strong foundation in mathematics, science, and basic engineering sciences. Advanced courses in aeronautics and astronautics complete the degree.

Required Courses

Students pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering take coursework in aerodynamics, flight mechanics, propulsion, computer-aided design, solid and fluid mechanics, motion planning & control, Aerostructures, composite materials, finite element analysis, etc.

The required courses consist of 105 credit hours:

State Mandated Common Course Prerequisites - Aerospace Engineering B.S.A.E. (27 credit hours)

Following Florida BOG Regulation 8.010, state-mandated common course prerequisites are lower-division courses that are required for progression into the upper division of a particular baccalaureate degree program. Transfer students should complete the State-Mandated Common Course Prerequisites at the lower level prior to entering the university. If these courses are not taken at a Florida College System institution, they must be completed before the degree is granted. Successful completion of the common prerequisites alone does not guarantee admission into the degree program. Unless stated otherwise, a grade of C is the minimum acceptable grade in prerequisite courses.

MAC X311 OR MAC X281 - 4 credit hours
MAC X312 OR MAC X282 - 4 credit hours
MAC X313 OR MAC X283 - 4 credit hours
MAP X302 OR MAP X305 - 3 credit hours
(CHM X045 AND CHM X045L) OR CHM X045C OR (CHS X440 AND CHS X440L) OR (CHS X440 AND CHM X045L) - 4 credit hours
(PHY X048 AND PHY X048L) OR PHY X048C OR (PHY X041 AND PHY X048L) - 4-5 credit hours
(PHY X049 AND PHY X049L) OR PHY X049C OR (PHY X044 AND PHY X049L) OR (PHY X042 AND PHY X049L) - 4-5 credit hours

All state common prerequisite courses count towards major-required Mathematics and Science courses and are not additional credits.

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State Mathematics Pathway - Aerospace Engineering B.S.A.E. (7 credit hours)

The Aerospace Engineering B.S.A.E. uses the Algebra through Calculus Mathematics Pathway with the following requirements:

MAC 1105 - College Algebra Credit(s): 3
MAC 2311 - Calculus I Credit(s): 4

Mathematics Pathway courses count towards the State Common Prerequisite math courses and are not additional credits.

OR FIN 2100 - Personal Finance Credit(s): 3
EGN 3000 - Foundations of Engineering Credit(s): 0-3
EGN 3000L - Foundations of Engineering Lab Credit(s): 3
EGN 3311 - Statics Credit(s): 3
EGN 3321 - Dynamics Credit(s): 3
EGN 3343 - Thermodynamics I Credit(s): 3
EGN 3365 - Materials Engineering I Credit(s): 3
EGN 3373 - Electrical Systems I Credit(s): 3
OR EML 3390 - Electrical Systems for Mechanical Engineers Credit(s): 3

Specialization Courses: 16 courses; 48 credit hours

EAS 3810L - Aerospace Laboratory II Credit(s): 3
EAS 4020 - Introduction to Flight Credit(s): 3
EAS 4101 - Fundamentals of Aerodynamics Credit(s): 3
EAS 4251 - Structural Vibrations for Aerospace Applications Credit(s): 3
EAS 4400 - Stability and Control of Aircraft Credit(s): 3
EAS 4950 - Aerospace Capstone Design I Credit(s): 3
EAS 4951 - Aerospace Capstone Design II Credit(s): 3
EML 3022 - Computer Aided Design and Engineering Credit(s): 3
EML 3035 - Programming Concepts for Mechanical Engineers Credit(s): 3
EML 3041 - Computational Methods Credit(s): 3
EML 3303 - Mechanical Engineering Lab I Credit(s): 3
EML 3500 - Mechanics of Solids Credit(s): 3
EML 3701 - Fluid Systems Credit(s): 3
EML 4312 - Mechanical Controls Credit(s): 3
EML 4419 - Propulsion I Credit(s): 3
EML 4703 - Mechanics of Compressible Fluids Credit(s): 3

GPA Requirements

Students must maintain a minimum 2.0 semester GPA, 2.0 Math and Science GPA, 2.0 Engineering GPA, 2.0 Specialization GPA, 2.0 USF GPA, and 2.0 overall GPA.

Grading Requirements

The minimum acceptable grade in all BSAE-required math and science courses is a C or higher (C- is insufficient). The minimum acceptable grade in engineering and specialization courses, which are prerequisites to other degree-required courses, is a C-, except as stated in the Department Continuation Requirements. The passing grade for terminal engineering and specialization courses is a C-.

Course Grade Requirement Continuation requires completing EGN 3311 - Statics and EGN 3321 - Dynamics with a minimum grade of “C+” in each course (a grade of C is insufficient). Also, completion of EML 3500 - Mechanics of Solids and EGN 3343 - Thermodynamics I with a minimum grade of C in each course (C- is insufficient).

Residency Requirements

Transfer students must complete a minimum number of approved specialization courses in the major at USF. The respective academic department establishes the minimum number of USF specialization credit hours required, which must be at least 18. Basic engineering courses are not considered specialization courses. The University residency requirement must also be met. A dual-degree student must meet the requirements of each major and have a minimum of 18 approved specialization hours taken in the degree-granting department beyond those specialization hours required for the first degree.

Academic Probation

An Aerospace or Mechanical Engineering student whose cumulative, upper-division or department grade point average falls below a 2.0 or whose critical-tracking grades do not meet department requirements will be placed on academic probation and required to complete a probation contract with an MAE academic advisor. Students normally are allowed a maximum of two terms (consecutive or non-consecutive) on academic probation.

Dual Degree Option

There is great overlap between the aerospace engineering and mechanical engineering curriculum. The first six semesters of the two degree programs are identical. Through proper selection of electives, students can earn dual mechanical engineering/aerospace engineering BS degrees with one semester of additional work. A dual-degree student must meet the requirements of each major and have a minimum of 18 approved specialization hours taken in the degree-granting department beyond those specialization hours required for the first degree.

Critical Tracking

Critical Tracking records each student’s progress in courses that are required for progress toward each major. To remain on track, students must complete the appropriate critical-tracking courses, which appear in bold. This semester plan represents an example progression through the major. Actual courses and course order may be different depending on the student's academic record and scheduling availability of courses.

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