Aerospace Engineering, B.S.
Program Educational Objectives: Graduates of the program will have the professional and scientific education that allows them to be successful as career engineers and in graduate programs. Specifically, they will be able to (1) function in professional environments in industry, government, and academia applying and building upon engineering science knowledge, problem-solving skills, and communication skills; (2) function as members of teams and in leadership roles applying ethical and inclusive standards including the AIAA code of ethics within and beyond traditional Aerospace Engineering disciplines; and (3) remain current with technology and contemporary scientific, environmental, and societal issues, and consequently improve skills and knowledge through a lifelong process of learning. (Program educational objectives are those aspects of engineering that help shape the curriculum; achievement of these objectives is a shared responsibility between the student and UCI.)
The undergraduate Aerospace Engineering curriculum includes a core of mathematics, physics, and chemistry. Engineering courses in fundamental areas constitute much of the remaining curriculum. A few technical electives allow the undergraduate student to specialize somewhat or to pursue broader understanding. A senior capstone design experience culminates the curriculum.
High School Students: See School admissions information.
Transfer Students: Preference will be given to junior-level applicants with the highest grades overall, and who have satisfactorily completed the following required courses: two years of approved calculus, one year of calculus-based physics with laboratories (mechanics, electricity and magnetism), completion of lower-division writing, one course in general chemistry (with laboratory), and one course in introductory programming. For course equivalency specific to each college, visit http://assist.org.
Students are encouraged to complete as many of the lower-division degree requirements as possible prior to transfer. Students who enroll at UCI in need of completing lower-division coursework may find that it will take longer than two years to complete their degrees. For further information, contact The Henry Samueli School of Engineering at 949-824-4334.
All students must meet the University Requirements.
All students must meet the School Requirements.
Major Requirements
| Mathematics and Basic Science Courses: | |
| CHEM 1A | General Chemistry |
| or ENGR 1A | General Chemistry for Engineers |
| CHEM 1LE | Accelerated General Chemistry Lab |
| MATH 2A- 2B | Single-Variable Calculus I and Single-Variable Calculus II |
| MATH 2D | Multivariable Calculus I |
| MATH 2E | Multivariable Calculus II |
| MATH 3A | Introduction to Linear Algebra |
| MATH 3D | Elementary Differential Equations |
| PHYSICS 7C | Classical Physics |
| PHYSICS 7LC | Classical Physics Laboratory |
| PHYSICS 7D- 7E | Classical Physics and Classical Physics |
| PHYSICS 7LD | Classical Physics Laboratory |
| PHYSICS 52A | Fundamentals of Experimental Physics |
| One additional General Education Category II course offered by the Schools of Physical Sciences, Biological Sciences, or Information and Computer Sciences. | |
| Engineering Topics Courses: | |
| Core Courses: | |
| Principles of Materials Science and Engineering | |
| Introduction to Engineering Computations | |
| Statics | |
| Electric Circuits | |
or EECS 70A | Network Analysis I |
| Dynamics | |
| Introduction to Thermodynamics | |
| Mechanical Systems Laboratory | |
| Aerospace Laboratory | |
| Propulsion | |
| Fluid Dynamics I | |
| Fluid Dynamics II | |
| Fluid Mechanics III | |
| Aerodynamics | |
| Astronautics | |
| Mechanics of Structures | |
| Mechanics of Structures Laboratory | |
| Lightweight Structures | |
| Aircraft Performance | |
| Aircraft Design | |
| Introduction to Control Systems | |
| Dynamics and Control of Aerospace Vehicles | |
| Technical Elective Courses: | |
| Students select a minimum of 12 units of technical electives. For students majoring in both Aerospace Engineering and Mechanical Engineering, a core course in one major cannot be counted as a technical elective in the other major. Any upper-division course in the department not used for the degree may be used as a technical elective. At least 4 units of technical electives must come from ENGRMAE upper-division courses, excluding ENGRMAE 199. No more than 4 units of the remaining 8 units of technical electives should come from ENGRMAE 199. | |
| ENGR 7A-ENGR 7B and STATS 67 are exceptions to the upper-division requirement for technical electives. Both ENGR 7A-ENGR 7B must be taken to be counted as one technical elective. 1,2 | |
| Upper-division courses from the schools of Engineering, Physical Sciences, and Information and Computer Sciences are pre-approved as technical electives. Courses that cannot be taken as technical electives include GE 1B Upper-Division writing courses, any course that an ENGRMAE core course lists as an overlap, and ENGRCEE 170, EECS 160A, CBE 120A, CBE 120B, CBE 120C, BME 110A, and BME 147. For courses from other schools, approval from the Undergraduate Advisor is required. | |
| Engineering Professional Topics Course: | |
| ECON 20A | Basic Economics I |
| or ECON 23 | Basic Economics for Engineers |
| ENGR 190W | Communications in the Professional World |
- 1
Both ENGR 7A-ENGR 7B must be taken to be counted as technical electives.
- 2
ENGR 7A-ENGR 7B and STATS 67 are exceptions to the upper-division requriement for technical electives.
At most an aggregate total of 4 units of 199 or H199 courses may be used to satisfy degree requirements.
(The nominal Aerospace Engineering program will require 185 units of courses to satisfy all university and major requirements. Because each student comes to UCI with a different level of preparation, the actual number of units will vary.)
Selection of elective courses must be approved by the student’s faculty advisor and the departmental undergraduate advisor.
| Freshman | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Winter | Spring |
| MATH 2A | MATH 2B | MATH 2D |
| ENGRMAE 10 | PHYSICS 7C | PHYSICS 7D |
| CHEM 1A or ENGR 1A | PHYSICS 7LC | PHYSICS 7LD |
| ENGR 7A* | CHEM 1LE | Basic Science |
| General Education | ENGR 7B* | |
| General Education | ||
| Sophomore | ||
| Fall | Winter | Spring |
| MATH 3A | MATH 3D | MATH 2E |
| PHYSICS 7E | ENGR 54 | ENGRMAE 91 |
| PHYSICS 52A | ENGRMAE 60 | ENGRMAE 130A |
| ENGRMAE 30 | ENGRMAE 80 | ECON 23 or 20A |
| General Education | ||
| Junior | ||
| Fall | Winter | Spring |
| ENGRMAE 130B | ENGRMAE 146 | ENGRMAE 108 |
| ENGRMAE 150 | ENGRMAE 157 | ENGRMAE 136 |
| ENGRMAE 150L | General Education | ENGRMAE 170 |
| ENGR 190W | ENGRMAE 130C | General Education |
| Senior | ||
| Fall | Winter | Spring |
| ENGRMAE 112 | ENGRMAE 106 | Technical Elective |
| ENGRMAE 158 | ENGRMAE 159 | Technical Elective |
| ENGRMAE 175 | Technical Elective* | General Education |
| General Education | General Education | |
*ENGR 7A-ENGR 7B is a technical elective, available only to lower-division students in Fall and Winter quarters. Both ENGR 7A and ENGR 7B must be taken to count as a technical elective. If ENGR 7A-ENGR 7B is taken, this will replace one technical elective course in the senior year.
The sample program of study chart shown is typical for the major in Aerospace Engineering. This program is based upon a set of prerequisites, beginning with adequate preparation in high school mathematics, physics, and chemistry. Students should consult with their academic counselor to structure their program of study. Aerospace Engineering majors are encouraged to consult with academic counselors as needed, and students who are academically at risk are mandated to see a counselor as frequently as deemed necessary by the advising staff.