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Aerospace Engineering Major

With aerospace engineering’s broad applications in many industries, our grads can find jobs just about anywhere in the world. Focus your studies with an emphasis in aeronautical or astronautical engineering.

Overview

What is Aerospace Engineering at WVU like?

Description

Aerospace travel, space exploration and flight of manned or unmanned vehicles continue to gain significance.

Aerospace engineering is involved with the science and technology of advanced vehicles, including aircraft, rockets, missiles and spacecraft.

Although a specialized branch of engineering, it is also diverse. Aerospace technology has expanded to include design and development of new earthbound vehicles, such as ground effect machines, hydrofoil ships and high-speed rail-type systems.

Aerospace Engineering program highlights:

At a Glance

Next Steps

Interested in this major? Here are some suggested next steps:

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Areas of Emphasis

Tailor this major to your interests by taking courses in one of these areas:

  • Aeronautical Engineering
    Focused on atmospheric flight vehicles and requires four specialized courses in atmospheric flight dynamics and air-breathing propulsion systems, and two capstone senior design courses on aircraft and their major subsystems.
  • Astronautical Engineering
    Focused on space flight vehicles and requires four specialized courses in spacecraft dynamics and rocket and spacecraft propulsion systems, and two capstone senior design courses on space missions, spacecraft and their subsystems.

Elective Focuses

Tailor this major to your interests by taking courses in one of these areas:

  • Pre-Medical
    Students who plan a career in medicine, dentistry or related areas may substitute eight hours of select pre-medical elective courses for the required six hours of technical electives.

Fast Facts

What makes Aerospace Engineering at WVU unique?

Accelerated Master's Program

Aerospace Engineering offers the option to earn a bachelor's and master's degree in an accelerated time frame.

Dual Major

This major offers the option to simultaneously complete a second bachelor's degree in:

Research and Academic Opportunities

Paid work in research laboratories and/or academic credit through the course MAE 497 - Undergraduate Research are available for students interested in conducting research. Students may also pursue undergraduate research with the NASA Space Grant Consortium.

Specific research opportunities are available in the areas of materials science, unmanned aerial systems (UAS), energy systems, autonomous robotics, computational modeling and simulations, guidance, navigation and controls.

Early College Program

Get a head start (and save money) in our High School ACCESS program for high school students. Choose from online, on-campus or dual credit courses that fulfill requirements for general education or Aerospace Engineering . Online courses to consider for this major include:

  • ENGR 101: Engineering Problem-Solving 1
  • ENGR 102: Engineering Problem-Solving 2
  • ENGR 140: Engineering in History

Living-Learning Communities (LLCs)

Live, study and pursue outside-the-classroom learning in a residence hall community that shares your interests:

Transfer Articulation Agreements

To simplify the transfer process, we have formal agreements with certain institutions. These agreements outline the courses you should take to prepare for transferring to WVU. Review the full list of transfer articulation agreements to see if your institution is listed.

Student Organizations

Connect with other students who share your academic interests as a member of:

View all of the student organizations you can join.

Careers

How does this degree prepare students for a career?

Our graduates go on to work in industrial, commercial, governmental and academic environments. Recent graduates have gone on to work in the aerospace and defense industries. Some continue their educational training with advanced graduate degrees at the master's and doctorate levels. A few pursue medical, law or business post-graduate programs. There are nearly limitless employment and career opportunities with a BSAE degree.

Possible Careers

Wondering what you can do with a degree from WVU's Aerospace Engineering major? Check out these ideas from WVU Career Services and the Occupational Information Network (O*NET). A median salary is the midpoint of what people typically earn—half of those surveyed earned above the median salary, and half earned below.

This page includes information from O*NET OnLine by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license.

Employers

Graduates from this major have gone to work at:

Courses

What are the courses like in Aerospace Engineering at WVU?

Plan of Study

Check out a program overview, learning goals, course descriptions and suggested plan of study for WVU's Aerospace Engineering major.

View the Plan of Study
 

Popular Courses

MAE 474:
Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Design/Build/Fly Competition

Hands-on applications of concepts learned in other courses to meet specified flight performance and competition criteria. Advanced aerodynamic and materials concepts are utilized by an integrated sophomore-junior-senior team.

MAE 478:
Guided Missile Systems

Design philosophy according to mission requirements. Preliminary configuration and design concepts. Aerodynamic effects on missiles during launch and flight. Ballistic missile trajectories. Stability determination by analog simulation. Performance determination by digital and analog simulation. Control, guidance, and propulsion systems. Operational reliability considerations. (3 hr. lec.)

MAE 482:
Flight Simulation for Aircraft Safety

Introduction to flight modeling and simulation tools for aircraft health management through analysis and accommodation of abnormal flight conditions.

Cost and Aid

How much does Aerospace Engineering at WVU cost? And how can you save?

Tuition and Fees

Estimated rates are available on our tuition website. Anyone who is not a current West Virginia resident, including international students, will be charged non-resident rates.

View Tuition and Fees

Scholarships

Estimate your eligibility for merit scholarships at WVU Morgantown.

Find Scholarships

Net Price Calculator

Estimate your cost of attendance and eligibility for financial aid and scholarships at any WVU System campus.

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Ways to Save

Here are a few ways for you to save on the cost of attending WVU in addition to university scholarships.

Early College Program

Get a head start (and save money) in our High School ACCESS program for high school students. Choose from online, on-campus or dual credit courses that fulfill requirements for general education or Aerospace Engineering . Online courses to consider for this major include:

  • ENGR 101: Engineering Problem-Solving 1
  • ENGR 102: Engineering Problem-Solving 2
  • ENGR 140: Engineering in History

Learn About Our HS ACCESS Early College Program

Extra Merit-based Scholarships

Incoming freshmen to the Benjamin M. Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources may qualify for Innovators scholarships based on GPA. No additional application is necessary. These scholarships are in addition to University scholarships.

See if You Qualify

Transfer Articulation Agreements

To simplify the transfer process, we have formal agreements with certain institutions. These agreements outline the courses you should take to prepare for transferring to WVU.

Review the full list of transfer articulation agreements to see if your institution is listed.

Learn How to Transfer Course Credits

Requirements

What are the requirements to apply for Aerospace Engineering at WVU?

To be admitted to WVU's Aerospace Engineering major, first-time freshmen must meet WVU's first-time freshman admission requirements for the 2024-25 academic year. They also must meet one of the following admission requirements. Interested in transferring? Review the transfer admission requirements.

Engineering Requirements:

  • ACT Math: 19
  • SAT Math: 510

Engineering Requirements for Test Optional Students:

  • GPA: 3.00

Requirements for Engineering Technology:

To be admitted to WVU's Engineering Technology major, first-time freshmen must meet WVU's first-time freshman admission requirements for the 2024-25 academic year.

If you don't meet the admission requirements for WVU's Aerospace Engineering major, check out some related programs.

Related Majors and Minors

What other options does WVU have?

What minors could I consider?

Related Pathways

What majors share similar career interests with this major at WVU?

Next Steps

I like this major. What are the next steps?

Apply Now

Your first step to becoming a Mountaineer is applying for admission. Our online application makes the process as convenient as possible.

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Request Information

Want to know more about Aerospace Engineering at WVU? Fill out the Request Information form to receive more information about the program and life at WVU.

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Visit WVU

It's the next-best thing to being here – you can virtually tour residence halls and the WVU Morgantown Campus.

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