A drone flying near the horizon

Aerospace Engineering

KU Aerospace Engineering is one of the top programs in the world in aircraft and engine design education. Four NASA astronauts earned degrees at KU, including a member of the 2017 astronaut class. With an emphasis on designing, simulating, building, testing, and flying aerospace vehicles and systems, KU aerospace engineering students receive access to unmatched educational opportunities.
Information appearing in this guide is subject to change.  Please talk with your departmental advisor about degree requirements on a regular basis.  A recommended 5-year course sequence is also available.

First year - fall
CourseCourse TitleHours
AE 245Introduction to Aerospace Engineering3
AE 290Aerospace Colloquium.25
CHEM 150***Chemistry for Engineers5
 KU Core Elective* H3
MATH 125Calculus 14
 TOTAL HOURS15.25
First year - Spring
CourseCourse TitleHours
AE 290Aerospace Colloquium.25
MATH 126HCalculus II4
PHSX 210HGeneral Physics I for Engineers3
PHSX 216General Physics I Laboratory1
 KU Core Elective* H3
AE 211Computing for Engineers3
 TOTAL HOURS17.25
Second year - Fall
CourseCourse TitleHours
AE 290Aerospace Colloquium.25
AE 345Fluid Mechanics3
CE 260Statics & Dynamics5
 KU Core Elective*H3
MATH 220HApplied Differential Equations3
PHSX 212HGeneral Physics II3
PHSX 236General Physics II Laboratory1
 TOTAL HOURS18.25
Second year - Spring
CourseCourse TitleHours
AE 290Aerospace Colloquium.25
MATH 127HCalculus III4
AE 360Introduction to Astronautics3
AE 445Aircraft Aerodynamics3
CE 310Strength of Materials4
ME 212Basic Engineering Thermodynamics3
 TOTAL HOURS17.25
Third year - fall
CourseCourse TitleHours
AE 290Aerospace Colloquium.25
AE 507HAerospace Structures I3
AE 545HFundamentals of Aerodynamics4
AE 550Dynamics of Flight I4
AE 571Reciprocating Propulsion3
MATH 290HElementary Linear Algebra2
 TOTAL HOURS16.25
Third year - Spring
CourseCourse TitleHours
AE 290Aerospace Colloquium.25
AE 421Computer Graphics3
AE 508HAerospace Structures II3
AE 551HDynamics of Flight II4
AE 572HFundamentals of Jet Propulsion3
EECS 316Circuits, Electronics & Instrumentation3
 TOTAL HOURS16.25
Fourth year - fall
CourseCourse TitleHours
AE 290Aerospace Colloquium.25
AE 510Aerospace Material & Processes4
AE 520Space Systems Design I or... 
AE 521Aerospace Systems Design I4
AE 590Aerospace Seminar1
 Technical elective** or AE 560***3
 KU Core Elective*H3
 TOTAL HOURS15.25
Fourth year - spring
CourseCourse TitleHours
AE 290Aerospace Colloquium.25
AE 430Aerospace Instrumentation3
AE 522HAircraft Systems Design, or... 
AE 523Spacecraft Systems Design, or... 
AE 524Propulsion Systems Design4
 Technical Electives**3
 KU Core Elective*H3
 TOTAL HOURS13.25

Enrollment in junior-level aerospace courses is limited to students who have received grades of C- or higher in all first- and second-year courses in mathematics, physics, ME 212, CE 301, CE 260, AE 245, AE 345, and AE 445.

 
CURRICULUM NOTES

* Students must ensure the electives they choose fulfill all remaining KU Core requirements.
** Technical electives are selected from upper level aerospace courses, approved courses from other engineering departments or approved math courses.
*** Students with credit in CHEM 130 may add CHEM 149 to meet the CHEM 150 requirement.
H Honors equivalent course is available.

CORE DISTRIBUTION

GE 1.1 CRITICAL THINKING: PHSX 210
GE 1.2 QUANTITATIVE LITERACY: MATH 125

GE 2.1 WRITTEN COMMUNICATION: ELECTIVE
GE 2.2 ORAL COMMUNICATION: AE 245, AE 421, AE 510, AE 522 (or AE 523, 524, 721, or 722.)

GE 3H ARTS & HUMANITIES: ELECTIVE
GE 3N NATURAL SCIENCES: CHEM 150
GE 3S SOCIAL SCIENCES: ECON 104H, 142H OR 144H

AE 4.1 DIVERSITY IN UNITED STATES: ELECTIVE
AE 4.2 GLOBAL AWARENESS: ELECTIVE

AE 5.1 ETHICS & SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY: AE 245, 290 (2 credits), 510, 521, 590

AE 6.1 INTEGRATION & CREATIVITY: AE 520, 521, 522, 523, 524, 721, or 722

2021-2022 Curriculum