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**
Course	Course Title	Hours
AE 245	Introduction to Aerospace Engineering	3
AE 290	Aerospace Colloquium	.25
CHEM 150***	Chemistry for Engineers	5
	KU Core Elective* ^H	3
MATH 125	Calculus 1	4
	TOTAL HOURS	15.25

**First year - Spring**
Course	Course Title	Hours
AE 290	Aerospace Colloquium	.25
MATH 126^H	Calculus II	4
PHSX 210^H	General Physics I for Engineers	3
PHSX 216	General Physics I Laboratory	1
	KU Core Elective* ^H	3
ECON 142^H ECON 144^H	Principles of Microeconomics, or Principles of Macroeconomics	3
AE 211	Computing for Engineers	3
	TOTAL HOURS	17.25

**Second year - Fall**
Course	Course Title	Hours
AE 290	Aerospace Colloquium	.25
AE 345	Fluid Mechanics	3
CE 260	Statics & Dynamics	5
	KU Core Elective*^H	3
MATH 220^H	Applied Differential Equations	3
PHSX 212^H	General Physics II	3
PHSX 236	General Physics II Laboratory	1
	TOTAL HOURS	18.25

**Second year - Spring**
Course	Course Title	Hours
AE 290	Aerospace Colloquium	.25
MATH 127^H	Calculus III	4
AE 360	Introduction to Astronautics	3
AE 445	Aircraft Aerodynamics	3
CE 310	Strength of Materials	4
ME 212	Basic Engineering Thermodynamics	3
	TOTAL HOURS	17.25

**Third year - fall**
Course	Course Title	Hours
AE 290	Aerospace Colloquium	.25
AE 507^H	Aerospace Structures I	3
AE 545^H	Fundamentals of Aerodynamics	4
AE 550	Dynamics of Flight I	4
AE 571	Reciprocating Propulsion	3
MATH 290^H	Elementary Linear Algebra	2
	TOTAL HOURS	16.25

**Third year - Spring**
Course	Course Title	Hours
AE 290	Aerospace Colloquium	.25
AE 421	Computer Graphics	3
AE 508^H	Aerospace Structures II	3
AE 551^H	Dynamics of Flight II	4
AE 572^H	Fundamentals of Jet Propulsion	3
EECS 316	Circuits, Electronics & Instrumentation	3
	TOTAL HOURS	16.25

**Fourth year - fall**
Course	Course Title	Hours
AE 290	Aerospace Colloquium	.25
AE 510	Aerospace Material & Processes	4
AE 520	Space Systems Design I or...
AE 521	Aerospace Systems Design I	4
AE 590	Aerospace Seminar	1
	Technical elective or AE 560*	3
	KU Core Elective*^H	3
	TOTAL HOURS	15.25

**Fourth year - spring**
Course	Course Title	Hours
AE 290	Aerospace Colloquium	.25
AE 430	Aerospace Instrumentation	3
AE 522	Aircraft Systems Design, or...
AE 523	Spacecraft Systems Design, or...
AE 524	Propulsion Systems Design	4
	Technical Electives**	3
	KU Core Elective*^H	3
	TOTAL HOURS	13.25

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 104^H, 142^H OR 144^H

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), 510,520 or 521, 590

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

2023-2024 Curriculum