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What is Aerospace Engineering?

Get a Master's in Aerospace Engineering

The Aerospace Engineering B.S.

Rocket science. Free-flying satellites. Commercial jetliners. Robotic orbiters—and then some.

Aerospace engineering is all about flying machines: the design, development, production, testing and marketing of aircraft, spacecraft and related systems and equipment.

Whether you dream of designing the aircraft of the future, developing new and powerful methods of propulsion or being part of a space exploration team that goes where no one has gone before, an aerospace engineering degree from Florida Tech gets you there.

Tier 1
Best National University
U.S. News & World Report
Top 15%
Best Colleges for Engineering
Niche
No. 1
Most Popular Major on Campus
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Why Choose Florida Tech for Aerospace Engineering?

At Florida Tech, you’ll develop a strong background in engineering combined with hands-on experience in fields like aerodynamics and fluid mechanics. You’ll become part of a prestigious program that consistently receives accolades at a university ranked among the nation’s top tier.

Careers in Aerospace Engineering

Florida Tech graduates are eagerly recruited by employers, including:

  • NASA
  • U.S. Department of Defense
  • Boeing Co.
  • Lockheed Martin
  • Northrop Grumman Corp.
  • General Electric Co.
  • Pratt and Whitney
  • Revolutionary Research
  • SpaceX
  • L3Harris Technologies Inc.
  • U.S. Department of Transportation
  • U.S. Department of Homeland Security
  • Federal defense contractors

Looking ahead to your future career can be exciting! Keep in mind that certain roles may entail additional prerequisites, such as an advanced degree.

Florida Tech Career Services assists students, alumni and employers in their search for careers and employee candidates. We help students develop career plans and job search skills. Explore our Career Toolbox to learn more about our services and access additional resources.

The Occupational Outlook Handbook, published by the United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), provides information about specific jobs, including median annual pay, working conditions and job outlook, among other things. Check the handbook for information on the outlook for an aerospace engineering career.

Advanced Degree Options

After receiving their aerospace engineering degree, many of our students pursue graduate degrees at Florida Tech or other prestigious universities. Post-graduate programs our students choose include:

Explore the Aerospace Engineering, B.S., Curriculum

The Aerospace Engineering, B.S., Curriculum

The aerospace engineering program at Florida Tech is a challenging course of study that offers you the opportunity to tackle compelling and relevant engineering problems using cutting-edge engineering tools and laboratory equipment.

Your freshman and sophomore years will emphasize mathematics and physics while aerospace engineering is introduced. During sophomore and junior years, you will move into engineering sciences, including materials science, thermodynamics and fluid mechanics. For junior and senior years, you’ll progressively center on the specific issues faced by practicing aerospace engineers and complete your capstone project.

Some examples of classes you’ll take:

  • Materials Science and Engineering
  • Aerospace Structural Design
  • Aerospace Computational Techniques
  • Aerospace Experimentation

Check the catalog for a description of all courses.

Download the Aerospace Engineering, B.S. Curriculum now!

Student holding a 3D printed part for a senior design project

Undergraduate Opportunities in Aerospace Engineering Research

An aeronautics engineering student working on a computer in the student design center

As an undergraduate in the aerospace engineering program, you’ll participate in state-of-the-art research projects and relevant hands-on workshops that involve concepts and systems at the forefront of engineering.

During junior year, you will lay the groundwork for your capstone design project, which you will complete during senior year.

You will present your senior capstone project at the Northrop Grumman Engineering and Science Student Design Showcase. Held on campus each spring, this event is well-attended by peers, faculty members, industry professionals and local leaders.

You may even have the opportunity to present your research at leading national and international technical conferences, as well.

Want to try your hand at projects like these?

  • Design and manufacture a liquid bipropellant rocket to reach an exact altitude of 5,000 feet.
  • Create an orbital autonomous spacecraft interception system for a conceptual momentum exchange tether system to reduce the cost of delivering spacecraft into orbit.
  • Design and build an unmanned solar aerial system.
  • Create a cost-effective method to detect and locate impact to a spacecraft's hull and alert astronauts to potential dangers.
  • Research and develop ways to optimize ideally expanded aerospike rocket nozzles to maximize thrust efficiency.

That's just a small sampling of recent aerospace engineering capstone projects.

Learn more about Aerospace Engineering at Florida Tech on the website.

What Do Aerospace Engineers Do?

Aerospace engineers design, analyze, test and troubleshoot the advanced technology of defense systems, spacecraft, aircraft, satellites and related systems. They work on safety standards and quality control and conduct both practical and theoretical research.

Evolving policies on noise pollution and fuel efficiency increase the demand for aerospace engineers who can find solutions to complex technical issues.

As governments refocus their space efforts and new private companies outside of traditional space agencies emerge to explore access to space, opportunities for aerospace engineering careers continue to expand.

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