2026-2028 Catalog

Offered at: San Luis Obispo Campus

The Bachelor of Science degree in Aerospace Engineering prepares students for engineering work in the exciting aerospace industry. The aerospace industry is known for designing and building complex systems which push the limits of technology. Therefore a strong emphasis is placed on turning theory into practice and problem-solving using a disciplined systems engineering approach. The program’s faculty have developed a number of educational objectives to support this mission. These Program Educational Objectives are:

  • Be life-long learners who continue to pursue professional development;
  • Participate and thrive in a multi-disciplinary, systems-oriented work environment;
  • Contribute to the solution of complex technical problems that exist in the global aerospace industry; and
  • Understand their ethical role as a professional engineer and strive to promote a practice of integrity and foster diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace. 

Concentrations

Aeronautics

Offered at: San Luis Obispo Campus

Astronautics

Offered at: San Luis Obispo Campus

Program Learning Objectives

  1. An ability to identify, formulate, and solve complex engineering problems by applying principles of engineering, science, and mathematics
  2. An ability to apply engineering design to produce solutions that meet specified needs with consideration of public health, safety, and welfare, as well as global, cultural, social, environmental, and economic factors
  3. An ability to communicate effectively with a range of audiences
  4. An ability to recognize ethical and professional responsibilities in engineering situations and make informed judgments, which must consider the impact of engineering solutions in global, economic, environmental, and societal contexts
  5. An ability to function effectively on a team whose members together provide leadership, create a collaborative and inclusive environment, establish goals, plan tasks, and meet objectives
  6. An ability to develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze and interpret data, and use engineering judgment to draw conclusions
  7. An ability to acquire and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies

Degree Requirements and Curriculum

In addition to the program requirements listed on this page, students must also satisfy requirements outlined in more detail in the Minimum Requirements for Graduation section of this catalog, including:

  • 40 units of upper-division courses
  • 2.0 GPA
  • Graduation Writing Requirement (GWR)
  • U.S. Cultural Pluralism (USCP)

Note: No Major, Support or Concentration courses may be selected as credit/no credit. In addition, no more than 12 units of cooperative or internship courses can count towards your degree requirements.

MAJOR COURSES
AERO 1121Aerospace Fundamentals2
AERO 2220Aerospace Engineering Dynamics3
AERO 3300Engineering Numerical Analysis (Upper-Division 2/5) 14
AERO 3301Thermo Fluid Dynamics4
AERO 3302Thermo Fluids Laboratory1
AERO 3303Heat and Mass Transfer2
AERO 3304Aerospace Propulsion Systems3
AERO 3320System Dynamics3
AERO 3331Aerospace Structural Analysis I4
AERO 3460Aerospace Engineering Professional Preparation1
AERO 4403Propulsion Laboratory1
AERO 4431Aerospace Structural Analysis II3
AERO 4433Experimental Stress Analysis1
Concentration
(See list of Concentrations below)27
SUPPORT COURSES
CHEM 1120Fundamentals of Chemical Structure and Properties (5A & 5C) 14
ENGR 2211Introduction to Mechanics4
IME 1143
& IME 1140		Introduction to Design and Manufacturing
and Technical Graphics Communication for Design and Manufacturing		3
MATE 1220Principles of Materials Engineering for Non-Majors2
MATH 1261Calculus I (2) 14
MATH 1262Calculus II4
MATH 2263Calculus III3
MATH 2341Linear Analysis4
PHYS 1141General Physics I4
PHYS 1143General Physics II4
GENERAL EDUCATION (GE)
(See GE program requirements below)33
FREE ELECTIVES
Free Electives0
Total Units128
1

Required in Major or Support; also satisfies General Education (GE) requirement.

 

Concentrations

Aeronautics

REQUIRED COURSES
AERO 3305Introduction to Aerodynamics3
AERO 4401Ground to Space Propulsion2
AERO 4405Advanced Aerodynamics3
AERO 4406Experimental Aerodynamics1
AERO 4420Aircraft Dynamics and Control3
AERO 4461
& AERO 4462		Aircraft Design Senior Project I
and Aircraft Design Senior Project II		6
Technical Electives
Select from the following:9
AERO 3351
Introduction to Orbital Mechanics
AERO 4402
Spaceflight Propulsion
AERO 4407
Applied Computational Aerodynamics
AERO 4408
Re-Entry Aerodynamics
AERO 4409
Aerospace Flight Test
AERO 4421
Spacecraft Attitude Dynamics and Control
AERO 4422
Flight Dynamics and Automatic Control
AERO 4425
Aircraft Performance
AERO 4446
Spacecraft Electrical and Electric Systems
AERO 4450
Introduction to Aerospace Systems Engineering
AERO 4452
Intermediate Orbital Mechanics
AERO 4455
& AERO 4456
Space Environments
and Space Environments Laboratory
AERO 4457
Introduction to Human Spaceflight
AERO 4470
Special Advanced Topics
AERO 4471
Special Advanced Laboratory
AERO 5504
Finite Element Analysis of Continua
AERO 5507
Computational Aerodynamics
AERO 5526
Spacecraft Thermal/Fluid Control
AERO 5534
Aerospace Structural Dynamics Analysis
AERO 5540
Advanced Ground to Space Transportation
AERO 5541
Hypersonic Airbreathing Propulsion
AERO 5548
Complexity in Engineered Systems
AERO 5549
Systems Engineering Applications
AERO 5553
Advanced Control Theory
AERO 5557
Advanced Orbital Mechanics
AERO 5560
Advanced Spacecraft Dynamics and Control
AERO 5568
Aerospace Research and Development I
AERO 5569
Aerospace Research and Development II
AERO 5570
Special Advanced Topics
AERO 5571
Special Advanced Laboratory
Total Units27
 

Astronautics

REQUIRED COURSES
AERO 3351Introduction to Orbital Mechanics3
AERO 4402Spaceflight Propulsion2
AERO 4421Spacecraft Attitude Dynamics and Control3
AERO 4446Spacecraft Electrical and Electric Systems3
AERO 4455
& AERO 4456		Space Environments
and Space Environments Laboratory		4
AERO 4463
& AERO 4464		Spacecraft Design Senior Project I
and Spacecraft Design Senior Project II		6
Technical Electives
Select from the following:6
AERO 3305
Introduction to Aerodynamics
AERO 4401
Ground to Space Propulsion
AERO 4405
Advanced Aerodynamics
AERO 4406
Experimental Aerodynamics
AERO 4407
Applied Computational Aerodynamics
AERO 4408
Re-Entry Aerodynamics
AERO 4409
Aerospace Flight Test
AERO 4420
Aircraft Dynamics and Control
AERO 4422
Flight Dynamics and Automatic Control
AERO 4425
Aircraft Performance
AERO 4450
Introduction to Aerospace Systems Engineering
AERO 4452
Intermediate Orbital Mechanics
AERO 4457
Introduction to Human Spaceflight
AERO 4470
Special Advanced Topics
AERO 4471
Special Advanced Laboratory
AERO 5504
Finite Element Analysis of Continua
AERO 5507
Computational Aerodynamics
AERO 5522
Boundary-Layer Theory
AERO 5526
Spacecraft Thermal/Fluid Control
AERO 5534
Aerospace Structural Dynamics Analysis
AERO 5540
Advanced Ground to Space Transportation
AERO 5541
Hypersonic Airbreathing Propulsion
AERO 5548
Complexity in Engineered Systems
AERO 5549
Systems Engineering Applications
AERO 5553
Advanced Control Theory
AERO 5557
Advanced Orbital Mechanics
AERO 5560
Advanced Spacecraft Dynamics and Control
AERO 5568
Aerospace Research and Development I
AERO 5569
Aerospace Research and Development II
AERO 5570
Special Advanced Topics
AERO 5571
Special Advanced Laboratory
Total Units27
 

General Education (GE) Requirements

General Education (GE) Requirements

  • 43 units required, 10 of which are specified in Major and/or Support.
  • If any of the remaining 33 Units is used to satisfy a Major or Support requirement, additional units of Free Electives may be needed to complete the total units required for the degree.
  • See the complete GE course listing.
  • A grade of C- or better is required in one course in each of the following GE Areas: 1A (English Composition), 1B (Critical Thinking), 1C (Oral Communication), and 2 (Mathematics and Quantitative Reasoning). 
Lower-Division General Education
Area 1English Communication and Critical Thinking
1AWritten Communication3
1BCritical Thinking3
1COral Communication3
Area 2Mathematics and Quantitative Reasoning
2Mathematics and Quantitative Reasoning (3 units in Support) 10
Area 3Arts and Humanities
3AArts3
3BHumanities: Literature, Philosophy, Languages other than English 3
Area 4Social and Behavioral Sciences (Area 4 courses must come from at least two different course prefixes.)
4AAmerican Institutions (Title 5, Section 40404 Requirement)3
4BSocial and Behavioral Sciences3
Area 5Physical and Life Sciences
5APhysical Sciences (3 units in Support) 10
5BLife Sciences3
5CLaboratory (may be embedded in a 5A or 5B course) (1 units in Support) 10
Area 6 Ethnic Studies
6 Ethnic Studies3
Upper-Division General Education
Upper-Division 2/5Mathematics and Quantitative Reasoning or Physical and Life Sciences (3 units in Major) 10
Upper-Division 3Arts and Humanities3
Upper-Division 4Social and Behavioral Sciences (Area 4 courses must come from at least two different course prefixes.)3
Total Units33
1

Required in Major or Support; also satisfies General Education (GE) requirement.

Aerospace Engineering

Concentration Not Yet Declared - BS in Aerospace Engineering
Suggested Four-Year Flowcharts are planning guides and do not represent a required course sequence. 
Courses may be completed in a different order, provided requisite requirements are satisfied.

Plan of Study Grid
First Year
Term 1Units
AERO 1121 Aerospace Fundamentals 2
IME 1143
& IME 1140		 Introduction to Design and Manufacturing
and Technical Graphics Communication for Design and Manufacturing		 3
MATH 1261 Calculus I (2) 1 4
PHYS 1141 General Physics I 4
General Education Requirement (1A) 3
 Units16
Term 2
CHEM 1120 Fundamentals of Chemical Structure and Properties (5A & 5C) 1 4
MATH 1262 Calculus II 4
PHYS 1143 General Physics II 4
General Education Requirement (1B) 3
General Education Requirement (3A) 3
 Units18
Second Year
Term 1
ENGR 2211 Introduction to Mechanics 4
MATE 1220 Principles of Materials Engineering for Non-Majors 2
MATH 2263 Calculus III 3
General Education Requirement (1C) 3
General Education Requirement (6) 3
 Units15
Term 2
AERO 2220 Aerospace Engineering Dynamics 3
MATH 2341 Linear Analysis 4
General Education Requirement (3B) 3
General Education Requirement (4A) 3
General Education Requirement (4B) 3
 Units16
Third Year
Term 1
AERO 3300 Engineering Numerical Analysis (Upper-Division 2/5) 1 4
AERO 3301 Thermo Fluid Dynamics 4
AERO 3302 Thermo Fluids Laboratory 1
AERO 3331 Aerospace Structural Analysis I 4
AERO 3460 Aerospace Engineering Professional Preparation 1
General Education Requirement (5B) 3
 Units17
Term 2
AERO 3303 Heat and Mass Transfer 2
AERO 3304 Aerospace Propulsion Systems 3
AERO 3320 System Dynamics 3
AERO 4431 Aerospace Structural Analysis II 3
AERO 4433 Experimental Stress Analysis 1
Concentration Course 3
 Units15
Fourth Year
Term 1
AERO 4403 Propulsion Laboratory 1
Concentration Course 3
Concentration Course 3
Concentration Course 3
Concentration Course 3
Concentration Course 3
 Units16
Term 2
Concentration Course 3
Concentration Technical Elective 3
Concentration Technical Elective 3
General Education Requirement (Upper-Division 3) 3
General Education Requirement (Upper-Division 4) 3
 Units15
 Total Units128
1

Required in Major or Support; also satisfies General Education (GE) requirement.

 

Aeronautics

Aeronautics Concentration - BS in Aerospace Engineering
Suggested Four-Year Flowcharts are planning guides and do not represent a required course sequence. 
Courses may be completed in a different order, provided requisite requirements are satisfied.

Plan of Study Grid
First Year
Term 1Units
AERO 1121 Aerospace Fundamentals 2
IME 1143
& IME 1140		 Introduction to Design and Manufacturing
and Technical Graphics Communication for Design and Manufacturing		 3
MATH 1261 Calculus I (2) 1 4
PHYS 1141 General Physics I 4
General Education Requirement (1A) 3
 Units16
Term 2
CHEM 1120 Fundamentals of Chemical Structure and Properties (5A & 5C) 1 4
MATH 1262 Calculus II 4
PHYS 1143 General Physics II 4
General Education Requirement (1B) 3
General Education Requirement (3A) 3
 Units18
Second Year
Term 1
ENGR 2211 Introduction to Mechanics 4
MATE 1220 Principles of Materials Engineering for Non-Majors 2
MATH 2263 Calculus III 3
General Education Requirement (1C) 3
General Education Requirement (6) 3
 Units15
Term 2
AERO 2220 Aerospace Engineering Dynamics 3
MATH 2341 Linear Analysis 4
General Education Requirement (3B) 3
General Education Requirement (4A) 3
General Education Requirement (4B) 3
 Units16
Third Year
Term 1
AERO 3300 Engineering Numerical Analysis (Upper-Division 2/5) 1 4
AERO 3301 Thermo Fluid Dynamics 4
AERO 3302 Thermo Fluids Laboratory 1
AERO 3331 Aerospace Structural Analysis I 4
AERO 3460 Aerospace Engineering Professional Preparation 1
General Education Requirement (5B) 3
 Units17
Term 2
AERO 3303 Heat and Mass Transfer 2
AERO 3304 Aerospace Propulsion Systems 3
AERO 3305 Introduction to Aerodynamics 3
AERO 3320 System Dynamics 3
AERO 4431 Aerospace Structural Analysis II 3
AERO 4433 Experimental Stress Analysis 1
 Units15
Fourth Year
Term 1
AERO 4401 Ground to Space Propulsion 2
AERO 4403 Propulsion Laboratory 1
AERO 4405 Advanced Aerodynamics 3
AERO 4406 Experimental Aerodynamics 1
AERO 4420 Aircraft Dynamics and Control 3
AERO 4461 Aircraft Design Senior Project I 3
Concentration Technical Elective 3
 Units16
Term 2
AERO 4462 Aircraft Design Senior Project II 3
Concentration Technical Elective 3
Concentration Technical Elective 3
General Education Requirement (Upper-Division 3) 3
General Education Requirement (Upper-Division 4) 3
 Units15
 Total Units128
1

Required in Major or Support; also satisfies General Education (GE) requirement.

 

Astronautics

Astronautics Concentration - BS in Aerospace Engineering
Suggested Four-Year Flowcharts are planning guides and do not represent a required course sequence. 
Courses may be completed in a different order, provided requisite requirements are satisfied.

Plan of Study Grid
First Year
Term 1Units
AERO 1121 Aerospace Fundamentals 2
IME 1143
& IME 1140		 Introduction to Design and Manufacturing
and Technical Graphics Communication for Design and Manufacturing		 3
MATH 1261 Calculus I (2) 1 4
PHYS 1141 General Physics I 4
General Education Requirement (1A) 3
 Units16
Term 2
CHEM 1120 Fundamentals of Chemical Structure and Properties (5A & 5C) 1 4
MATH 1262 Calculus II 4
PHYS 1143 General Physics II 4
General Education Requirement (1B) 3
General Education Requirement (3A) 3
 Units18
Second Year
Term 1
ENGR 2211 Introduction to Mechanics 4
MATE 1220 Principles of Materials Engineering for Non-Majors 2
MATH 2263 Calculus III 3
General Education Requirement (1C) 3
General Education Requirement (6) 3
 Units15
Term 2
AERO 2220 Aerospace Engineering Dynamics 3
MATH 2341 Linear Analysis 4
General Education Requirement (3B) 3
General Education Requirement (4A) 3
General Education Requirement (4B) 3
 Units16
Third Year
Term 1
AERO 3300 Engineering Numerical Analysis (Upper-Division 2/5) 1 4
AERO 3301 Thermo Fluid Dynamics 4
AERO 3302 Thermo Fluids Laboratory 1
AERO 3331 Aerospace Structural Analysis I 4
AERO 3460 Aerospace Engineering Professional Preparation 1
General Education Requirement (5B) 3
 Units17
Term 2
AERO 3303 Heat and Mass Transfer 2
AERO 3304 Aerospace Propulsion Systems 3
AERO 3320 System Dynamics 3
AERO 3351 Introduction to Orbital Mechanics 3
AERO 4431 Aerospace Structural Analysis II 3
AERO 4433 Experimental Stress Analysis 1
 Units15
Fourth Year
Term 1
AERO 4402 Spaceflight Propulsion 2
AERO 4403 Propulsion Laboratory 1
AERO 4421 Spacecraft Attitude Dynamics and Control 3
AERO 4446 Spacecraft Electrical and Electric Systems 3
AERO 4455
& AERO 4456		 Space Environments
and Space Environments Laboratory		 4
AERO 4463 Spacecraft Design Senior Project I 3
 Units16
Term 2
AERO 4464 Spacecraft Design Senior Project II 3
Concentration Technical Elective 3
Concentration Technical Elective 3
General Education Requirement (Upper-Division 3) 3
General Education Requirement (Upper-Division 4) 3
 Units15
 Total Units128
1

Required in Major or Support; also satisfies General Education (GE) requirement.