Curriculum Change for BS in AAE

Engineering Faculty Document No. 8-05

January 20, 2006

To:            The Faculty of the College of Engineering

From:        The Faculty of the School of Aeronautics & Astronautics

Subject:     Curriculum Change for the B.S. Degree in Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering

The Faculty of the School of Aeronautics & Astronautics has approved the following changes in the curriculum for the B.S. degree in Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering effective for students entering the School in the Fall Semester 2006.  This action is now submitted to the Engineering Faculty with a recommendation for approval.

The updated curriculum proposed by the Faculty of the School of Aeronautics and Astronautics is attached.  This document includes the AAE Curriculum Requirements and the Suggested Plan of Study.  In each case, the current version (as it appears in the 2004-2006 Catalog) is followed by the proposed version.

The substantial changes are summarized here:

Change 1: Number of Credit Hours required reduced from 131 to 129

                  Reason:  This is due to changes in the 1^st year program.  There has been no change in the number of credits in the Sophomore through Senior Years

Change 2: ECE 201 is replaced with AAE 301

                  Reason:  The AAE faculty believes that the signal analysis material in AAE 301 is critically important to aerospace engineers.

Change 3: AAE recommends that students take a C programming language course in the first year to fulfill the Science Selective.

                  Reason:  This is due to changes in the 1^st year program, which replaced CHEM 116 with a menu of possible science courses, including CS.

Change 4: Students must take at least 3cr of course work focused on written and/or spoken communications (in addition to the required First Year composition course).

                  Reason:  This is in response to the deletion of COM 114 as a requirement in the first year.  We believe that writing skills need reinforcement as much or more than speaking skills.

Change 5: Students must take at least 3 cr of course work focused on Economics, Business, or Entrepreneurship.

                  Reason:  We believe the economic context of engineering is a necessary part of a BSAAE degree.

Change 6: Students must register for AAE 395 once a year.

                  Reason:  This requirement allows the school to keep track of our students progress through the curriculum and its requirements, as well as providing a forum for seminars by guest speakers on matters of interest to undergraduate professional development.

CURRENT: (from the 2004–2006 Engineering Catalog)

Bachelor of Science Curriculum in Aeronautics & Astronautics

The basic B.S.AAE degree program has a minimum of 131 credit hours, including the First-Year Engineering requirements. The required courses and the major and minor area courses cannot be taken on a pass/not-pass basis.  Students must have 2.0 GPA in the major, as well as overall, to graduate with a B.S.AAE degree.  Divided into topical areas, the required curriculum is:

Credit Hours Required for Graduation: 131

Mathematics

Calculus:  MA 165, 166, 261                                 12

Linear Algebra:  MA 265                                       3

Differential Equations:  MA 266, 304                      6

Sciences

Chemistry:  CHM 115, 116                                     8

Physics:  PHYS 152, 241                                       7

Communications, Humanities

and Social Sciences                                              

Composition:  ENGL 106                                       4

Speech:  COM 114                                                3

ENGR 100                                                            1

General Education Electives                                 18

Computer Skills

ENGR 106                                                            2

Programming:  CS 152 or 156                                 2

Graphics:  CGT 163                                               2

Aeronautics and Astronautics Program

Structures:  AAE 204, 204L, 352                            7

Aerodynamics:  AAE 333, 333L, 334                      7

Lab Elective:  AAE 352L or 334L                          1

Note:  The selected lab should be taken with the corresponding course, if possible.

Propulsion

Thermodynamics:  ME 200                                      3

Jet Propulsion:  AAE 372 or                                    3

Rocket Propulsion:  AAE 439

Note:  Students planning to specialize in aeronautics should take AAE 372; those aimed at astronautics should take AAE 439.

Dynamics and Control

Statics and Dynamics:  AAE 203, 340                      6

Controls:    AAE 301 or ECE 201,

                 AAE 364, AAE 364L                             7

Vehicle Dynamics:  AAE 421, or 440                       3

Note:  Students planning to specialize in aeronautics should take AAE 421; those aimed at astronautics should take AAE 440.  AAE 364L is to be taken following AAE 364.

Design

Introduction:  AAE 251                                           3

Spacecraft:  AAE 450 or                                        3

Aircraft:  AAE 451

Note:  Students planning to specialize in aeronautics should take AAE 451; those aimed at astronautics should take AAE 450.

Major Electives                                                   9

Minor Electives                                                   6

Note:  Major and Minor Electives are topically related specializations within aerospace engineering.  They must be approved by the academic advisor.

Technical Electives                                              6

Note:  Technical electives may be chosen from a broad range of science, engineering, or technology courses, subject to the approval of the academic advisor.

PROPOSED

Bachelor of Science Curriculum in Aeronautics & Astronautics

The basic B.S.AAE degree program has a minimum of 129 credit hours, including the First-Year Engineering requirements. The required courses and the major and minor area courses cannot be taken on a pass/not-pass basis.  Students must have 2.0 GPA in the major, as well as overall, to graduate with a B.S.AAE degree.  Divided into topical areas, the required curriculum is:

Credit Hours Required for Graduation: 129

Mathematics

Calculus:  MA 165, 166, 261                                  12

Linear Algebra:  MA 265                                        3

Differential Equations:  MA 266, 304                        6

Sciences

Chemistry:  CHM 115                                             4

Physics:  PHYS 172, 241                                         7

Communications, Humanities

and Social Sciences                                               

English Composition                                                3

Communications                                                     3

Note:  Students must take at least 3cr of course work focused on written and/or spoken communications, in addition to the required First-Year composition course.

General Education Electives                                  18

Computer Skills

ENGR 126 or 126H                                                3

Programming:  CS 158, 159, or ENGR 117               3

Graphics:  CGT 163                                                2

Professional Development: ENGR 100                 1

Aeronautics and Astronautics Program

Professional Development: AAE 395                   0

Structures and Materials

AAE 204, 204L, 352                                               7

Aerodynamics

AAE 333, 333L, 334                                               7

Lab Elective:  AAE 352L or 334L                            1

Note:  The selected lab should be taken with the corresponding course, if possible.

Propulsion

Thermodynamics:  ME 200                                    3

Jet Propulsion:  AAE 372 or                                  3

Rocket Propulsion:  AAE 439

Note:  Students planning to specialize in aeronautics should take AAE 372; those aimed at astronautics should take AAE 439.

Dynamics and Control

Statics and Dynamics:  AAE 203, 340                     6

Controls:    AAE 301, AAE 364, AAE 364L            7

Vehicle Dynamics:  AAE 421, or 440                     3

Note:  Students planning to specialize in aeronautics should take AAE 421; those aimed at astronautics should take AAE 440.  AAE 364L is to be taken following AAE 364.

Design

Introduction:  AAE 251                                          3

Spacecraft:  AAE 450 or                                       3

Aircraft:  AAE 451

Note:  Students planning to specialize in aeronautics should take AAE 451; those aimed at astronautics should take AAE 450.

Major Electives                                                  9

Minor Electives                                                  6

Note:  Major and Minor Electives are topically related specializations within aerospace engineering.  They must be approved by the academic advisor.

Technical Electives                                            6

Note:  Technical electives may be chosen from a broad range of science, engineering, or technology courses, subject to the approval of the academic advisor.

Economics                                                           

Note:  Students must take at least 3cr of coursework focused on Economics, Business, or Entrepreneurship, subject to approval by the academic Advisor.  This may be covered either in the General Education or Technical Electives and therefore need not increase the credits to graduation

CURRENT: (from the 2004–2006 Engineering Catalog)

Suggested Plan of Study for Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering:

Aeronautics Concentration

CGT 163 is required in the aeronautical and astronautical engineering curriculum.

Sophomore year

Junior Year

Senior Year

Suggested Plan of Study for Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering:

Astronautics Concentration

CGT 163 is required in the aeronautical and astronautical engineering curriculum.

Sophomore year

Junior Year

Senior Year

PROPOSED

Suggested Plan of Study for Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering:

Aeronautics Concentration

CGT 163 is required in the aeronautical and astronautical engineering curriculum.

Students planning to enter AAE are encouraged to take computer programming as the Science Selective

Sophomore year

Junior Year

Senior Year

Suggested Plan of Study for Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering:

Astronautics Concentration

CGT 163 is required in the aeronautical and astronautical engineering curriculum.

Students planning to enter AAE are encouraged to take computer programming as the Science Selective

Sophomore year

Junior Year

Senior Year