StudyQA — Master: Aerospace Engineering — University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

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Description Contents Requirements Funding

The Department of Aerospace Engineering (AE) offers graduate programs leading to the degrees of Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy. The AE graduate program provides students with a strong background in engineering and applied science while placing emphasis on aircraft and spaceflight engineering. Students may major in one of the following general areas: aerodynamics, astrodynamics, combustion and propulsion, control systems, dynamical systems, fluid mechanics, structural mechanics, and materials.

MS DEGREE WITH THESIS

Candidates for the MS with thesis degree are required to complete a minimum of 24 hours of graded course work and 8 hours of thesis credit, selected in the following ways:

At least 12 hours must be in the 500-level courses, and at least 8 of these 12 hours must be in Aerospace Engineering (may include up to 4 hours of 599 research credit).
No independent study courses (i.e. 497 or 597) may be counted towards the MS with Thesis degree.
16 hours must be AE designated courses (i.e. AE 4XX or AE 5XX). Of these 16 hours, 8 hours may be thesis credit (i.e. 599).
All students in the MS with Thesis option must complete a breadth requirement by taking one course from two of the three areas listed among the Aerospace Engineering Breadth Requirements. The courses listed among Aerospace Engineering Breadth Requirements cover fundamental concepts and are prerequisites for more advanced courses.
Graduate students are expected to exhibit competence in applied mathematics. MS students may meet this requirement by taking a minimum of 3-4 hours of courses listed among Mathematics Requirements.
A master's thesis for a minimum of 8 hours credit in AE 599 must be submitted. Only 8 hours of credit in AE 599 counts towards the MS degree even if the student registers for more AE 599 hours during the program.
Students should seek out faculty members with research interestssimilar to their and explore possible thesis topics as early as possible. In many cases, faculty members will advise students to read various articles or to take specific courses in order to obtain the necessary background for conducting research in their areas of interest. Recommended courses for various areas of research are also listed in the Suggested Program Tracts.
The MS with Thesis Check List needs to be completed in consultation with your advisor to plan your program. A DARS Audit is an unofficial audit of progress toward the undergraduate student degree that reflects courses currently in progress.

MS DEGREE NON THESIS ON CAMPUS

Students should indicate their intention to seek the non-thesis MS option when applying to the AE graduate program or through a departmental petition. The MS without Thesis degree is designed to be completed in 1 year (16 hours per semester) of self-supported, full-time study. The Department of Aerospace Engineering does not provide funding for students in this program. It is expected that students pursuing the MS without Thesis degree will pay tuition and fees for the duration of their studies. Students wishing to switch to the MS with Thesis program must have a faculty member who will advise their thesis and provide funding. Department approval is required for the change in program.

In the non-thesis option, 32 hours of graded course work are required, selected in the following ways:

At least 12 of these hours must be in 500-level courses, and at least 8 of the 12 hours must be in Aerospace Engineering.
All students in the MS non-thesis option must complete one course from all three areas listed among the Aerospace Engineering Breadth Requirements.
Graduate students are expected to exhibit competence in applied mathematics. MS students may meet this requirement by taking a minimum of 3-4 hours of courses listed among Mathematics Requirements.
The MS without Thesis Check List needs to be completed in consultation with your advisor to plan your program. A DARS Audit is an unofficial audit of progress toward the undergraduate student degree that reflects courses currently in progress. Recommended courses for various areas of research are also listed in theSuggested Program Tracts.

REQUIREMENTS FOR ALL MS DEGREES

All graduate students must maintain a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.0 to continue in the AE Graduate Program. The cumulative GPA is computed on all courses taken for credit except thesis and seminar courses in which DF, S, and U grades are recorded.
All graduate students must register in the seminar course AE 590 and must attend all seminars each semester while they are on campus.
MS students are expected to select courses in consultation with an MS advisor.
The University of Illinois requires all students working research laboratories to receive training in general lab safety. In order to meet this requirement, all graduate students working in research laboratories must complete MSE 492/Lab Safety Fundamentals by the second offering after enrollment. MSE 492/Lab Safety Fundamentals is not a graded course and so does not count toward the credit requirement for the MS and MS non-thesis degree programs.

Requirements

The Department of Aerospace Engineering requires a GPA of 3.00 on a 4.00 scale (A=4) for previous B.S. degree and graduate work. However, having a GPA higher than the minimum is no guarantee of admission. Also applicants having an MS degree generally must meet a higher standard.
Applicants must have a B.S. degree in aerospace engineering or a closely related field such as mechanical or civil engineering from an accredited college in the United States or an approved institution of higher learning abroad in order to be eligible to apply.
The minimum Tes of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score for admission is 103. Students who wish to be considered for teaching assistantships should have a score of at least 24 on the Speak section of the TOEFL exam.
Online application including resume and statement of purpose. (PLEASE NOTE - Students who do not have a MS degree should apply to the MS program regardless of whether or not they intend to continue for a doctoral degree in the future.)
In the Educational History section of the application, you will be asked to upload scanned versions of your transcripts and certificates of degree or diplomas. Please view your transcripts after the upload to be sure they are legible. Your transcript must show the name of the university and your name. Please do NOT mail a copy of the credentials which you have uploaded to your online application.
In the Statements section of the application, please upload yourresume and statement of purpose. The statement of purpose should be approximately 1-2 pages, single spaced, 12 pt. font.
Three letters of reference (References must be submitted online.)
The Certification of Declaration of Finances form and funding documents (Documents must be submitted online). These documents are only required for international applicants and are only needed if no department funding is offered. AE does not require evidence of financial resources at the time you submit your application. If you are approved for admission, but a funding offer is not made to you, you will be asked to upload evidence of financial resources.
All applicants are automatically considered for financial support in the form of fellowships, research assistantships, and teaching assistantships. There is no separate application to be considered for financial support.
Please do not send additional materials (e.g. publications, photographs, videos, CDs, or portfolios). These items are not reviewed during the admission process and they will be discarded.
Please do NOT mail or fax a copy of credentials which you have uploaded to your online application. This saves you the time, effort, and the expense of mailing transcripts to us during the initial processing and review of your application.
Students in the MS Non-thesis program are not provided funding by the Department of Aerospace Engineering.