M.S. in Aerospace Engineering
About
Admission requirements follow the general admission rules for aerospace and mechanical engineering graduate programs. For admission requirements, refer to Viterbi Graduate Degrees and Requirements at USC Viterbi School of Engineering.
The Master of Science in Aerospace Engineering prepares the student to practice engineering at an advanced level in a specialization within aerospace engineering and to recognize the benefit of solving problems using expertise from other engineering disciplines. Students improve their skills in setting up and solving problems by using contemporary tools and leveraging interaction with peers.
Requirements
The program of study depends upon the student’s interests and background. The M.S. in Aerospace Engineering program requires completion of a minimum of 27 units, with at least 18 units at the 500 level, and a 3.0 GPA overall. A minimum of 15 units must be AME 500-level courses including the applied mathematics course. See details below.
- 4 units of Applied Mathematics Coursework. Choose from:
- AME 525 Linear Algebra in Engineering Science
- AME 526 Partial Differential Equations for Engineering Applications
- AME 540 Probability and Statistics in Engineering Science
- 11 additional units of 500-level courses in the AME department
- Cross-listed classes count as AME department courses
- Remaining 12 units can be approved 400- or 500-level elective courses
- Elective courses may be from AME, Math, Physics, or other Engineering Departments (ASTE, BME, CE, CHE, CSCI, DSCI, EE, ENE, ENGR, ISE, ITP, MASC, PTE, SAE)
- No more than 9 units at the 400 level
- No more than 3 units of AME 590 Directed Research can be taken as elective credit
Optional Specializations
The following specializations provide recommendations for courses to take in order to focus a student's degree in a specific area or areas. These specializations are guidelines, not requirements; students are not required to follow a specialization. Specializations do not appear on a student's transcript or diploma.
Applied Math Requirement (select 1 course = 4 units):
AME 525 Linear Algebra in Engineering Science (4 units)
AME 526 Partial Differential Equations for Engineering Applications (4 units)
AME 540 Probability and Statistics in Engineering Science (4 units)
Core Requirements (4 courses = 13 units):
AME 436 Automotive and Flight Propulsion (3 units)
AME 511 Compressible Gas Dynamics (4 units)
ASTE 570 Liquid Rocket Propulsion (3 units)
ASTE 572 Advanced Spacecraft Propulsion (3 units)
Core Electives (select 2 courses = 6-8 units):
ASTE 501a Physical Gas Dynamics (3 units)
AME 414 Engineering Thermodynamics II (3 units)
AME 513a Fundamentals and Applications of Combustion I (4 units)
AME 513b Fundamentals and Applications of Combustion II (4 units) (Pre-req: AME 513a)
AME 530a Dynamics of Incompressible Fluids (4 units)
AME 579 Numerical Modeling of Single and Multiphase Reactive Flows (4 units) (AME 535a and AME 513b or equivalent)