Graduate Students: What to Expect

Academics

The academics and expectations for graduate students are quite different from undergraduate study.

The Department of Aerospace Engineering and Mechanics is dedicated to educating graduate students in the diverse disciplines represented within its degree programs of aerospace engineering and mechanics. Graduate study enables a student to develop in-depth knowledge in one or more specialized fields, apply their knowledge of physics, engineering, computer science, and various other disciplines to create new technologies and improve upon existing ones by doing original research. In addition, your graduate study will teach you how to work independently and think critically about your own work and that of others. AEM faculty will help you reach these goals by offering challenging courses, organizing research seminars, encouraging informal discussions, and providing guidance during all stages of your research and coursework.

If you have any questions about the graduate program, feel free to contact Professor Elliott, Director of Graduate Studies or email us at [email protected].

 

A group of current and prospective graduate students talking.

 

Masters of Science, Aerospace Engineering and Mechanics

The M.S. Degree offers three plan options. Plan A emphasizes research and preparation of a thesis, Plan B emphasizes a project, and Plan C is a coursework-only option recommended for working professionals.

Students will select from either Plan A, Plan B, or Plan C. If a student chooses Plan A, they then will write a thesis, which enables them to register for up to 10 credits for their research work. Plan B is accomplished mainly through coursework with a final three credit individual project. Plan C is coursework only.

Master Degree Requirements

M.S. Plan A

The M.S. Plan A degree is the research option and requires completion of a master’s thesis. The Plan A option requires a minimum of 30 credits, which includes at least 20 course credits plus 10 credits of thesis research. If a minor is designed, a minimum of 6 credits must be taken in a single field outside the major field. A research project is normally derived from a student’s duties as a graduate research assistant and typically from a funded proposal idea developed by the graduate adviser. Students can also propose an independently conceived research idea, then develop and refine the research plan in consultation with the graduate adviser. 

M.S. Plan B

The M.S. Plan B degree is the project option and is typically pursued by students intending to continue their Ph.D. degree. The Plan B option requires a minimum of 30 credits, which includes at least 27 course credits. The course work is selected in consultation with a faculty adviser. In addition, the student must demonstrate the ability to work independently and present the results of such work effectively by completing one or more project papers.

M.S. Plan C

The M.S. Plan C degree is the coursework-only option and is recommended for working professionals who wish to pursue a Master’s degree on a part-time basis but can also be used by students intending to continue on for a Ph.D. degree. The Plan C option requires completion of a minimum of 30 course credits. At least 2 courses at the 8XXX level must be completed. The student must complete a minimum of 100 hours of project work in increments of 40 hours per project or greater. The projects are to be performed as part of specific courses in aerospace engineering and mechanics that comply with the M.S. Plan C project requirements.

Of the coursework completed, a first-year graduate student usually takes at least one comprehensive sequence in basic engineering science. Students may choose more advanced and more specialized courses after they have covered the fundamentals. 

Incoming students who have not covered basic aerodynamics, airplane dynamics, structures, and propulsion in their undergraduate programs are required to make up this material in addition to completing the 30-credit graduate program.

Outside the major credits, many students include courses in mathematics in their programs. Courses offered by the Mechanical Engineering Department in heat transfer and propulsion are also appropriate in aerospace engineering programs.

Doctor of Philosophy Degree

The Ph.D. program requires approximately two years of coursework, but the heart of the Ph.D. program is the thesis research. The first year of the Ph.D. program is similar to the master's program, and most Ph.D. students receive their master's degree. By the end of the first year, the student has chosen an adviser.

The second year is devoted to more advanced courses and beginning research. Subsequent years include some course work with increasing focus on research. The time required to complete a research project is uncertain, but students who enter with a bachelor's degree usually finish the M.S. and Ph.D. program within four to six years. A more complete list of the degree requirements is available.

Students typically emphasize one of three fields of study: fluid mechanics, solid mechanics, or aerospace systems and control. However, graduate students can, and often do, conduct research in topics that span more than one of these fields and/or involve other departments in CSE or other colleges at the University of Minnesota.

Ph.D. Degree Requirements

Typical Ph.D. First-Year Course Sequence Field of Study 

Students are encouraged to take three courses plus the AEM 8000 seminar, for a total of 10 credits in their first semester. However, enrolling in two courses plus a seminar (7 credits) is acceptable. Please note that international students must register for at least 6 credits to maintain full-time enrollment (FTE) status.  

Your course selections should align with your academic interests and - if you are a PhD student - your intended subject areas for the written preliminary exam, scheduled for spring of your first year. All students should register for the AEM 8000 seminar (1 credit). Below are the recommended course groupings based on subject focus.

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Aerospace Systems and Controls

The aerospace systems and controls concentration focuses on the development and design of systems with complex dynamics and techniques. First-year courses the foundational knowledge for advanced work in aerospace systems. Students who have not taken a course in classical controls should also take Automatic Control Systems (AEM 4321). These complementary courses provide preparation for the material covered on the Controls preliminary examination in the spring. The material covered on the Dynamics preliminary examination is taught in AEM 5401.

Fall Semester:

  • AEM 8000 – Seminar: Aerospace Engineering and Mechanics (1cr)
  • AEM 8400 – Aerospace Systems Seminar (1cr)
  • AEM 5401 – Intermediate Dynamics (3cr)
  • AEM 5321 – Linear Systems Optimal Control (3cr)

Add one of the following courses (if desired):

  • AEM 4321 – Automatic Control Systems (3cr) 
  • AEM 5451 – Optimal Estimation (3cr)
  • MATH 4242 – Applied Linear Algebra (4cr)

Students are also required to sign up for both semesters for the AEM department seminar (AEM 8000) and the graduate systems seminar (AEM 8400).  Most graduate researchers will present at least once a year in the 8400 seminar series. This provides an opportunity to improve presentation skills and obtain valuable feedback from other students and professors.

Solid Mechanics and Materials (Aerospace Structures and Advanced Materials)

The solid mechanics and materials concentration focuses on material engineering needs. First-year courses build on the foundational knowledge for solid mechanics and materials, specifically regarding aerospace structures and advanced materials. A typical first-semester schedule would include:

Fall Semester:

  • AEM 8000 – Seminar: Aerospace Engineering and Mechanics (1cr)
  • AEM 8500 – Solid Mechanics and Materials Seminar (1cr)
  • AEM 5401 – Interim Dynamics (3cr)
  • AEM 5501 – Continuum Mechanics (3cr)

Add one of the following courses (if desired):

  • MATH 4242 – Applied Linear Algebra (4cr) 
  • MATH 4603 – Advanced Calculus I (4cr) 
  • MATH 5285H – Honors Fundamental Structures of Algebra I (4cr)

Fluid Mechanics (Experimentalist)

Fluid Mechanics concentration focuses on the theory and application of fluid flows relative to mechanical engineering. First-year courses build on the foundational knowledge for fluid mechanics that incoming students already have. A typical first- semester schedule would include:

Fall Semester:

  • AEM 8000 – Seminar: Aerospace Engineering and Mechanics (1cr)
  • AEM 8201 – Fluids I (3cr)
  • AEM 5253 – Computational Fluids (3cr)

Add one of the following courses (if desired):

  • AEM 8231 – Molecular Gas Dynamics (3cr) 
  • MATH 4242 – Applied Linear Algebra (4cr)
  • MATH 5485 – Introduction to Numerical Methods (4cr) 
  • MATH 5587 – Elementary Partial Differential Equations (4cr)