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WVU Institute of Technology Catalog

Aerospace Engineering, B.S.A.E.

  • Overview
  • Major

Degree Offered

  • Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering

Nature of the Program

West Virginia University Institute of Technology (WVU Tech) and West Virginia University (WVU) have joined their resources to offer a 2+2 aerospace program, (two years at Beckley and two years at Morgantown), leading to a Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering degree. Under this arrangement, a student interested in a BSAE degree from WVU, can start as a freshman at WVU Tech in Mechanical Engineering, complete the appropriate courses in four semesters with a GPA of at least 2.0 at Beckley and transfer to the Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (MAE) Department at Morgantown. Upon completion of the appropriate curriculum requirements during the following four semesters at Morgantown, he/she will receive a BSAE degree from WVU.

Air travel has fascinated humans for a long time. Recent technical advances in aerospace travel, space exploration, and flight of manned and unmanned vehicles have been phenomenal and continue to gain in significance. Aerospace engineering deals with the science and technology of airborne and space vehicles such as airplanes, rockets, missiles and spacecraft. Aerospace technology has also been successfully adopted to improve the performance of many earth-bound vehicles such as hydrofoil ships, high-speed trains and automobiles.

The Aerospace Engineering program at WVU is designed to prepare the student for a career in the aerospace industry or in government research and development centers and laboratories, as well as in military mission-oriented agencies. The undergraduate curriculum also allows the student to prepare for graduate studies in aerospace engineering and in other engineering, as well as non-engineering fields.

The Aerospace curriculum includes studies in the disciplines encountered in the design of aerospace vehicles, missiles, rockets and spacecraft. The undergraduate curriculum includes extensive study of the basic principles of fluid dynamics, solid mechanics and structures, stability and control, thermal sciences and propulsion.

The student is involved in both theoretical and experimental studies, and is trained to integrate basic knowledge of physical and engineering sciences with practical engineering design. With the breadth and depth of education in aerospace engineering, the student becomes a versatile engineer, competent to work in many areas. The curriculum may serve as a terminal program by incorporating design oriented courses for technical electives, or it may be used as a preparatory program for advanced study by the selection of science oriented courses.

Students can also simultaneously pursue B.S. degrees in both aerospace engineering and mechanical engineering by completing additional courses. Information on this 158 credit hour option can be obtained from the Mechanical/Aerospace Engineering Department at WVU.

The student should refer to the University catalog and relevant WVU publications for additional information on the graduation requirements.

General Education Foundations

Please use this link to view a list of courses that meet each GEF requirement.

NOTE: Some major requirements will fulfill specific GEF requirements. Please see the curriculum requirements listed below for details on which GEFs you will need to select.

Course List
Code Title Hours
General Education Foundations
F1 - Composition & Rhetoric3-6
ENGL 101
& ENGL 102
Introduction to Composition and Rhetoric
and Composition, Rhetoric, and Research
or ENGL 103
Accelerated Academic Writing
F2A/F2B - Science & Technology4-6
F3 - Math & Quantitative Reasoning3-4
F4 - Society & Connections3
F5 - Human Inquiry & the Past3
F6 - The Arts & Creativity3
F7 - Global Studies & Diversity3
F8 - Focus (may be satisfied by completion of a minor, double major, or dual degree)9
Total Hours31-37

Please note that not all of the GEF courses are offered at all campuses. Students should consult with their advisor or academic department regarding the GEF course offerings available at their campus.

Curriculum Requirements

Course List
Code Title Hours
A minimum 2.0 GPA is required in all MAE courses.
WVUE 191First Year Seminar1
GEF Elective Requirements (5, 6 and 7)9
ENGL 101
& ENGL 102
Introduction to Composition and Rhetoric
and Composition, Rhetoric, and Research (GEF 1)
6
MATH 155Calculus 1 (GEF 3; Minimum grade of C-)4
MATH 156Calculus 2 (GEF 8; Minimum grade of C-)4
MATH 251Multivariable Calculus (Minimum grade of C-)4
MATH 261Elementary Differential Equations (Minimum grade of C-)4
ENGR 111Software Tools for Engineers3
PHYS 111
& 111L
General Physics 1
and General Physics 1 Laboratory (GEF 2; Minimum grade of C-)
4
PHYS 112
& 112L
General Physics 2
and General Physics 2 Laboratory
4
DRET 120Drafting 12
CHEM 115
& 115L
Fundamentals of Chemistry 1
and Fundamentals of Chemistry 1 Laboratory (GEF 8)
4
ECON 201Principles of Microeconomics (GEF 4)3
ECON 202Principles of Macroeconomics (GEF 8)3
MAE 241Statics3
MAE 242Dynamics3
MAE 243Mechanics of Materials3
MAE 320Thermodynamics3
EE 221
& 221L
Introduction to Electrical Engineering
and Introduction to Electrical Engineering Laboratory
4
MAE 215Introduction to Aerospace Engineering3
MAE 244LDynamics and Strength Laboratory1
MAE 316Analysis of Engineering Systems3
MAE 331Fluid Mechanics3
MAE 335Incompressible Aerodynamics3
MAE 336Compressible Aerodynamics3
MAE 343Intermediate Mechanics of Materials3
MAE 345Aerospace Structures3
MAE 365Flight Dynamics3
MAE 423Heat Transfer3
MAE 426Flight Vehicle Propulsion3
MAE 434Experimental Aerodynamics2
MAE 456
& 456L
Computer-Aided Design and Finite Element Analysis
and Computer-Aided Design and Finite Element Analysis Laboratory
3
MAE 460Automatic Controls3
MAE 475SAircraft Design 13
MAE 476Space Flight and Systems3
Technical Electives6
Total Hours122

Suggested Plan of Study

First Year
FallHoursSpringHours
Beckley Beckley 
ENGL 101 (GEF 1)3ENGL 102 (GEF 1)3
MATH 155 (GEF 3)4MATH 156 (GEF 8)4
CHEM 115
& 115L (GEF 8)
4ENGR 1113
DRET 1202MAE 2413
WVUE 1911GEF 53
 14 16
Second Year
FallHoursSpringHours
Beckley Beckley 
MATH 2514ECON 201 (GEF 4)3
PHYS 111 (GEF 2)4MATH 2614
MAE 2423PHYS 112 (GEF 2)4
MAE 2433MAE 3203
GEF 63MAE 3313
 17 17
Third Year
FallHoursSpringHours
Morgantown Morgantown 
ECON 202 (GEF 8)3MAE 244L1
MAE 2153MAE 3363
MAE 3163MAE 3453
MAE 3363MAE 3653
MAE 3433EE 221
& 221L
4
 15 14
Fourth Year
FallHoursSpringHours
Morgantown Morgantown 
MAE 4263MAE 4233
MAE 4342MAE 4603
MAE 456
& 456L
3MAE 475S3
MAE 4763Technical Elective3
Technical Elective3GEF 73
 14 15
Total credit hours: 122
  • Aerospace Engineering
  • Chemical Engineering
  • Civil Engineering
  • Computer Engineering
  • Computer Science
  • Construction Management
  • Electrical Engineering
  • Information Systems
  • Mechanical Engineering

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