Aerospace Engineering focuses on the science, design, manufacturing, and operation of aircraft, spacecraft, and robotic systems. This field is crucial for space exploration, satellite communications, rocketry, and increasingly, for innovative applications like urban air mobility and wind turbines for sustainable energy. This program offers a comprehensive and multidisciplinary curriculum with a strong emphasis on theoretical foundations, covering aerodynamics, dynamics and control systems, structures and materials, and propulsion. It prepares students for impactful roles in leading aerospace companies and research institutions globally. Students benefit from instruction by professors at the University of Toronto Institute for Aerospace Studies (UTIAS), a renowned hub for aerospace research in Canada. This provides access to cutting-edge facilities, industry partnerships, and opportunities for design experience.
The Aerospace Engineering program at Virginia Tech provides a comprehensive education in the core areas of aerodynamics, flight dynamics and controls, propulsion, and aerospace structures. The curriculum is designed to equip students with the analytical and design skills necessary for a career in this dynamic field. The program culminates in a senior-level design sequence, where students undertake the analysis and design of aircraft, spacecraft, and related technologies. This capstone experience is nationally recognized and prepares graduates for real-world engineering challenges. This program shares significant course requirements with the Ocean Engineering major, offering students the option for a double major in both disciplines if they wish to combine expertise in these related fields.