Nov 22, 2024  
Rensselaer Catalog 2019-2020 
    
Rensselaer Catalog 2019-2020 [Archived Catalog]

Aeronautical Engineering Curriculum


Baccalaureate Programs

Freshmen or sophomores who have identified aeronautical engineering as their major may follow the baccalaureate program below in lieu of the general core engineering program.  Dual major programs which lead to a single baccalaureate degree embracing two fields are also available and are described in more detail in the MANE Handbook (emailed to you when you declare a major in MANE, and available from the MANE Student Services Office, JEC 2012).

First Year


Fall Semester (17 credits)


  • HASS Elective Credit Hours: 4
    (See footnote 3 below)

Spring Semester (17 credits)


  • HASS Elective Credit Hours: 4
    (See footnote 3 below)

Second Year


Fall Semester (16 credits)


  • SoE 2XXX Engineering Design Elective
    (See footnotes 1, 5, and 6 below)

Spring Semester (17 credits)


  • HASS Elective  Credit Hours: 4
    (See footnote 3 below)

Third Year


The Arch Summer Semester* (16 credits)


*For students who have applied for and been granted an exception, the Arch Summer courses would be taken during the fall or spring semester. For instructions on the exception process go to: http://info.rpi.edu/arch/students/#ExceptionProcess.

Arch students must plan carefully for their preferred capstone design sequence. (See footnote 9 below)

  • HASS Elective Credit Hours: 4
    (See footnote 3 below)

Fall or Spring Semester (16 credits)


  • Free Elective Credit Hours: 4
    (See footnotes 6 and 9 below) 
  • STSS 4100 Professional Development II Credit Hours: 2
    (See footnote 1, 6, and 7 below)

Fourth Year


Fall Semester (16 credits)


  • MANE 4XXX Computation Elective Credit Hours: 3
    (See footnotes 1, 6, and 10 below)
  • MANE 4XXX Flight Mechanics Elective Credit Hours: 4
    (See footnotes 9 and 11 below)
  • Free Elective Credit Hours: 4

Spring Semester (15 credits)


  • Free Elective Credit Hours: 4
  • HASS Elective Credit Hours: 4
    ​(See footnote 3 below) 
  • MANE 4XXX Capstone Design Elective Credit Hours: 3
    (See footnotes 9 and 12 below)
  • MANE 4XXX Aerospace Technical Elective Credit Hours: 3
    (See footnotes 1 and 13 below)

Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences Electives


The HASS Core for engineering students (described under “Schools/School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences”, elsewhere in this catalog) is based on institute and School of Engineering requirements. Students must be certain that they understand these graduation requirements.

Beyond meeting these requirements, MANE students are encouraged (but not required) to:

  • Choose at least one HASS course that further develops their ability to make informed judgements that consider the impacts of engineering solutions in global, economic, environmental, and/or societal contexts; and
  • take HASS courses that will improve their communication skills beyond the one required HASS communication-intensive course.

Students desiring minors in Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences must consult the school or department in which the courses are offered to obtain further information and specific requirements.

Footnotes


  1. These required courses may be taken in any order in the academic year shown (or in a previous year) given the prerequisites are met.

  2. Choice of ENGR 1200 Engineering Graphics and CAD, ENGR 1400 Engineering Communication, or CIVL 1200 Engineering Graphics for Civil Engineers; ENGR 1200 Engineering Graphics and CAD is preferred for Aerospace Engineers.

  3. The five HASS Electives may be taken in any semester; it is recommended to schedule one in each of the first two semesters and at least one in the Arch summer term.

  4. Any 1-credit engineering exploration elective (e.g., “Introduction to [major]”) may be substituted.

  5. Choice of ENGR 2050 Introduction to Engineering Design or MANE 2220 Inventor’s Studio 1; both have ENGR 1010 Professional Development I embedded in them.

  6. These courses may be taken in the Arch Summer semester (if the summer schedule permits).

  7. For a list of courses that satisfy the PD II requirement refer to the link “Professional Development II Courses” on the Registrar’s “Academic Planning” web page. It should be completed before the capstone design course.

  8. These three laboratory courses may be taken any semester in the junior or senior year, provided all prerequisites have been completed.

  9. Aeronautical Engineering students should start planning for their Flight Mechanics/Capstone track prior to the Arch summer.
    • Space Flight Track. Plan to take MANE 4100 Spaceflight Mechanics during junior year fall or spring semester (in place of the free elective). Plan to take MANE 4250 space Vehicle design senior year fall semester, though a limited number of seats will be available in the spring semester of senior year. Spaceflight Mechanics is not a prerequisite for Space Vehicle Design but it is strongly recommended.
    • Fixed-wing track.  Plan to take MANE 4090 Flight Mechanics junior or senior year fall semester.  Plan to take MANE 4230 Air Vehicle Design senior year spring semester.  Flight Mechanics is a prerequisite for Air Vehicle design, though in select cases this may be waived with the instructor’s permission.
    • Rotocraft track. In the junior or senior year plan to take either MANE 4120 Helicopter Aerodynamics and Performance in fall of an even-year or MANE 4130 Multirotor Aerial Vehicles in fall of an odd year.  (interested students may choose to take both, applying the second to the Aerospace Technical elective and/or free Elective credits.)  Plan to take MANE 4210 VTOL Aircraft Design senior year spring semester.  One of either Helicopter Aerodynamics and Performance or Multirotor Aerial Vehicles must be taken as a prerequisite to VTOL Aircraft Design, though in select cases this may be waived with the instructor’s permission.

  10. Choice of MANE 4140 Introduction to Computational Fluid Dynamics (spring only), MANE 4240 Introduction to Finite Elements (fall, spring, and summer), or MANE 4280 Numerical Design Optimization (Fall only).

  11. Choice of MANE 4090 Flight Mechanics, MANE 4100 Spaceflight Mechanics, MANE 4120 Helicopter Aerodynamics and Performance, or MANE 4130 Multirotor Aerial Vehicles.

  12. Choice of MANE 4210 VTOL Aircraft Design, MANE 4230 Air Vehicle Design, or MANE 4250 Space Vehicle Design.

  13. Aerospace Technical Elective
    • The Aerospace Technical Elective is a MANE 4000-level or higher course or research related to Aerospace Engineering that is taken for 3 credits or more.
    • Aerospace Technical Electives may not be taken on a Pass/No Credit basis.

Dual Major Programs


A dual major in Aeronautical Engineering and Mechanical Engineering is available to students who follow a prescribed program that can be completed in eight semesters. General requirements and procedures for dual degrees are described in more detail in the MANE handbook (emailed to students when they declare a major in MANE, and available from the MANE Student Services office, JEC 2012).