Listed below are detailed descriptions of the graduate courses. These listings include the prerequisites, current textbooks, course topics, and faculty coordinator. Some graduate courses listed are not offered every year. Students should check in the AE Department Office to find out which courses are available for each semester. If students have any questions concerning a particular course they should talk to their advisor or the course coordinator.
| 100-299 | Courses designed for freshman and sophomores. |
| 300-499 | Courses designed for juniors and seniors. |
| 500-699 | Courses designed primarily for juniors and seniors, but can also be taken by graduate students who have fewer than 30 hours of graduate credit. |
| 700-799 | Courses designed primarily for graduate students who have fewer than 30 hours of graduate credit, but can also be taken by undergraduates. |
| 800-900 | Courses designed primarily for graduate students who have fewer than 30 hours of graduate credit. |
| _0_ | Structures, Structural Dynamics, and Materials |
| _1_ | Advanced Mathematics |
| _2_ | Design |
| _3_ | Instrumentation and Testing |
| _4_ | Fluid Mechanics and Aerodynamics |
| _5_ | Dynamics and Control |
| _6_ | Astronautics |
| _7_ | Propulsion |
| _8_ | |
| _9_ | Projects & Thesis |
AE 701 Structural Design (3)
This course covers design and internal construction of major structural components: wing fuselage, empennage, landing gear, and engine pylons. Layout of major structures and system interfaces, internal geometry, material alternates, manufacturing alternates and design constraints are also presented. Also included are certification and proof of design requirements.
AE 704 Dynamics and Vibrations (3)
This course presents problems in engineering dynamics and vibrations. Topics include applications of generalized forces and coordinates, and lagrange equations and a study of the performance of single and multiple degree of freedom in vibrational systems. (Same as CE 704.)
Prerequisite: AE 508
Coordinator: Staff
Topics: 1) Free vibration of single degree of freedom system, 2) Forced vibration of single degree of freedom system and harmonic loading, 3) Impact loading of single degree of freedom systems, 4) Fourier analysis of single degree of freedom system, 5) Free vibration of multiple degree of freedom system, 6) Forced vibration of multi-degree of freedom system, 7) Eigenvalue analysis of vibration problem, 8) Modal analysis and uncoupling technique, 9) Lagrangeequations of motion, 10) Stiffness and flexibility formulation of differential equations of motion, and 11) Quiz.
AE 705 Structural Vibrations and Modal Testing (4)
This course presents classical theory of structural vibrations; single and multiple degree of freedom free and forced vibration; theory of modal summation; measurement techniques for dynamic data, and methods of identifying modal parameters from measurement data. This course includes numerous laboratory and computational projects.
Prerequisite: AE 508
Coordinator: Dr. Mark Ewing
Topics: 1) Free vibration, 2) Harmonic excitation, 3) Transient excitation, 4) Multiple degree of freedom systems, 5) Continuous systems, 6) Modal summation theory, 7) Dynamic finite elements, 8) Dynamic measurement techniques, 9) Modal model parameter estimation, and 10) Modal testing laboratories.
AE 707 Aerospace Structural Loads(3)
This course discusses steady state spanwise and chordwise airloads, windshears, gusts, landing gear loads, bird strike, traumatic loads, and special commercial and military load requirements.
Prerequisite: AE 507, AE 545
Coordinator: Staff
Topics: 1) Structural Specifications, 2) Mass Properties, 3) Ground Loads, 4) Air Loads, 5) Self-equilibrating Loads, 6) Paneling, 7) Load Factor Distribution, 8) Trauma, 9) Special Loads, 10) Emergency Landing, and 11) Introduction to Dynamic Loads.
AE 708 Aerospace Structures III (3)
This course presents modern methods in aircraft structural analysis, and computer solutions of linear problems of elastic structures. Also discussed are orthotopic panels, effects of buckling non-linearity, and structural optimization.
Prerequisite: AE 508
Coordinator: Staff
Topics: 1) Loads, 2) Trauma, 3) Structural analysis, 4) Thermal stress, 5) Repeated loads, 6) Static stability, and 7) Coupled static failure.
AE 709 Structural Composites (3)
This course presents fiber materials, tapes, cloths, and resin systems; general anisotropic theory, elastic constants, and stiffness matrix formulation; computer analysis, strength, and theory of failure, and provides an introduction to design with composites, preliminary design, and manufacturing.
Prerequisite: C&PE 184, AE 508 or CE 761 and AE 510 or ME 600 or CE 710
Coordinator: Dr. Richard Hale
Topics: 1) Material Behavior and Selection, 2) Manufacturing Processes, 3) Lamina Micromechanics, 4) Lamina Macromechanics, 5) Design, and 6) Advanced Topics
712 Techniques of Engineering Evaluation (3)
This course discusses the formulation of problems arising in aerodynamics, heat transfer, stress analysis, thermodynamics and vibrations. Also discussed is the expression of these problems in a form amenable to quantitative evaluation by dimensional reasoning, analog techniques, relaxation methods and classical analysis.
AE 721 Aircraft Design Laboratory I(4)
This course provides Aerospace Engineering students with an opportunity to gain more in-depth airplane design education through team design work involving detailed design efforts in such areas as: landing gear design, systems design, propulsion system integration, structures design and aerodynamic design.
AE 722 Aircraft Design Laboratory II (4)
This course provides Aerospace Engineering students with an opportunity to gain more in-depth airplane design education through team design work involving detailed design efforts in such areas as: landing gear design, systems design, propulsion system integration, structures design and aerodynamic design.
AE 724 Propulsion System Design and Integration (3)
Theory and design of propulsion systems for both low and high speed aircraft and their integration into the overall configuration are presented. Internal and external design and analysis of inlets and nozzles including their effect on the external aerodynamics of the aircraft, as well as engine/inlet compatibility and the problems of matching both steady state and dynamic characteristics to obtain peak, stable performance are also discussed.
AE 725 Numerical Optimization & Structural Design (3)
This course presents classical theories of unconstrained and constrained optimization. Numerical techniques for unconstrained optimization, including the steepest descent, conjugate gradient and �Newton s� methods are discussed. Also presented are numerical techniques for constrained optimization, including sequential approximate problem techniques as well as the method of feasible directions. Computer aided solutions to practical design problems in Aerospace Engineering are also presented. Includes a final design project.
AE 730 Advanced Experimental Fluid Dynamics (3)
This course includes theory, operation and hands-on laboratory experiments on various flow measurement techniques including: multi-hole directional pitot probes, hot-wire anemometry, laser-Doppler velocimetry and particle image velocimetry. Flow visualization techniques including smoke injection, dye injection, helium bubbles, etc. are presented.
AE 731 Supersonic Aerodynamics Laboratory (1)
Supersonic wind tunnel and shock tube operations, techniques, and instrumentation are presented, as well as flow study and model testing.
AE 732 Flight Test Principles and Practice (3)
This course presents aerodynamic, structural and/or power plant instrumentation and measurement of aircraft in flight for analytical evaluation.
AE 743 Compressible Aerodynamics (3)
This course presents advanced supersonic flow theory for aircraft and space vehicles. Naiver-Stokes equations, method of characteristics, separated flows, and real gas effects are also presented.
AE 745 Applied Wing and Airfoil Theory (3)
Applications of potential flow theory to aerodynamics of airfoil sections, wings and wing-body combinations are presented. This course also provides an introduction to high angle-of-attack and transonic aerodynamics.
AE 746 Computational Fluid Dynamics (3)
This course presents applications of numerical techniques and digital computers in solving fluid flow problems. Solutions involving incompressible and compressible flows, and inviscid and viscous flows are also discussed. Also included are finite difference techniques for different types of partial differential equations governing the fluid flow.
AE 748 Helicopter Aerodynamics (3)
Included in this course are helicopter components and their functioning; rotor aerodynamics, performance, stability and control; aeroelastic and vibrations.
AE 750 Applied Optimal Control (3)
This course provides an introduction to optimal control for multi-input/multi-output control system design. Also discussed are continuous regulator and non-zero set point (servo) problems; advanced controller structures including control rate weighing and proportional-integral form, and problems taken from aerospace applications including autopilot designs.
AE 751 Advanced Airplane Dynamics (2)
This course presents theory of elastic airplane stability and control using quasi-steady math models. This course further provides an introduction to theory of nonlinear airplane stability and response behavior. Also included are roll and pitch coupling phenomena, and Lyapunov stability and approximate inverse Laplace transform methodology. Airplane response to atmospheric turbulence using power spectral density methods and Lagrangean dynamics are also presented. Prerequisite: AE 551
Coordinator: Dr. Richard Colgren
Topics: 1) Aerodynamic influence coefficients, 2) Structural influence coefficients, 3) Matrix solutions to elastic airplane stability and control derivatives, 4) Examples of nonlinear airplane responses, 5) Pitch and roll coupling, 6) Lyapunov stability theory, 7) Approximate inverse Laplace transforms applied to nonlinear differential equations, 8) Modeling of atmospheric turbulence, 9) Power spectral density, 10) Response of airplanes to turbulence, and 11) Lagrangean dynamics.
AE 753 Digital Flight Controls (3)
Introduction to the analysis and design of digital flight control systems including a review of continuous linear control theory, typical flight control structures, effects of digital implementation, mathematical model of a digital computer, Z-transforms, Z-plane analysis of digital systems, and direct digital design in the Z-plane.
AE 754 Missile Dynamics (3)
This course includes design of missile configurations; general equations of motion; aerodynamics of missiles in subsonic through hypersonic flight regimes; theory of missile trajectory; linear and nonlinear theories of missile flight dynamics; introduction to guidance and control; launching problems, and free flight dispersions. Prerequisite: AE 551 Coordinator: Dr. C. Edward Lan Topics: 1) Missile aerodynamics, 2) Missile trajectories, 3) Simple angular motion and applications, 4) Linear theory of missile flight dynamics, 5) Special topics in missile dynamics, and 6) Guidance techniques and control of guided missiles.
AE 755 Robust Control of Nonlinear System (3). Basics and application of robust control, where the dynamic systems modeling is nonlinear. This course develops the fundamentals of robust control (uncertainty, disturbances, noise, singular values, sensitivity function, norms), the tools for robust control (small gain theory, Lyapunov theory, stability theory, loop shaping), basics of nonlinear systems (concepts of nonlinearities, phase-plane, nonlinear models, nonlinear elements, nonlinear behavior, nonlinear controls), rudiments of robust nonlinear control (nonlinear uncertain systems, describing functions, dynamic inversion), including applications of the covered theory and methods. Prerequisite: MATH 290 and AE 551. LEC
AE 760 Spacecraft Systems (3)
Fundamentals of spacecraft systems and subsystems. Spacecraft systems engineering, space environment; basic astrodynamics; and the following spacecraft subsystems; attitude determination and control; electrical power; thermal; propulsion; structures and mechanisms; command, telemetry, and data handling; and communications. Prerequisite: AE 507, EECS 319, MATH 124, and ME 312 or equivalents.
Topics: 1) Spaceflight History 2) Spacecraft Systems Engineering 3) Space Environment 4) Basic Astrodynamics 5) Spacecraft Propulsion 6) Spacecraft Attitude Determination and Control 7) Spacecraft Electrical Power 8) Spacecraft Thermal Control 9) Spacecraft Configuration, Structure, and Mechanisms 10) Spacecraft Communications 11) Spacecraft Command, Telemetry & Data Handling 12) Spacecraft Reliability and Quality Assurance
AE 761 Modeling of Flexible Structures (3)
This course discusses the generation of structural models for dynamics and control analysis using continuum and discrete modeling techniques. Model reduction methods to enhance computational efficiency of response calculations and to facilitate control system design are presented, as well as formation of system models from component models, and validation of analytical models.
AE 762 Dynamics and Control of Flexible Space Structures (3)
Influence of flexibility on dynamics and control of space structures are discussed, as well as plant model generation and mode selection for control system design, and flexible structure control design using classical and modern control theories.
AE 765 Orbital Mechanics (3)
This course discusses the motion of space vehicles under the influence of gravitational forces, as well as two body trajectories, orbit determination, orbital transfer, universal variables, and mission planning using patched conics. Transfer orbits are also discussed. Prerequisite: AE 250, and CE 301 or equivalents.
AE 766 Spacecraft Attitude Control (3)
Dynamics of rigid spacecraft; attitude control devices including momentum exchange, mass movement, gravity gradient and reactor rockets, and design of feedback control systems for linear and bang-bang control devices are presented.
AE 771 Rocket Propulsion (3)
This course presents basic elements of rocket propulsion: systems, propellants and performance.
AE 772 Fluid Mechanics of Turbomachinery (3)
Fundamentals of two and three-dimensional flows in turbo machinery are presented. Also included are the study of secondary flows and losses; flow instabilities in axial flow compressors (stall and surge); aerodynamic design of a multistage axial flow compressor; noise associated with a transonic axial flow compressor; turbine blade cooling; calculation of stresses and blade life estimation in axial flow turbines, and fundamentals of radial flow turbomachinery.
AE 790 Special Problems in Aerospace Engineering (1-5)
This course offers directed studies of advanced problems in Aerospace Engineering.
AE 803 Aeroelasticity (3)
This course provides an introduction to self-excited vibrations, wing flutter, panel flutter, unsteady aerodynamics, and launch vehicle structural vibrations.
AE 822 Advanced Aircraft Design II (3)
This course includes design of flight control systems, fuel systems, hydraulic systems and electrical systems, as well as weapon system integration problems, and design for low radar cross sections. The kinematics of landing gear retraction systems are also discussed.
AE 840 Aerodynamics of Viscous Fluids (3)
Presented are concepts of boundary layer equations of viscous fluids; various transformations for compressible boundary layer equations; approximate and exact finite-difference solutions, including effects of suction and blowing; transitions; turbulent flow and solutions of turbulent boundary layer equations, and applications in aeronautics.
AE 845 Advanced Computational Aerodynamics (3)
Application of potential flow, Euler and Navier-Stokes solvers to transonic and vortex-flow aerodynamics; concept of rotated finite difference scheme; convergence acceleration and multi-grid techniques; method of flux vector splitting, upward differencing, and approximate factorization, and Turbulence modeling are presented in this course.
AE 850 Advanced Control Seminar (2)
This course is an extension of AE 750 and covers digital optimal control, optimal estimation and advanced control topics. This course is a combination of lecture, seminar and project format, with review of current journal articles, and development of analysis and design computer programs.
AE 890 M.E. Internship (1-6)
AE 892 Special Problems in Aerospace Engineering (1-8)AE 895 M.S. Thesis (1-10)
AE 896 M.E. Project (3-6)
AE 941 Hypersonic Aerodynamics I (3)
The gasdynamics of aerospace vehicles operating in the speed range above Mach 5 are discussed. Also presented in this course is rarified and dissociated gas flows, and magnetogasdynamic and heat transfer problems.
AE 990 D.E. Internship (1-12)
AE 996 Ph.D. Dissertation (1-15)
AE 997 D.E. Project (3-15)
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