B.S./M.S. in Aerospace Engineering

Program of Study

Degree Type

Bachelor's/Master's

The combined B.S./M.S. program in Aerospace Engineering is available for undergraduate students currently enrolled at WPI and can typically be completed in approximately five years of study. When applying to this program, students must indicate whether they intend to pursue the thesis or non-thesis option. Both options require the completion of 30 graduate credit hours, with a maximum of 8 graduate credits to be double counted toward both the undergraduate and graduate degrees. Double counted graduate credits must be in courses, including graduate-level independent study and special topics. A maximum of 4 out of the 8 credits can be double-counted in 4000-level courses from Engineering, Basic Science or Mathematics. A grade of B or better is required for any course to be double counted toward both degrees.

Students in the thesis option must complete 8 credits of AE 5099 M.S. Thesis, whereas students in the non-thesis option may complete up to 8 credits of AE research, of which up to 3 may be in AE 5900 Graduate Internship Experience and the remaining in AE 5098 Directed Research. Students in the B.S./M.S. program must complete 6 graduate credits in coursework prior to registering for AE 5099 M.S. Thesis or for AE 5098 Directed Research, and they must be in senior standing (by credits earned) or be in graduate standing in the M.S. Degree. Petitions to transfer from/to the non-thesis to/from the thesis option will be considered by the graduate committee. The M.S. degree requires the completion of 30 graduate credit hours. View requirements for M.S. thesis and non-thesis options.

Students enrolled in a BS/MS degree program must complete the Bachelor's and Master's Degree Course Designation Form and have the form signed by the department Graduate Coordinator or Department Head. The form can be found on the registrar's website.

Students intending to graduate with a BS/MS degree at the same time should complete the Bachelor's and Master's Degree Course Designation Form to the registrar's office in the same semester they intend to graduate. Otherwise, the form should be submitted during the first semester after a student completes their Bachelor's Degree.

Academic Advising

The academic advising schedule ensures that students receive proper guidance throughout their program. Upon admission to the BS/M.S. non-thesis option, the academic advisor for the student during their BS degree will continue in that role. If the student’s undergraduate degree is not in Aerospace Engineering (AE), the Chair of the AE Graduate Committee will act as the student's Temporary Advisor.

For BS/MS students in the thesis option, they must select a thesis advisor from the Aerospace Engineering faculty before registering for AE 5099 M.S. Thesis. The thesis advisor also serves as the student’s academic advisor.