When applying to the Master of Science in Aerospace Engineering degree, students must specify their intention to pursue either the thesis or the non-thesis option. Both options require the completion of 30 graduate credit hours. Petitions to transfer from/to the non-thesis to/from the thesis option will be considered by the graduate committee.
M.S. Thesis Option – 30 graduate credits
The Master of Science degree with thesis option requires the completion of 30 graduate credit hours and is suitable for students interested in research with a focus in a specific area. The thesis option requires a minimum of 8 graduate credit hours in AE 5099 MS Thesis. Students in the thesis option must complete 6 graduate credits in coursework prior to registering for AE 5099 M.S. Thesis.
Each student pursuing the thesis option must defend their research in an oral defense conducted by a thesis committee. This committee must include at least the thesis advisor(s) and a representative from the AE Graduate Committee. The defense is open to the public and consists of a 30-minute presentation by the student, followed by a 30-minute open discussion. Thesis committee members must receive a copy of the thesis at least one week before the defense. The AE Department Office is responsible for publicizing the defense. The thesis committee will assess the acceptability of the student’s thesis, while the thesis advisor will determine the student’s grade. Thesis submission must adhere to WPI’s guidelines.
| Item | Credits |
|---|---|
| AE graduate courses with a minimum of 2 graduate credits in each of the five AE curricular areas (Fluid Dynamics, Propulsion and Energy, Flight Dynamics and Control, Materials and Structures, and Computational Engineering) | 12 |
| AE 5099 M.S. Thesis | Min 8 |
| MA 501, MA 511 or any other graduate applied mathematics course outside AE with prior approval by the AE graduate committee | 3 |
| Elective graduate courses inside or outside AE. Up to 3 credits may be in AE 5900 Graduate Internship Experience. | 7 |
| 4 terms of AE 5032 Aerospace Engineering Seminar | 0 |
Academic Advising
The academic advising schedule is designed to ensure that students receive proper guidance throughout their program. Upon being admitted to the M.S. program, each student is assigned or can choose a temporary advisor who will help create an academic plan for the first 8 credits before the first registration. Additionally, students must select a thesis advisor from the Aerospace Engineering Department faculty before they can register for AE 5099. The thesis advisor also acts as the student's academic advisor.
M.S. Non-Thesis Option – 30 graduate credits
The Master of Science degree with non-thesis option requires the completion of 30 graduate credit hours. The non-thesis option provides the option for a maximum of 8 graduate credit hours in AE 5098 Directed Research. Students in the M.S. Non-Thesis Option must complete 6 graduate credits in coursework prior to registering for Directed Research (AE 5098). Students in the M.S. Non-Thesis Option electing to take AE 5098 Directed Research must complete a minimum of 2 credits in AE 5098
Directed Research with the same instructor from within the AE department. The credit requirements are distributed as follows:
| Item | Credits |
|---|---|
| AE graduate courses with a minimum of 2 graduate credits in each of the five AE curricular areas (Fluid Dynamics, Propulsion and Energy, Flight Dynamics and Control, Materials and Structures, and Computational Engineering) | 12 |
| AE graduate courses and/or AE 5098 Directed Research. Up to 3 credits may be in AE 5900 Graduate Internship Experience | 8 |
| MA 501, MA 511 or any other graduate applied mathematics course outside AE with prior approval by the AE graduate committee | 3 |
| Elective graduate courses inside or outside AE | 7 |
| 4 terms of AE 5032 Aerospace Engineering Seminar | 0 |
Academic Advising
The academic advising schedule is designed to ensure that students receive proper guidance throughout their program. Upon being admitted to the M.S. program, each student is assigned or can choose a temporary advisor who will help create an academic plan for the first 8 credits before the first registration. Additionally, students must select an academic advisor from the AE Department faculty before they can register for AE 5098 Directed Research or AE 5900 Graduate Internship Experience.