Academic Mission

To forge a highly capable and competitive workforce through rigorous graduate-level education in systems design and analysis, enabling students to reach their full potential and the needs of industry, government, and academic institutions in a technological world.

Practice-Oriented Master of Science Program

ASDL and the School of Aerospace Engineering offer a three-semester Practice-Oriented Master’s Degree program in Aerospace Systems Design. Students involved in this program have the chance to apply Integrated Product and Process Development (IPPD) methods, technologies, tools, and infrastructures to industry-relevant engineering applications.

Students must complete a total of 33 credit hours to receive a Master of Science in Aerospace Engineering (MSAE). This includes at least 6 credit hours of approved mathematics/Industrial and Systems Engineering courses.

For more information, visit Master of Science Program.

Discovery-Focused Doctor of Philosophy Program

ASDL and the School of Aerospace Engineering offer an integrated, discovery-focused doctoral program in aerospace systems design, through which students have an opportunity to conduct state-of-the-art research in this field at the conceptual and preliminary levels.

The cornerstone of this program is a two-semester sequence of aerospace systems design classes, during which students apply classroom knowledge to a vehicle of current industry interest, ultimately creating a preliminary vehicle design. Students are exposed to all aspects of vehicle analysis and design, including aerodynamics, structures, propulsion, and stability and control. Students can select research applications from three areas of vehicle design: rotorcraft, fixed-wing aircraft, and space launch vehicles.

Students must complete a total of 42 credit hours in order to receive the Doctor of Philosophy degree. This includes at least 9 credit hours of approved mathematics/Industrial and Systems Engineering courses.

After completing the design sequence and passing the doctoral qualifying examination, students select a design-related thesis with the help of their advisors. Doctoral candidates have design and disciplinary advisors to provide both breadth and depth to their research.

For more information, visit Doctor of Philosophy Program.

Grand Challenges

Grand Challenges are part of the ASDL core academic and research methods training. Students work on projects in two categories: System of Systems and Vehicle Design. Grand Challenges provide students with real-world open-ended research problems that requrie a deep understanding of the problem and the underlying theory and assumptions.

For more information, visit Grand Challenges.

Science, Technology, and Engineering Pipeline

The Science, Technology, and Engineering Pipeline (STEP) Program is an educational outreach program designed to provide hands-on engineering internships to Atlanta-area high school students. The program is hosted by the School of Aerospace Engineering and sponsored by Lockheed Martin, the Aerospace Systems Design Laboratory, and the Georgia Space Grant Consortium.

For more information, visit STEP.