Bachelor of Science Degrees
Dr. Wayne Neu - Associate Professor and Interim Assistant Department Head for Academic Affairs
The Aerospace & Ocean Engineering Department is unique in offering Bachelor of Science degrees in both Aerospace Engineering and Ocean Engineering. Both of these Engineering programs are accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, Incorporated. Students in the department may major in either degree program or may choose to combine the programs of study in a double major program with either major as their primary. Students completing 30 credit hours beyond that required for a single degree may earn two separate degrees. The department also offers an Undergraduate Minor in Naval Engineering open to all students in the College of Engineering.
In offering both majors, the department builds on the common interests in both fields related to the design and analysis of vehicles and structures which operate in a fluid. While the earth's atmosphere, its oceans, and the highly rarefied flowfields of space present aircraft, ships, and spacecraft with fluids of very different densities in which they must operate, many of the same basic laws of physics apply to all of them. Aerospace Engineering is in itself a combination of the disciplines of Aeronautical Engineering and Astronautical Engineering and Ocean Engineering at Virginia Tech emphasizes the older fields of Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering.
The department's undergraduate programs of study emphasize aero/hydrodynamics; vehicle structures; vehicle performance, stability & control, propulsion, with instructional material leading to a year-long capstone design experience in the senior year. Design project assignments are developed by industry and government experts as part of international design competitions in which teams of Aerospace and Ocean Engineering students have won numerous awards for their aircraft, spacecraft, and ship designs.
Graduates of the department's two bachelor of science degree programs have been highly successful in the aerospace and ocean fields. About 25% of our graduates continue their studies in graduate school while most of the rest find excellent employment opportunities in the aerospace and related industries and in the shipbuilding, naval engineering and ship design fields. Some also choose to go into related fields such as automotive engineering, structural engineering, environmental engineering, as well as into professions such as law or medicine. The department's long history and reputation for excellence in its graduates have ensured that Aerospace and Ocean Engineering graduates are recruited by industry even in difficult economic times.
Undergraduate Program Objectives
The Aerospace and Ocean Engineering undergraduate programs seek to:
- Prepare students for entry-level positions and graduate study in the fields of aerospace engineering or ocean vehicle engineering.
- Provide students with a strong background in fundamentals, including theoretical, experimental, and computational aspects of science and engineering which will facilitate lifelong learning and the ability to pursue advanced study.
- Provide students with a broad education in the aerospace or ocean vehicle field with coverage of the areas of fluid dynamics, vehicle dynamics and control, propulsion, and structures, including an emphasis on design and synthesis in a team environment.
ABET, Inc., is the recognized accreditor for college and university programs in applied science, computing, engineering, and technology. Among the most respected accreditation organizations in the U.S., ABET has provided leadership and quality assurance in higher education for over 75 years.
111 Market Place, Suite 1050
Baltimore, MD, 21202-4012
Telephone (410) 347-7700