These program criteria apply to engineering programs that include "aerospace," "aeronautical," "astronautical," or similar modifiers in their titles.
1. Curriculum
Aeronautical engineering programs must prepare graduates to have a knowledge of aerodynamics, aerospace materials, structures, propulsion, flight mechanics, and stability and control. Astronautical engineering programs must prepare graduates to have a knowledge of orbital mechanics, space environment, attitude determination and control, telecommunications, space structures, and rocket propulsion. Aerospace engineering programs or other engineering programs combining aeronautical engineering and astronautical engineering, must prepare graduates to have knowledge covering one of the areas -- aeronautical engineering or astronautical engineering as described above -- and, in addition, knowledge of some topics from the area not emphasized. Programs must also prepare graduates to have design competence that includes integration of aeronautical or astronautical topics.
2. Faculty
Program faculty must have responsibility and sufficient authority to define, revise, implement, and achieve program objectives. The program must demonstrate that faculty teaching upper-division courses have an understanding of current professional practice in the aerospace industry.