Student FAQs

For students getting their pilot’s license we provide either Aerosp 290 or Aerosp 390 credit depending on what has been completed. Aerosp 390 can be used as a technical elective whereas Aerosp 290 will be a general elective. Students should email Professor Carlos Cesnik to review their materials and he will decide what credit will be provided.

Aero 341

Aero 481

(rather than 343 and 483)

Aero 343 

Aero 483

(rather than 341 and 481)

Aero 205 or Aero 288 will satisfy the DBTF requirement. 

Also Pete’s Engin 100(section 7) class, but it also requires you take an additional technical elective

Aerosp 288 is equivalent to Aerosp 205 (DBTF requirement)
Aerospace 388 is equivalent to Aerosp 405 (Senior Project requirement)
Aerosp 488 can be used as a technical elective as well as double counted for SUGS
*Everyone still needs to take Aerospace 305

We usually suggest Aero 585.  It’s a 1 credit seminar, counts as tech elective

Unfortunately, Economics is considered a Social Science and cannot be used as a Tech Elective.

Aero 285 no longer exists and was replaced with Aero 200. For those still with audit sheets requesting 285, take Aero 200. For those needing Aero 200 credit on their audit and have taken Aero 285, we will direct that course there.

Yes. We count that credit as tech electives. Each project is worth a different amount of credits and is set by MDP, so be sure to check with MDP regarding how many credits you will earn in your desired project.

The college allows you to pass/fail up to 14 credits in your degree (not including Covid course grades that may have been covered). However, you cannot pass/fail any of your major required courses. This means you will most likely be utilizing pass/fail for your intellectual breadth, which includes the 300 level HU requirement. A course that is denoted as pass/fail will not impact your GPA. In order to receive a passing grade (P), you must earn at least a C- in the course. 

If you use any “covered” grades to count towards SUGS, they must have originally been a B or better grade that was covered. They can remain covered on your transcript but Rackham will confirm what grade you had earned in the course in order to verify whether it can be double-counted or transferred to SUGS.

The add/drop deadline is always 3 weeks from the first day of classes each semester. This deadline denotes the last day you can drop a course without a “W” appearing on your transcript as well as the last day to add a class without additional professor permission. 

It is easier to drop a course than it is to add a course (seats are limited and many faculty members will prevent you from joining if you have not been waitlisted and attending the course). Therefore, we recommend registering for all the courses you are considering taking and dropping courses you no longer want to take within this 3-week period. If you drop a course after the add/drop deadline it is called a late drop and will result in a “W” appearing on your transcript and you will not be reimbursed for the class cost. A late drop requires permission from the instructor and advisor approval. 

*Please note, the add/drop deadline for mini courses is earlier than this date due to the accelerated time frame. Please consult your professor for that date if you think you may want to drop the course.

From the Student Center, click Backpack/Registration, then click the Drop tab. Select the course and click Drop Selected Classes. On the confirmation screen, verify you selected the correct class and click the Finish Dropping button. If you are eligible to submit the Late Drop request form electronically, a Request for Late Drop button displays. Click the button to access the form.

A “W” on your transcript denotes that you started a course and did not complete it. Typically, this will not harm you unless you have multiple as it can show a pattern of over committing and not managing your time well. Keep in mind, a “W’ is often better than failing a class which would harm your GPA. Whereas a “W” does not affect your GPA.

In the event that you have an extenuating circumstance and cannot complete your coursework in the allotted timeframe, you can work with your professor to arrange additional time to finish. This will then be denoted on your transcript as an “i” for incomplete and will remain that way until the coursework is completed. Please note, there is a timeframe in which  the remaining coursework will need to be submitted by.

NC – No Credit
I – Incomplete
W – WithdrawP – Pass
F – Fail
NG – No Grade Reported
T – Transfer Credit

It is not uncommon to face unforeseen or difficult experiences during your studies. Although we often recommend withdrawing from a course rather than failing it and impacting your GPA, these situations do occur. If the failed course is required for your major, you will need to retake it. If it is not required, feel free to take other courses and work to bring your GPA back up.

Academic probation occurs when a student’s grade point average for a term is less than a 2.0. A student in this category will need to meet with their academic advisor to create a plan for improvement. Failure to do so will result in an academic hold on his or her account, preventing enrollment in future terms. Probation is a warning that there is a need to improve scholastic performance or further enrollment may be jeopardized.. Below are the classifications a student can hold:

• Good Standing: 2.00 GPA or better for both the term and the cumulative average.
• Probation: a deficiency of up to 10 MHP for the term or cumulative average.
• Enrollment Withheld: a deficiency of 10 MHP* or above for the term or cumulative average; or the third or greater incidence of probation. Students will have to petition for reinstatement in order to continue taking courses.
• Reinstated on Probation: Students who have been reinstated after being placed on Enrollment Withheld or Mandatory Leave. Enrollment Withheld Continued: Reinstated student who was given two or more semesters to meet conditions. Enrollment Withheld Continued will show on transcript until all conditions have been fulfilled.
• Mandatory Leave: SSC decision requiring a leave from the College of Engineering based upon unsatisfactory academic performance.  Students will have to petition for reinstatement to return after their required leave has been fulfilled.
• Dismissal: SSC decision based upon failure to meet the conditions of reinstatement. Student is no longer eligible to enroll in the College of Engineering or petition the Scholastic Standing Committee for reinstatement.

Selecting courses is often referred to as “backpacking” and allows students to plan out their classes before their official enrollment date. This process typically occurs in late October and early November to select courses for the Winter term and in March and April for the Fall, Spring, and Summer terms.

Most students will be taking a full-time course load (12 credits) as financial aid and scholarships tend to require one to be a full-time student in order to maintain funding. A student can take up to 18 credits in a semester without petitioning to take more credits, but it is most common that students take 14-16 credits each semester.

These courses are upper division (that is 300 level or above) courses from engineering, mathematics, physical science, or other courses approved by an academic advisor  The Advanced Math or Science technical elective is any Natural Science or Math courses at the 300 Level or higher, e.g. from Physics, Chemistry, Material Science, EECS, Stats, etc.

The Intellectual Breadth requirement is composed of 16 credits- 3 credits of a 300 level or higher Humanities course and 13 additional credits of any level Social Science or Humanities course. To search for these courses, please use the Wolverine Access course catalog and look for HU and SS courses.

General Electives allow you to take any course that you are interested in. Your Undergraduate degree is made up of 128 credits and students often need to take additional credits outside of the listed required courses for their major in order to meet the minimum 128 required credits.  Please note that your AP credits and Dual Enrollment credits can count in this area as well.

Everyone’s skills and interests are different, so a course that may be challenging for one person could be easier for another. We recommend discussing the courses with your classmates and assessing your enjoyment/skills in that type of coursework/content. Please be aware of enforced prerequisites as well as advisory prerequisites when selecting courses

Enforced prerequisites will prevent you from registering for a course if you have not taken them. Whereas an advisory prerequisite is a recommended course or concept that will enable you to be more successful in the class.  If you have not taken the courses listed as advisory prerequisites, you will still be able to take the class.

Students are admitted to the University of Michigan’s College of Engineering and will not be able to declare their major until closer to sophomore year with most students declaring in their second semester of sophomore year. Due to this, we encourage all admissions questions to be addressed to the University of Michigan Admissions Office.

A complete list of Aerospace courses can be found at the below link:
https://bulletin.engin.umich.edu/courses/aero/
*Please note, these are all the classes we have taught. This means some classes may not be offered and many are not required. Specific degree requirements will be covered when you declare your major

MSE and PhD applicants must submit an application for admission to the Rackham Graduate School. As part of your application, you will also need to submit the following: 

• Official transcripts for each Bachelor’s, Master’s, Professional, or Doctoral degree earned or in progress (Please note: a minimum of a Bachelor’s degree is required for entry into the MSE and PhD programs. You do not need a Master’s to apply to the PhD program).
• Academic statement of purpose
• Personal statement
• Resume/Curriculum Vitae (C.V.)
• Three letters of recommendation, two of which should be from faculty who can speak to your academic and research experience.
• GRE score (required for MSE applicants, optional for PhD applicants)
• English language proficiency score (for applicants whose native language is not English). More information about acceptable test scores and exemptions can be found on the Rackham Graduate School website.

More information can be found on the Application Process page.

The Sequential Undergraduate/Graduate Studies (SUGS) program allows students to pursue a sequential BSE and MSE degrees in a total of five years (four years of undergraduate coursework and one year of graduate coursework). Through this program, a student can double-count up to nine credits of graduate-level coursework toward both their BSE and MSE. Additionally, students can transfer up to 6 credits of graduate-level coursework from their BSE to their MSE. More information can be found on the Aerospace SUGS page.

To be eligible for the SUGS program, students must be a declared Aerospace Engineering student at the University of Michigan and have a minimum 3.5 GPA by the completion of their undergraduate degree. Students earning dual majors in their undergraduate degree are not eligible. 

You must submit an application for admission to the Rackham Graduate School. Students typically apply at the beginning of the semester prior to their anticipated start date in the SUGS program. As part of your application, you will also need to submit the following: 

• Undergraduate transcript
• Academic statement of purpose
• Personal statement
• Resume/Curriculum Vitae (C.V.)
• Two letters of recommendation, one of which should be from a faculty member who can speak to your academic and research experience.

The SUGS election form allows both the student and the department to track your coursework toward the SUGS program and identify courses you plan to double-count and transfer. If you are applying for the SUGS program, we recommend that you meet with the Aerospace Graduate Program Coordinator to begin your SUGS election form during the semester in which you are applying to SUGS. However, you do not need to submit the SUGS Election Form as part of your admissions application. This form is submitted to Rackham when you are ready to graduate from the MSE program. More information can be found on the Aerospace SUGS page.

Fall Term application deadlines: 

• PhD: December 15
• MSE (including SUGS): January 15

Winter Term application deadlines:

• PhD and MSE (including SUGS): October 7

More information about the application process for the MSE, SUGS, and PhD programs can be found on the Admission Guidelines & Planning page.

Our graduate program is very selective. GPA and GRE scores of admitted students are very high on average, and project experience during the undergraduate years is very common. On average, recently admitted graduate applicants had a combined GRE score of 320 (verbal + quantitative), a minimum analytical writing score of 4.0, and a GPA over 3.6 on a 4.0 scale.

The graduate admissions committee evaluates applications from a holistic perspective, so grades and test scores are certainly not the only factor in admissions decisions. We encourage all interested applicants to apply for admission consideration.

Not automatically. If you apply for the PhD program or SUGS program and are not admissible, but your application is well suited for our MSE program, we may reach out and ask if you would like to be considered for the MSE program instead. If you are interested in both an Aerospace Engineering program and a program in a different department, you will need to complete two separate applications.

Fee waivers are not available for MSE applicants. PhD applicants may apply for a fee waiver by completing this form. Please note that completing this form does not guarantee that a fee waiver will be provided. The department has a limited number of fee waivers to provide, so these waivers are granted on a case-by-case basis. 

The Rackham Graduate School also has some application fee waivers that you can apply for if you meet the eligibility requirements.

As a departmental policy, we do not make offers of financial assistance to Master’s applicants. We encourage all graduate students to search and apply for external funding such as fellowships and scholarships. GSI/GSSA positions are available on a semester-by-semester basis, depending on availability of positions for specific courses. You are also encouraged to explore funding opportunities administered by the Rackham Graduate School. 

The University of Michigan College of Engineering operates under a fully-funded model for all admitted Ph.D. students. This funding commitment is guaranteed, provided the student meets all necessary milestones and fulfills program requirements, as stipulated by their individual faculty advisor and graduate program. A comprehensive funding package includes tuition, fees, University health insurance, and a monthly stipend. More information can be found at Scholarships & Funding – Michigan Engineering.

Typically, it takes 3 semesters to complete the MSE and 4-5 years to complete the PhD, but these timelines can vary. Through the SUGS program, the MSE can be completed in two, full-time semesters.

To graduate from the MSE program, you must complete 30 credits of graduate-level coursework, including: 

• A minimum of five Aerospace Engineering (AEROSP) courses at the 500-level or higher with a grade of B or better.
• A minimum of two approved math courses with a grade of B or better.

You can take a maximum of six credits of directed study (AEROSP 590) and up to three credits of seminars (AEROSP 585) as part of your degree, but these courses do not count toward the five  required Aerospace Engineering courses.

No. If you take an approved math class that happens to be an Aerospace Engineering (AEROSP) course, it can only count toward one curriculum requirement, not both.

No, there is no thesis requirement for students in our Master’s degree programs. Our Master’s degrees are considered coursework-based, professional degrees, so there is no requirement for a thesis, research, or practicum experience. However, students interested in research have the opportunity to participate in AEROSP 590 with a faculty member.

Complete this Aerospace Override form, and you will receive an email notification when your override is granted so you can proceed to enroll.

If you are interested in petitioning a course to count toward the math requirement for the MSE, please email the syllabus and any other available supplemental course materials to Mirko Gamba, the Graduate Program Chair, for review. Please keep in mind that for a course to be eligible as a math course, the course must involve a rigorous and formal treatment of a mathematical topic. This means that it is not about using or applying mathematical tools to a particular application (since all engineering courses do that), but it is to exercise the mathematical methods and rigor. Courses that are not proof-based, with the typical formalism math courses have (definitions, theorems, proof of theorems and relations, mathematical derivation, etc.) are unlikely to be approved.

To audit a class, you must receive approval from the course instructor and determine the instructor’s expectations for involvement (attending class, completing assignments, etc.) to successfully complete the course. Provide written documentation (e.g. an email) of this approval to the Aerospace Graduate Program Coordinator (Gabby Strzalkowski, [email protected]), who will then initiate the audit request with the Office of the Registrar. See section 3.2 of the Rackham Graduate School policy for more information.

The SUGS program requires that you complete all of the typical requirements of both a BSE and MSE in Aerospace Engineering, with the understanding that you can double-count up to 9 credits of graduate coursework toward both degrees. Per Rackham Graduate School policy, you must enroll in graduate coursework only for at least two, full-time semesters to meet the conditions of the SUGS program.

PhDs begin in the program as pre-candidates and must complete 18 credits of coursework, complete four Research Conduct of Search and Scholarship (RCRS) workshops, and pass their preliminary exam in order to advance to candidacy. Once PhDs reach candidacy, PhDs will focus on their doctoral research and will ultimately defend their dissertation before earning their degree. More information about PhD requirements can be found here.

As a pre-candidate, it is recommended that you take 9 credits of coursework for your first two terms (for a total of 18 credits in the first year) so that you will be prepared to complete your preliminary exam and advance to candidacy at the end of your first year.

After advancing to candidacy, PhDs will enroll in AEROSP 995, “Dissertation/Candidate,” for a total of 8 credits. In addition, PhDs can take one additional course each semester without being assessed additional tuition. More information about this policy can be found under the “Candidacy Course Registration” section of the Rackham Graduate School policy page.

Possibly, but as a current MSE student, you will still need to submit an application for admission to the Rackham Graduate School and be admitted to the program. The PhD program is highly competitive, even for current MSE students. If you have worked with a faculty advisor who has demonstrated a commitment to supporting you as a PhD, you can ask them for a letter of support to include as part of your application.