M.S. in Astronautical Engineering

The Master of Science in Astronautical Engineering is designed for those with B.S. degrees in science and engineering who desire to work in the space sector of the aerospace industry, government research and development centers, and laboratories. In some cases the applicant may be required to take 1 or 2 deficiency courses (upper-division undergraduate courses). The decision to require deficiency courses is made by the Astronautics program coordinators.

Most classes for the M.S. are available through the USC Distance Education Network (DEN).

Admission to the M.S. program requires the general portion of the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) and two letters of recommendation.

Answers to frequently-asked questions are found here.

The M.S. degree requires completion of 27 units satisfying the requirements below. At least 21 units must be at the 500 or 600 level.

If the M.S. degree is earned as part of the Progressive Degree Program (PDP), only 21 units are required. All requirements below apply to the PDP degree except for the technical elective requirement.

CORE REQUIREMENT (12 UNITS)		UNITS
ASTE 470	Spacecraft Propulsion	3
ASTE 520	Spacecraft System Design	3
ASTE 535	Spacecraft Environments and Spacecraft Interaction	3
ASTE 580	Orbital Mechanics I	3

CORE ELECTIVE REQUIREMENT (9 UNITS — CHOOSE THREE COURSES)		UNITS
ASTE 501ab	Physical Gas Dynamics	3-3
ASTE 523	Design of Low Cost Space Missions	3
ASTE 527	Space Exploration Architectures Concept Synthesis Studio	3
ASTE 529	Safety of Space Systems and Space Missions	3
ASTE 552	Spacecraft Thermal Control	3
ASTE 553	Systems for Remote Sensing from Space	3
ASTE 554	Spacecraft Sensors	3
ASTE 556	Spacecraft Structural Dynamics	3
ASTE 557	Spacecraft Structural Strength and Materials	3
ASTE 570	Liquid Rocket Propulsion	3
ASTE 572	Advanced Spacecraft Propulsion	3
ASTE 581	Orbital Mechanics II	3
ASTE 583	Space Navigation: Principles and Practice	3
ASTE 584	Spacecraft Power Systems	3
ASTE 585	Spacecraft Attitude Control	3
ASTE 586	Spacecraft Attitude Dynamics	3

TECHNICAL ELECTIVE REQUIREMENT (6 UNITS)
Two 3-unit courses. Students are advised to select these two elective courses from the list of core electives or from other courses in astronautical engineering or from other science and engineering graduate courses, as approved by a faculty advisor. No more than 3 units of directed research (ASTE 590) can he applied to the 27-unit requirement. New courses on emerging space technologies are often offered; consult the current semester's course offerings, particularly for ASTE 599, Special Topics.

The 6 units of technical electives are not required if the degree is earned under the Progressive Degree Program.

 

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Areas of Concentration

Students choose core elective and technical elective courses that best meet their educational objectives. Students can also concentrate their studies in the desired areas by selecting corresponding core elective courses. Presently, the ASTE faculty suggest the following areas of concentration:

Spacecraft Propulsion
Choose two core electives from

ASTE 501ab	Physical Gas Dynamics	3-3
ASTE 570	Liquid Rocket Propulsion	3
ASTE 572	Advanced Spacecraft Propulsion	3
ASTE 584	Spacecraft Power Systems	3

Spacecraft Dynamics
Choose two core electives from

ASTE 556	Spacecraft Structural Dynamics	3
ASTE 557	Spacecraft Structural Strength and Materials	3
ASTE 581	Orbital Mechanics II	3
ASTE 583	Space Navigation: Principles and Practice	3
ASTE 585	Spacecraft Attitude Control	3
ASTE 586	Spacecraft Attitude Dynamics	3

Space Systems Design
Choose two core electives from

ASTE 523	Design of Low Cost Space Missions	3
ASTE 527	Space Exploration Architectures Concept Synthesis Studio	3
ASTE 529	Safety of Space Systems and Space Missions	3
ASTE 557	Spacecraft Structural Strength and Materials	3

(SAE 549, Space System Architecting, is also suggested as a technical elective for this area of concentration.)

Spacecraft Systems
Choose two core electives from

ASTE 552	Spacecraft Thermal Control	3
ASTE 553	Systems for Remote Sensing from Space	3
ASTE 554	Spacecraft Sensors	3
ASTE 584	Spacecraft Power Systems	3

Space Applications
Choose two core electives from

ASTE 527	Space Exploration Architectures Concept Synthesis Studio	3
ASTE 553	Systems for Remote Sensing from Space	3
ASTE 554	Spacecraft Sensors	3