Master’s program · Rossin College of Engineering
Master of Science in Aerospace and Space Systems Engineering
The MS in Aerospace and Space Systems Engineering at Lehigh University prepares engineers to design, analyze and operate aerospace vehicles and space systems.
- Credits30
- Typical length1.5–2 years
- DeliveryOn campus, hybrid or fully online
- Degree awardedMaster of Science
- GRENeither accepted nor reviewed
Overview
What the Master of Science in Aerospace and Space Systems Engineering is
Aerospace problems cross the boundaries of any single field: a launch vehicle or a satellite depends on flight physics, propulsion, structures, controls and project discipline working together. This program is built for people who want to join that conversation, whether they are starting an aerospace career or moving toward it from another technical background.
Strong collaboration with electrical and computer engineering, industrial systems engineering, materials science and engineering, physics, and earth and environmental sciences means your electives can reach well beyond one department. Students apply directly to the program, which is administered in the Rossin College.
A 30-credit degree, typically 1.5–2 years of full-time study, delivered on campus, hybrid or fully online.
Disciplines
An interdisciplinary program
This degree is not owned by a single department. It draws faculty and coursework from 8 departments across the Rossin College.
- Department of Bioengineering
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
- Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and Mechanics
Curriculum
What you study
The degree requires 30 graduate credits, organized as a 9-credit core, a 9-credit depth requirement in one concentration area, and 12 credits of breadth courses taken outside that area.
- Core, 9 credits. Everyone takes Introduction to Modern Aerospace Engineering (AESE 401), then chooses two more from Advanced Astrodynamics, Space Propulsion Systems, Guidance, Navigation and Control, Data Fusion and State Estimation, Hypersonic Flows, and Advanced Aerodynamics (MECH 426).
- Depth, 9 credits. Choose one concentration area and take three courses from it. The area may be aligned with your parent discipline. Courses may be at the 300 and 400 level, with only one at the 300 level, and cannot include AESE 460 (Project) or AESE 490 (Thesis).
- Breadth, 12 credits. Four courses at the 300 and 400 level chosen from outside your depth concentration. You can mix and match across the other concentration areas and the discipline elective lists, but not from the area you used for depth.
- Elective fields. Elective lists cover electrical engineering, industrial systems engineering, materials science and engineering, mechanical engineering and mechanics, physics, earth and environmental sciences, and project management.
- Credit rules. Not less than 24 credits must be 300- and 400-level coursework, at least 18 of them at the 400 level. Not less than 18 credits must be in the Aerospace and Space Systems Engineering program, with at least 15 at the 400 level. The remaining twelve credits can also be in the program or in another engineering field, with your advisor’s approval.
- Grades. You need a B- or better in at least eighteen credits of your program and in all 300-level courses. No course graded below C- counts toward the degree, and more than four grades below B- in courses numbered 200 or higher makes a student ineligible for the master’s degree.
- Plan of study. Submit the Program for Master’s Degree form as soon as possible after earning 15 credits, and no later than the semester before you graduate.
| Code | Course | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| AESE 401 | Introduction to Modern Aerospace Engineering | Graduate intro to core aerospace engineering fundamentals. |
| AESE 402 | Advanced Astrodynamics | Orbital mechanics, perturbations, and cislunar dynamics. |
| AESE 403 | Space Propulsion Systems | Rocket propulsion: solid, liquid, and electric engines. |
| AESE 404 | Guidance, Navigation and Control | Guidance, navigation, and control for autonomous vehicles. |
| AESE 406 | Data Fusion and State Estimation | Data fusion and Kalman filtering for state estimation. |
| AESE 407 | Hypersonic Flows | Hypersonic aerodynamics and compressible reacting flows. |
| MECH 426 | Advanced Aerodynamics | Advanced aerodynamics and potential flow. |
The Lehigh University Course Catalog is the official source for degree requirements, and requirements can change from year to year. Confirm your own plan against the catalog listing below and with your academic advisor.
Aerospace & Space Systems Engineering (AESE) Course Listing »
Concentrations
Three concentration areas for your depth courses
Pick one area for the three-course depth requirement, then draw your breadth courses from everything else. Your concentration can build on the field you studied as an undergraduate.
Aerodynamics
For students interested in how air and gases move around and through vehicles. Courses include Hypersonic Flows, Unsteady and Turbulent Flow, Advanced Fluid Mechanics, Advanced Gas Dynamics, Advanced Aerodynamics, and Unsteady Flows.
Aerospace Systems
For students interested in how vehicles are guided, controlled and tracked. Courses include Advanced Astrodynamics, Guidance, Navigation and Control, Data Fusion and State Estimation, Astrodynamics, Linear Systems and Control, Systems Identification, and Aeroelastic Flight Dynamics.
Space Systems Engineering
For students interested in engineering the vehicles and spacecraft that reach orbit and beyond. Courses include Space Propulsion Systems, Guidance, Navigation and Control, Launch Vehicle Engineering, Advanced Aerospace Vehicle Design, and Product Quality.
Careers
Where this degree can take you
Advanced aerospace engineers work on vehicles and systems that fly through the atmosphere and operate in space.
Engineers with advanced training in this field typically design and analyze aircraft, launch vehicles and spacecraft, and the propulsion, guidance and control systems that move them. The work includes modeling and simulation, flight and orbital dynamics, systems integration, testing, and quality and project management. Employers include aerospace manufacturers, defense contractors, launch and satellite companies, space and research agencies, and engineering consultancies. With experience, engineers commonly grow into roles such as technical lead, systems engineer, program manager and engineering director.
Class of 2025 master’s graduates across the Rossin College averaged $100,000 in starting salary.
Tuition and funding
What it costs, and what help is available
Base tuition for this 30-credit degree is $52,050.
- Qualified applicants are automatically considered for merit scholarships as high as 20% of tuition, with no separate application required.
- International students are considered on the same basis as domestic applicants.
How to apply
What a complete application needs
- Academic record
A minimum GPA of 2.75. Bachelor’s degrees in mechanical engineering and mechanics, electrical and computer engineering, industrial systems engineering, materials science and engineering, physics, earth and environmental sciences, and other related fields are all eligible. You will also submit official transcripts, a personal statement, a resume, and letters of recommendation.
- Direct application
You apply directly to the program, which is administered in the Rossin College.
- GRE
GRE scores are neither accepted nor reviewed.
- English proficiency
International applicants submit a TOEFL iBT, IELTS, Duolingo, Cambridge English or Pearson Test of English score that meets the minimums in the table below.
- Application fee
$50, non-refundable.
- Deadlines
Admissions are rolling.
| Test | Overall | Speaking | Writing | Reading | Listening |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TOEFL iBT | 81 | 22 | 20 | 20 | 16 |
| IELTS | 6.5 | 6.5 | 6.0 | 6.5 | 6.0 |
| Duolingo | 125 | 125 | 120 | 125 | 110 |
| Cambridge English | 176 | 176 | 169 | 176 | 169 |
| Pearson Test of English | 68 | 53 or above on each band | |||
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
What is the MS in Aerospace and Space Systems Engineering at Lehigh?
It is a 30-credit, interdisciplinary master’s degree for students who want to begin or advance a career in aerospace or space systems engineering. You complete a core in aerospace engineering, go deeper in one concentration area, and broaden your knowledge with courses from across engineering and the sciences.
How many credits is the MS in Aerospace and Space Systems Engineering?
30 credits: a 9-credit core, 9 credits of depth in one concentration area, and 12 credits of breadth courses.
How long does the MS in Aerospace and Space Systems Engineering take to complete?
The program typically takes 1.5 to 2 years.
Do I have to write a thesis or take a comprehensive exam?
No. Neither is required.
What courses are required?
Everyone takes Introduction to Modern Aerospace Engineering and two more core courses chosen from Advanced Astrodynamics, Space Propulsion Systems, Guidance, Navigation and Control, Data Fusion and State Estimation, Hypersonic Flows, and Advanced Aerodynamics.
How do the depth and breadth requirements work?
For depth, you choose one of three concentration areas (Aerodynamics, Aerospace Systems, or Space Systems Engineering) and take three courses from it. For breadth, you take four courses at the 300 and 400 level from outside that area. Your depth area can be aligned with the discipline you studied as an undergraduate.
What are the admission requirements?
A minimum GPA of 2.75. Bachelor’s degrees in mechanical engineering and mechanics, electrical and computer engineering, industrial systems engineering, materials science and engineering, physics, earth and environmental sciences, and other related fields are all eligible. You apply directly to the program, which is administered in the Rossin College.
Is the GRE required for the Master of Science in Aerospace and Space Systems Engineering?
GRE scores are neither accepted nor reviewed for any Rossin College graduate program.
What English proficiency scores do international applicants need?
Minimum overall scores are 81 on the TOEFL iBT, 6.5 on the IELTS, 125 on Duolingo, 176 on Cambridge English, and 68 on the Pearson Test of English. Each test also has minimum speaking, writing, reading and listening scores, listed in the application requirements section above.
When are applications due?
Admissions are rolling.
How is the program delivered?
On campus, hybrid or fully online. Consult the program contact for the current term-by-term format.
What does it cost, and is funding available?
Base tuition is $52,050 for the 30-credit degree. Qualified applicants are automatically considered for merit scholarships as high as 20% of tuition, with no separate application required. International students are considered on the same basis as domestic applicants.
Which department offers this program?
It is interdisciplinary, drawing on 8 departments across the Rossin College rather than sitting in one: Bioengineering, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Computer Science and Engineering, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Industrial and Systems Engineering, Materials Science and Engineering, and Mechanical Engineering and Mechanics.
What do graduates earn?
Class of 2025 master’s graduates across the Rossin College averaged $100,000 in starting salary.
How do I apply?
Apply directly to the program through Lehigh’s graduate application. A complete application includes transcripts, a personal statement, a resume, letters of recommendation, English proficiency scores where applicable, and a $50 application fee. Admissions are rolling.
What elective courses can I choose from?
Electives are chosen with your advisor. Courses students can choose from include Launch Vehicle Engineering, Advanced Aerospace Vehicle Design, Unsteady and Turbulent Flow, Advanced Fluid Mechanics, Advanced Gas Dynamics, Unsteady Flows, Astrodynamics, and Linear Systems and Control, among others. The Lehigh course catalog carries the full list.
Contact
Talk to the program
P.C. Rossin College of Engineering and Applied Science
The Aerospace and Space Systems Engineering program site »
General inquiries go to engineering@lehigh.edu.