UofSC launches South Carolina’s only aerospace engineering bachelor’s degree program
October 4, 2018
The University of South Carolina College of Engineering and Computing has launched the state’s first and only undergraduate degree program in aerospace engineering. The new program will create a pipeline of students who will find careers in the aerospace industry and better position them for graduate study and rigorous research opportunities through the college and university.
The Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering will focus on fundamentals of astronautics, as well as in-depth coverage of aeronautics — covering aerodynamics, flight stability and controls, structures, materials and propulsion. Additionally, there are specific tracks covering the nature of modern flight, where an airplane can be viewed as a flying internet-of-things device.
A key academic resource for aerospace engineering students is the newly expanded McNAIR Center for Aerospace Research and Innovation. The center now occupies about 35,000 square feet of laboratory and administrative space near the College of Engineering and Computing — housing research activities in composites, digital transformation, predictive analytics, 3D printing, combustion and unmanned vehicles. It is one of the only facilities of its kind at a major research university in the U.S.
“There is a tremendous need for graduates majoring in aerospace,” says Hossein Haj-Hariri, dean of the College of Engineering and Computing. “Our industry partners are excited about having a tailor-made aerospace workforce in the state. Furthermore, an aerospace degree is a great springboard to many other areas of research or employment where analytical and modeling skills are needed.”
Aerospace is the second-largest industry cluster in South Carolina after automotive. According to the SC Council on Competitiveness, there are close to 500 aerospace-related companies in the state, employing a workforce with over 100,000 jobs.
“Last year we offered an introductory course which emphasized aerospace engineering,” says Michel van Tooren, professor of mechanical engineering and director of aerospace studies at the College of Engineering and Computing. “Just a year later, the program has taken off with 23 enrolled aerospace engineering majors.”
The department of mechanical engineering has offered both a minor and a master’s in aerospace engineering for the past several years. Graduates from those programs currently work at South Carolina-based companies such as Boeing, GE Power and Water, and TIGHITCO.
The McNAIR Center will co-host the fifth annual SC Aerospace Conference & Expo on October 9-10 in Columbia, SC. The event has become the premier aerospace conference for industry and academia in the Southeastern U.S. There will also be opportunities for students to participate in the conference and hear presentations from industry leaders, both past and present, from NASA, Airforce Research Laboratory, Boeing, Pratt and Whitney: United Technologies Research Center, Lockheed Martin, VX Aerospace and much more.
About the University of South Carolina
The University of South Carolina is a globally recognized, high-impact research university committed to a superior student experience and dedicated to innovation in learning, research and community engagement. Founded in 1801, the university offers more than 350 degree programs and is a designated top-tier Carnegie Foundation research institution. More than 50,000 students are enrolled at one of 14 locations throughout the state, including the research campus in Columbia. With 47 nationally ranked academic programs including top-ranked programs in international business, the nation’s best honors college and distinguished programs in engineering, law, medicine, public health and the arts, the university is helping to build healthier, more educated communities in South Carolina and around the world.
