MAE系提供航空航天工程，机械工程专业的研究生课程，从而获得理学硕士学位和哲学博士学位。机械与航空航天工程系的任务是教育和培养本科生和研究生中的领导职位从事机械工程和航空航天工程领域的研究并为社会造福，研究生将进入并成功从事航空航天工程和其他适合其背景，兴趣和技能的专业的职业。研究生将通过以下方式继续学习工程或其他专业领域的学士后教育和/或专业发展。毕业生将发展为所选专业的领导者。
Students wishing to pursue an Aerospace Engineering PhD must successfully pass the doctoral qualifying examination. Qualifying exams (QE) are offered in the spring and fall semesters for each of the research concentration areas listed below and they originate from the three required courses for each concentration area. Full-time students should take the QE with the consent of their advisor after taking their three required classes and before the start of their 4th semester in the program. Aerospace engineering has grown dramatically with the rapid development of the computer in experiments, design and numerical analysis. The wealth of scientific information developed as a result of aerospace activity forms the foundation for the aerospace engineering major.<br><br>Scientific knowledge is being developed each day for programs to develop reusable launch and interplanetary vehicles, the International Space Station (ISS), supersonic and hypersonic flight vehicles, crewed and robotic space missions, and micro-electro-mechanical sensors and control systems for advanced flight. New methods of analysis and design for structural, fluid, and thermodynamic applications are required to meet these challenges. The aerospace engineering major has been developed to address the needs of those students seeking career opportunities in the highly specialized and advancing aerospace industries.