Aerospace Engineering – (B.Sc.)

Aerospace Engineering is the branch of engineering that deals with the design and construction of aircraft and spacecrafts and the equipping they require. The term began to be used at the end of the 1950´s to include the areas of Aeronautical Engineering, related to designing systems that fly in the atmosphere, and Space Engineering or Astronautics, which is in charge of designing propulsion vehicles and devices that are operated in space. Aerospace Engineering is high technology engineering. Products must be reliable, lightweight and efficient, and furthermore, they must generally operate in a hostile environment. These products range from space shuttles, satellites, rocket engines, helicopters, private airplanes and jets, military aircraft and commercial airplanes, to electronic guidance, navigation and security systems, turbo reactors for large aircraft and the special tools the technicians need for the maintenance of all these vehicles and systems.

The professional training for Aerospace Engineering shares certain disciplines with Mechanical Engineering, such as thermodynamics and heat transmission, resistance of materials and structures, materials technology or fluid mechanics. Furthermore, training includes specific subjects such as aerodynamics, aeroelasticity, propulsion or flight dynamics and control, together with basic training in electronics and manufacturing. The Aerospace Engineering degree provides general training in all these subjects that qualify the graduate for work in companies in the aerospace sector and guarantees direct access to the Master´s in Aerospace Engineering. Classes are taught wholly in English.

The degree in Aerospace Engineering was created in response to the growing demand for qualified professionals. In particular, it was conceived of in order to prepare students to embark on a career in the aeronautical and space industry. This degree will enable them to work in different areas, including design, development, construction and operation of air and space vehicles and systems, and of all their equipment.

The study program complies with the directives included in Ministerial Order CIN/308/2009, of February 9, which establishes the requisites for verifying official university degrees that qualify Aeronautical Engineers. The degree offers two specializations which share a common formative core, including the Basic Training Module and the Common Module for the Aeronautical Field. Each specialization has its own associated Specific Technological Module, so that graduating students will be authorized for the regulated profession of Aeronautical Engineer in accordance with the following specialization):

* Specialization in Aerospace Vehicles: Aerospace Engineer with a minor in Aerospace vehicles
* Specialization in Aerospace Propulsion: Aerospace Engineer with a minor in Aerospace Propulsion

Furthermore, the design of the study program specifically follows the directives of the Ministry of Science and Innovation regarding the requisites for admittance into the Master´s of Aeronautical Engineering, directives which are described in Ministerial Order CIN/312/2009, 9 February. Thus, graduating students will have direct access to the Master´s in Aeronautical Engineering, which entails the professional attributes of Graduate Engineer (MSc).