Aerospace Engineering

Gain an aerospace education grounded in engineering science with access to industry and government.

Leonardo da Vinci wrote, “Once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward. For there you have been, and there you will always long to return.” Perhaps, like da Vinci, you’ve always been obsessed with airborne machines: Gliders and lighter-than-air craft. Fixed-wing airplanes and jets. Autogyros and helicopters. Or even rockets, satellites, and spacecraft. Aeronautical engineers generally design aircraft to fly within the Earth’s atmosphere, while astronautical engineers design the technology for spacecraft to fly beyond the atmosphere. Either way, the sky’s the limit.

The Bachelor of Science program in Aerospace Engineering in the College of Engineering has been designed from the ground up for students who aspire to become leaders in an emerging era of aerospace technologies, including sustainable aviation, autonomous flight and space exploration.

Highlights

We aspire to educate the next generation of aerospace engineering leaders and take active part in seeking to address major challenges in air transportation and space exploration.
Panos Papadopoulos, Faculty Director

Undergraduate Program

Curriculum 

Students in the Aerospace Engineering major begin with lower division coursework in math, physics, computer science, solid mechanics, and thermodynamics, as well as seminars and introductory courses in aerospace engineering. The program then shifts to upper division coursework in aerodynamics, controls, dynamics, electronics, and statistics and data science, as well as technical and free electives. Students complete their studies with a capstone design course (AEROENG 100) where they utilize their aerospace knowledge to design, analyze and build a system for an aerospace mission.

Learn more at aero.berkeley.edu 

Study Options

A major and aminor program in Aerospace Engineering are offered under the Department of Mechanical Engineering. Alternatively, students can combine Aerospace Engineering with Business Administration via the Management, Entrepreneurship, & Technology Program. Students may also pursue a double major to earn a single degree across two different engineering majors, or a simultaneous degree to complete two separate majors in different schools or colleges.

Admission to the Major

First-year and transfer students accepted to UC Berkeley and who selected Aerospace Engineering on their undergraduate admissions application will be admitted directly to the College of Engineering and the Aero major.

Students currently declared in another major within the College of Engineering should connect with their ESS Advisor regarding transferring into the Aerospace Engineering program. For more information on admissions, visit engineering.berkeley.edu/admissions/undergraduate-admissions/.

What Can I Do With My Major?

With a UC Berkeley Aerospace Engineering degree, you can find employment in industry, such as multinational corporations that design and manufacture aerospace systems at scale or mid-size and small private companies that develop targeted technologies, as well as in federal government agencies such as NASA, the FAA, or federal defense organizations.

UC Berkeley offers a number of career resources for students studying Aerospace Engineering. Engineering Student Services in the College of Engineering assists students with career and job-search planning and advises students interested in applying to graduate school. ESS also connects students with employers as well as graduate and professional schools. Additionally, Berkeley Career Engagement provides career counseling, professional and graduate school advising, job and internship listings, and events such as career and graduate school fairs.

Employment

Students obtain internships across leading industries and sectors like:

  • Blue Origin
  • Boeing
  • Lawrence Livermore National Lab
  • NASA Ames Research Center
  • Northrop Grumman
  • Relativity Space
  • SpaceX

Alumni find employment as:

  • Aerospace Engineer
  • Aircraft Design Engineer
  • Flight Test Engineer
  • Hardware Engineer
  • Manufacturing Engineer
  • Mechanical Engineer
  • R&D Engineer
  • Spacecraft Design Engineer

Graduate Study

Alumni pursue graduate education in programs such as:

  • Aerospace Engineering
  • Aeronautics and Astronautics
  • Computer Science
  • Electrical Engineering
  • Materials Science and Engineering
  • Mechanical Engineering

Students have been accepted to:

  • California Institute of Technology
  • Stanford University
  • UC Berkeley
  • UC San Diego
  • UCLA

Spotlight

Jordan, class of 2026

A member of the inaugural Aero class, Jordan Kam conducted research on autonomous systems and robotics in the Berkeley AI Research Lab, interned at NASA Ames Research Center, and was active in chapters of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, and Hispanic Engineers and Scientists. Jordan is pursuing a PhD in Space Engineering at Caltech and is a Graduate Fellow at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. 

“I had always looked up to the sky at night with a fascination with space….I hope to become a professor that researches in the field of Space Engineering in the hopes that one day, my students and I can push the boundaries of human presence in space together.”

Four-Year Student Timeline

First Year

Plan Your Studies

Engage Outside the Classroom

Pursue Your Career Goals

Second Year

Plan Your Studies

Engage Outside the Classroom

Pursue Your Career Goals

Third Year

Plan Your Studies

  • Make sure all of your lower division courses are complete; begin upper division requirements in fluid mechanics (MECENG 106) and engineering aerodynamics (MECENG 163), controls, dynamics, electronics, statistics and data science, and humanities/social sciences
  • Consider taking some technical electives as part of the major degree requirements.
  • Review your degree progress with your ESS advisor.

Engage Outside the Classroom

Pursue Your Career Goals

Fourth Year

Plan Your Studies

  • Lighten your course load as much as possible to allow time for job and graduate school applications.
  • Complete upper division requirements in experimentation and measurements (MECENG 103) and capstone (AEROENG 100); finish all free and technical electives.
  • Complete any remaining degree requirements and prepare for graduation.

Engage Outside the Classroom

Pursue Your Career Goals

Summer

Transfer Student Timeline

First Semester

Plan Your Studies

Engage Outside the Classroom

Pursue Your Career Goals

Second Semester

Plan Your Studies

Engage Outside the Classroom

Pursue Your Career Goals

Third Semester

Plan Your Studies

  • Enroll in upper division requirements in the major; focus on requirements in experimentation and measurements (MECENG 103), engineering aerodynamics (MECENG 163), controls, and statistics and data science.
  • Consider taking some technical electives as part of the major degree requirements.
  • Review your degree progress with your ESS advisor.

Engage Outside the Classroom

Pursue Your Career Goals

Fourth + Fifth Semesters

Plan Your Studies

  • Complete upper division requirements in statistics and data science, and capstone (AEROENG 100).
  • Finish technical electives and free electives, as well as approved humanities/social science coursework.
  • Complete any remaining degree requirements and prepare for graduation.

Engage Outside the Classroom

Pursue Your Career Goals

Summer

Learn More

Undergraduate Advising

Have questions about Aerospace Engineering or the College of Engineering?

The Aerospace Engineering Student Services Advisor serves as the primary source of information for program-specific and administrative-related services, and is available for in-person and virtual advising. The Faculty Director handles official approval of undergraduate student petitions, provides guidance on research and internship opportunities, and serves as a liaison between students and other faculty. For additional advising information, visit aero.berkeley.edu/advising/.

Engineering Student Services in the College of Engineering offers extensive programs and support services to help you navigate your academic path. Your ESS Advisor assists with degree requirements, academic policies and procedures, course selection, enrichment opportunities, and campus resources. ESS Peer Advisors are available to discuss life in the college, navigating the University, and other topics. For additional information, visit engineering.berkeley.edu.

Related Programs

Looking for programs similar to Aerospace Engineering? UC Berkeley also offers the following major, minor, and certificate programs:

Topics

Major Maps topic page, College of Engineering topic page

JUMP TO:

Link to download the Aerospace Engineering major map print version