Welcome to the place that your dreams can take wing and fly, literally!

As the first aeronautics program in the nation and one of the most highly-ranked undergraduate and graduate aerospace engineering departments in the U.S., we provide a very vibrant environment of intellectual challenge and excitement that is at the same time collegial and conducive to higher learning.

Our graduate program offers degrees at both master's and doctoral levels, with research topics associated with air and space vehicles, vehicle systems, and associated technologies. Our graduate students perform cutting-edge research in subjects that are closely related to Aerospace Engineering, including:  

• Aeroelasticity
• Combustion science
• Composite structures
• Computational fluid dynamics
• Control of structural systems
• Dynamics and control of spacecraft
• Electric propulsion
• Hypersonics
• Robust control systems
• Rotary wing air vehicles
• Smart materials and structures
• Turbulence and reacting flows
• Unmanned and micro air vehicles 

A combination of fundamental and applied research topics is a hallmark of our graduate program. The unusual breadth, depth and excellence of the graduate program are a reflection of that.  Our research has in recent years been additionally complemented by new efforts that are addressing engineering systems and applications research. These extend well beyond the traditional boundaries of aerospace engineering sciences, and include such contemporary topics as energy usage, environmental sustainability, homeland defense, and large-scale computing. A large number of our graduate students receive financial aid in the form of fellowships, teaching assistantships and research assistantships. 

Top students from around the U.S. and worldwide have long been attracted to do their graduate studies at Michigan. This is in part because of the breadth and quality of the research being done here across all major technical disciplines of the field, and also for the outstanding environment for learning and growth. Our large alumni base includes professors at prestigious universities, various level managers (including CEOs) in different aerospace corporations, government labs, etc. We graduated individuals such as Kelly Johnson, the famous Lockheed “Skunk Works” designer of many innovative aircraft including the SR-71. Several astronauts were educated in our department and many return to speak with students and faculty. 

I encourage you to glance through this web site to learn more about what is going on in our Department. All in all, this is the place to be for your graduate studies and I hope to see you here.

Prof. Carlos Cesnik, Graduate Committee Chairman