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Graduate Minor in Space Engineering

Space is one of the fastest-growing frontiers of engineering innovation. Advances in commercial spaceflight, satellite systems, autonomous robotics, communications, advanced manufacturing, and remote sensing are creating new opportunities for engineers across every discipline. The Graduate Minor in Space Engineering equips graduate students with the interdisciplinary knowledge and practical experience needed to contribute to the next generation of space exploration and technologies designed for remote and extreme environments.

The three-course minor combines a broad introduction to space engineering, a hands-on space-focused project experience, and the flexibility to explore space applications within each student's primary field of study. By completing the minor, students develop systems-level thinking, gain exposure to emerging space technologies, and earn an interdisciplinary credential that prepares them for careers in industry, research, government, and the rapidly expanding commercial space sector.

Why earn the Space Engineering Minor?

  • Develop interdisciplinary expertise in the technologies that enable space exploration and remote environments.
  • Connect your graduate degree to emerging applications in aerospace, robotics, communications, energy, materials, manufacturing, and autonomous systems.
  • Gain practical experience through a space-focused engineering project.
  • Customize the program with electives aligned with your academic and career interests.
  • Earn an official transcript notation recognizing your expertise in Space Engineering.

How to Apply

The Graduate Minor in Space Engineering is open to currently enrolled McCormick master's students beginning every Fall Quarter. To apply, complete the online application form.

Applications are reviewed by the Space Engineering Committee. Students are encouraged to apply early in their graduate program so they can incorporate the required coursework into their degree plan.

Requirements

The Graduate Minor in Space Engineering consists of 3 course units. Students complete one course from each of the following three groups, including an introductory course, a space-focused project course where students work with faculty to apply engineering principles to a real-world problem in space systems or technologies, and one elective aligned with their interests from the list below. All classes must be taken for a letter grade. A minimum grade of B in each course is required to receive the Graduate Minor in Space Engineering notation on their transcript.

Students enrolled in the graduate minor program may double count any course above the TGS minimum requirement of 9 units. For example, if the program requires 12 units, TGS MS programs may allow up to 3 courses used toward the graduate minor to count toward the MS degree as well. However, TGS MS students should check with their departments about double-counting rules, as departments may have a stricter policy.

View TGS Minor Requirements

Group A: Introductory Course (1 unit)

  • GEN_ENG : Introduction to Space Engineering
  • MECH_ENG 364: Introduction to Aerospace Engineering

Group B: Project Course (1 unit)

  • 300-level or above preapproved project course related to space engineering.
  • 499 (or related) independent project that addresses a space-related challenge.

Group C: Elective Course (1 unit)

  • Astronomy
    • ASTRON 321: Observational Astrophysics
    • ASTRON 405: Basics of Radio Astronomy
    • ASTRON 414: Planetary Astrophysics
  • Biomedical Engineering
    • BME 313: Wearable Sensors
    • BME 317: Biochemical Sensors
    • BME 353: Bioelectronics
  • Chemical and Biological Engineering
    • CHEM_ENG 307: Kinetics and Reactor Engineering
    • CHEM_ENG 321: Fluid Mechanics
    • CHEM_ENG 322: Heat Transfer
    • CHEM_ENG 323: Mass Transfer
    • CHEM_ENG 341: Dynamics and Control of Chemical and Biological Processes
    • CHEM_ENG 345: Process Optimization for Energy and Sustainability
    • CHEM_ENG 351: Process Economics, Design, and Evaluation
    • CHEM_ENG 361: Introduction to Polymers
    • CHEM_ENG 365: Sustainability
    • CHEM_ENG 367: Quantitative Methods in Lifecycle Analysis
    • CHEM_ENG 395: Electrochemical Energy Storage
    • CHEM_ENG 408: Chemical Engineering Kinetics and Reactor Design
    • CHEM_ENG 420: Transport
    • CHEM_ENG 441: Electrocatalysis for Sustainable Fuels and Chemicals
  • Civil and Environmental Engineering
    • CIV_ENV 250: Earth & Planetary Surface Engineering*
    • CIV_ENV 320: Structural Dynamics
    • CIV_ENV 395: Adaptive Architecture
    • CIV_ENV 395: Instabilities for Functionality
    • CIV_ENV 395: Mechanics of Earthquake Ruptures
    • CIV_ENV 395: Multiphysical Underground Processes
    • CIV_ENV 423: Matrix Analysis of Structures
  • Computer Engineering
    • CE 332: Introduction to Computer Vision
    • CE 346: Microcontroller System Design
    • CE 360: Intro. to Feedback Systems
    • CE 364/464: Modeling of Cyber-Physical Systems
    • CE 365/465: Internet of Things Sensors, Systems and Applications
    • CE 366/466: Embedded Systems
    • CE 395: Computing and Sustainability
    • CE 395: Data-driven Plant Science
    • CE 470: Intro. to Non-linear Control
  • Computer Science
    • CS 301: Robotics Laboratory
    • CS 302: Artificial Life
    • CS 348: Introduction to AI
    • CS 349: Machine Learning
    • CS 409: Swarm Robotics
    • CS 410: Quadrotor Design
    • CS 449: Deep Learning
    • CS 469: Machine Learning and AI for Robotics
  • Electrical Engineering
    • EE 307: Communications Systems
    • EE 333: Communications Networks
    • EE 335/435: Deep Learning Foundations from Scratch
    • EE 374: Intro. to Digital Control
    • EE 375/475: Machine Learning: Foundations, Applications and Algorithms
    • EE 379: Laser and Coherent Optics
    • EE 380: Wireless Communications
    • EE 389: Superconductivity and its Applications
    • EE 454: Advanced Communication Networks
  • Engineering Sciences and Applied Mathematics
    • ESAM 495: Biological Fluid Dynamics
    • ESAM 495: Soft Matter
  • Industrial Engineering and Management Sciences
    • IEMS 341/441: Social Network Analysis
    • IEMS 490: Computational Social Science
  • Materials Science and Engineering
    • MSE 331: Soft Materials
    • MSE 358: Modelling and Simulation in MSE
    • MSE 381: Energy Materials
    • MSE 435: High-Temperature Materials
    • MSE 437: Additive Manufacturing of Soft Materials
    • MSE 458: Computational Materials Science
    • MSE 482: Solid State Electrochemistry for Energy Storage and Conversion
  • Mechanical Engineering
    • MECH_ENG 341: Computational Methods for Engineering Design
    • MECH_ENG 362: Stress Analysis
    • MECH_ENG 363: Vibrations
    • MECH_ENG 373: Engineering Fluid Mechanics
    • MECH_ENG 377: Heat Transfer
    • MECH_ENG 378: Applied Computational Fluid Dynamics
    • MECH_ENG 380: Thermal Energy Systems
    • MECH_ENG 382: Experiments in Micro and Nano Science and Engineering
    • MECH_ENG 395: Finite Element Methods in Mechanics
    • MECH_ENG 395: Machine Learning for Mechanical Sciences
    • MECH_ENG 395: Orbital Mechanics
    • MECH_ENG 395: Propulsion
    • MECH_ENG 425: Intro to Fluid Dynamics
    • MECH_ENG 427: Viscous Fluid Dynamics
    • MECH_ENG 430: Turbulence & Combustion
    • MECH_ENG 441: Engineering Optimization for Product Design and Manufacturing
    • MECH_ENG 472: Robot Design Studio
    • MECH_ENG 495: Aerodynamics
    • MECH_ENG 495: Mechanophysiology
    • MECH_ENG 495: Metal and Ceramic Additive Manufacturing