Stanford University – Aeronautics and Astronautics Department
The Department has a strong presence in computational aerospace engineering and an innovative research program in Computational-Based Design. This program, which is carried out primarily in the Aerospace Computing Laboratory , the Aerospace Design Lab, and the FRG, focuses on multidisciplinary frameworks that can link different physics pertaining to aeronautics and astronautics, multiscale computational approaches that can deal with large ranges of time and spatial scales, high-fidelity computational schemes that can enable predictive simulations, optimization algorithms that can handle complex integrated systems, and model-reduction methods that can integrate computation with design.
Master of Science in Aero/Astro
Course Requirements
The Master’s degree program requires 45 quarter units of course work, which must be taken at Stanford. It can be completed in one academic year, although some students opt to take longer. The course work is divided into four categories: Basic Courses, Mathematics Courses, Technical Electives, and Other Electives.
Basic courses:
M.S. candidates must select eight courses as follows:
(I) Five courses in the basic areas of Aeronautics and Astronautics (one in each area):
- Fluids: 200 (Applied Aerodynamics), 210A (Fundamentals of Compressible Flow)
- Structures: 240A (Analysis of Structures)
- Guidance and Control: ENGR 105 (Feedback Control Design), ENGR 205 (Introduction to Control Design Techniques)
- Propulsion: 283 (Propulsion)
- Experimentation: 236A (Spacecraft Design), 241X (Design, Construction, and Testing of Autonomous Aircraft), 255 (Space Experiments Laboratory), 284B (Propulsion System Design Laboratory), ENGR 206 (Control System Design), ENGR 207A (Modern Control Design I)
(II) Three courses, one each from three of the areas below:
- Fluids: 200 (Applied Aerodynamics), 210A (Fundamentals of Compressible Flow)
- Structures: 240B (Analysis of Structures) or 256 (Mechanics of Composites)
- Guidance and Control: 242A (Classical Dynamics), 271A (Dynamics and Control of Spacecraft and Aircraft), 272 (Global Posiioning Systems), 279A (Space Mechanics)
- One course selected from A/A courses numbered 200 and above, excluding seminars and independent research.
Students who believe they have satisfied Basic Course requirements previously may request a waiver of one or more courses.
Mathematics Courses:
M.S. candidates are expected to exhibit competence in applied mathematics. Students meet this requirement by taking two courses – a minimum of six units – of either advanced mathematics offered by the Mathematics Department or technical electives that strongly emphasize methods of applied mathematics. Common choices include:
- AA214A (Numerical Methods in Fluid Mechanics); 214B, 214C
- CME200 (Linear Algebra with Application to Engineering Computations)
- CME204 (Partial Differential Equations in Engineering)
- EE263 (Linear Dynamic Systems)
- CME108 (Introduction to Scientific Computing)
- Stat 110 (Statistical Methods in Engineering and the Physical Sciences, Stat 116 (Theory of Probability)
- Math 115 (Fundamental Concepts of Analysis), Math 120 (Modern Algebra)
The list of mathematics courses in the department’s handbook has additional suggestions, and includes all courses in Mathematics numbered 200 or above. In order to use applied mathematics courses not on either list to fulfill this requirement, prior approval should be obtained from the student’s advisor and the candidacy chair. (Note: Calculus, ordinary differential equations, and vector analysis are fundamental math prerequisites and will not satisfy the mathematics requirement. They may be counted only as a free elective.)
Technical Electives:
Students, in consultation with their advisor, will select at least four courses from among the graduate-level courses, totaling at least 12 units, from departments in the School of Engineering and related science departments. Normally, one course (3 units) may be directed research.
Other Electives:
It is recommended that all candidates enroll in a humanities or social sciences course to complete the 45-unit requirement. Practicing courses in, for example, art, music and physical education, do not qualify in this category. Language courses may qualify.
Engineer’s Degree in Aero/Astro
The degree of Engineer represents an additional year (or more) of study beyond the M.S. degree and includes a research thesis. The program is designed for students who wish to do professional engineering work upon graduation and who want to engage in more specialized study than is afforded by the master’s degree alone. Admission standards are substantially the same as for the master’s program.
Course Requirements
Students wishing to pursue the Engineer’s degree must first fulfill the department’s requirements for the master’s degree or their substantial equivalent. Beyond the master’s degree, a total of 45 units of work is required, including a minimum of 30 units of courses. These 30 units should include 9 units of mathematics and 15 units of course work chosen from one particular field of study decided upon in consultation with the student’s advisor. Free electives may be used to complete the 30 units (excluding practicing courses in music, art and physical education). Students may register for up to 15 units of Engineer thesis.
Candidates for the degree of Engineer are required to have a minimum GPA of 3.0 for courses beyond those required for the Master’s degree. (All courses except seminars and those that are mandatory pass/no-credit should be taken for a grade.)
Candidacy
Students studying towards the Engineer degree must submit an Application for Candidacy no later than the second quarter of Engineer’s study, and at least one quarter before graduating. This form indicates the courses and thesis work that the student will be using for the degree. If the research topic cannot be clearly described when this form is filed, the area of research should be described along with a timetable for identifying a thesis topic. Blank forms may be obtained in the A/A Student Services Office.
The Application for Candidacy should be signed by the student’s advisor. If the research is in an area different from the academic advisor’s expertise, then a research advisor should also sign. The form should then be submitted to the A/A Student Services Office for the Candidacy Chairman’s signature. Neglecting to file for candidacy can prevent the receipt of the degree.
Changes to the program of study can be filed at any time by submitting a revised Candidacy form or a “Request for Change in Academic Program.” After the advisor’s signature is obtained, the form should be submitted to the A/A Student Services Office for the Candidacy Chairman’s approval. In order to graduate, all units listed on the current Candidacy form must be completed.
Ph.D. in Aero/Astro
In order to be admitted to study for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Aeronautics and Astronautics, students must have fulfilled the requirements for the Department’s Master of Science degree or its substantial equivalent.
Applicants who have received their M.S. from other institutions may apply directly to the Ph.D. program. Students who are currently pursuing the M.S. in our department and wish to continue for the Ph.D. should submit a Graduate Program Authorization petition form online through Axess at the beginning of their last quarter in the Master’s program. Current Stanford students in other degree programs who wish to be considered for admission to the Aero/Astro Ph.D. program will also follow the procedures described above, but will need to submit additional supporting materials; check with the Aero/Astro Student Services Office for details.
Course Requirements
The doctoral study program is essentially a specialized continuation of the program for the Master’s degree. Each individual program, designed by the student in consultation with the advisor, should represent a strong and cohesive program reflecting the student’s major field of interest. A total of 90 units of credit is required beyond the M.S. Of these 90 units, a minimum of 36 must be formal coursework (excluding research, directed study, and seminars), consisting primarily of graduate courses in engineering and the pertinent sciences. The remainder of the 90 units may be in the form of either Ph.D. dissertation units or free electives. Units which were applied toward the M.S. degree cannot be used again. For students who elect a minor in another department, a maximum of 12 units from the minor program may be included in the 36 units of formal coursework; the remaining minor units may be considered free electives and are included within the 90 unit total required for the Aero/Astro Ph.D.
Mathematics: Students who are working towards the doctoral degree in Aeronautics and Astronautics must take 12 units of mathematics courses, with at least 6 of these units taken from courses with numbers over 200. There are many courses offered by the Aero/Astro department and the other engineering departments that have sufficient mathematical content that they may be used to satisfy the Mathematics requirement; a partial list is included in this Guide, but there are many others that may be acceptable. Please consult with your advisor and the A/A Student Services Office before assuming that a particular course will be accepted in your own program.
Candidacy
At Stanford, Ph.D. students must complete the candidacy process and be admitted to candidacy by their second year of doctoral study. There are two requirements for admission to Ph.D. candidacy in Aero/Astro: students must first pass the departmental qualifying exam (for detailed deadlines, see the section on Ph.D. Qualification, following), and must then submit an official Application for Candidacy. This “candidacy form” lists the courses the student will take to fulfill the requirements for the degree.
Candidacy is valid for five years; this term is not affected by leaves of absence.
2010-11 Tuition Schedule
Regular quarterly tuition for the academic year, payable Autumn, Winter, and Spring quarters, is as follows:
|
Tuition Category |
Tuition |
|
Undergraduate |
$12,900 |
|
Graduate 11-18 units |
$12,900 |
|
Graduate 8,9,10-unit rate |
$8,390 |
|
Each graduate unit above 18 |
$860 |
|
Graduate Division in Engineering |
$13,740 |
|
Graduate Engineering 8,9,10-unit rate |
$8,930 |
|
Each graduate Engineering unit above 18 |
$916 |
|
Graduate School of Business (first year)* |
$17,706 |
|
Graduate School of Business (second year)* |
$17,107 |
|
School of Medicine (M.D. Program—FY 2011 and beyond)* |
$14,732 |
|
School of Medicine (M.D. Program—FY 2010 and earlier)* |
$15,531 |
|
Law School |
$14,960 |
|
Permit to Attend for Services Only |
$3,900 |
|
TGR (Terminal Graduate Registration)** |
$2,517 |
|
TMR (Terminal Medical Registration)** |
$2,330 |
*Ph.D. students in the Biomedical Sciences and in Graduate Business are assessed the regular graduate tuition rate.
**TGR and TMR students may carry 1, 2, or 3 units at the assessed rate.
Document fee
A Document Fee of $200 is assessed once upon first admission to Stanford as an undergraduate or graduate student, including Law, GSB, and Medicine students. Non-degree option (NDO) students, such as summer session and non-degree seeking SCPD students, are assessed a $100 Document Fee.
For a typical single graduate student living on-campus with no dependents, here is the standard budget:
Standard Budget
|
2010–2011 Academic Year |
|||
|
Budget Item |
Academic Year Quarter |
9 month (A/W/S) |
12 month (4 Qtrs) |
| Rent |
3,224 |
9,672 |
12,896 |
| Food |
1,862 |
5,586 |
7,448 |
| Personal Expenses |
899 |
2,697 |
3,596 |
| Transportation |
315 |
945 |
1,260 |
| Books and Supplies |
621 |
1,863 |
2,484 |
| Campus Health Service Fee |
167 |
501 |
668 |
| Cardinal Care Health Insurance* |
1,024 |
3,072 |
3,072 |
| Total Non-Tuition Expenses |
$8,112 |
$24,336 |
$31,424 |
| * For students enrolled during the academic year, there will be no Cardinal Care charge during the summer. New students who start enrollment in winter, spring or summer will have a different charge. | |||
Fellowships for Graduate Study
Each year, the Aero/Astro department awards several graduate fellowships, primarily to entering master’s degree candidates with the potential for doctoral study. Fellowships normally provide full tuition and a substantial living-expense stipend for one academic year (Fall, Winter, and Spring quarters). The department also nominates outstanding applicants for Stanford Graduate Fellowships, which provide three years of full support.
Fellowship awards are based solely on an evaluation of the graduate school application, and no additional forms or materials are required for consideration. There is a box on the application form that indicates whether the applicant wishes to be considered for financial aid; those who check “yes” and whose applications are complete by our aid deadline will be considered for fellowship support. Fellowship awards are generally announced by March 15 of each year, with a reply deadline of April 15.
Applicants are also strongly encouraged to apply for national fellowships such as the NSF, Hertz, and NDSEG programs (for U.S. citizens) or for comparable financial aid programs from their home countries.
Competition for all categories of fellowship is, of course, very strong, and our limited funds will not allow us to offer Stanford support to most of the outstanding students whom we admit each year. U.S. citizens may also wish to consider need-based, federally funded student loan programs; for information and the appropriate forms, contact the Financial Aid office at Stanford or at your home institution. (Graduate students are currently considered independent of their parents for these loan programs.)
Research Assistantships (RA’s) and Course Assistantships (CA’s)
Research Assistants
Aero/Astro research assistantships are usually considered part of a long-term commitment to doctoral-level research, so it is rare for an incoming student to receive an RA offer in this department. The research assistants are selected by individual faculty members, who will usually have worked together with the student in one or more courses, and in some directed study, before deciding on an RA appointment. Salaries are set by the faculty member according to department standards, within limits set by the University and School. Generally, salaries are highest for students who have passed the Qualifying Exams, and lowest for those who have not received the M.S. degree.
Most Aero/Astro RA’s are half-time positions. During the academic year, assistantship appointments may not exceed this level, which means 20 hours/week of paid work. (The other “half” of the time is courses and/or research units.) In summer, some labs will allow 75% or 90% RA appointments, with correspondingly higher salaries.
Aero/Astro Course Assistants
Are assigned by the department in the early summer for the following academic year. Application information for Course Assistantships will be posted by the A/A Student Services Office in the spring quarter. Applicants are expected to have taken and done well in the course in which they will assist. Aero/Astro CA’s usually are 50% appointments (20 hours/week); salaries are set by the University, and are roughly comparable to RA’s.
Aero/Astro students may also serve as course assistants in other departments. A student who feels qualified to assist in graduate or undergraduate courses in another Stanford department may contact that department to ask how to apply for any available positions. (Each department at Stanford may set its own priorities and procedures for hiring assistants. The pay scales will be fairly consistent, however.)
Students also receive a significant tuition allowance, described below.
Tuition Allowance
Students with assistantships receive tuition allowances in addition to their monthly salaries. A 50% RA or CA has the tuition bill reduced to the eight- to ten-unit rate; this tuition for 8-10 units is fully paid for by the assistantship.
Note: For Fall, Winter, and Spring Quarters, graduate students who are not on TGR status must be enrolled for at least 8 units in order to receive any tuition allowance.
RA’s and CA’s with a less-than-50% appointment receive a proportionally smaller tuition allowance. They may accept more than one RA/CA appointment in the same quarter, as long as the combined percentage does not exceed 50%. The student will receive both salaries and a tuition grant based on the combined percentage. For example, if they total 50%, the tuition allowance will be 8-10 units and the bill will be adjusted accordingly.
Tuition allowance for summer quarter assistantships of over 50% will match the number of units (between 1 and 10 units) in which the student enrolls. Students with the maximum 90% summer appointment will receive tuition allowance at the one- to three-unit level.
Source: http://www.stanford.edu/
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