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Aeronautics & Astronautics Strategic Plan

2022-2026

Holistic education

Effective content in, structure of, and access to curricular and extracurricular opportunities that foster technical and professional skills and advance innovations.

Close up of hand holding a control stick in a flight simulator

Strategies

  • Enhance our curriculum and extracurriculars with additional new A&A offerings and established offerings from other departments.
  • Engagement with pre-A&A students to introduce aerospace engineering and department research
  • Active alumni and industry network to prepare students for technical careers.

Stage one assessment activities

First year (2022)

  • Map UG curriculum relative to current and proposed ABET criteria and other top programs.
  • Analyze current department exit survey data of UG job placement, extracurriculars, and course feedback.
  • Add questions to UG department exit survey on developing confidence and leadership skills and technical expertise.

  

STRATEGY 1

Enhance our curriculum and extracurriculars with additional new A&A offerings and established offerings from other departments.

FIVE-YEAR GOAL

  • BS curriculum with strength in fundamentals and flexibility for emerging areas of innovation
  • BS: 95% career placement at graduation
  • MS: 95% career placement at graduation
  • BS: 2 internships/REU experiences before senior year
  • Annual graduate program student data analysis
  • Strong mentoring program for PhD students with feedback mechanisms throughout doctoral program
  • Strong student onboarding and ongoing engagement with frequent, informal exchanges
  • Bridge to MS program with at least 10 students directed toward A&A MS/MAE per year
  • Formal professional development program for all students
  • Increase continuing education offerings

  

STRATEGY 2

Engagement with pre-A&A students to introduce aerospace engineering and department research.

FIVE-YEAR GOAL

  • Formal integration of sophomores into department curriculum including potential transfer students.

  

STRATEGY 3

Active alumni and industry network to prepare students for technical careers.

FIVE-YEAR GOAL

  • Intentional industry engagement program at all degree levels.

Future goal for assessment

Second year (2023)

  • Analyze our undergraduate exit survey with the new entries capturing qualitative data.