Graduate Certificate Aeronautical Engineering

Aeronautical engineering is one of the fastest-growing engineering fields in the United States today and demands engineers with specialized skills. Lawrence Technological University’s programs offer you a strong foundation with which to enter the industry, featuring a comprehensive curriculum focused on the fundamentals of aeronautical engineering necessary for aircraft design, analysis, and testing. Designed for Mechanical Engineering students or graduates, the aeronautical engineering program at Lawrence Tech provides you with a deeper understanding of this broad field – beyond what is covered in the Mechanical Engineering program. The minor is geared toward students pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering, and the certificate is geared toward graduates of a Mechanical Engineering (or comparable) program. Both options require 18 credit hours – three core courses and three electives – all built around theory and practice. Throughout your studies, you will explore fluid dynamics, propulsion sources, aerodynamics, structural mechanics, control systems, noise and vibration, and engineering materials.

Proud History, Bright Futures

Lawrence Tech has a long history of aeronautics education and research:

• In competitions of the 1930s involving glider teams from across the nation, students from Lawrence Tech wonso often that the University was permanently awarded the national championship trophy!
• An experimental racing airplane, the Spirit of Lawrence Tech, was designed and built by Lawrence Tech students in the late 1940s.
• During World War II, a Lawrence Tech alumnus developed the revolutionary high wing/rear door design still used in cargo aircraft worldwide.
• Other alumni played key roles in developing rockets, the Apollo missions that took men to the moon, and the Space Shuttle.

Today, aeronautical engineering at Lawrence Tech continues to thrive. Each year, students successfully compete in SAE Aero Design® competitions and are active on campus in the student branch of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. In recent years, graduates have been hired by major aeronautical and aerospace companies including NASA, Cessna, Boeing, and Goodrich Aerostructures.

If you are earning a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering, you are eligible to declare a minor in aeronautical engineering. If you have already completed a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering, or a comparable degree, you may pursue a certificate in aeronautical engineering.

Meet the Faculty

Dr. Andrew Gerhart

Assistant Department Chair and Professor

Dr. Gerhardt teaches courses in aerodynamics, thermal dynamics, integrated mechanical design, and many others. He has received numerous awards and honors for his exceptional performance in the classroom.