Aerospace engineering PhD student works with the equipment for the ArcJet Tunnel.

Aerospace Engineering, PhD

Aerospace engineering is a rapidly evolving field, with continuous technological advancements leading to important space exploration and scientific discoveries, better national security, increased reliability in air transportation, and more. As a PhD student in UT’s aerospace engineering program, you will contribute to leading research efforts to make meaningful advancements in a field of study that is pushing the boundaries of what we think we know to be possible.

Program overview

Our aerospace engineering program provides high-level research opportunities for students to hone expertise in their chosen field of study. Core research areas are as follows:

Concentrations

Students pursuing their graduate degree in aerospace engineering have several concentrations to choose from including:

The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, offers several unique opportunities for students who wish to pursue a graduate degree in aerospace engineering including research partnerships with both government and industry partners. Our world-renowned faculty are experts in fields like hypersonics, aerodynamics, fluid mechanics, mission planning, and more. Their research is conducted at our main campus in Knoxville but also at the University of Tennessee Space Institute in Tullahoma.

Nationally Recognized Leadership in Education and Research

Our aerospace engineering program is nationally recognized for its research. Our on-campus partnerships include access to world-class facilities and resources like our Tennessee Aerothermodynamics Laboratory, the NASA Ice Contamination Effects Flight Training Device, the UT Space Institute, and other labs and centers for hands-on research experiences.

Research Assistantship Opportunities  

Graduate Research Assistantships (GRAs) are offered directly though faculty members, offering students support while they perform research, including benefits like tuition reimbursement, a monthly stipend, and health insurance.

Graduate Teaching Assistantships

A limited number of Graduate Teaching Assistantships (GTA) are funded by the department and offered to students through the endorsement of faculty members. GTAs include a tuition waiver, monthly stipend, and health insurance, granting students more financial freedom to pursue their areas of research.

What can you do with a PhD in Aerospace Engineering after graduation?

A PhD in aerospace engineering opens the doors to advanced careers in industries like national defense, spacecraft systems, and aerospace entrepreneurship. With an advanced degree, aerospace engineers can pursue positions as defense researchers, aviation experts, and research and development directors in aerospace organizations. Many PhD graduates will go on to continue their journey in academia, taking on the roles of teaching or research professors or principal research scientists.

UT Alumni

Our program is proud to boast the success of our alumni who have gone on to be employed by NASA, Pratt and Whitney, and SpaceX, with nine NASA astronauts in our alumni ranks who have spent a collective of 1,000+ days in space.

Featured Courses

Below are some of the courses that students in our program can choose to take. For a list of all courses in aerospace engineering, visit the Graduate Catalog.

AE 601 Doctoral Research Methodology

Methods of planning and conducting original research and proposal writing.

AE 617 Discontinuous Galerkin Finite Element Methods 

Comparison and conventional and discontinuous Galerkin (DG) methods

AE 655 Advanced Topics in Computational Fluid Dynamics 

Modern approximation theory for Euler and Navier-Stokes conservation systems, compressible flow, hyperbolic forms, boundary conditions. Weak forms, extremization, finite element/finite volume/flux vector discrete implementations, a priori error estimates, accuracy, convergence, stability. Numerical linear algebra, approximate factorization, sparse matrix methods. Dissipation, Fourier spectral analysis, smooth and non-smooth solutions.

AE 660 Nonlinear Finite Element Methods 

Theory and practice of nonlinear finite element methods focused on solid mechanics applications. Treatment of geometric nonlinear kinematics and inelastic material response. Development of linearized expressions for use in the Newton-Raphson algorithm. Programming of element and material subroutines.

Related Programs

Check out a list of related programs to look into based on your interest in aerospace engineering:

Admissions and Aid

Choosing the right university to pursue an engineering degree is an important decision—and a significant investment. We want to make sure that you have the information you need to both apply and make attending UT affordable.