USC to offer aerospace engineering degree

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The University of South Carolina College of Engineering and Computing has launched an undergraduate degree in aerospace engineering. Twenty-three students are currently enrolled in the program, which the university said is the only one of its kind in the state.

The Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering will focus on the fundamentals of astronautics as well as aeronautics, which includes aerodynamics, flight stability and controls, structures, materials and propulsion. Specific tracks deal with the nature of modern flight.

According to the S.C. Chamber of Commerce, the aerospace industry has an economic impact of $19 billion on the state, with 5,129 new jobs created at aerospace firms from 2011-2017. Around 108,000 South Carolinians are employed in the aerospace industry.

“There is a tremendous need for graduates majoring in aerospace,” said Hossein Haj-Hariri, dean of the College of Engineering and Computing, in a news release. “Our industry partners are excited about having a tailor-made aerospace workforce in the state. Furthermore, an aerospace degree is a great springboard to many other areas of research or employment where analytical and modeling skills are needed.”

USC’s aerospace engineering students have at their disposal the expanded, 35,000-square-foot McNAIR Center for Aerospace Research and Innovation. The center houses research activities in composites, digital transformation, predictive analytics, 3D printing, combustion and unmanned vehicles. It will co-host the fifth annual S.C. Aerospace Conference & Expo on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Last year, the college offered an introductory course emphasizing aerospace engineering before expanding the course into a degree program. The department of mechanical engineering has offered both a minor and a master’s degree in aerospace engineering for the past several years.