Affiliated Programs

AeroAstro offers students the opportunity to pursue a number of interdisciplinary master's and doctoral degrees via affiliated MIT programs and departments.

Master of Science in Technology and Policy

The Master of Science in Technology and Policy interdepartmental program can be an excellent choice for applicants interested in applying an aerospace engineering background to problems of policy and socioeconomic assessment of technology. -more-

Master of Science in Engineering and Management

The Master of Science in Engineering and Management degree, awarded under the MIT System Design and Management Program, is a graduate-level academic and research program sponsored by the Sloan School of Management, the School of Engineering (of which AeroAstro is a department), and industry partners. Its goal is to educate future leaders in architecting, engineering, and designing complex products and systems.

Computation for Design and Optimization

The MIT CDO program was established in response to the emerging need to prepare tomorrow's engineers in advanced computational methods and applications. This interdisciplinary program provides a strong foundation in computational approaches to the design and operation of complex engineered and scientific systems. -more-

Photo: WHOI’s Nereid under ice vehicle

AeroAstro has a close working relationship with the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute. WHOI’s Nereid under ice vehicle, pictured here on a test deployment, employs autonomous capability developed by AeroAstro Professor Brian William’s Model-based Embedded and Robotic Systems group. (Ken Kostel photograph, ©Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution)

Leaders for Global Operations

MIT Leaders for Global Operations (LGO) is a two-year, dual-degree program for highly qualified students who want to develop engineering and management skills geared toward careers in operations and manufacturing. A collaborative venture between the MIT School of Engineering, the MIT Sloan School of Management, and a select group of industry partners, MIT LGO combines an intensive curriculum with action learning activities that expose students to the inner workings of top operations-based companies around the world. LGO graduates go on to effect transformative change in industry and society through their groundbreaking careers in operations and manufacturing. Students work simultaneously toward an MBA from MIT Sloan and a Master of Science from one of seven engineering departments within the MIT School of Engineering. While students do receive an SM in our department, they are not eligible to move onto our PhD program upon completion of the LGO program. Note that applications to the LGO program are due December 2. -more-

Master of Science in the Management of Technology

The Master of Science in the Management of Technology is a 12-month master's program designed for mid-career engineers and scientists who will handle senior technical managerial responsibilities. The program is offered jointly with the Sloan School of Management.

Biomedical Engineering

The Biomedical Engineering program is available to students interested in biomedical instrumentation and physiological control systems, applying aerospace disciplines to biology and medicine. Graduate study may be pursued in conjunction with the Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology SM-PhD Program in Medical Engineering and Medical Physics, or the PhD program in Bioengineering and Environmental Health. At the master's degree level, you may specialize in biomedical engineering research, emphasizing space life sciences and life support, instrumentation and control, or in human factors engineering and in instrumentation and statistics. Most MIT aerospace biomedical engineering research is conducted in AeroAstro's Man Vehicle Laboratory.

Air Transportation

If you're interested flight transportation careers, Flight Transportation incorporates a broader graduate education in disciplines such as economics, management, law, and operations research than is normally pursued by candidates for engineering degrees. Graduate research emphasizes airport planning and design, air traffic control, air transportation systems analysis, and airline economics and management, with courses selected from AeroAstro, Civil and Environmental Engineering, the Department of Economics, and the Center for Transportation Studies. A special interdepartmental program may be created for doctoral students, or participation in the Operations Research Center Program or the Center for Transportation Studies Program may be considered.

Computational Science and Engineering

The Computational Science and Engineering PhD program allows students to specialize at the doctoral level in a computation-related field of their choice, including Aeronautics and Astronautics, through focused coursework and a doctoral thesis. Students enrolled in the CSE PhD program through AeroAstro will reside in the department; the degree will highlight their specialization in computational science and engineering via the specially crafted thesis field, "Computational Science and Engineering." Applications from candidates who have a strong foundation in core disciplinary areas of mathematics, engineering, physics, or related fields are strongly encouraged. CSE applications are accepted via https://gradapply.mit.edu/cse.

Statistics

The Interdisciplinary Doctoral Program in Statistics (IDPS) provides training in 21st century statistics, whose foundations include classical statistics and probability as well as computation and data analysis. The program is administered jointly by the participating home departments and the Statistics and Data Science Center within the Institute for Data, Systems, and Society (IDSS). It is open to current doctoral students in Aeronautics and Astronautics, who may submit a selection form for IDPS following the end of their second semester. For more information, see the full program description under Interdisciplinary Graduate Programs. For more information please visit https://stat.mit.edu.

Joint Program with the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution

The Joint Program with the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) is intended for students whose primary career objective is oceanography or oceanographic engineering. Students divide their academic and research efforts between the campuses of MIT and WHOI. Joint Program students are assigned an MIT faculty member as academic advisor; thesis research may be supervised by MIT or WHOI faculty. While in residence at MIT, students follow a program similar to that of other students in their home department. The program is described in more detail under Interdisciplinary Graduate Programs.