Program in Aerospace Engineering School of Engineering Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute - the Nation's Oldest Technological University

Founded in 1824 by Stephen Van Rensselaer, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) is the nation's oldest technological university. The university offers more than 145 rigorous programs from 5 schools - including interdisciplinary programs from the School of Engineering - to undergraduates, graduate students, and working professionals from around the world.

Rensselaer graduates have helped build the nation, constructing canals, roads, bridges, skyscrapers, and other parts of the infrastructure that exist today. Not to rest on prior laurels, Rensselaer has ranked among the top 50 universities in the nation by ''U.S. News and World Report'' for the past 10 years in a row.

The Department of Mechanical, Aerospace and Nuclear Engineering

The School of Engineering is the largest graduate program at Rensselaer. Including those offered from the MANE department, the school offers 20 graduate degrees and turns out over 45 percent of the total graduate population.

Ranking among the top 20 departments of its kind nationwide, the Department of Mechanical, Aerospace and Nuclear Engineering offers students industry-level engineering opportunities and state of the art education facilities. Undergraduates and graduate students alike have the opportunity to conduct groundbreaking research for prestigious industry clients, including GE Energy, Boeing, IBM, and Northrop Grumman, as well as federal and state agencies.

Well-funded Research Opportunities

Innovative research was the founding priority at Rensselaer, and remains their top commitment today. That commitment has in turn been well recognized by national funding sources. The U.S. Department of Energy has given more than $2 million in funding to Rensselaer's nuclear engineering program, including $1.3 for research alone. Over $800,000 was designated to a project to develop groundbreaking neutron detectors, and $475,000 to a project studying innovative energy conversion systems for reactors at nuclear power plants.

The MANE Department at RPI offers many additional computational, experimental, and theoretical opportunities for research and innovation. Areas of research include: aeronautics, applied mechanics, energy systems, multiphase phenomena and heat transfer, environmental health physics and radiation dosimetry, manufacturing/design, nuclear science and technology, and space technology.

In addition to departmental research opportunities, students can also conduct research through platforms at 6 research centers within the School of Engineering, including the Flexible Manufacturing Center and the Center for Multiphase Research.

Doctoral Degree Available from MANE

Ph.D. students conduct advanced study and research under the guidance of a thesis advisor. Of the 72 credit hours required of the doctoral program, 42 must be past the master's level, and 48 must be completed at Rensselaer, a part of their residency requirement.

Master's Degrees Available from MANE

The MANE department offers 2 master's degrees: the Master of Science (M.S.) and the Master of Engineering (M.Eng.). The Master of Science is considered academic and fundamental, and requires students to complete a thesis. The Master of Engineering program is more practically oriented, and gives students the option of completing a project as part of their culminating experience. Both programs require students to complete 30 hours of course work before graduation, and require full-time students to attend a graduate seminar every semester.

Successful Faculty is an Ongoing Tradition

The nearly 40 faculty members in MANE have come from different backgrounds and educational institutions, but they all have one thing in common: their commitment to conducting research and developing technologies that can lead to greater knowledge and new applications of science.

Dr. Yaron Danon is a professor in MANE who embodies Rensselaer's commitment to researching practical and innovative technological applications. A Ph.D. graduate of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute himself, Danon has received over $800,000 in funding for the development of neutron detectors that are more efficient and economical than those already used in the field. Such detectors could be used for many applications that require the detection of nuclear radiation.

Located in the Heart of the Northeast

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York, is located near the state of New York's capitol city, Albany. While Troy was once a leading center for iron and steel production, today, its historical streets are lined with some of the greatest examples of 19th century architecture. Graduate students can take advantage of the city's unique historical character as well as its modern conveniences. The cultural offerings of the surrounding Capital District are complemented by those of New York City, Boston, and Montreal, within a few hours of readily available ground transportation. New York State?s Adirondacks and Catskills Mountains, as well as the Green Mountains of Vermont and Berkshires of Massachusetts, offer a wealth of nearby recreational opportunities, for summer and winter alike.

Financial Aid

Financial aid is available in the form of teaching and research assistantships and fellowships, which include tuition scholarships and stipends. The assistantships cover the academic year, with summer support available in some cases. Outstanding students may qualify for national and corporate fellowships, as well as university-sponsored Rensselaer Graduate Fellowships. All fellowship awards are calendar-year awards for full-time graduate students.

• Degrees Offered
• Major Degree Levels Offered
• Master of Engineering (M Eng)
  Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
  Master of Science (MS)

• Degrees Awarded
• Master's Degrees 0
• Doctoral Degrees 0
• First Professional Degrees Not reported
• Other Advanced Degrees Not reported
• * Shows the number of degrees awarded for the last academic year that data was reported.

• Earning Your Degree
• Part-time study available? Yes
• Evening/weekend programs available? No
• Distance learning programs available? No
• Terminal master's degree available? No

• Degree Requirements
• Master's Degrees Required for some
• Doctoral Degrees Required
• First Professional Degrees Not reported
• Other Advanced Degrees Not reported

• Acceptance Rate
• Applied35
• Accepted14
• Acceptance Rate40%
• Enrolled6
• Applying
• Application Fee - Domestic $75
• Application Fee - International $75
• Electronic applications accepted? Yes
• Applications processed on a rolling basis? Yes
• Application Deadlines
• Type Domestic International Priority Date
• Fall deadline January 15th January 15th Yes
• Winter deadline Not Reported Not Reported Not Reported
• Spring deadline January 15th January 15th Yes
• Entrance Requirements
• Master's DegreesGRE
• Doctoral's DegreesGRE
• First-Professional's DegreesNot Reported
• Other Advanced DegreesNot Reported
• International DegreesTOEFL required, 600 paper based, TOEFL iBT, IELTS recommended

• Tuition & Fees
• In-state tuition *$39,600
• Out-of-state tuition *$39,600
• International student tuitionNot Reported
• * Tuition for full-time graduate student per academic year
• Fees
• Per-academic year fees$1,896.00
• Per-term feesNot Reported
• One-time feeNot Reported
• * Fees for full-time graduate students
• Financial Support
• Financial award applicants must submitNot Reported
• Application deadlines for financial awardsFebruary 1
• Types of financial support availableFellowships, Research Assitantships, Teaching Assistantships, Graduate Assistantships

• Gender
• Total Graduate Students18
• Female Percentage11%
• Male Percentage89%
• Participation
• Total Graduate Students18
• Part-time Percentage6%
• Full-time Percentage94%
• Ethnicity
• Hispanic / Latino6%
• Black / African American0%
• White / Caucasian94%
• American Indian / Alaskan Native0%
• Asian0%
• Native Hawaiian / Other Pacific Islander0%
• Two or more races0%
• Unknown0%

• Faculty Breakout
• Total Faculty10
• Full-time Percentage100%
• Part-time Percentage0%
• Female Percentage0%
• Male Percentage100%

• Existing Research
• Focus of faculty researchVehicular performance and flight mechanics, gas dynamics, aerodynamics, structural dynamics, advanced propulsion, fluids
• Externally sponsored research expenditures last year$3,401,049