Undergraduate Programs

Minor Program in Aeronautical Engineering

The significant presence of aircraft-related industries and economic activities in Hong Kong has facilitated the employment of our graduates at major aerospace companies, including Cathay Pacific, Dragon Air, HAECO, HASEL, and the Airport Authority, as well as the formation of the Aircraft Division at the HKIE in 2011. To cater for the strong demand and interest from the local community, the Minor Program in Aeronautical Engineering launched by the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering in 2012 enables the students to understand introductory and general knowledge about aeronautical engineering principles and aircraft structures, through topics including low speed aerodynamics, wing theory, aircraft structure, aircraft power plants, jet propulsion, aircraft stability and control, and flight dynamics. These topics are essential to graduate engineers who are intending  to work in aircraft system and component manufacturing/maintenance environments. The Minor program has also established an excellent platform for academic exchange and collaborations with major universities and institutions in the United States, Asia and  Mainland China.

Aircraft Structure-Final Assembly of Boeing 787 Dreamliner

Flight Control-787's Flight Deck

Engine-747-8's GEnx-2B Engine

Admission requirements

The Minor Program in Aeronautical Engineering is designed mainly for engineering students, but is open to students with a science major, with a minimum CGA of 2.5 or above and sufficient background in mathematics (e.g. MATH 1013, MATH 1014 and MATH 2011), physics (e.g. PHYS 1112 or PHYS 1152) and/or fundamental mechanics (e.g. MECH 1907). Except for students with a major in Aerospace Engineering, eligible students must declare their intention to enroll in the Minor Program no earlier than the first regular term of their second year of study but no later than the last day of the add/drop period in the first regular term of their final year of study. Students who wish to withdraw from the Minor Program should apply before the last day of the add/drop period in the last regular term of their study.

The program aims to fulfill two major objectives:

  1. To equip students with fundamental knowledge in Aeronautical Engineering principle and aircraft structures;
  2. To prepare students to pursue a successful and rewarding career in aerospace and aviation industries in a broad perspective.

 

Curriculum

The program requires a minimum of 18 credits to be taken from the following courses:

Required Courses

Students should take three out of the following four courses 

Courses
Credits
Required Courses
9
Technical Electives 
9
Total
18
 

(3 courses from the specified elective list below. Students may only use 1 course from group B to count toward this requirement)

Group A 
MECH4100 Experiential Projects in Aerospace Engineering
MECH4350  Indoor Air Quality in Buildings
MECH4430  Materials Characterization
MECH4710  Introductions to Robotics
MECH4720  Introduction to Precision Engineering
MECH4740  Numerical Methods in Engineering
MECH4750  Mechanical Vibration
CIVL4370    Computer Methods of Structural Analysis
COMP3111  Software Engineering 
COMP3511  Operating Systems 
ELEC3200    System Modeling, Analysis and Control 
IEDA2200    Engineering Management
IEDA2410    Logistics and Freight Transportation Operations 
 
Group B
MECH1907   Introduction to Aerospace Engineering
CENG2210    Chemical and Biological Engineering Thermodynamics
CENG2220    Process Fluid Mechanics  
CIVL2120      Mechanics of Materials  
CIVL2510      Fluid Mechanics 

For credit transfer, students can transfer a maximum total of 6 credits to the Minor Program. Courses accepted for transfer credits must normally be at a level equivalent to HKUST courses of 1000-level or above.

Out of the total credits required by the minor program, at least 9 credits should be single-counted within the minor and  not be used to fulfill any other requirements for graduation except the 120-credit degree requirement.

To graduate with a minor in Aeronautical Engineering, students must have enrolled in the Minor Program and complete all of its requirements, as well as the requirements of the major program of study; and have attained an average grade point of at least 2.15 in courses taken within the minor program.