Document Type
Article
Academic Year
2025-2026
Approved Date
3-13-2026
Abstract
On the undergraduate side, the University of Dayton has historically offered bachelor's degrees in core, foundational engineering fields, such as chemical, civil, mechanical, and electrical engineering. Students can gain additional technical expertise through obtaining a minor or concentration in a number of specializations, but both the minors and concentrations offer limited coursework and are restricted to what students can fit into their major degree curriculum. Many students have expressed the desire for a more rigorous option, but do not have the time in their schedules for a dual major.
Therefore, when UD simultaneously reduced the number of credits for their general education program and created the co-major degree option, the School of Engineering (SOE) saw a tremendous opportunity to design and implement numerous co-majors in areas of expertise and critical need, which can be leveraged as a strong recruitment tactic, with minimal additional resources. The development of co-majors within SOE fits within UD’s Marianist mission by promoting holistic education and solutions to real-world challenges through a multidisciplinary approach. Aerospace Engineering was one of the areas identified for the creation of a co-major, owing to the already existing Aerospace Engineering minor and concentration as well as Aerospace MS and PhD programs at UD, the significant undergraduate student interest in this discipline, and the already very large and growing industrial and governmental Aerospace Engineering presence throughout Ohio.
The selection of Aerospace Engineering for a co-major is strategic because it accomplishes exactly what students wish to achieve – obtaining a bachelor's degree in a core engineering field but gaining considerable, transferable knowledge in Aerospace Engineering to make them more competitive for post-graduate employment or graduate school. The Aerospace Engineering Co-Major would seamlessly build upon the strong foundation and infrastructure already in place within SOE. Moreover, no additional course development would be required to launch this program thanks to the existing courses that comprise the Aerospace Minor and Concentration as well as existing courses that support the Aerospace MS and PhD programs. Undergraduate students involved in this co-major would have access to high-impact research opportunities through access to the network of professionals involved in Aerospace Engineering research, including faculty across campus, UDRI, AFRL, and local industries.
The timing of this proposal is also critical, as there is a shortage of qualified engineers in the Midwest region. The Aerospace Engineering Co-Major proposal would synthesize a new enhanced class of undergraduate, multidisciplinary graduates who are ready to respond to industry demand. These students would be highly marketable to employers due to the fact that they would be specialized in Aerospace Engineering without giving up their primary engineering field in Civil, Chemical, or Mechanical Engineering, adding depth and differentiation to their technical qualifications.
Recommended Citation
University of Dayton. School of Engineering, "DOC 2026-11 Aerospace Engineering Co-Major Proposal" (2026). Senate Documents. 352.
https://ecommons.udayton.edu/senate_docs/352
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