Regulations for the Degree Course in AEROSPACE ENGINEERING
Class L 9 – Industrial engineering
Academic Year 2011/ 2012
Specific educational goals
All our courses are specifically designed to provide candidates with a solid foundation in mathematics and physics and knowledge of all the fundamental aspects of the disciplines that characterise both aeronautical engineering and aerospace engineering.
The use of experimental and numerical laboratory modules aims to provide students with practical tools that will put them one step ahead when entering the world of work.
The capabilities and skills acquired by the end of the course ensure graduates are ready to face the work demands in these sectors.
Students also receive a background of general knowledge which they can extend on to develop more specific skills in various subjects. The 3-year Degree course provides all the basics required to frequent the Aeronautic Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Aerospace Communication Systems Engineering and Aerospace Electronic Systems Engineering degree courses.
Admission qualifications
Students must have a high school diploma, or equivalent academic qualifications obtained at a foreign school, in order to gain admission to the Degree course. Logical skills, suitable training in mathematical sciences and excellent knowledge of Italian language are also mandatory requirements.
The University will hold admission tests at the beginning of September to verify the level of preparation of all candidates; an information sheet will be issued with all the procedures, regulations and qualifications required to sit the test.
The multiple choice test will comprise questions on Mathematical Sciences and the Italian language.
Candidates who fail the test, in accordance with the admission test regulations, will be required to attend additional mandatory courses during the First Year of the course.
Candidates who pass the tests taken during the final year at high school at Campus One, ITIS Galilei, or the University of Engineering in Rieti, automatically gain admission to the Degree Course and are not required to sit the admission test in September.
Credit recognition
Validation of credits is foreseen following recognition of knowledge and professional skills individually certified under the current legislation, further to other knowledge and skills gained during post-secondary level training organized and realized in collaboration with the university. The maximum total of recognisable university credits is 18.
Studying abroad: certification of study periods abroad
Courses taken at foreign or European Universities with which the School of Aerospace Engineering has signed agreements, projects and/or contracts are recognised as prescribed by such agreements.
Upon receiving approval from the Degree Course Academic Council, students can spend a period of abroad as part of the LLP Erasmus Project.
In accordance with University Academic Regulations relating to studies, examinations and academic degrees earned abroad, the Degree Course Academic Council will examine the programme and assign the credits which correspond to the relative scientific disciplines.
If a student comes from another University, from another Sapienza Degree Course or other Academic Course, the Academic Council may recognise the credits acquired which do not exceed the Scientific Disciplinary Sectors - SDS indicated on the course programmes and up to a maximum of 12 University Credits - UC in the SDS not foreseen in the course programme.
If the subject is no longer a student, the Academic Council may approve reinstatement according to the current regulations in force, recognising all or only part of the credits earned.
Attendance
Attendance is not compulsory except for the Laboratory courses.
Course details
The following key skills and abilities are developed progressively during the course:
Year l: general courses (mathematic analysis, geometry, physics, chemistry, economics);
Year ll: basic course in engineering subjects (physics, mathematics, construction, materials, Electrotechnical sciences)
Year lll: courses on specific aerospace engineering subjects (aerodynamics, flight mechanics, aerospace construction, aerospace propulsion).
The curriculum also foreseen that:
- 3 credits are assigned to the knowledge of a foreign language;
- 5 credits are awarded to the final test
- 12 credits can be chosen by the student
- the remaining 160 credits are gained during basic, characteristic, analogous or additional academic courses, along with other types of academic activities.
The academic courses are divided into modules: Each module is a combination of academic activities relating to one or more scientific fields, which correspond to a different number of credits.
The plan is based on 19 exams and 2 eligibility tests.
The percentage of the total hourly commitment that students may dedicate to personal studies or other individual academic activities is at least 68%.
Verification of foreign language proficiency and relative credits
All Degree Course students must take a foreign language eligibility exam in the language of their choice – English, French, Spanish or German. 3 credits are assigned to the foreign language eligibility exam. The language proficiency test consists of a written and/or oral exam. The Sapienza School of Aerospace Engineering (SSAE) provides courses in English, French and German to allow students to increase their technical language skills.
Part-time
Freshmen and students who are also involved in other activities, can apply for Part-time attendance which means they earn less UC each year than a full-time student.
The rules and procedures applicable to part-time attendance are provided in the University Regulations. Please consult the general regulations for further details on the rights and duties of part-time students ().
Educational methods and proficiency tests
Lectures, tutorials, workshops, group work, and any other activities lecturers deem appropriate, will be provided for each individual subject.
Proficiency tests for each subject normally consist of a written and/or oral exam (E), with procedures defined by the Lecturer and communicated with the programme. For certain activities such an exam is replaced by an eligibility assessment (EA) where, once again, the procedures are defined by the Lecturer.
Final test
The final test consists of the preparation of a monographic research project on a particular topic related to the teachings provided during the degree course.
Career and employment opportunities for graduates
Aerospace Engineer career opportunities are naturally related to the skills acquired and can include businesses, organisations and institutions that are involved in the production and handling of aerospace equipment and space missions.
Some examples of career opportunities are:
- airplane maintenance operators;
- airport systems management operators
- use of commercial engineering software in R&D divisions of aerospace companies;
- technical support in service companies and government bodies operating in aeronautic and aerospace sectors.
STUDY PLAN
SUBJECTS
FIRST YEAR
Subject / Sector / UC / Exam type / Activity type / Sem. / CanMathematics analysis I / MAT/05 / 9 / E / A / I / 2
Chemistry / CHEM/07 / 9 / E / A / I / 2
Geometry / MAT/03 / 9 / E / A / I / 2
Aerospace basics / 4 / V / AAF. / II / 1
Mathematics analysis Il / MAT/05 / 9 / E / A / II / 2
Physics I / PHYS/01 / 9 / E / A / II / 2
Thermodynamics and heat transmission / ENG-IND/11 / 6 / E / C / II / 1
SECOND YEAR
Subject / Sector / UC / Exam type / Activity type / Sem. / BranchPhysics Il / PHYS/01 / 9 / E / A / I / 2
Mechanics mathematic models / MAT/07 / 9 / E / C / I / 1
Programming and numerical methods / 9 / E / A / I / 1
Programming Mod. l / ENG-INF/05 / 5
Numerical methods Mod. l / MAT/08 / 4
Construction science / ICAR/08 / 6 / E / B / II / 2
Materials science and technology / ENG-IND/22 / 6 / E / B / I / 1
Aerodynamics / ENG-IND/06 / 9 / E / B / II / 2
Electrotechnical studies / ENG-IND/31 / 6 / E / C / II / 2
Applied mechanics and technical drawing / 9 / E / B / II / 2
Applied mechanics Mod. l / ENG-IND/13 / (6)
Technical drawing Mod. 2 / ENG-IND/15 / (3)
THIRD YEAR
Subject / Sector / UC / Exam type / Activity type / Sem. / BranchAerospace telecommunications / 6 / E / C / I / 1
Mod. 1 / ENG-INF/03 / (3)
Mod. 2 / ENG-INF/03 / (3)
Aerospace construction / ENG-IND/04 / 9 / E / B / I / 1
Flight mechanics / 9 / E / B / II / 1
Atmospheric flight mechanics Mod. l
Aerospace flight mechanics Mod. 2 / ENG-IND/03 / (6)
ENG-IND/03 / (3)
Aerospace propulsion / ENG-IND/07 / 9 / E / B / I / 2
Free choice subjects (6 UC in B)
Aerosp. construction technology / ENG-IND/04 / 6 / E / B / I / 1
Aeronautic systems / ENG-IND/05 / 6 / E / B / II / 1
Aerospace systems / ENG-IND/05 / 6 / E / B / II / 1
Free choice subjects (3 UC in AAF)
Aircraft assembly laboratory / 3 / EA / AAF / II / 1
Aerodynamics calculation laboratory / 3 / EA / AAF / II / 1
Aerodynamics testing laboratory / 3 / EA / AAF / II / 1
Aircraft design calculation laboratory / 3 / EA / AAF / II / 1
Structural calculation laboratory / 3 / EA / AAF / II / 1
Engine calculation laboratory / 3 / EA / AAF / II / 1
Sector / UC / Exam type / Activity type
Exams chosen by the student / 12 / E / D
Language Eligibility Assessment / 3 / EA / Language proficiency
Final test / 5 / E
Key
Academic activity types: basic A, characteristic B, analogous and additional C, free choice by students D, final test E, other academic activities (art 10, paragraph 1, sub-paragraph d) AAF, stage and apprenticeship E.
Free-choice subjects
As for the 12 credits earned on free-choice subjects, students can choose from the subjects foreseen for the three-year academic course which are not included in their curriculum, or subjects or similar sectors inherent to other three-year academic courses.
The Academic Council will check that the courses proposed by students are inherent to their studies before endorsing such requests.
Study plan
Students are required to submit their study plan programme at the beginning of Year Two [roughly during the period from September 1 to September 30 and, more specifically, in the periods which will be constantly updated on the Aerospace Engineering Academic Council website (News area)] .
Students must fill in the online study plan form found on the website indicating their specific orientation and choice of subjects, following the instructions provided on the Aerospace Engineering Academic Council website().
Regulations regarding change of year and relative prerequisites
Students must have gained at least 30 credits in Year l in order to move on to Year ll.
Students must have gained all Year l credits, plus no less than 20 Year ll credits in order to move on to Year lll.
Prerequisites
It is not possible to sit exams on / if students have not passed the exams onAerodynamics / Mathematics analysis I
Aerospace construction / Construction science
Electrotechnical studies / Physics Il
Physics Il / Mathematics analysis I, Physics l
Aerospace materials / Chemistry
Mechanics mathematic models / Mathematics analysis I, Geometry
Programming and numerical methods / Mathematics analysis I, Geometry
Aerospace propulsion / Chemistry, Thermodynamics and heat transmission, Aerodynamics
Construction science / Mathematics analysis I, Physics l
Programmes and exam papers
The academic programmes and exam papers can be viewed on the Aerospace Engineering Academic Council website ().
Tutoring services
The Degree Course also foresees tutoring provided by the School of Aerospace Engineering. The following Degree Course Lecturers Guido Colasurdo, Antonio Culla, Andrea Dall’Aglio, Nicola De Divitiis, Maurizio Di Giacinto, Bernardo Favini, Annalisa Fregolent, Fausto Gamma, Paolo Gasbarri, Giorgio Graziani, Walter Lacarbonara, Mauro Lo Schiavo, Luca Marino, Franco Mastroddi, Paola Nardinocchi, Francesco Nasuti, Renato Paciorri, Fulvio Stella, Francesco Trequattrini, Stefano Vecchio all provide tutoring to students.
Placements
Students can complete placements for which they will earn 5 credits, instead of taking the final exam (5 UF). On approving the internship, an academic tutor, chosen from among the Academic Council lecturers, and a company tutor will be appointed to follow up the placement activities. The academic tutor will monitor and verify all results.
Quality assessments
The Degree Course Academic Council, in collaboration with the Sapienza School of Aerospace Engineering will conduct surveys on the opinions of students attending the relative academic courses. The survey system is part of a quality programme which the self-assessment group, lecturers, students and academic course operators all work towards. The survey results and analysis conducted by the self-assessment group are used to improve all teaching and academic activities.