College of Engineering Announces New Certificate Programs in Aerospace Engineering and AI Engineering

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The College of Engineering at the University of Massachusetts Amherst has announced the launch of two new certificate programs: the undergraduate Certificate Program in Aerospace Engineering (CPAE), and the AI Engineering Graduate Certificate.

CPAE will provide students with the knowledge, skills, and experiential learning opportunities to pursue careers and/or graduate studies in aerospace-related fields—thus satisfying both the desires of students for more aerospace content in the curriculum and the needs of employers in the rapidly growing aerospace industry. All current engineering undergraduates are eligible to participate in this program.

Through the suite of required CPAE coursework, students will gain a breadth of knowledge in topics related to aerospace engineering, including aerodynamics, aerospace materials, structures, propulsion, flight mechanics, and stability and control.

In addition, students are encouraged—though not required—to participate in aerospace-related engineering student organizations, including the Aeronautics Team, the Rocket Team, and the new UMass CubeSat team, focused on the conceptualization and development of small satellites known as CubeSats.

The AI Engineering Graduate Certificate is designed to equip graduate students with a strong foundation of current skills in AI Engineering to meet today's workforce needs and prepare them to efficiently adapt in this rapidly evolving field. 

The certificate is sequenced to provide foundation and structure through two core courses, followed by more in-depth focus on specialized topics through an elective course, remaining flexible enough to cater to a variety of student interests within AI Engineering. 

Pending final approval by the Faculty Senate, courses in the AI Engineering graduate certificate curriculum include: CEE 590ST Machine Learning Foundations and Applications, ECE 601: Machine Learning for Engineers, MIE 650: Vehicle Automation, ECE 676: Neuromorphic Engineering Signal Processing, and BME 615: AI in Biomedicine, among many others.

Any current graduate students in the College of Engineering are eligible to apply for the AI Engineering Graduate Certificate, as well as non-matriculating students with undergraduate degrees, and sufficient technical background.

Both certificate programs will launch in Fall 2025.