The School of Engineering at SDSU was established in 1961 with Aerospace Engineering (AE) as one of the options for specialization. The AE Program received its first accreditation in 1974. The Aerospace Engineering and Engineering Mechanics Department was established in 1978 and was renamed the Aerospace Engineering Department in 2013. The AE Department has 9 tenured/tenure-track faculty, supported by 7 lecturers, and technical and coordinator staff. In 2016-2017, the undergraduate student enrollment was 400 with a graduating class of 48 students in the spring of 2017.

The Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering (BSAE) degree program at San Diego State University provides students with a broad preparation in the fundamentals of engineering design and analysis. The program is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET. Graduate degrees offered are the Master of Science (MSAE), and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.).

The Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering is offered jointly with the University of California at San Diego (UCSD). Also, The Ph.D. in Computational Science is offered jointly with the Claremont Graduate University(CGU). The 2017 US News and World Report ranks the SDSU Aerospace Graduate Program at No. 37 nationally, and No. 27 among public institutions.

The AE Department enjoys a strong connection with the vibrant, local aerospace industry in San Diego. Our students have consistently participated and won prestigious awards in national and international competitions. Alumni of the Department have been recognized for their roles in advancing space exploration through their careers.