Aerospace Studies

Return to: USC Price School of Public Policy  

Physical Education Building 112
(213) 740-2670

Administration

Olivia D. Nelson, Lieutenant Colonel, USAF

Faculty

Professor: Olivia D. Nelson (Lieutenant Colonel, USAF)

Assistant Professors: Shaina Thompson, (Captain, USAF); Enoch Wong, (Captain, USAF)

The Department of Aerospace Studies offers a three- to four-year program of instruction leading directly to commissioning as an officer in the United States Air Force. To obtain a commission, qualified students must pass an aptitude test, physical fitness assessment and a medical examination; complete the Aerospace Studies program of instruction and concurrently receive an undergraduate or graduate degree. Credits earned in Aerospace Studies courses may be counted as electives in some degree programs. Those students who qualify for and are selected to enter Air Force pilot training will be given flight instruction upon graduation. Qualified applicants may compete for a variety of Air Force scholarships, some of which pay full tuition, books and associated fees. USC also offers a matching $4,000 scholarship per year for all AFROTC scholarship recipients. See the Tuition and Fees  page for additional scholarship information. Students dual-enrolled as AFROTC cadets are offered competitive opportunities to attend various related symposia and professional development opportunities throughout the year.

Program Requirements

Academic Year Program

This program consists of up to eight semesters of Aerospace Studies academic and Leadership Laboratory courses (AEST 100a , AEST 100b  through AEST 400a , AEST 400b ) plus a four-week summer field training course. All students, regardless of desire to pursue a military commission, may enroll in the academic courses that focus on such disciplines as Leadership Theory, Air and Space Power History and Theory, and National Security Studies. The program can be tailored for students who join after their freshman year. The open enrollment classes consist of one hour of academics for the AEST 100 and AEST 200 courses and three hours of academics for the AEST 300 and AEST 400 courses. The Leadership Laboratory courses are for AFROTC Cadets only.

Summer Training Courses

Field training is offered during the summer at Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, Alabama. Students participate in two weeks of intensive training, normally between their sophomore and junior years.

The major areas of study in the field training course include junior officer leadership training, career orientation, survival training, weapons training, physical training, base functions and the Air Force environment.

Additional summer training courses at locations around the world are available to interested students to build leadership and human relations skills, develop cultural and language proficiency, provide a general orientation in Air Force specialties and motivate cadets toward an Air Force career. The training opportunities vary each year but may include cultural and language immersion programs, engineering research and apprenticeships, and orientation programs related to other air, space and cyberspace specialties.