Badger Engineers are cleared for takeoff.
The University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents voted to approve the creation of a new aerospace engineering major within the UW-Madison College of Engineering on Feb. 5, 2026. The new major will launch at the start of the fall 2026 semester within the Department of Mechanical Engineering.
Darryl Thelen, the John Bollinger Chair of the Department of Mechanical Engineering, expects 150 to 200 students a year to pursue the major. Currently, students can select an aerospace engineering option within the engineering mechanics major—a factor that’s driven enrollment growth in the major over the past six years.
The new program will be the first ABET-accredited aerospace engineering degree in the state of Wisconsin.
“We’re excited to formally launch an aerospace program that builds upon our department’s expertise in a growing field with an expanding footprint in our state,” says Thelen. “This is a logical response to enthusiastic interest from students.”
Aerospace engineers work in careers ranging from space exploration technology to aircraft systems to national defense. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the field is projected to experience faster than average growth over the next decade. More than 200 Wisconsin companies have ties to the aerospace industry, per the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation.
“This launches a new era of space in Wisconsin, supporting the growth of our space manufacturing infrastructure and job creation,” says Devesh Ranjan, Grainger Dean of the College of Engineering.
More information about the new program, including enrollment details, will come in June 2026.
Top photo caption: Teaching specialist Aidan Butula operates the new flight simulator, which he helped design and build. Photo: Joel Hallberg.