Petition Submission

Aerospace engineering students may request course substitutions by completing a College of Engineering petition form. This can be used for any course, including those needed to meet requirements for General Education and for the major.

Students must use the College of Engineering’s e-petition website to submit a petition request.

If the petition concerns a Department requirement, the Director of Undergraduate Studies will decide whether to approve it. Petitions concerning General Education, or other College or University requirements, must first receive a recommendation from the Department, and then are forwarded to the Assistant Dean for Student Services for a decision.

Procedure

  1. Plan to submit the petition and receive a decision before taking the substitute course. (In some cases, this is not possible, but be aware that not all petitions are approved.)
  2. Go to College of Engineering e-Petition website and fill out the online petition form. It will then be routed electronically to your academic adviser, the Director of Undergraduate Studies, and if needed, to the Assistant Dean for Student Services.
  3. You will be notified by email if the petition was approved or denied. If approved, appropriate change(s) will be made to your degree audit.
  4. Retroactive adds, drops, or withdrawals require different actions, depending upon when they occur. Please contact Amy Custer or Dr. Robert Melton for details.

Petitions will be placed in your official file after completion by all required authorities.

How to Write the Petition

  1. State your request clearly and completely. The evaluators will base their decisions upon your written statements (and the information on your transcript).
  2. Do not ask to waive or set aside a requirement or course; instead, cast the request in terms of what you wish to substitute for a particular course or to meet a particular requirement.
  3. Give an adequate justification and explain the circumstances that have led to your request. Do not simply state “To allow me to graduate on time.”

Please note: the Dean of Engineering will not consider petitions in the semester that you graduate; petitions must be submitted prior to the beginning of your final semester.

All petitions are treated in strict confidence.

 
 

About

The Penn State Department of Aerospace Engineering, established in 1961 and the only aerospace engineering department in Pennsylvania, is consistently recognized as one of the top aerospace engineering departments in the nation, and is also an international leader in aerospace education, research, and engagement. Our undergraduate program is ranked 15th and our graduate programs are ranked 15th nationally by U.S. News & World Report, while one in 25 holders of a B.S. degree in aerospace engineering in the U.S. earned it from Penn State. Our students are consistently among the most highly recruited by industry, government, and graduate schools nationwide.

The department is built upon the fundamentals of academic integrity, innovation in research, and commitment to the advancement of industry. Through an innovative curriculum and world-class instruction that reflects current industry practice and embraces future trends, Penn State Aerospace Engineering graduates emerge as broadly educated, technically sound aerospace engineers who will become future leaders in a critical industry

Department of Aerospace Engineering

229 Hammond Building

The Pennsylvania State University

University Park, PA 16802

Phone: 814-865-2569