United States Air Force Academy

Aeronautical Engineering

Aeronautical Engineering majors design, build, and fly next-generation airplanes, jet engines, and hypersonic systems. Studies in aerodynamics, flight mechanics, propulsion, aircraft structures and materials, and experimental methods prepare cadets for aircraft design or aircraft engine design sequences. The major is ABET accredited.

Astronautical Engineering

The Astronautical Engineering major is the broad application of science and engineering to aerospace operations, with special emphasis on astrodynamics, aerospace systems design, and control systems. Cadets are prepared for duties in the Space or Air Forces with specialization in research, design, development, and analysis of space technology and aerospace avionics. The major is ABET accredited.

Basic Sciences

The Basic Sciences major is a divisional major incorporating the basic sciences of Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics, and Physics. It is recommended for cadets already declared in a Basic Sciences or Engineering disciplinary major who find the divisional approach more suited to fulfilling graduation requirements.

Behavioral Sciences

The Behavioral Sciences major lays a foundation for understanding yourself, others, and how groups of people work together, mapping a path of study through psychology and sociology. Cadets choose one of three concentrations: Psychology, Sociology, or Human Factors. It is the only degree at USAF Academy that qualifies cadets for the Information Operations career field.

Biology

The Biology major prepares cadets to become officers skilled at critical thinking, grounded in the natural world, and capable of identifying solutions in complex environments. Required and elective courses explore biological levels from molecules within cells to organisms within ecosystems, with emphasis options in environmental, organismal, cellular, molecular, and human biology, and preparation for the health professions.

Chemistry

Chemistry is at the forefront of Air Force research, from developing materials for aircraft to analyzing chemical and biological warfare agents. The major offers three American Chemical Society certified tracks (Chemistry, Biochemistry, and Engineering Chemistry) providing fundamental knowledge in analytical, biological, inorganic, organic, and physical chemistry and preparing cadets for research, graduate school, and medical career fields.

Civil Engineering

Civil engineers solve physical problems that meet human needs, planning, designing, and supervising the construction of facilities in the natural and built environment such as bridges, buildings, highways, dams, airports, and water distribution networks. The major is ABET accredited and leads to a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering.

Computer Science

Computer Science is the study of computers and their application, focusing on computer programming, software engineering, and computing theory. The skills developed are in high demand and applicable to all Air Force career fields. The program is accredited by the Computing Accreditation Commission of ABET.

Cyber Science

The Cyber Science major focuses on computer programming, embedded systems, networks, telecommunications, computer systems, computer investigations, and cyber operations. The skills uniquely prepare cadets to establish, operate, maintain, and defend computer and communications networks, provide secure command and control, and contribute to a variety of cyber operation missions.

Data Science

The Data Science major focuses on planning for, acquisition, management, analysis of, and inference from data, drawing on mathematics, statistics, computer science, and information science with a strong emphasis on critical thinking and data-driven decision making. It is an interdisciplinary major jointly administered by the Departments of Computer and Cyber Sciences, Management, and Mathematical Sciences.

Economics

Economics is the scientific study of decision making. The course of study includes a foundational sequence in microeconomics, macroeconomics, and econometrics, with electives allowing cadets to focus on business, finance, international economics, public policy, and other fields of applied economics. It develops critical thinking and problem-solving skills valued across many career fields.

Electrical and Computer Engineering

The Electrical and Computer Engineering major prepares students with a deep understanding of modern electronic systems such as smart munitions, advanced fly-by-wire aircraft radio systems, and terrain-following radar. Coursework applies physics, mathematics, and computer science and culminates in a two-semester capstone design course. Multiple engineering options are ABET accredited.

English

The USAF Academy English major deploys the power of narrative to influence people and shape policy, engaging literature, communication, film, creative writing, digital humanities, and artistic creation. It is flexible, pairs well with other majors, and develops the effective communication and critical thinking skills valued across Air and Space Force career fields.

Foreign Area Studies

The Foreign Area Studies major offers an interdisciplinary exploration of one of six geo-cultural regions (Africa, Latin America, Europe, Asia, the Middle East, or Slavic countries) with an emphasis in History, Military & Strategic Studies, or Political Science. Coursework includes foreign language, history, political science, economics, and geospatial science within a comparative cross-cultural framework.

General Engineering

The General Engineering major is a divisional major recommended for cadets who prefer a broad, flexible curriculum with a high degree of individual choice. It is a sensible alternative for cadets already declared in a STEM disciplinary major who find the divisional approach more suited to fulfilling graduation requirements. The major is not ABET accredited.

Geospatial Science

The Geospatial Science major emphasizes learning about diverse cultures, physical landscapes, and geospatial tools used by Expeditionary Air and Space Force officers. The flexible curriculum spans physical, human, and regional geography as well as geographic information processing methods such as digital image processing and geographic information systems, and offers the Geospatial Intelligence Certificate.

History

The History major examines the human condition in breadth, depth, and context to provide leaders with a diverse toolkit for confronting complex and ambiguous situations. It is a qualifying degree for all rated career fields and a desired major for the Intelligence career field, sharpening judgment through the study of the past.

Humanities

The Humanities major provides cadets the opportunity to explore the breadth of the humanities disciplines and pursue interdisciplinary and individualized learning. Jointly administered by the Departments of English, Foreign Language, History, and Philosophy, it develops conceptual integration, lateral thinking, and strategic sensitivity.

Legal Studies

The Legal Studies major builds expertise in the study of law and its role in American society and the international community. It develops critical thinking and clear communication skills, providing enhanced knowledge of the law and respect for the rule of law rather than functioning as a pre-law major, though many graduates attend law school and serve as Judge Advocates.

Management

The Management major prepares cadets for management and leadership roles in today's technologically complex, global Air and Space Forces, developing cadets who can understand, analyze, and improve organizations through the efficient use of systems. The Management Department is accredited by AACSB, and topics include organizational behavior, financial and managerial accounting, marketing, operations, and strategic management.

Mathematics

The Department of Mathematical Sciences offers a Mathematics track providing a broad overview of classical and modern mathematics with flexibility to tailor a program, and an Applied Mathematics track featuring a focused interdisciplinary concentration coordinated with another department. Both stress problem solving, logic, abstract reasoning, and technical communication.

Mechanical Engineering

Mechanical Engineering is the engineering of systems, designing, building, and testing the coupled interactions of components, power, and information. It is a broad discipline bringing together mechanics and motion, thermodynamics and fluids, materials and structures, and control, with focus areas in failure analysis, aerospace structures, dynamics, or thermal-fluid systems. The major is ABET accredited.

Meteorology

Meteorology is the study of the atmosphere and the weather it generates, uniquely focused at USAF Academy on the impact of weather on military operations. The major provides the knowledge to analyze and predict atmospheric behavior over a broad range of time and space scales, from thunderstorms and tornadoes to continental weather and climate change.

Military & Strategic Studies

The Military & Strategic Studies major is an interdisciplinary program that teaches cadets how to develop and employ strategy in a military context while giving skills to succeed in any competitive environment. Required courses build a foundation in air, space, and cyber strategy, and the capstone challenges cadets to develop a theater campaign plan for a notional conflict.

Operations Research

Operations Research is the application of scientific and mathematical methods to the study and analysis of problems involving complex systems, the science of problem solving and decision making. It is a truly interdisciplinary major jointly administered by the Departments of Computer and Cyber Sciences, Economics and Geosciences, Management, and Mathematical Sciences.

Philosophy

In pursuit of wisdom, students of philosophy attempt to answer fundamental questions about the nature of reality, knowledge, and value. USAF Academy philosophy majors undertake their study as part of a life of energetic inquiry aimed at developing the virtues appropriate to a leader of character, with special expertise in ethics as applied to the profession of arms.

Physics

The Physics major develops mastery of the fundamental laws governing the universe and is the only path to becoming an Air Force physicist (61D). Cadets study classical mechanics, electromagnetic theory, quantum mechanics, and more, choosing concentrations such as Directed Energy and Optics, Nuclear Physics, Space Physics, or Applied Physics, with opportunities for world-class research.

Political Science

The Political Science major provides a comprehensive understanding of both the substance and process of politics and public policy, examining political theory, comparative politics, international relations, American politics, security studies, and defense decision-making. It offers four areas of concentration: American politics, international relations, comparative politics and area studies, and national security policy.

Social Sciences

The Social Sciences major is a divisional major dealing with human behavior in its social and cultural aspects, drawing from Economics, Geospatial Science, Management, Law, Political Science, Behavioral Science, and Military & Strategic Studies. It is designed for the cadet whose interests lie in a broader program of study than a single disciplinary major would provide.

Systems Engineering

Systems Engineering crosses many disciplinary boundaries to create a holistic, integrative approach enabling the successful realization of complex engineered systems used by the Air and Space Forces. Cadets specialize in an engineering depth area of their choosing and apply their approach in a senior Capstone Design project. The major is ABET accredited.