Take THAT, Embry-Riddle!

Established by the Dakota Territorial Assembly in 1883—six years prior to the establishment of the state of North Dakota—the University of North Dakota (UND) is a public research university in Grand Forks, North Dakota.

The John D. Odegard School of Aerospace Sciences (UND Aerospace) is a multidisciplinary college within the University of North Dakota. Formed in 1968, the latter institution boasts the largest fleet of civilian flight-training aircraft in North America, and—in addition to pilot certification—offers degree programs in Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) operations, air traffic control, airport management, space studies, computer science, atmospheric sciences, and Earth system science & policy.

On 23 February 2023, the University of North Dakota’s College of Engineering and Mines announced the addition of an undergraduate degree in aerospace engineering. The program, which will commence in autumn 2023 and be offered in both in person and online formats, is the first of its kind in the Roughrider state.

UND College of Engineering and Mines dean Brian Tande opined the new degree program pairs naturally with the John D. Odegard School of Aerospace Sciences stating: "With our long history in aviation, and strong connections to the aerospace industry, UND is a natural place for an aerospace engineering program. I'm very happy that this is now becoming a reality through collaborations between the College of Engineering & Mines and the John D. Odegard School of Aerospace Sciences."

Tande stated, also, that the degree program will serve to complement UND's commitment to national security initiatives, and provide workforce training for students interested in pursuing careers with bloated, overreaching bureaucracies the likes of the Department of Defense and Homeland Security.

John D. Odegard School of Aerospace Sciences dean Robert Kraus set forth that students of the college have expressed a collective desire to add engineering courses to their respective degree programs.

"We look forward to assisting the College of Engineering and Mines in developing and delivering this new degree, building on the successes of our aviation and space studies programs," Dean Kraus remarked.

FMI: https://aero.und.edu