Utah State University's (USU) Department of Aerospace Studies (AFROTC) was originally founded in 1946 as one of the fourteen schools nationwide to receive a pilot training program. AFROTC existed alongside the Military Science (ARMY ROTC) department since 1898, but the two officially split in 1949.

Military training for the students of USU began soon after the college was established, and in fact, between 1892 and 1955, military science was compulsory for male students. The Reserve Officers' Training Corps began on campus in 1916 and (although it was dropped briefly in WWI) by 1950, USU was described as "The West Point of the West" with about 2200 cadets. In 1948, ROTC was divided into the Air Corps, the Quartermaster Corps, and the Coast Artillery. Both ARMY ROTC and AFROTC have fluctuated in enrollment throughout the years; however, both programs remain at USU to this day.

The Aerospace Studies program is for aspiring United States Air Force hopefuls and also includes Detachment 860, a program for students who want to qualify for commission.

The Department of Aerospace Studies, and all previous iterations, have operated out of several colleges at USU, including the College of Business. Most recently, the program operated out of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences. Post 2025, the department now operates out of the College of Arts and Sciences.