Aerospace engineering programs offer undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral degrees in aeronautical or astronautical engineering. General aerospace programs combine both fields. Courses cover aerodynamics, propulsion, and space mission design, with internships available at private companies and government agencies.
The different types of aerospace engineering programs are general aerospace engineering programs, aeronautical engineering programs, and astronautical engineering programs. Within these programs, students can earn an undergraduate, master’s, or doctoral degree in philosophy (PhD). Students in any of these different programs plan to pursue careers as engineers to design, test, and oversee the production and manufacture of aircraft or spacecraft.
Aerospace engineering programs are divided into two branches: aeronautical engineering and astronautical engineering. Aeronautical engineering deals with the technology of flight in the Earth’s atmosphere, and astronautical engineering focuses on craft that operate outside the Earth’s atmosphere. General aerospace programs combine the topics of aeronautical engineering and astronautical engineering. These general programs are more common at colleges and universities than specialized aeronautical engineering programs or astronautical engineering programs.
There are aerospace engineering programs offered at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Many colleges and universities have a general aerospace program. Graduate students are likely to have more opportunities to focus on a specialization in aeronautical engineering, astronautical engineering, or another subspecialty topic.
Master’s programs in aeronautical engineering or studies of astronautical engineering equipment for any specialization. Doctoral programs offer students the opportunity to gain even more focus on subfields such as flight mechanics, dynamics and control, fluid dynamics, structural mechanics, propulsion and power. Sample courses include strain and flow theory, hypersonic flows, unbalanced flow dynamics, and optimal space shuttle design.
Undergraduate aerospace programs are much more common than individual aeronautical engineering or astronautical engineering programs. Typical courses in an aerospace engineering degree program include aerodynamics and aerospace propulsion. Courses also include practical flight controls and flight mechanics. Students can also complete courses in space mission design and vehicle design, as well as laboratory courses such as a robotics lab.
Other classes include fluid resistance of materials, dynamics or thermodynamics. Students are also encouraged to intern at organizations such as private aerospace companies. Some government agencies that deal with aerospace engineering also offer internships.
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