My question is, is it possible to get a bachelor’s and master’s in aerospace engineering, and then get a PhD in astrophysics? Or will I need to start undergraduate again to get a firm understanding in astrophysics?
Thanks
You might want to start with why you would want such a combination and what you’d plan to do with it.
@eyemgh I want to be in the workforce, and I just love astrophysics. I want to be well…educated.
What year in school are you? If you aren’t in undergraduate yet, you don’t have enough background to even know if you like, let alone love, astrophysics. I’d suggest you start your schooling towards your career and augment hobby stuff later. Your engineering background will give you plenty of background to dig in as deeply as you’ll want to without wasting multiple years of your life in a PhD program.
Although the frosh/soph engineering course work largely overlaps with the frosh/soph physics/astrophysics course work, the junior/senior course work diverges. Junior/senior physics/astrophysics course work would consume about half of those four semesters with expected/required courses, and also need more space for astrophysics/astronomy upper-level electives.
It is unlikely that you would be able to fit this in alongside an engineering major within eight semesters, unless you were extremely advanced (i.e. have taken the frosh/soph math and physics courses at a local college while in high school). I.e. it would likely take ten semesters (five years) to squeeze all of the course work in, at extra cost. Note that not all colleges want students staying enrolled for longer than necessary to complete one major.
An alternative would be to do a 3+2 program, starting at a LAC with good physics and astronomy offerings (not always easy to find) and majoring in physics/astrophysics there and then transferring to a university to complete the engineering major. However, the usual disadvantages of 3+2 programs apply: admission to the “2” school may be competitive or uncertain, financial aid at the “2” school may be uncertain, five years means an extra year of college costs anyway, and not being able to start on any engineering course work before the fourth year.
@eyemgh who said I was in school? 2nd year of college. :-?
Are you enrolled in an Aerospace program? If it were me, I’d take it one step at a time. Get your BS, then decide if you’d like a MS.
As @ucbalumnus has pointed out, the physics will diverge next year and continue for astrophysics, whereas it basically stops, formally at least, in your AE program. You wouldn’t have the background for a PhD in astrophysics. Then there’s the matter of the time and money you’d be devoting to the PhD at the expense of career earnings. It seems pretty extreme for interest’s sake when you can find SO MUCH information these days for free.
One should never enroll in a PhD program because they want to be “well educated” or they like a subject. You need to be passionate about that subject and motivated to enter a career in research on that subject to justify a PhD. It’s not just a credential. It’s a life-altering career path choice.
Agree with taking it one step at a time. I always thought I’d get a PhD, because I loved school and learning. After doing research for my MS, though, I realized I wasn’t cut out for it. It is HARD work, often tedious and frustrating.
Yes, srry for late reply but I agree with that. I am thinking a Masters of Engineering would suit me better rather than a PhD in a whole new subject. @eyemgh
Agreed, the PhD is really for those who want a research career in that field. You can always read about astrophysics as a “hobby” without sacrificing years of income.
@Gator88NE @eyemgh thank you for your comments.
I am a heavy math/physics research kind of guy, I will go crazy if I have to code all day. I want to do dual major if possible as I have already completed many of the prerequisites at the UMN during my senior year through a program they allow to High school students (taken 18 credits this fall). For the spring semester at UMN i hope to take some additional credits in orbital mechanics and some additional programming classes if counselor approves.
I am aware in the Air Force they will deploy me where there is a need v/s what i want to pursue, but is there a particular job that everyone wants? I would like to work on rocket propulsion and closely with astronauts (don’t have any intention of being an astronaut)