<p>Hi, I'm an undergrad (second year) at UCSC studying computer science right now (started out in physics...) and I'm kind of realizing I'm much more interested in aerospace engineering than computer science.</p>
<p>My school offers computer science, computer engineering, and electrical engineering (as well as a few other less related engineering majors like bioengineering...). Should I stay and a) major in computer science and study aerospace in grad school, b) go for physics because its maybe more applicable and try to get into an aerospace grad program (my uncle was a physics major and now he works on planes for boeing...), c) switch to electrical or computer engineering, which would take me probably more than 4 years to graduate because of the classes i've taken versus the classes that are required at this point for me to get those degrees, or d) transfer to a different school with an aerospace undergraduate program?</p>
<p>I just don't know what to do, because I really need to decide soon, I could still switch to a different kind of engineering (thought that might take more than 4 years...) or I could switch back to physics and I think maybe graduate in 4 years? Might take another quarter.</p>
<p>Yeah… physics and computer science are very different majors when compared to aerospace engineering. If you do go to grad school for aero, expect to take a lot of undergrad courses to catch up before you get started with your core aero grad classes. With that being said, physics would be a much better bet. Heck, I had an aero TA once whose undergrad was in physics, so it’s not impossible.</p>
<p>Everyone is right about alot of extra classes. I am doing the same thing but I am majoring in mechanical engineering then going to aerospace master. Mechanical is close to aerospace and I still have to take some extra classes.</p>
<p>Just to give you an idea of the classes. Here is University of Texas miniimum background needed. </p>
<p>Minimum Background </p>
<p>The minimum background for new graduate students without ASE undergraduate degrees is the following:</p>
<p>Aerothermodynamics: ASE 320, Introduction to Fluid Mechanics
ASE 340, Boundary Layer Theory and Heat Transfer
ASE 376K, Propulsion </p>
<p>Guidance & Control: ASE 330M, Linear System Analysis
ASE 367K, Flight Dynamics
ASE 370L, Flight Control Systems </p>
<p>Orbital Mechanics: ASE 330M, Linear System Analysis
ASE 366K, Spacecraft Dynamics
ASE 372K, Advanced Spacecraft Dynamics </p>
<p>Structures: ASE 319, Strength of Materials
ASE 321K, Structural Analysis
ASE 365, Structural Dynamics </p>
<p>Try and see if you can take some of these as electives (technical electives)
And of course make sure your aerospace master school will accept your elective credits.
Thats basically a full year of background courses so choose wisely.</p>