<p>Hello people! I am planning to do aerospace at either UT Austin or Texas A&M(both tied 10 for that major). I have already been accepted to the university and major, and I also applied to honors for both. </p>
<p>So tell me, what are your views on aerospace engineering and its prospects?
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<p>Aerospace engineering will be around as long as humanity insists on air or space travel. I foresee that demand lasting forever. It has its ups and downs but the profession will always exist.</p>
<p>That’s comforting. I was worried that with the loss of NASA and the state of the world economy, aerospace engineering would suffer quite a bit.</p>
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<p>I mean, aerospace does draw a decent amount from the government, but there is plenty of other funding too. It has ups and downs but there will always be some demand. Didn’t scare me off.</p>
<p>Also take comfort in the face that aerospace isn’t just planes and satellites. It can be applied to anything with fluid flow around it. I know at A&M, aerospace engineers also get hired for structural positions. I’ve a Structural Engineer, and some of the stuff aerospace delves into on the structural portion is impressive.</p>
<p>No more shall I worry about aerospace prospects than. I plan on becoming one of the top aerospace engineers for the class of '16 at whatever university I attend. It is my dream to work with major aerospace companies or at least ones with a good salary so that I can help my parents retire. </p>
<p>Hmm, the structural part interests me. Would it be just like testing aerodynamics of buildings?</p>
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<p>^no, although that might be an example. Areodynamics and structural mechanics are different departments in aerospace companies. Pretty much anything that flies requires a certain amount of structural analysis and test…the airframe of a F35 JSF or the helicopter blades of an AH-64 Apache are a couple of obvious examples. But even the optical systems on such platforms require extensive structural analysis and test to ensure that the optics to not “vibrate” excessively and compromise the ability to see long ranges. And there is overlap between structural analysis and aerodynamics, to determine when a wing, for example, might experience aeroelastic flutter or divergence…so the two groups work together quite closely.</p>
<p>Employers don’t get too hung up on the specific major you have in engineering. You can probably find a position in just about any engineering firm with a solid engineering degree in aerospace, mechanical or whatever.</p>
<p>I think I rather like the structural engineering part. That’s what I had envisioned when I signed up for aerospace, but mostly for spacecraft. However, I might consider it as my job after college.</p>
<p>What would it take to get a good paying job with Northrop or Boeing?</p>
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<p>Here’s some examples of structural courses in the AERO department at A&M. I’m sure UT would have similar courses.</p>
<ol>
<li>Structural Analysis II. (3-0). Credit 3. I, II</li>
</ol>
<p>Work and energy principles; analysis of indeterminate structures by classical virtual work and finite elements; introduction to elastic stability of columns; application of energy methods to determine stresses, strains and displacements in typical aerospace structures; design considerations in aerospace structures. Prerequisite: AERO 304.</p>
<ol>
<li>Aerospace Structural Design. (3-0). Credit 3. II</li>
</ol>
<p>Overall structural integrity of complete aerospace systems; structures subjected to critical loads; design considerations in aerospace structures. Prerequisite: AERO 306.</p>
<ol>
<li>Mechanics of Advanced Aerospace Structures. (3-0). Credit 3. I</li>
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<p>Advanced analysis techniques for aerospace structures; material anisotropy, plasticity, fatigue and fracture; laminated materials; solution of plane elasticity, plate and multi-component structural configurations; buckling of beams and plates; application of finite element analysis. Prerequisite: AERO 306.</p>
<p>When it comes to a good paying job, do well in school, build a resume early, attend the career fairs and tailor your coursework to what you want to do. Aerospace coming out of school isn’t going to be making a ton of money as an undergraduate (relative to say Petroleum), but if you stay in the field and get experience you will make very good money.</p>
<p>Money is not too important to me if it pays well and I can live comfortably with the pay. Plus planes and anything related has always been very interesting to me, so that will keep me motivated and encourage me to do great. </p>
<p>I think I might to to A&M because many of my friends are going there, it is a little closer to Houston, I’m more likely to have everything paid for, and I feel that there is more school pride–although I would absolutely love to attend UT. They are also tied for rank #10 in aerospace engineering. So right now, my decision to attend either school is based on financial/merit aid.</p>
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<p>FWIW, the structures group at Texas A&M is absolutely superb. They do a lot of work with shape-memory alloys, too, which are cool.</p>
<p>I am not a structures guy myself, but I know a bunch of guys who are.</p>
<p>Are you an aero at A&M? Because ill most likely attend there. Decisions, decisions, decisions!</p>
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<p>I am a graduate student in Aero at A&M. I did my undergrad elsewhere.</p>
<p>Could you give me some insight on the graduate program there? I plan on getting my master’s or my doctoral degree right after my bachelor’s. I love school and would rather learn a lot before I enter the cruel, cruel world.</p>
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<p>Well I mean what do you want to know about it?</p>
<p>I will say that if you want to get a Ph.D., you shouldn’t get all three degrees at the same school. Except in special circumstances, that is often frowned upon as academic inbreeding.</p>
<p>Second, worry about your first two years of undergrad before seriously considering graduate school. You don’t even know if you will like your major yet. I know many people who thought they were getting a Ph.D. who didn’t even finish their B.S. in engineering. There just isn’t any way for you to know yet without having started the program</p>
<p>That’s true. I will definitely not get all three at the same school. Right now I have my eyes set on MIT for graduate school. I know, big dreams haha.</p>
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<p>It is fine to have goals. Keep in mind that MIT is not necessarily the best school for your area. In graduate school it is all about what school has the best research group for your research area, not which one has the overall best name brand. For example, for what I do, MIT wouldn’t be that impressive.</p>
<p>I see. I was just going off on MIT holding the #1 rank for aerospace engineering. </p>
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<p>MIT holding the #1 rank in aerospace on US News is a lot like the NCAA football rankings. Yeah, they get people in generally the right place, but there is a lot of disagreement about exactly where everyone fits. When it comes to schools, it doesn’t matter. I can tell you as an aerospace guy I am MUCH more impressed when a guy tells me he is from Caltech than when someone says they are from MIT, for example. Still, it comes down to your area of specialization. Two of the foremost experts in my field of study is at Texas A&M of all places and MIT doesn’t even have anyone in that field. If I had gone there, despite its #1 ranking on some arbitrary list, I would not be able to do what I am now.</p>