<p>I'm pretty sure that engineering is the degree I want to go with but I've read a lot about aerospace vs. mechanical engineering and everyone says that you should try to get a bachelors in mechanical and then a masters in aerospace but I don't know if I necessarily want to go back and get a masters. I know you can be a successful engineer without a masters but my question is, will aerospace engineering be a promising career in the future? I will be a senior next year so figure like in twenty years during the middle or towards the middle of my career. I know that mechanical is very broad and aerospace is more specific but does it matter a lot? Another thing to know about me is that I like stuff that is military, defense, aviation, etc. related so I figure aerospace would be a good fit for me. Any advice especially from current engineers or engineering students will be welcome.</p>
<p>One more question as well, is pursuing an engineering degree extremely hard or is it doable? I am hardworking and achieve good grades so I'm willing to work for something even it means long nights at times.</p>
<p>The problem with aerospace specifically is that it fundamentally is an application of a number of specific sub-disciplines of engineering. Mainly mechanical, but also control systems/electrical, computer, materials/metallurgy, etc. The risk is that instead of getting a very solid grounding in a specialist area, ie: mechanical, electrical, controls – you might just get a superficial grounding in those areas and be only useful as a ‘systems’ engineer or integrator. That’s assuming that you can find a job which, if the aerospace industry isn’t doing a lot of hiring, could be a real uphill battle versus having a mech/elec/controls degree. </p>
<p>So basically I’d have to agree with what “everyone says” – get yourself a Mech degree, and find a professor under which to do your Masters research in aerospace. Obviously there’s very interesting applications in almost all fields of engineering in aerospace. </p>
<p>Airplanes/rockets/etc., are not going to disappear anytime soon, and there will always be jobs for people with that background. However, if the defense contractors start laying people off or if funding is cut for programs, it can create a really bad glut in the industry for a number of years as the defense people scramble for civilian jobs.</p>
<p>This is actually opposite of what is typically considered the danger of aerospace engineering. Mechanical engineering is very broad and covers a lot of topics that apply to a lot of problems. Aerospace engineering is the same scientific principles (namely mechanics) but applied typically to aerospace problems. The usual perceived danger of doing aerospace engineering instead of mechanical is that you are pigeonholing yourself into the aerospace industry and cutting out the rest of the jobs that mechanical engineers are qualified for.</p>
<p>This is only somewhat true. For the most part, aerospace engineers and mechanical engineers are interchangeable in most jobs, the exception being a handful of jobs that require very specialized skills that one would learn in one program and not the other. The kicker is that though the two degrees give you a lot of the same skills, there are a not insignificant number of companies that hire for non-aerospace jobs and see someone with an aerospace degree and assume they are just trying to get that particular job until they can get back into aerospace, which can make them less eager to hire you. On the other hand, aerospace companies aren’t going to have that same bias against a mechanical engineer. Of course, any of that perception, justified or not, can be overcome in a cover letter and interview where you can make it obvious that you really are interested in the job.</p>
<p>The bottom line is that mechanical engineering is a broad degree with broad appeal in industry. Aerospace engineering is a nearly identical degree with applications specifically tailored toward aerospace and therefore can tend to pigeonhole you somewhat. If you are sure you want to get into the aerospace industry, there is no reason not to get the aerospace degree. Otherwise, it is sort of up to you. It will also depend on the school you go to, as some schools place aerospace engineers exclusively into aerospace companies while others do a better job of spreading them around a little bit (e.g. a lot from the major Texas schools end up in petroleum in addition to aerospace).</p>
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<p>This isn’t true. The aerospace industry is cyclical, but more predictably so than most industries. Right now there is a political crusade going on against government spending, which hurts defense-related aerospace projects, and as such you see people like Lockheed laying off employees as the funding dries up. However, consider 4 years from now when the OP will be graduating. Boeing has fared much better as a result of it heavy investment in commercial aircraft and has openly said they expect to need to do a ton of hiring in the very near future. In other words, defense spending is down but commercial aircraft are booming and the defense programs are likely going to go back up in the relatively near future anyway. Those programs will need all kinds of engineers, not just aerospace or electrical or mechanical.</p>
<p>I want to add one thing to this thread to see if it helps with any responses. I can see myself more of helping build things rather than testing things. I’d want to build and help design aircraft and related stuff. One rep from Embry Riddle told me that AeroE is better for conducting tests on like engines and propulsion while MechE is better for building. Is this true? And also, if I get an undergrad in MechE, would it be hard for me to find work for a company like Boeing, Lockheed, etc?</p>
<p>I’d argue that is not true. Both degrees do plent of design work and both do plenty of test work.</p>
<p>Boeing, Lockheed, et al. hire more mechanical engineers than they do aerospace engineers. (Note: there also happens to exist more mechanical engineers than aerospace engineers so the job prospects or each are roughly similar)</p>
<p>It’s a lot of work… Engineering majors require the most major coursework out of all the undergraduate majors. If it wasn’t possible, the engineering major wouldn’t exist, just some food for thought. There are people graduating with this degree every semester.</p>
<p>Embry Riddle is a fantastic school and if you can afford to go you SHOULD. They will give you the most opportunities to do this stuff, believe me when I say this. I saw their facilities in Prescott, Arizona and they are top-notch. Lots of research opportunities and a lot of hard work.</p>
<p>I think a good tip is to get the military to fund you so you can be an aerospace engineer for them. You get to work on all the fancy military airplanes and having all that experience would be great to transferring to Boeing or the government (oh hey, NASA) who only likes to hire people who served or people who know people.</p>
<p>^^ Don’t double major. If possible, you can minor in Aerospace if your school allows it. That would be a logical option, also!</p>
<p>Dual majoring is almost never a good idea, and in this case it is unnecessary.</p>
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<p>Except, you know, the military has this one little drawback where you may be called upon to go off to war. People have a bad habit of using the military for a free education and then complaining when they get deployed.</p>
<p>That’s true, boneh3ad. They did say he was interested in the military, though (to what extent, I do not know.) You could also work for the National Guard.</p>
<p>Aerospace degree program is 3 years overlap with mechanical engineering. Many programs allow you to achieve a AE and ME (a dual major) with one additional semester. Well worth the investment.</p>