<p>I have recently found a great interest in the field of aerospace engineering, but unfortunately none of the schools I was accepted to have an "Aerospace Engineering" major. Two of the schools have mechanical engineering majors with an option specialize in aerospace engineering. I would get a B.S. in mechanical engineering and an aerospace "certificate."</p>
<p>Do you have to get an undergrad degree in aerospace to pursue a graduate degree in the same field? Or can I go to grad school for aerospace engineering after doing mechanical engineering in undergrad?</p>
<p>Although I don't need an AeroE undergrad degree to get an advanced AeroE degree, would you think that it would be more difficult for someone without an AeroE undergrad degree to get into an AeroE degree program in a competitive grad school?</p>
<p>Or is it more like undergrad, where you get into a "school of engineering" and it doesn't matter what branch you want to pursue once you get there?</p>
<p>Pem - I started out my career in aerospace (many many moons ago) with an AE degree. At many engineering schools, AE is a concentration within ME, there are not that many stand-alone AE departments. I do not think an ME undegrad degree would be a detriment to a graduate AE program. I suggest you contact the ME department at the two schools you are considering and ask them about their AE concentration. They are much better placed to answer your questions. Also, don't be surprised if sometime during the next couple of years, some other branch of engineering (or even a quantitative non-engineering field) looks interesting.</p>