Would it be smart to do so? I like aerospace engineering and love space science, however, astrophysics doesn’t have a lot of jobs for the type of job I want. Should I do this or would it make things more difficult (I’m assuming that both have around the same courses of math, physics, and science)
Depends on the school. UCSD as a random example does not allow a minor for Engineering majors.
I would pick one or the other. Employers want to see a lot of courses in the field they work in. They really are very different careers.
It really does depend on your school. You have to consider the requirements for both the AE degree and the minor in Astronomy/Astrophysics. If you do minor in Astronomy, you’re doing it because it’s a fun field of study (for you), not because of the way it’s going to be viewed by employers.
For example, my DS17 Aerospace curriculum requires he takes a 3 credit “science” elective. Either an advance Chem, Biology, Physics or Astronomy/Astrophysics class. If he selects the Astrophysics class, he would only need 12 more credits to earn an Astronomy/Astrophysics minor. He could pull that off and graduate in time.
On the other hand, instead of Astrophysics classes, he could spend those 12 credits on another minor, or on more technical electives. He’s still a freshman, so he’s interest could change over the next few semesters, as he interacts with faculty and other students.
Oh, and don’t forget, some schools also offer certificates in areas like Astrophysics. These usually require fewer credits than a minor.
That is a pretty common combination at my university, Illinois Tech. Lots of Aerospace Engineering majors choose to take physics or astrophysics courses as their electives or extra courses.