Astrophysics into Aerospace Engineering?

BBoBBo

Hello everyone! I'm here to discuss my decision on becoming an aerospace engineer. However there aren't that many universities that provide this program. I was accepted to three universities that taught this program, but they cost a fortune. So i had to chose a university that didn't have this program. As a result, i made astrophysics my major.

So my question is, can i transition from a bachelor's degree in astrophysics into a masters in aerospace engineering? Or would i have to take some additional courses during undergrad to help me possibly go for a masters in aerospace? Or is it not possible at all?

Thank you in advanced!

Vanadium 50

The assumption for graduate school is that you have completed the equivalent work as an undergraduate in the same topic. If you haven't, somehow you have to catch up.

BBoBBo

Thanks for the answer. May I ask, would you possibly know any of the courses that may be required for aerospace engineering?

Vanadium 50

Look on the web site of colleges that offer undergraduate degrees are and see what their requirements are.

clope023

You catch up in what you need to do the work. I have a friend who did her undergrad in math with a physics minor and now she's doing a masters in electrical engineering; she has to take device physics, electronics, and she's in a fabrication course as well.

D H

I would suggest looking at the web sites of colleges that offer graduate degrees and see with their requirements are.


BBoBBo, what you will find is that there is no standard. Some schools recommend that you take the FE exams, and that is going to require a lot of catch-up work on your part. Others recommend that you take a large number of undergrad courses to make up for deficiencies. Yet others, not much at all. Whether you'll get in with "not much at all" is a different story.

As an astrophysics major you have a leg up on physics majors wanting to switch to aerospace. You probably have some aerodynamics, thermodynamics, and orbital mechanics in your upper level undergrad coursework (what you got as a freshman and sophomore doesn't count, and the typical classical mechanics course barely counts). Where you are probably deficient: Basic engineering concepts, spacecraft dynamics, guidance and control, structures, and aero and thermo to some extent. All those classes you took on quantum mechanics, galaxy formation, star formation are pretty much orthogonal to the things aerospace engineers worry about. The math is a bit different too. Aerospace has lot more emphasis on linear systems, time domain versus frequency domain, Fourier analysis, a lot less on Green's theorem, integral equations, Hilbert spaces.

BBoBBo

Wow! Thanks for the awesome answers. So i guess, I should try to take some extra courses during my undergrad years. Anyways thanks for your aid!

Vanadium 50

Certainly the more in-major work that you can do as an uindergrad, the less catch-up you'll have to do as a grad student. (And the more appealing you will be to grad schools)