The Educational Requirements to Become an Aeronautical Engineer

Aeronautical engineers design and test spacecraft such as the space shuttle.

Aeronautical or aerospace engineers design and test various types of aircraft, including airplanes, helicopters, spacecraft and missiles. Aeronautical engineers can make a substantial living. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, aeronautical engineers earned a median annual salary of $94,780, as of May 2009. The educational requirements to become an aeronautical engineer are similar to other engineering professions with the addition of specialized training in aeronautics.

General Education Courses

All engineers, regardless of specialty area, must complete a bachelor's degree. A bachelor's degree in engineering is the typical path to a career in aeronautical engineering. As part of the undergraduate curriculum, all students complete general education coursework during the first two years of classes. General education curriculum courses include studies in all major disciplines such as English, history, sociology, psychology, communications, science and math. Of these, engineering schools will emphasize a heavy amount of coursework in advanced math and the physical sciences. These courses are integral to building a foundation for further engineering study in upper division courses.

Engineering Coursework

Aeronautical engineers must complete about two years of specialized coursework including general engineering courses and courses in the field of aeronautics. Schools with larger aeronautics and astronautics programs generally offer students more specialized training at the undergraduate level. For instance, students at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology take courses in thermodynamics, materials and structure, physics and dynamics, aerodynamics and fluids, electronic systems and signals and propulsion and control systems. The curriculum will vary somewhat by school and the expertise of the faculty.

Master's Degree Coursework

Aeronautical engineers who want to move to more advanced positions in their careers take coursework at the master's degree level. Most master's degrees in the engineering field will require 30 to 45 credit hours and take one to two years to complete. These degrees allow students to engage in more advanced research and prepare for positions of leadership in the aeronautical engineering industry. Coursework typically builds on undergraduate coursework and includes more advanced areas of study like aeroacoustics and nondestructive testing.

Doctoral Coursework

Aeronautical engineers who plan to pursue advanced research and teach at the college or university level will need to go on to pursue a Ph.D. A Ph.D. is a research-based doctorate that usually requires a combination of seminars, passing a series of comprehensive examinations and writing a dissertation. The dissertation is an original piece of research that makes a contribution to scholarship in the aeronautical engineering field. Emphases in Ph.D. programs also tend to vary by the specialization of faculty members.

References

• Bureau of Labor Statistics: Engineers
• Bureau of Labor Statistics: Aerospace Engineers
• O*Net Online: Aerospace Engineers
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology Aero-Astro: Curriculum and Requirements
• Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University: Master's Degree in Aerospace Engineering
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology: AeroAstro Graduate Program Doctoral Degree