Are these Dual degrees any good?

RocketEngineer
Mon, 05 Oct 2009 23:43:24 +0000

If you want a blunt response to this, at the undergraduate level the core courses are essentially the same. Prepares for the waves of criticism from those who have earned B.S. in AE While I agree whole heartedly that undergraduate aeronautical engineering departments offer various electives that are clearly aerospace related and are clearly not offered at any mechanical engineering school (I can cite helicopter dynamics at U of Maryland), I dare say every core class for each major is offered in either department (actually I’d broaden this to most electives as well). Fluid’s, thermo, aerodynamics, compressible fluids, vibrations, these are all courses that are fundamental in both departments. The aerodynamics I include in their since most traditional mechanical engineering department refer to this as a fluids 2 course. All compressor and turbine theory has its fundamentals in aerodynamics. The real truth is these departments share more similarities than electrical/computer engineering until you his the graduate level, and most schools don’t allow a double major between electrical/computer engineering because they feel it is too similar.

If you are a gung ho aerospace guy, as I am, I’d recommend getting the double. To be true, it shouldnt take much extra coursework unless your school is trying to trump it up and the way the aerospace community is going currently, that mech e degree will definitely give you a leg up.