Aeronautic Courses and Training Programs

<h3 id="section---WhatYouNeedToKnow">What You Need to Know</h3> <p>Aeronautic training can ready you for a career in the field of aviation. Bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees are available, depending upon the level of training you want to complete. Your courses will focus heavily on engineering and flight, often teaching you with the assistance of advanced technological resources. </p> <p /> <table border="1"><tr><td> <b>Schools</b> </td><td> Ensure any school you choose meets the standards of the Accreditation Board for Engineering Technology</td></tr> <tr><td> <b>Programs</b> </td><td> Training programs include bachelor's degrees in aerospace engineering; master's degrees in aeronautics, aeronautical engineering or aerospace engineering; and doctoral degrees in aeronautical engineering</td></tr> <tr><td> <b>Courses</b> </td><td> Aerodynamics, fluid mechanics, aerospace structures and materials, thermodynamics, introductory engineering design, rocket propulsion, atmospheric flight mechanics, aircraft stability and control, aerospace structural analysis</td></tr> </table><h3 id="section---WhatWillILearnInAnAeronauticTrainingProgram">What Will I Learn in an Aeronautic Training Program?</h3> <p>Aeronautics is the study of the science of aircraft. At some schools, aeronautics refers to aviation. In an aeronautics program, you might study to become a pilot, flight crew member or aircraft mechanic. In another, more general aeronautics program, you may study the design and construction of aircraft and spacecraft, also called aeronautical engineering. As the graduate of an aeronautics program, you might find work at a large or small aerospace firm, a government research facility, or a systems engineering facility in another industry such as shipping or turbomachinery, depending on the type of degree you earn. </p> <h3 id="section---WhatDegreesCanIEarn">What Degrees Can I Earn?</h3> <p>As an undergraduate student, you can pursue a Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering. Aerospace engineering is a more general field than aeronautical engineering. In it, you'll learn about transportation over land and sea as well as air and space transportation. </p> <h3 id="section---WhatAboutGraduatePrograms">What About Graduate Programs?</h3> <p>As a graduate student, you can enroll in a Master of Science (M.S.) in Aeronautics, Aeronautical Engineering or Aerospace Engineering degree program. In an M.S. program, you'll complete a combination of classroom coursework, and hands-on design and research study. After earning a master's degree, you might also choose to earn a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Aeronautical Engineering. </p> <h3 id="section---WhichCoursesWillITake">Which Courses Will I Take?</h3> <p>You'll most likely take introductory courses in mathematics, physics, chemistry and engineering during the first 1-2 years of an undergraduate program in aerospace engineering. Additionally, an undergraduate program will likely introduce you to the following course topics: </p> <ul><li>Aerodynamics </li><li>Fluid mechanics </li><li>Aerospace structures and materials </li><li>Thermodynamics </li><li>Engineering design </li><li>Rocket propulsion </li><li>Atmospheric flight mechanics </li></ul><h3 id="section---WhatAboutGraduateCourses">What About Graduate Courses?</h3> <p>Your coursework in a graduate-level aeronautics program might be similar to a bachelor's program, although you'll study more in-depth concepts related to flight and the structures associated with aeronautics. As a Ph.D. student, you're likely to pursue independent study on a problem in aeronautics engineering. Graduate topics might include the following options: </p> <ul><li>Aircraft stability </li><li>Aircraft control </li><li>Aerospace structure analysis </li><li>Experimental methods </li><li>Mechanical properties of aerospace materials </li></ul><h3 id="section---HowDoIChooseATrainingProgram">How Do I Choose a Training Program?</h3> <p>You can begin by looking for programs accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering Technology (ABET). The ABET sets the academic standards for engineering programs, such as the aeronautical engineering curriculum you'll study. ABET accreditation also requires certain practical experiences, including wind-tunnel experimentation, so make sure any program to which you apply has state-of-the-art facilities.</p>