Is BEng Mechanical Engineering + MSc Aeronautical Engineering a good option?

Just wondering how this compares to doing an MEng in mechanical or an MEng in aeronautical.

I am interested in an aeronautics degree but I don't know how if I will feel the same in a few years time. Does this combination allow for more options in terms of attaining aerospace engineering jobs compared to having a MechEng degree or am I better off committing to one or the other?

Thanks.

Reply 1

CompSciEngineer

I honestly think the combination of both sounds great and you'll always get a lot of in-house training on any graduate scheme you join anyway

Reply 2

Smack

Volunteer Team

Yes it's fine. Might also be worth doing your mech eng degree at a university that also offers/is quite good at the aero side of things, so you could maybe take some aero focused option modules.

Reply 3

Helloworld_95

Good question, complicated one to answer.

1) Yes it would be just as good as an MEng in Aerospace if you stick to the mechanical side and go into Aerospace as the total relevant content you learn will end up being fairly similar, you might even be at an advantage as you'll have a better background in manufacturing.

2) No it won't be as good as an MEng in Mechanical if you don't go into aerospace, the content in aero MScs tends to be very aero specific in order to catch you up on all the regulations and flight physics so if you apply to somewhere which doesn't do aero work they might be a bit confused. An MEng in Aerospace will offer you more options within the aerospace industry e.g. a lot of MEng aerospace degrees will have hefty amounts of materials content and controls content, which you don't really see in Mechanical degrees or Aero MScs (with the exception of Glasgow who has a decent amount of control content).

(edited 6 years ago)

Reply 4

Smack

Volunteer Team

Original post by Helloworld_95

... a lot of MEng aerospace degrees will have hefty amounts of materials content and controls content, which you don't really see in Mechanical degrees...

What do you mean by "materials"?

Reply 5

Helloworld_95

Original post by Smack

What do you mean by "materials"?

It's a discipline of engineering, quite prominent in the Aerospace, Biomedical and Nuclear industries. A handful of unis have departments for it, and their grads are very in demand. It's generally about assessing the characteristics of materials, usually alloys, ceramics, plastics, etc., also involves the processes of producing those materials. Often a small amount of it is bundled into mechanical degrees but it's not really comparable to a materials focus.

(edited 6 years ago)

Reply 6

Smack

Volunteer Team

Original post by Helloworld_95

Ah okay you mean materials engineering. Sometimes when people say "materials" what they really mean is stress and strain or solid mechanics.

It's also a discipline that is quite popular in oil & gas and petrochemicals, too, and often includes welding, corrosion and NDT too.

You're right that it's generally not covered much in mechanical, although I would be surprised if it receives much detail in aero either.

Reply 7

Helloworld_95

Original post by Smack

It's covered more than in mechanical at least, you'd be surprised at how many unis offer Aerospace materials as a degree in its own merit let alone as a significant part of an aerospace engineering degree.