Studies & Degrees in Aerospace Engineering
Aerospace Engineering Study Programs
Aerospace engineering is the branch of engineering that deals with vehicles that fly. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) describes the work in one sentence: aerospace engineers design, develop and test aircraft, spacecraft, satellites and missiles. The field has two main sides. Aeronautical engineers work with aircraft and flight within the Earth's atmosphere. Astronautical engineers work with spacecraft, from small satellites such as cubesats to launch vehicles.
Degrees are built on mathematics and physics. The University of California San Diego describes its bachelor's programme as a four-year curriculum that begins with fundamental engineering courses in mechanics, thermodynamics, materials, solid mechanics, fluid mechanics and heat transfer, followed by aerospace structures, aerodynamics, flight mechanics, propulsion, controls and aerospace design.
Qualifications and levels
- Bachelor's degree in the United States. A Bachelor of Science normally takes four years. Many programmes are accredited by ABET, a quality assurance body that accredits programmes, not institutions. Worcester Polytechnic Institute offers concentrations in aeronautics and astronautics and a combined BS/MS that can be completed in five years.
- Bachelor's degree (grado) in Spain. Aeronautical engineering is a regulated profession. Under Orden CIN/308/2009, the official bachelor's degrees that give access to the profession of Ingeniero Técnico Aeronáutico have 240 ECTS credits. Universidad Alfonso X El Sabio and Universidad Europea de Madrid both describe their Grado en Ingeniería Aeroespacial as an official degree of 4 years and 240 ECTS.
- Master's degree in Spain. The profession of Ingeniero Aeronáutico requires an official master's degree that meets Orden CIN/312/2009. The bachelor's and master's degrees together must add up to at least 300 ECTS credits, and the master's ends with the public defence of a final project.
- United Kingdom. Universities offer a four-year integrated master's degree (MEng); the Aeronautics and Astronautics MEng at the University of Southampton is one example. Specialised one-year MSc courses follow a first degree: Cranfield University, which has taught postgraduate aerospace engineering since 1946, offers MSc courses in Aerospace Vehicle Design and in Astronautics and Space Engineering.
- Germany and Australia. The Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering at Universität Stuttgart has a standard period of study of six semesters and requires an internship. The Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) in Aerospace Engineering at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) takes four years.
Where to study
SpainExchange lists 56 active schools for aerospace engineering. The United States has 28, Spain 10, the United Kingdom 7 and Germany 3. Russia, Italy, France, Brazil, Australia, China, Switzerland and Chile have one each. The list includes The University of Texas at Austin, the University of Michigan, San Diego State University, the University of California San Diego, Cranfield University, the University of Southampton, the University of Bristol, Universität Stuttgart, the Politecnico di Milano and, in Spain, the Universidad de Cádiz, Universidad Alfonso X El Sabio and Universidad Europea de Madrid.
Check the language of instruction before applying, because it differs even inside one country. In Madrid, Universidad Alfonso X El Sabio teaches its degree in Spanish, while Universidad Europea de Madrid states that its classes are taught entirely in English. The bachelor's degree in Stuttgart is taught in German. Programmes in the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia are taught in English.
Two practical points are worth comparing between schools: the facilities students actually use (wind tunnels, flight simulators, propulsion laboratories, student rocket or satellite projects) and the link with industry through internships or a placement year. At Southampton, for instance, the degree can be taken with a paid industrial placement year.
Careers
Graduates work in aircraft and spacecraft manufacturing, engineering services, research and development and government agencies. According to the BLS, aerospace engineers held about 68,700 jobs in the United States in 2025, and employment is projected to grow 8 percent from 2025 to 2035. The BLS also notes that engineers who work on projects related to national defence may need a security clearance, and that some types of clearance require US citizenship. International students should take this into account when they plan a career in the United States.
The degree is also used outside the sector. UC San Diego notes that its graduates find work in other areas that use similar technologies, such as mechanical and energy-related fields, including automobile and naval manufacturing.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to become an aerospace engineer?
A bachelor's degree takes four years in the United States, Spain and Australia, and six semesters at Universität Stuttgart. In Spain, the regulated profession of Ingeniero Aeronáutico also requires an official master's degree, so that both degrees add up to at least 300 ECTS credits.
What is the difference between aeronautical and astronautical engineering?
According to the BLS, aeronautical engineers work with aircraft and flight within the Earth's atmosphere, while astronautical engineers work with spacecraft and how they perform inside and outside the atmosphere.
Can I study aerospace engineering in English in Spain?
Yes. Universidad Europea de Madrid states that its Grado en Ingeniería Aeroespacial is taught entirely in English. Other degrees, such as the one at Universidad Alfonso X El Sabio, are taught in Spanish.
Is a licence needed to work as an aerospace engineer?
It depends on the country. In the United States, the BLS states that licensure is not required for entry-level positions. In Spain, Ingeniero Técnico Aeronáutico and Ingeniero Aeronáutico are regulated professions that require an official degree meeting the ministerial orders.