Studying aerospace engineering: universities, curriculum and careers

Can you tell the A320ceo and neo apart at first glance, recognize engines by their sound and know why an aircraft approaches at an angle in a crosswind? Then you have probably wondered at some point what it would be like to help develop such machines yourself. That is exactly what studying aerospace engineering is about. This overview shows you which institutions offer the subject, what to expect content-wise, how universities, universities of applied sciences and dual programs differ and which careers you can end up in afterward.

Aerospace engineering: the short answer

Aerospace engineering is an engineering degree with a mechanical engineering foundation that specializes in everything that flies: airliners, helicopters, engines, rockets and satellites. You study it for a bachelor’s at a university, at a university of applied sciences or dual with a partner company. The first semesters are shaped by mathematics and mechanics; only after that do aerodynamics, flight mechanics, lightweight design and propulsion come in. After graduating, you typically work in development, manufacturing, maintenance, certification or research.

Important for spotters: the degree does not make you a pilot. If you want to get into the cockpit, you will find the routes in the guide Becoming a pilot.

What you really learn in the degree

Many first-semester students are surprised how little “aircraft” is on the schedule at first. That is intentional: without solid fundamentals, you can neither calculate a wing nor design a turbine blade.

Basic studies: the foundation

In the first three to four semesters, the programs are very similar. Typical subjects are:

• Advanced mathematics – calculus, linear algebra, differential equations. It runs through the entire degree.
• Engineering mechanics – statics, strength of materials and dynamics, that is, how components carry loads and move.
• Materials science – from aluminum alloys through titanium to fiber composites.
• Design and CAD – technical drawing, machine elements, computer-aided design.
• Electrical engineering and computer science – fundamentals for avionics, control and simulation.
• Thermodynamics and fluid mechanics – the bridge to engines and aerodynamics.

Main studies: now it gets aviation-y

The specialist modules build on that. Depending on the institution, they are named a bit differently, but in terms of content you find almost everywhere:

Field	What it is about	What you recognize as a spotter
Aerodynamics	lift, drag, airfoils, wingtips	why airlines retrofit winglets and sharklets
Flight mechanics	flight performance, stability, controllability	climb rates, approach angles, crosswind behavior
Propulsion	turbofans, propellers, rocket engines	big fans, chevrons and bypass ratios – see Recognizing engines
Lightweight design and structures	fuselage, wing box, fiber composites	why modern long-haul jets use a lot of composite material
Aircraft systems	hydraulics, air conditioning, landing gear, cabin	flaps, landing gear variants, cabin equipment
Spacecraft systems	orbital mechanics, satellites, launch vehicles	– here you leave the airport fence
Control engineering and avionics	flight control, sensors, software	autopilot, fly-by-wire, navigation

Subjects like aviation law, air transport economics or project management are often added. Many institutions also focus early on project work: at the University of Stuttgart, for example, the program pages advertise projects on sustainable aviation, rocket building or satellite design.

University, applied sciences or dual?

The name on the diploma is similar, the road to it is not. Roughly three models can be distinguished.

University

Universities usually offer a Bachelor of Science with six semesters of standard study time and a consecutive master’s. The focus is on theoretical depth and research, often in institutes with their own wind tunnels, test rigs and simulation centers. If you later want to go into research, advance development or a doctorate, this is the right place.

• University of Stuttgart: Bachelor’s in aerospace engineering with six semesters, in German, restricted admission, start in the winter semester. An internship is required. The subsequent master’s takes four semesters. To unwind after lectures, the guide Plane spotting in Stuttgart helps.
• TU Munich: Bachelor’s in Aerospace, six semesters, taught entirely in English. Study takes place in Garching and above all at the Ottobrunn/Taufkirchen site. Admission runs through a two-stage aptitude assessment, plus a pre-study internship of at least eight weeks. After that comes the Aerospace master’s. If you are in Munich anyway: the Deutsches Museum and its Flugwerft Schleißheim aviation museum show the history of what you study there.
• Other universities with aerospace programs include RWTH Aachen and TU Braunschweig. The University of Bremen offers a master’s with Space Engineering for a spaceflight specialization.

University of applied sciences

Universities of applied sciences are more application-oriented, the groups usually smaller. The bachelor’s often takes seven semesters, because a practical semester is firmly built in.

• HAW Hamburg: Bachelor’s in Aircraft Engineering (B.Sc.) with seven semesters at the Berliner Tor campus. From the fifth semester you choose a specialization: lightweight design, systems, aerodynamics and flight physics, or cabin systems. In the seventh semester there is a 22-week industry internship, and a dual variant exists as well. A master’s in aircraft construction is possible afterward. The proximity to the plant in Finkenwerder is no coincidence – how to see test flights and new deliveries there is in the guide Spotting at Airbus Finkenwerder, and you will find further spots under Plane spotting in Hamburg.
• FH Aachen: Bachelor of Engineering in aerospace engineering with seven semesters, partly in English.
• Bremen University of Applied Sciences: bachelor’s and master’s programs around aerospace; Bremen is also an important location of the European aerospace industry.

Dual program

In the dual model, you have a contract with a company from the start. The best-known example is DHBW Ravensburg (Cooperative State University Baden-Württemberg) at the Friedrichshafen campus: three years, degree Bachelor of Engineering, with theory and practice phases at the partner company that alternate in a rhythm of three to six months. In the final year you choose between aerospace systems and aerospace electronics. You apply directly to the partner company, according to the university often 12 to 18 months before the start of studies. Incidentally, if you study in Friedrichshafen, the Dornier Museum is right on your doorstep.

Model	Degree	Bachelor’s duration	Strength	Suits you if …
University	B.Sc., then M.Sc.	usually 6 semesters	theory, research, doctorate possible	you want to go deep into calculation and research
University of applied sciences (HAW/FH)	B.Sc. or B.Eng.	usually 7 semesters	practical semester, small groups	you want to develop or manufacture in an application-oriented way
Dual	B.Eng.	3 years	salary and company experience from day one	you know early on who you want to work for

Austria and Switzerland

You can also study aviation engineering outside Germany. In Austria there are programs at TU Graz, FH JOANNEUM in Graz and FH Wiener Neustadt, among others; in addition there are two higher technical colleges with an aviation focus. In Switzerland, ZHAW offers a bachelor’s in aviation that combines engineering and air transport management. If you think internationally, you often also end up at TU Delft in the Netherlands, which is known for its aerospace faculty.

Requirements and application

Formally, depending on the type of institution, you need the general or subject-specific university entrance qualification or the entrance qualification for universities of applied sciences; at some institutions, vocational training with work experience or a master craftsman’s qualification also opens the door. After that, the rules differ considerably:

• Admission: Some programs have restricted admission, others use aptitude procedures, still others are open to everyone. There is no fixed numerus clausus (grade cutoff) “for the subject.”
• Pre-study internship: Many institutions require a few weeks of practice in a workshop or industry. Clarify early how much has to be proven before the start.
• Language: Several programs and many master’s programs are taught in English. At TU Munich, proof of English is part of the procedure.
• Deadlines: For the winter semester, application deadlines often end in mid-July – in Stuttgart and at TU Munich, for example, on July 15. For dual places you are well ahead of that.

Careers: where you work after the degree

The spectrum is broader than the name of the degree suggests. An overview of typical fields of work:

• Aircraft and helicopter manufacturers: design, structural analysis, systems integration, flight testing. In Germany, Airbus with several sites is the biggest name, plus Airbus Helicopters in Donauwörth.
• Engines: development, manufacturing and maintenance of propulsion systems, for example at MTU Aero Engines in Munich or Rolls-Royce with German sites.
• Suppliers: cabins, landing gear, air conditioning, flight controls – companies like Diehl Aviation or Liebherr Aerospace supply systems for many aircraft types.
• Maintenance and repair (MRO): engineers plan checks, assess damage and develop repairs. How a heavy check works is shown in the article Aircraft maintenance from A-check to C-check; one of the big operations is Lufthansa Technik in Hamburg.
• Airlines: fleet engineering, performance calculation, technical controlling.
• Research: the German Aerospace Center (DLR) offers students internships, thesis projects and a graduate program for doctorates, as well as programs like REXUS/BEXUS for student experiments. University institutes come on top of that.
• Authorities and certification: type certification, airworthiness and oversight – for example at the European Union Aviation Safety Agency EASA in Cologne or at the Federal Aviation Office (Luftfahrt-Bundesamt) in Braunschweig.
• Spaceflight: satellites, launch systems, ground segment and mission operations.

Many graduates later also move into automotive engineering, energy technology or software development. The combination of fluid dynamics, lightweight design and systems thinking is just as in demand there.

If you would rather work hands-on on the aircraft than calculate, the apprenticeship as an aircraft mechanic is a tangible alternative – some start that way and study later.

What spotting brings you in the degree

Honestly: no registration knowledge will help you in the engineering mechanics exam. Still, the hobby has real advantages.

• Visual understanding: When high-lift devices are discussed in the aerodynamics lecture, you have already seen flaps and slats on approach hundreds of times. Theory sticks better when you have a picture to go with it.
• Talking points: In interviews for internships, genuine interest in aircraft shows motivation – as long as you combine it with technical knowledge.
• Network: Trade fairs like the ILA in Berlin, the AERO in Friedrichshafen and open days at airports and shipyards are also career venues. Manufacturers, suppliers and universities are represented there with stands.
• Practical view: If you follow how new aircraft go through their test and factory flights, you understand faster what flight testing and certification mean in everyday work.

What to watch for

• Read program names carefully. “Aerospace engineering,” “Aerospace,” “Aircraft engineering” or “Aviation” sound similar but set different priorities.
• Compare specializations. If you are interested in cabin systems or spaceflight, check whether the institution offers that at all.
• Think about the location. Institutions near manufacturers and research facilities offer more internships, working student jobs and thesis projects in companies.
• Take the dropout risk in the basic studies seriously. The first semesters are demanding. If you work in study groups early on, you get through much more easily.
• Use volunteering and projects. Student teams, model building or involvement in a museum – for example through volunteering at aviation museums – look good on a résumé and bring practical experience.

Conclusion

Aerospace engineering is the classic way to turn a love of aircraft into an engineering career. The start is math-heavy but later rewards you with subjects you observe from the fence every day: aerodynamics, engines, lightweight design and systems. Whether a university, a university of applied sciences or a dual program is right depends on how theoretical or practical you want to work and how early you want to commit to a company. Read the study regulations carefully, plan the pre-study internship in good time and use trade fairs and proximity to plants to make contacts.