If you’ve always longed to start a career in the aerospace industry, there are two schools in Indiana that can help you reach your goals. There is one school in West Lafayette and one school in Notre Dame. The average cost of tuition in Indiana is $28,000 per year. Both of these schools give you the chance to work in the two main fields of aerospace engineering: aircraft and spacecraft. The average class size in Indiana is just 12 students. This is smaller than the average class size in most other states! With classes of this size, you can interact one-on-one with your professors and ask lots of questions.
Earning a Bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering gives you the skills needed to get a career in this exciting field. To complete a Bachelor’s degree, you need to complete at least 120 credits—you may end up completing more than that, depending on your elective choices. This takes about four years of full-time study.
You’ll be amazed at the variety of classes you take as an engineering student. Courses like Orbital Mechanics, Thermodynamics, Aerospace Propulsion, and Engineering Materials give you an intensive background in this field. Throughout the course of your curriculum, you’ll learn about the research, development, and testing of aircraft and spacecraft.
Your time will likely be split between the lecture hall and engineering lab since you need to be able to work hands-on with materials in an efficient and safe manner. In addition to class time spent in the lab, you may be expected to study on your own outside of class hours.
Research is an essential part of aerospace engineering since it contributes to new advances in technology. This is particularly true if you attend Purdue University, which is known for being a research university. You may be able to research aerodynamics, astrodynamics, and more.
To figure out what your tuition costs will be, you have to decide what school you’ll attend and figure out if tuition costs depend on resident status. At Purdue University, tuition for residents is $9,992 per year, while non-residents pay $28,794 per year. Tuition at Notre Dame University is the same for residents and non-residents since it is a private school. Tuition here is $44,605 per year.
No matter which school you attend, there are many scholarship opportunities that you can look into. Consider the Indiana Department of Transportation Engineering Scholarship, which is worth $3,125 per semester. The Indiana Society of Professional Engineers also awards scholarships to Indiana engineering students every year.
There are several steps you have to complete before you can legally work as an engineer in Indiana. First, you have to graduate with at least a Bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering. Then you can apply to take the Professional Engineer exam with the State Board of Registration for Professional Engineers. There are several fees you must pay. You must pay a $300 exam fee when you submit your application and a $50 fee when you get your actual license.. Passing your PE exam allows you to call yourself a Professional Engineer.
Staying involved with the engineering community is an important part of your career. Joining the Indiana Society of Professional Engineers gives you access to special educational opportunities like seminars, training courses, and review programs. This can help you stay educated on new changes in the field.