Aerospace engineering programs vary greatly at each individual college or university so prospective students should be careful to choose a program that will help them achieve their specific career goals. An aerospace engineer can focus on space flight at many universities, which will help prepare them to work on rockets. They learn about mathematical and scientific aspects of rockets, while also learning about the prevalent theories surrounding their construction.
One of NASA's highlighted employees, Lori Mullins, earned her degree in mechanical engineering and is now a pyrotechnics expert at NASA. Mechanical engineering is a great field of study for those who wish to work one day work on rockets because it focuses on the science of how things move and how things work. Because mechanical engineering is a broad category, students should also consider getting a minor in something more specific to working with rockets. They should also make sure to carefully research every school's program to be able to determine the best path to reach their goals.
People who choose to study electrical engineering can work in a variety of fields from health to space to energy. It is important that students choose programs and areas of concentration that will help prepare them for working on the electrical systems in rockets. Students can speak with academic advisers and determine the best path to success.
After you have earned your bachelor's degree, you can move on to graduate school and earn your master's degree. You do not need to have a bachelor's degree in aerospace engineering, mechanical engineering or electrical engineering to be able to study these fields in graduate school. It is helpful to have studied a closely related field or the exact field you want to pursue as a graduate student, but if you can demonstrate to the admissions committee that you deserve to study a particular subject in graduate school, then you can move into a graduate program.