A bachelor's degree typically takes four years to complete. Not everyone that pursues aviation engineering as a career obtains a specific aviation engineering undergraduate degree. Instead, many people complete a general bachelor's of engineering, although they may focus in aeronautics. A Bachelor of Science degree is another option, from which students proceed into graduate studies. Caltech, for example, does not have a degree specifically for aviation at the undergraduate level. Although students have the option to minor in aerospace engineering, which is recommended for those interested in pursuing graduate studies in the area. Georgia Tech, on the other hand, does have an undergraduate degree in an aviation field. It offers a Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering.
Most people that work in this field will go on and complete graduate degrees after they have completed their bachelor's education. Some graduate programs will require a specific undergraduate degree. For example, the Master of Science in Engineering offered by the Aerospace Engineering Department at the University of Michigan requires that students apply with an undergraduate degree in engineering. It can be helpful for students to have a prospective plan laid out for graduate studies before they complete an undergraduate degree if they are certain of this career path. These types of degrees will include very advanced classes in calculus and physics, as well as a variety of engineering classes focusing in areas important to aviation such as materials composition and aerodynamics.
If you want to take your education to the highest possible level in the area of aviation engineering, you will need to pursue a doctoral degree. When you are ready to pursue a doctoral degree, you will have to choose a very specific area of focus for your research. Depending on the institution that you attend, the Ph.D. will be either a Doctor of Philosophy or a Doctor of Science. MIT offers these degrees interchangeably in their Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics. Some universities, such as Purdue, require candidates to take a qualifying exam before admission to a doctoral program.
Aviation engineering is a topic area that overlaps with a number of other academic disciplines. As a result, many universities offer degrees that combine an education in aviation engineering with related subjects. MIT offers an interdisciplinary program focusing on flight transportation. Caltech runs a dual master's program with Ecole Polytechnique in Aeronautics and Fluid Mechanics.