Aerospace Engineering & Science, Questions.

[TommyLie]

Next year I want to go to Monash uni and do Aerospace Engineering and Science with a major in Astrophysics. I need a 92.35 to get into the double degree (Which I'm a bit iffy as to whether I will achieve), but living in Warrnambool means I will be eligible for SEAS. If however I don't get a high enough ATAR to get into Monash, I can 'Guaranteed' get into UoM with SEAS, with ~ 78 (Which I believe I can easily get). However UoM has no Aerospace Engineering. RMIT has no double degrees with Aerospace Engineering so I don't want to do that.

My questions are;

1. If I want to do Aerospace Engineering and science, but cannot achieve the 92.35 ATAR for monash. What should I do? Go to UoM, do the bachelor of science, and try transfer to Aero Eng & Science at Monash? Try get into just Science at Monash (ATAR ~ 80), then add Aero engineering to it later? Something else??

2. (Just probably a trivial question) Which Uni is (Do you think is) 'better' for their engineering degrees, Melbourne or Monash and why? I have read a lot of stuff that states UoM is ment to be the best for science and ENG, but also have read on here a few times that Monash has 'better' ENG?

3. What is the workload of a double degree compared to a single degree, and compared to VCE? I understand that DD's are spread out over a longer time, but they would still be more intensive??

4. Going through the Monash Uni handbook guide for the single degree in Aero Eng (here: http://monash.edu/pubs/handbooks/courses/3275.html), I see in the level one section there are foundation units if you haven't done VCE Spesh, Physics or Chem. Hence I would have to do the Chem foundation unit. However in the handbook guide for the double degree in Aero Engineering and Science (here: http://monash.edu/pubs/handbooks/courses/3278.html), I don't see this. Surely I would still have to do the Chemistry foundation units?

Apologies for my ignorance of university. I would greatly, greatly appreciate any answer to one or more of these questions

Thank you
Tommy

[ninwa]

I don't do engineering or science but I can answer 3)

The workload of a double degree is the same as a single degree (unless you choose to overload, but you can do that with a single degree too). You'll still do 4 subjects a semester, they'll just be different, i.e.
straight science - 4 science subjects
science/engineering - 2 science 2 engineering (for example. It could be any combination, e.g. 3 sci 1 eng)

I've also heard that Monash is the best uni in Australia for engineering but I'd wait for someone to confirm that

[b^3]

Last year I was tossing up between Monash and RMIT for either Aero/Sc or just Aero. In the end I choose Monash, then changed my mind to decide to just do the single degree, and now may be regretting it and thinking about trying to get back into the double. Anyway as I am in the single degree, what I say about the double degree will be what I've heard from friends in it, so I could be wrong, and others should be able to help/correct.

1. If I want to do Aerospace Engineering and science, but cannot achieve the 92.35 ATAR for monash. What should I do? Go to UoM, do the bachelor of science, and try transfer to Aero Eng & Science at Monash? Try get into just Science at Monash (ATAR ~ 80), then add Aero engineering to it later? Something else??

Personally if you can't get the score to get into the course you want, I would get into the uni that you want to go to and then try and transfer from there, that is I would say get into Sci (or just straight aero) @ monash then try and trasnfer into the double from there (which can be competitive sometimes).

2. (Just probably a trivial question) Which Uni is (Do you think is) 'better' for their engineering degrees, Melbourne or Monash and why? I have read a lot of stuff that states UoM is ment to be the best for science and ENG, but also have read on here a few times that Monash has 'better' ENG?

Personally (and remember this is just what I think, so all you UoMer's don't blast me) I think that in terms of Engineering that Monash is better. Monash do have a great engineering faculty/courses/setup. Also the reason you may have read about UoM being better for eng may be based on the university rankings? Which is mainly based on postgrad and not on undergrad, so really for undegratuate studies it doesn't translate always across.

3. What is the workload of a double degree compared to a single degree, and compared to VCE? I understand that DD's are spread out over a longer time, but they would still be more intensive??

Basically as Ninwa said above, except the recommended structure for aero/sci is mainly the science units at the start of the degree, so that your entire last year will be engineering. But that is just the recommended strucutre, so that you fullfil the prereqs for units e.t.c

With that being said, I've had friends in Aero/Sci complaining that they can only major in Maths or Physics in the Science component of their degree, and only being able to do chem in first year, because the way the course is structured to fit it all in, but then again this is just what I've heard, so I'll wait for someone else to comfirm, *looks at enwiabe* (could be wrong on this)

4. Going through the Monash Uni handbook guide for the single degree in Aero Eng (here: http://monash.edu/pubs/handbooks/courses/3275.html), I see in the level one section there are foundation units if you haven't done VCE Spesh, Physics or Chem. Hence I would have to do the Chem foundation unit. However in the handbook guide for the double degree in Aero Engineering and Science (here: http://monash.edu/pubs/handbooks/courses/3278.html), I don't see this. Surely I would still have to do the Chemistry foundation units?

As said before, from what I've heard you can't do chem after first year (what this means is you can't go further than the level 1 chem units), and the two chem units in the sci component assume VCE knowledge, so I'm guessing that you wouldn't have to do the foundation unit, but not sure whether or not they would let you pick the chem units, if you wanted to do them that is.

So take some of that as a grain of salt, as some of it is just what I've heard from friends in aero/sci, so wait for enwiabe or JinXi or..... (there are one or two other aero/sci people on here too) to confirm/not confirm.

Also although it is good to have the Plan B, C, e.t.c, remember if you keep the hard work up you may get straight into Aero/Sci. Also just to add I know of someone from country areas who got into straight aero (ATAR entry 90ish) with a 85.

Anyways good luck and hope that helps

[JinXi]

Just going to skip the whole UoM vs Monash Eng. convo and go straight into points 3/4 cause Monash is obviously better 

3. What is the workload of a double degree compared to a single degree, and compared to VCE? I understand that DD's are spread out over a longer time, but they would still be more intensive??

In my opinion, an Aero/Sci degree is much more "relaxed" compared to a single degree. The reasons are simple. Firstly, As you pointed out, the course is spread out over a longer period of time, where we still do 4 units per semester. This gives students more time to understand concepts and get their working habits sorted etc.etc.

Secondly, the transition from 1st to 2nd year for an Aero/Sci double degree is significantly easier than a single degree. In the first semester of 2nd year, we get to do 2 level one units and 2 level two units, where we've covered some part of the level one units before in the previous year.

Lastly, there is a reasonably amount of overlap between the concepts used in lectures for the sci and aero component of the degree (especially physics). 

However, in a single degree, students may be able to understand concepts at a deeper level but, you'll probably have to (be forced to?) learn more than what you asked for in a the Aero/Sci degree anyway.....

4. Going through the Monash Uni handbook guide for the single degree in Aero Eng (here: http://monash.edu/pubs/handbooks/courses/3275.html), I see in the level one section there are foundation units if you haven't done VCE Spesh, Physics or Chem. Hence I would have to do the Chem foundation unit. However in the handbook guide for the double degree in Aero Engineering and Science (here: http://monash.edu/pubs/handbooks/courses/3278.html), I don't see this. Surely I would still have to do the Chemistry foundation units?

What b^3 said is correct. The structure of the Aero/Sci D.D somewhat forces you to have a major in maths, and have a minor in physics. With that said, if you look at the handbook for Aero/Sci, in the stage four section, it states

24 points of approved science units to complete a second major sequence in science other than mathematics, or a double major sequence in mathematics

That is the ONLY time in your double degree that you will be able to do units other than physics or maths (excluding 1st year).

The requirements for a major in Chem is 2 first year units, 2 or 3 second year unit and 4 or 3 3rd year unit, which sums to a total of 36 points for the second and third year units. Since we are only given 24 points in the Aero/Sci unit, for a major in chem, you would need to overload 2 units to make up for the extra 12 points.

Link to Chemistry Hanbook

With all that being said, if you don't want to overload, the only choices available are a major in physics, astrophysics or a double major in maths. (Not 100% if there aren't other majors available w/o overloading)

Just a piece of advice on overloading. You might think that one extra unit will not take that much extra time compared to 4, but do not ever overload unless you really like what you're doing. The extra few hours spent for that extra unit (which should be resting time) could really wear you down over the semester causing you to burn out really quickly. Also, there will inevitably be clashes if you choose to overload which means that you have to find the motivation to catch up on the lectures in your spare time.


Anyway, best of luck for VCE! We'll be seeing you at Monash next year

P.S. If there's anything that's confusing feel free to ask again... It's 3am and I have no idea what I'm doing awake at this time..

[TommyLie]

Thank you very much for these insightful reply's guys! I've got my heart set on Monash and am working hard to try get that high 80 (possibly 90) ATAR score. I found out from my school I can apply for; Under-Represented school, rural area and financial disadvantage for my SEAS application, so that's given me some confidence. Having done more research I'm now leaning more towards Aero/Science with a maths major instead of physics, if I get into the double degree. I'll be at the open day tomorrow for the whole day so I may see some of you guys in the aerospace area