For This Aerospace Professional, One Engineering Degree Has Led to Another

Ever since he was a kid, B.S. in Engineering graduate Nathaneal Hill (’22, ’24) has always been fascinated by engineering and aerospace. Both of his parents were pilots, so Hill grew up around planes, but found himself more interested in building aircraft than flying them.

“I was always tinkering with things, taking things apart and trying to make designs for things to work better,” he said. “Since I was 10 years old, I started designing different types of aircraft.”

To begin his college career, Hill earned a degree in Manufacturing Engineering from Brigham Young University. After gaining more work experience post-graduation, he decided that he wanted to advance his career and become a full-titled engineer.

What Engineering Degrees Are Available at Embry-Riddle?

A few Eagle alumni introduced him to Embry-Riddle, which led to his decision to pursue an M.S. in Aerospace Engineering (MSAE) at the Worldwide Campus. He found that he needed to fill some gaps in his education before enrolling, so he decided to start working toward a B.S. in Engineering first.

During his time in the bachelor’s program, he was able to expand his previous engineering knowledge and dive deeper into engineering fundamentals. Given the growth of technologies and systems, the program helped him by addressing current industry challenges that better prepared for the future.

Thanks to its multidisciplinary perspective, the bachelor’s degree covered everything from mechanical and electrical to aeronautical and systems engineering. The master’s program, created for students who already hold engineering degrees, uses theoretical and practical training to help them learn to better design aircraft and spacecraft.

Where Can You Work With an Engineering Degree?

Today, Hill is a Principal Electronics Engineer at Northrop Grumman Tactical Space Systems and he has discovered that there are many lessons from the graduate program he can apply directly to his job. Working while going to school can be challenging, but it can also be very rewarding.

How Do Online Classes Work?

As a grad student and working professional, Hill is taking advantage of the renowned distance learning platforms available to students at the Worldwide Campus. Designed for students such as Hill, the online options allow people to learn on their own schedules and feature multiple start dates throughout the year, with 10 undergraduate and 5 graduate terms with nine-week sessions.

The technology also connects Hill with a global network of classmates and instructors. Advisors provide personalized assistance, which includes degree planning that is tailored to individual needs and circumstances.

“If you’re working in the field and learning at the same time, it’s really cool to immediately apply what you’re learning, and it solidifies your education more than just learning in school,” Hill said.

Want to learn while you earn? Apply at Embry-Riddle now.