Early in the space program, military jet test piloting and engineering training were often cited as prerequisites for selection as an astronaut at NASA, although neither John Glenn nor Scott Carpenter (of the Mercury Seven) had any university degree, in engineering or any other discipline at the time of their selection.
ˈɜːli ɪnðə spˈeɪs pɹˈoʊɡɹæm, mˈɪlətˌɛɹi dʒˈɛt tˈɛst pˈaɪləɾɪŋ ænd ˌɛndʒɪnˈɪɹɪŋ tɹˈeɪnɪŋ wɜːɹ ˈɔfən sˈaɪɾᵻd æz pɹˌiːɹˈɛkwɪsˌɪts fɔːɹ sᵻlˈɛkʃən æz ɐn ˈæstɹənˌɔːt æt nˈæsɐ, ɔːlðˈoʊ nˈiːðɚ dʒˈɑːn ɡlˈɛn nˈɔːɹ skˈɑːt kˈɑːɹpəntɚ ʌvðə mˈɜːkjʊɹi sˈɛvən hˌæd ˌɛni jˌuːnɪvˈɜːsᵻɾi dᵻɡɹˈiː, ɪn ˌɛndʒɪnˈɪɹɪŋ ɔːɹ ˌɛni ˈʌðɚ dˈɪsɪplˌɪn æt ðə tˈaɪm ʌv ðɛɹ sᵻlˈɛkʃən.