<p>Hey, I'm a senior high school, college bound for chemical engineering (right now I'm liking UMN). But earlier today, my dad said that chemical engineering has little to nothing to do with physics. I'm not sure if he's overstating the idea, which he does a decent amount of the time, but he went to UVA so I'm not sure if his knowledge of this stuff supersedes mine. I love both chemistry and physics, and regardless of answers I'm sticking with ChemE, but should I also minor in Physics so I can have those classes as well?</p>
<p>All the physics you will get in a typical ChE program are 2 semesters of calc based physics and then a semester of statics and dynamics. If you really enjoy physics then you are going to have to seek those additional classes out because 3 semesters is about all the physics you’ll get in the degree plan.</p>
<p>Well consider physics is everywhere. If you want the general physics education, get a minor, or better yet, physics as a major.</p>
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Not really true. Especially if you get into materials or nanotechnology, physics will be abound. Many students regret having taken too little Physics or Math when they graduate. It’s up to you. Physics prepares you for any career but Chemical Engineering is a solid choice as well. If you like both, double major.</p>
<p>By the way, UMN is known nationally (and internationally) for excellence in both Physics and Chemical Engineering so you have an excellent choice.</p>
<p>He’s partially true. You won’t be taking a ton of physics classes. However, all of your courses will be based on physics to some extent. The physics will just be hidden from you and passed off as chemical engineering equations.</p>
<p>Thanks to all four of you. But would a minor in physics only provide me with a general idea of it or could I take as many physics classes as I want? I really don’t know how picking classes in college works.</p>
<p>You can usually take as many classes in any subject as you want… or more correctly as you have energy for and can squeeze into your schedule. Some advanced classes may be limited to those in the major only or in some colleges a popular major may give preference to students in the major first and not have room for other students. Naturally you need to have funding to pay for any extra courses. So in reality you may not have time or money.</p>
<p>Ok, I think I’m just going to minor in Physics. Thanks</p>
<p>ChemEng is based on many basic physics principles: thermo, heat transfer, and fluid flow to name a few.</p>
<p>yeah i know thermo and enthalpy, not sure what fluid flow is yet. but i want the crazy physics courses as well. i want both… crazy?</p>