A major in engineering or physics? (undergrad)

College Majors Science Majors
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<p>Hi, right now I am a High School Student heading to college next year. Because I didn't apply to as many schools as I would have liked to, I only have the options of going to Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Boston University, or UMass Amherst, though I am seriously considering transferring to a different school after my first year. Both Boston University and UMass Amherst have fairly large physics departments, though neither are particularly distinguished. WPI is known more for its engineering from what I can tell.</p>

<p>Anyway, I am currently in AP Physics and AB Calculus (and AP Statistics, if that helps), and am doing fairly well in both. I am very interested in Physics, and I enjoy tying together the material learned in both Calculus and Physics to solve problems. I have been somewhat overwhelmed by the sheer number of disciplines of engineering, and right now I am leaning toward a major in physics. I suppose if I were to tell you what I was specifically interested in, it would be things involving space travel or planetary exploration (life on other planets has always been a fascination of mine, though if anything I suppose that would be a biology thing.) I am also interested in what little I have seen of theoretical physics, though I have hardly had any experience with things like String Theory apart from watching discovery channel movies on it.</p>

<p>Advice from others, as well as some research online, has led me to believe that while a physics major is useful, more often than not physics majors end up in careers involving engineering. I have also been encouraged to do graduate studies in more practical disciplines than physics, which makes sense to me.</p>

<p>However, as an undergrad, would majoring in physics be at all practical? I have also heard of a major called Engineering Physics, which seems to combine the best of both worlds into one major. However, I have heard that it requires a significant amount of work (some have said I would graduate in 5 years with this major). I do not mind putting in the extra work if its worth it, but will this major really help me, or would I just be killing myself even more for nothing?</p>

<p>TL:DR Is it practical to get a major in physics in today's world, or would a major in engineering be a better decision?</p>

<p>P.S on an unrelated note, can anyone tell me more about what Computer Science is, and what kind of careers that major would entail?</p>

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<p>

Computer science majors often go into software engineering, web programming or tech support, although that is technically not what they are trained to do. The first few semesters of a computer science major introduce the basic programming techniques. Afterwards the classes fall into several broad categories: hardware (how does a processor work?), systems (e.g. how to implement an operating system or a programming language) and theory (the mathematical limits of computation, efficiency of algorithms). Then there’s a whole array of electives, ranging from computer graphics to network security to robotics to scientific computing, depending on the interest of the department.</p>

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<p>computer science is one of those things that because most people don’t get into it early, they get bored and annoyed by the early parts of it. learning intro-level programming (lets say in Java because thats what apcs uses) can be tedious and boring. however, if you can get through that part it can become more interesting once you get into the more abstract areas like b@r!um said. </p>

<p>and in regards to your main question, i too am in the same boat except i know what engineering majors i am between, aerospace and biomed (yes they are two different worlds i know hahah). but the thing that is drawing me to a physics undergrad degree when i go to college is that a physics major can more easily transfer into engineering than an engineer can into physics. </p>

<p>therefore, by my logic, if i end up liking physics but not enough to get a phd or a career in it, i can just as easily go into engineering grad school. or, if you are money minded (i am not so i would never do this) you know more math than most people will ever know outside of a math major, and you can easily go into finance and wreck wall street up and down and make bank. so IMO, its a win-win situation for physics.</p>

<p>but i know what you mean, it seems like everyday i bounce back and forth on what i will major in…</p>

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<p>Let me give you some insight on the industry out there. I have a BS in Physics and a MS in Operations Research which we had combined with the Systems Engineering Department at my College. Also I have work in the industry for 8 years now.
A B.S in Physics while exiting and really challenging will not offer you many doors open in the real world. A BS in Physics is only worth it if you plan on doing a PHD. If you plan on going on an engineering field for your graduate studies after a BS in Physics you will just be wasting yor time. You will have 4 years into a program that have no job potential while a major in engineering will land you a job straight out those 4-5 years.
For my M.S. project team I had 2 guys doing their MS in Systems Engineering. Both of them had a B.S in Aerospace Engineering and where doing exactly what you want. They had jobs in major companies in the private industry doing some research for NASA on satellites.
My recommendation to you is try to get into Aerospace/Aeronautical Engineering or Systems Engineering program if you want a really rewarding experience and an awesome job at the end. If by any chance those programs become to hard to get in, even an Industrial Engineering degree (which many consider easiest engineering route) will open all the doors for you for any discipline in Engineering.</p>

<p>P.S Don’t be misguide by school counselors or any people that have no experience in the industry. Is like priests giving marriage counseling, they have no idea what they talking about.</p>

<p>Good luck</p>

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<p>While it is true that CSC students do take classes about Fund. of Computer, Computer organization lab, and operating systems, and a few electives which may touch on hardware, I must clearly draw a line here that for most of the hardware + software, in undergraduate studies this is a cross-section of electrical engineering and computer science. This is where computer engineering comes in.</p>

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<p>Engineering Physics is usually a Physics degree offered by a college of engineering, meaning you meet Engineering degree reqs. rather than LAS degree reqs.</p>

<p>John, my h and I have Engineering Physics degrees. I wouldn’t trade that experience for anything and wish more engineers would take that major, as it is fantastic intellectual training. BUT BUT BUT is is very difficult to convince industry of that. They usually don’t understand why someone would choose that major. They usually want to see people with some skills. So if you choose Engineering Physics, plan on taking some additional course work. H and I took computer science courses and got jobs in SW engineering. This was my plan all along, BTW, but I thought the Physics major was better suited to me than CS (physics had more hands on labs, more science that is interesting).</p>

<p>If you intend to take graduate studies in an engineering field, you often have to first have a BS in that major. Look into grad program reqs, and if you choose physics, target your course selection with grad school reqs in mind.</p>

<p>Yes, taking additional engineering courses makes physics an even harder degree. But if that is what suits and interests you most, then sit down and make a 4 year plan that allows you to get into an eng. grad school in some discipline plus get the physics degree.</p>

<p>Good luck (and BTW, search the engineering forum - this has been posted on before).</p>

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<p>CS is a mix of computer hardware, computer programming, computer applications, and the theory of computation. It’s a fun major, but the breadth of subjects almost guarantees you will have to study something in which you have relatively little interest (either programming, hardware, theory, or applications). Most CS majors get jobs in software engineering, and there are lots of good jobs in software engineering to be had.</p>

<p>Realistically, if you do physics as an undergraduate, you will want to continue on to get at least a Master’s and probably a PhD. You mention string theory… well, the only place you’ll touch string theory is at a well-funded research university. But if this what you want to do, this is the way in which you do it.</p>

<p>It is harder than people make out to get engineering jobs and graduate positions with a background in physics.</p>

<p>Here’s one possible solution: double major. I am a CS/Physics double major. I have been able to study physics while at the same time earning a degree that industry will pay for. Not to say CS is vocational training, but still. It has been hard and rewarding and somehow I am graduating on time with no prior AP credit.</p>

<p>I know Mechanical, Electrical, and Aerospace engineers who have also doubled in Physics. Again, best of both worlds.</p>

<p>Personally, I would be wary of engineering physics. Better to double major, or minor in physics at the least. At least then you won’t have to worry about convincing anybody.</p>

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<p>Good points. Another thing about physics as a major - it’s just as true that “the breadth of subjects almost guarantees you will have to study something in which you have relatively little interest” (I for instance could have skipped the year long quantum mechanics course but loved the electricity/electronics subjects) so minoring could allow you some flexibility in that regard.</p>