BSEE to PhD in physics?

Graduate School
1

<p>I posted this on another forum but I think it would fit in better here:</p>

<p>I am about to start my third year in electrical engineering and I am starting to consider graduate schools. I want to make sure I prepare myself for the right school for me so I am starting as early as possible by taking a diverse background of classes. I have completed much of the EE core so far and will continue with it but I am really interested in physics so I will be taking a lot of physics classes soon. My schedule for the upcoming fall includes a class in each of the following areas:</p>

<p>control systems
electronics
computer architecture
photonics
semiconductor materials/devices</p>

<p>For the spring I plan on taking:</p>

<p>theoretical methods in physics
independent research
embedded systems
signal processing</p>

<p>I then want to finish my bsee requirments in addition to some statistical mechanics and quantum mechanics classes. I have been more interested in my physics classes than my signals/electronics classes. I want to work in industry in an R&D position and preferably NOT in academia. My main concern is choosing what to get my PhD in to work in the field I want to work in. I am leaning towards doing my graduate work in physics.</p>

<p>My question is: Will my course work prepare me well for a graduate program in physics? </p>

<p>My research interests are in high temperature superconductor applications or semiconductor device fabrication. I looked at some schools and their EE departments were good for some semiconductor device research but I thought a program in condensed matter physics might be better for fundamental research in these areas. </p>

<p>Would I be well prepared for R&D in industry if I don't do a PhD in engineering? If so will I be able to be successful in a Physics PhD program if I do my BS in EE?</p>

2

<p>With the courses you are planning to take outside your major, that is statistical mechanics and quantum mechanics, you should be OK to enter a physics program. Your EE courses should give you more than enough preparation in electrodynamics so the only thing that is missing is classical mechanics and that is being de-emphasized in many graduate programs.</p>

<p>At the Ph.D. level, the research you do may easily be done in either an EE Department or a Physics Department. Industry doesn’t really care what your degree says, just what your experience is.</p>

3

<p>Thanks xraymancs. The grad schools I am looking at do not have well defined boundaries between their physics and ee departments anyway (share labs/faculty, etc.) so I am more concerned with passing the qual. exams. I will just have to study up on my physics for the mechanics portion and the GRE.</p>