ChE, EE, or Physics undergrad for NukeE?

College Majors Engineering Majors
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<p>So when I started college, I was doing the pre-med track for chemical engineering at a top 100 engineering school. I found it interesting, but slowly started losing interest in going into medicine as I started to realize how much more interested I was in my math, physics, and chemistry classes, where my GPA in those classes was above a 3.8, than I was in my biology classes, where it was probably around a 3.5.</p>

<p>Fast forward to today, and I am applying to a top 25 engineering school because it is in-state and it will be easier for my parents to help me pay the tuition. I am not as interested in pursuing medicine and I think a career as a nuclear engineer would be much more interesting.</p>

<p>The problem is that this school I could be transferring to does not have a nuclear engineering program (the last didn't either). I've heard good things about their nuclear physics research and have debated majoring in applied physics and taking some engineering courses as electives. The other option is to major in chemical or electrical engineering and try to participate in nuclear physics research on the side.</p>

<p>I find this field very interesting and want to learn nuclear physics and how it can be applied to solve real-world problems. I do intend on going on to graduate school and getting an MS in nuclear engineering.</p>

<p>Ultimately, I'll have to be the one to make the decision. I'm just curious what people's thoughts are on these potential paths. I want to end up as an engineer, not a physicist, but as undergrad I am interested in concept as much as application. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks.</p>

2

<p>I feel like a background in the physics might be the best route, though chemical engineering might be a second choice. I think the physics knowledge will make the work you do for obtaining a graduate degree in Nuclear Engineering easier, especially if you focus on physics courses that deal with aspects of physics which apply to it. I know that physics students have many research opportunities, especially at national labs and these may be the places you have a higher likelihood to do nuclear engineering research. You should do some research on google or something about it to see for sure. </p>

<p>Good luck!</p>

3

<p>I know that at Georgia Tech at least, the graduate degree in nuclear engineering is in the school of mechanical engineering. I’ve also been told that mechanical engineering is a great foundation to branch into nuclear engineering. Here’s the link.</p>

<p>[GT</a> Catalog : Mechanical Engineering : MS Nuclear Engineering](<a href=“http://www.catalog.gatech.edu/colleges/coe/me/grad/msne.php]GT”>http://www.catalog.gatech.edu/colleges/coe/me/grad/msne.php)</p>

4

<p>Mechanical Engineering, Materials Engineering or Physics will all be good preparation.</p>