<p>I am an incoming freshman and I am debating on whether or not I should pursue a double major.</p>
<p>I want to work in the field of sustainable energy. Developing new technologies. I would like to work at companies as an engineer like Tesla Motors, Solar City, or SpaceX.
I have a deep passion for computer science but it will not cover physical mechanics and design of projects. I want to have a strong focus on software but have a basis for the physical aspect.</p>
<p>I am debating between going CS + Physics, or CS + EE. Any suggestions? I am planning to get a masters in CS and my MBA.</p>
<p>CS+Physics and CS+EE are both very good. A Physics classmate of mine is going to work at SpaceX. He also took quite a few EE courses along with the physics major.His E&M and Signals skills were what got him the job after he completed his internship there. </p>
<p>@aGGieENGiNeeR Wow that is amazing. I am going to be attending a school ranked #2 in EE. Would CS + EE prepare me for work in SpaceX or Tesla? Or would Physics be a better choice?</p>
<p>The name of your degree(s) won’t matter as much as your course list. Sometimes a double can actually hinder your goals as you might be forced to take classes you don’t really want. Pick one and then focus on your technical electives. Reach out to the companies you are interested and find out what skill sets they are interested and build your curriculum accordingly.</p>
<p>Like eyemgh said, it is all about the courses you take. In interviews, employers will be concerned with what skills you have picked up and not so much the double major. When I interviewed for internships, I was always asked why I double majored in physics, but the immediate questions that followed all pertained to skills I gained in particular courses. Skills are what make you an asset to a company.</p>
<p>For example, Westinghouse interviewed me for a position in Probabilistic Risk Assessment for their new AP1000 reactors. Obviously, they wanted to know if I had any probability, statistics, digital logic, and programming experiences. They asked me numerous questions along those lines, and only asked for a brief explanation about why I chose to do my double major. However, if you plan ahead for the double major question you can still give them a solid answer that only helps your chances.</p>
<p>If you are absolutely certain about doing CS then I would recommend looking into a couple of different options:</p>
<p>Major in CS and talk with the Physics and EE departments about the possibility of taking specific courses that will help you reach your goal. For instance, you could take some extra E&M/Mechanics courses through physics and some signals processing courses in EE. Most likely you could swing a minor in physics along the way, but the real benefit here comes from the fact that you hand picked courses that are relevant to your goals.</p>
<p>Physics is a great major, and I can definitely see why companies like SpaceX would want physics students. Physics has made my transition to engineering work a bit easier. I have found my mathematics skills to be stronger than the majority of my peers which takes away some of the difficulties that my other nuclear engineering friends have to face. You will look at the material and immediately start asking deeper questions to your professors. During class, I always try to write down a couple of questions I come up with. The best conversations I have with professors come immediately after class. I have also taken a couple of signals courses in the EE department, and I am able to do the same thing. </p>
<p>However, I would not add the physics major if you already have a well defined path in mind. I was originally a physics major and added engineering once I realized I did not want to go to graduate school in physics. It only made sense for me to double major since I was so close to finishing physics before I added engineering. In your case, you could definitely do a double major with physics, but I am not certain that is the most efficient method of achieving what you are looking to do.</p>
<p>@aGGieENGiNeeR I appreciate giving me a thorough response. I will take your advice and talk to the EE department, hopefully they can create a plan for me.</p>
<p>An alterantive might be an Engineering (or Applied) Physics degree if your school offers it. That would give you the flexibility to take engineering courses as part of your program along with the physics.</p>