<p>Just out of my own curiosity, what makes an engineering major different from a physics major?</p>
<p>Simply put, an engineering degree is basically an applied physics degree. A physics degree is a pure science degree. You are more concerned with the deeper physics theories and concepts than application. In a physics degree, a few more advanced math courses are required beyond Diff. Eq., such as an Intro. PDE course, Vector Analysis, etc.</p>
<p>It really depends on what type of engineering too. I guess it'd be more accurate to say that engineering is specific applied physics.</p>
<p>About $20,000</p>
<p>Who earns more -- the engineer?</p>
<p>121314// lollllllll.</p>
<p>each engineering discipline takes a section of physics and dumbs it down such that the masses can apply it systematically to infrastructure and industry</p>
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each engineering discipline takes a section of physics and dumbs it down
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<p>You haven't been to grad school yet, have you?</p>
<ul>
<li>in grad school, the theory comes back in a big way</li>
</ul>
<p>Muuuch better. ;)</p>
<p>** except in civil</p>
<p>j/k, friends?</p>
<p>LOL. Well played, sir. Well played.</p>
<p>Physics covers theoretical mechanics, quantum mechanics, electricity/magnetism, thermodynamics, and light, making it a broader study than more specialized engineering degrees. It will involve more math, more theory, and less application. My physics degree involved a LOT of lab time; we had more labs than most (perhaps all) engineers, and the labs were tricky and the reports were a LOT of work. All in addition to lengthy weekly problem sets. It's the best, but not the most marketable.</p>
<p>Haha, nice approach there.</p>
<p>ElectricTech: I am an engineering physics major, so so far I've taken a few of the engineering courses and a few of the physics courses so I'll give my thoughts. This is only after my second year, so I haven't taken high level engineering courses so these could be different. The engineering courses I've taken have had much more obvious applications to them than my physics courses. I've had Circuits and Systems, where you get to play with breadboards and building circuits, in my Fluids class we did the usual Bernoulli's equation, but with the addition of losses from friction and the like. I was in the class of non-ME's (who had to take the more advanced course), so my professor (who had a reputation of being lazy) skipped over streamline functions and some of the less trivial stuff... I can't complain ;) The engineering courses seem much more real life I guess (so ya, I agree with the "applied physics" notion). In physics I always deal with ideal systems, or when in the wonderful world of modern physics it's just "believe me when I say this is what happens". Why am I calculating the probability of finding an electron in some "energy well"? Beats me. Optics classes seem more applicable, though still kind of obscure in application. I am scheduled to take Electric and Magnetic fields next quarter, which I expect will be equally as theoretical as anything else, but I also have a Semiconductor Materials and Devices class where we will be doing more theory and labs, but I guess we even have a design/production project. Actual physics majors take vector calc, nuclear physics and a slew of other physics electives (at least at my school), but as it goes further up the chain it seems it branches into more or less obviously applicable areas.</p>
<p>I'm really enjoy hands on stuff, and I really enjoyed the design project we had to do freshman year (an engineering class), but didn't know what I wanted to do. I couldn't decide between ME, CE, BE, EE, etc because none of them looked particularly interesting when I got down to thinking about it. I'm probably doing grad school in Medical Physics (something engineering, specifically nuclear engineering majors can even pursue).</p>
<p>VeryHappy: Who earns more? I think it depends how you look at it. I don't know how popular physics is as a simple bachelors degree (though I've heard they can be engineers as well), so for physicists I think it generally leads to grad school, but they can be paid pretty well (I recall astronomy/astrophysics as a potentially higher earner). With a bachelors I'd say the engineer.</p>
<p>If you choose one and decide you like the other more, won't be much harm. I guess that's the message here.</p>
<p>I'm not sure physics undergrad involves more math than engineering. It wont unless it's a Honours stream, and even then it will only match engineering.</p>
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<p>Most engineering degrees require Cal I-III and a combination Linear Algebra and Differential Equations course (Engineering Mathematics). In my physics degree, I'm required to take all the aforementioned along with Introduction to Partial Diff. Eq. and Vector Analysis.</p>
<p>You need pde's and Vector analysis for electromagnets & fluid dynamics in EE & ME, You need complex variables for Signals in EE. You can't take ME or EE without PDE's and vector analysis. There will also most likely be a numerical analysis course in engineering. EE's will also be required to take a probability course.</p>
<p>what engineering programs require PDE's and vector analysis? physics programs don't always explicitly state math requirements, but physics majors often take real analysis, complex analysis, differential geometry, topology, abstract algebra, probability theory, etc...</p>
<p>How can you solve a heat transfer or fluid problem in mechanical engineering without PDE's or vector analysis? EE's can't do signals or electromagnetic fields and waves without complex analysis or vector analysis. These math courses are fundamental in some topics in physics, the kind of topics whole engineering programs are based on.</p>
<p>I understand physics uses a lot of math, but I'm not sure an undergrad physics major needs topology.</p>
<p>It's the same in Chemical Engineering. PDE's are essential in Heat Transfer, Fluid Dynamics, and Mass Transfer. In fact, all advanced engineering topics deal with PDEs. You're never going to solve real life problems when a system is at steady state and depends on only one dimension. There's always time and space (x,y, z for example).</p>