<p>Would there be any benefit to double major in an engineering field and physics?</p>
<p>Probably not.</p>
<p>What exactly do you want to do with that?</p>
<p>Is your goal to just have an extra major or do you have a curiosity in both fields?</p>
<p>Personally, I don’t think there is much of an external benefit in *any * double major. Whatever benefit you get will mostly consist of internal benefits: that is, the personal satisfaction of pursuing 2 fields that you are (hopefully) genuinely interested in. However, if you are pursuing a double because you think that outside parties - that is, grad schools or employers - are going to be impressed, you are probably going to be disappointed. If that’s your goal, then you are almost certainly better off in spending your time on other things that have greater ‘return on investment’, such as, for employers, working at part-time internships or coops, or, for grad schools, pursuing research projects. The ROI of a double-major is pretty low.</p>
<p>Have you thought about Engineering Physics or Engineering Science? I don’t think many universities have it but based on US News rankings </p>
<p>Undergraduate engineering specialties:
Engineering Science/Engineering Physics
(At schools whose highest degree is a doctorate)
Methodology
1 Cornell University (NY)
2 University of California–Berkeley *
3 U. of Illinois–Urbana-Champaign *
4 California Institute of Technology
5 Pennsylvania State U.–University Park *
5 Princeton University (NJ)
5 University of Michigan–Ann Arbor *
8 Harvard University (MA)
8 Virginia Tech *</p>
<p>Also Stanford has just started an Engineering Physics major but seeing as no one has graduated from it yet it hasn’t been ranked yet…</p>
<p>Are EngPhys grads sort of like physics grads with a mechanical aptitude?</p>
<p>I’m just going to quote the Stanford undergraduate engineering handbook here:
The Engineering Physics major is designed for students who have an interest in and an aptitude
for both engineering and physics. The program provides students with a firm foundation in
physics and mathematics, together with engineering design and problem-solving skills. This
background prepares students to tackle complex problems in multidisciplinary areas that are at the
forefront of 21st-century technology, such as solid state devices, quantum optics and photonics,
materials science, nanotechnology, electromechanical systems, energy systems, and any
engineering field that requires a very solid background in physics. Because the program
emphasizes science, mathematics and engineering, students are well prepared to pursue graduate
work in either engineering or physics.</p>
<p>I’ve been considering turning my physics minor into a second major along with the mechanical engineering degree. I’ve entered my third year and it’s getting questionable if it can be done in 3 more semesters. If your going to do it, get started on it early!</p>
<p>I’m double majoring in CS and Physics, and I think it’s worth it. Not for future job prospects, and not for acceptance to grad school… although one degree might open a few extra doors the other one did not. Most prospects will overlap. However, if you have a genuine interest in two fields, and a minor in the subject is almost a double major anyway, you might as well double major. That’s why I did it. I was going to minor in physics - 15 hours of specific classes - but to double major you only need 18 that differ from the CS curriculum. So I’m taking ~140 hours in my BS instead of ~120, and all classes I want to take. It averages out to about 18hrs per semester, which doesn’t bother me since I enjoy all the subjects. I also have enough time to do 10 hrs of paid undergraduate research per week and 10 hours of paid, university-sponsored tutoring. So, basically… if you want to do it, do it, and don’t look back.</p>
<p>My BS is in Engineering Physics. At UIUC it’s basically a physics major offered by the college of Engineering, i.e, you meet engineering school requirements. They do allow for “a set of technical/professional courses” in addition to core physics coursework. I took computer science-majors courses so I could work as a Software Engineer.</p>
<p>The advantage in taking physics? Better math understanding, better understanding of basic science, and enhanced thinking skills. I couldn’t really say that having a physics double major, or minor concentration, would make you more attractive to the average employer, however. Being able to clearly articulate your reasons for having done so would help.</p>
<p>I was going to major in Civil but decided for Physics instead.</p>