<p>Someone made a thread asking if EE is more math or physics; and I am curious as to how certain engineering disciplines differ in their subject areas. For example, my engineering prof told me that EE might as well be called "Electrical/Mathematical Engineering," since it's so much math. </p>
<p>I have also heard that EngPhys is a blend of mostly physics with also a lot of math. How do other disciplines compare? I really like physics, and I understand that all areas of engineering entail much physics, but which require the most? I'm thinking about going into EngPhys, but in the case that I don't get accepted (my school only accepts 20 people/year), what would be the second most physics oriented? Mech? Electrical? etc. Thanks.</p>
<p>It's difficult to draw a clear distinction between physics and math, because the truth is, physics quickly breaks down into a huge morass of math. The best physicists are very good mathematicians. </p>
<p>As far as the second-most physics oriented engineering discipline, I think it is basically a coinflip between ME or EE.</p>
<p>Contrary to what it may seem like, EE is not really physics oriented. I'm a chemE but I've taken circuits courses and I've finished all my physics (including E&M). It's all about programming / math. You've got to have a programming mindset. That's it.</p>
<p>Also, I disagree that there isn't a clear distinction between physics and math. Math is much more staightforward and focuses more on techniques/optimization of certain problems. You don't really see this unless you take physics at a top school and you see how hard it really can be. You only need a basic level of math to deal with physics but it doesn't really make the subject any easier. I'm good at math - I've taken the basic courses and gone beyond and even taken some graduate level courses in it and walked out with easy A's but I struggle with physics. I just got done studying relativistic physics and I can honestly tell you this stuff is mind boggling. You've got to have a fire of an imagination to think like a physicist; that's part of the reason it's so damned difficult.</p>
<p>Heck, my math professor in probability even said that he had never taken a single physics course in his life. The two are very different. I knew a person who took the IIT entrance exam (ridiculously hard) and got a near perfect score on Math section but did very poorly on physics section.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Contrary to what it may seem like, EE is not really physics oriented. I'm a chemE but I've taken circuits courses and I've finished all my physics (including E&M). It's all about programming / math. You've got to have a programming mindset. That's it.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>I think we need to draw a clear distinction between EE and CS, something that is hard to do because many schools actually combine the two programs into "EECS", and many of those EECS students are in fact, really CS students. I agree that CS is all about math and programming. However, true EE is all about circuit design, semiconductors, and electromagnetic waves, and so forth and that is heavily physics oriented.</p>