<p>Can someone explain what this major is all about? On the OU website, it says that "Engineering Physicists apply knowledge of theoretical physics to solve practical engineering problems in a variety of disciplines."</p>
<p>I guess that makes sense, but I'm just wondering about the major/career...Thanks a lot!</p>
<p>From Wikipedia.org</p>
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[quote]
Engineering physics (EP) is an academic degree, usually at the level of Bachelor of Science. Unlike other engineering degrees (such as aerospace engineering or electrical engineering), EP does not necessarily include a particular branch of science or physics. Instead, EP is meant to provide a more thorough grounding in applied physics of any area chosen by the student (such as optics, nanotechnology, control theory, aerodynamics, or solid-state physics).
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<p>Hope that helps.</p>
<p>And that makes sense because physics is such a broad subject area and has so many practical applications.</p>
<p>Hmm. So would a BS in Engineering Physics, with a Master's in _______ branch in science/engineering be a good way to go?</p>
<p>There was a fairly extensive discussion about Engineering Physics some time ago. Do an archive search.</p>
<p>In very general terms, EP programs tend to be more open-ended and theoretical than traditional engineering programs; in graduate school, the analogous programs are often called "Applied Physics." EP grads disproportionately go to graduate school, and those who go to work immediately after graduation tend to work in more theoretical/"cutting-edge" fields; for example, at the national labs or in corporate research divisions. Often EP grads will work with topics that are more distant from daily life than, say, building bridges. </p>
<p>For example, when dealing with high energy situations or working on very small scales, or in low-pressure (e.g., upper atmosphere) situations, a more thorough understanding of physics is necessary to do useful work, as a lot of the assumptions we make about matter's behavior in our daily lives can't be made when we're dealing with situations that are different from what we're normally used to (1 atmosphere, room temperature, macroscopic, &c.).</p>