Grad v undergrad

[hansolost]

<p>How possible is it to major in physics or even computer science as an undergraduate and then study engineering (probably mechanical) as a graduate student.</p>

<p>How difficult would it be to get into a good graduate school?</p>

<p>Would my engineering knowledge be lacking at the end? (not thinking about job prospects. Just want to know if there will be gaps in my engineering education)</p>

<p>Who knows more about engineering, someone who majored in engineering of some sort or someone who majored in physics then went to grad school for engineering?</p>

<p>Thank you anyone who is willing to tackle these questions. I am totally clueless so I imagine my questions are pretty broad and therefore difficult to answer.</p>

[ucbalumnus]

<p>[MIT</a> MechE - Academic Programs - Graduate Programs - Applying For Admission](<a href=“http://meche.mit.edu/academic/graduate/applying/]MIT”>Applying For Admission | MIT Department of Mechanical Engineering) may be of interest as an example.</p>

<p>

@MIT Mechanical Engineering Department

Applications to the Mechanical Engineering Graduate School are accepted from persons who have completed, or will have completed by the time they arrive, a Bachelor’s degree for entrance into the Master’s program or a Master’s degree for entry into the PhD program. We do not admit directly to the PhD from the bachelor’s degree. Most incoming students will have a degree in mechanical engineering, ocean engineering, or some related branch of engineering. However, the department’s admission criteria are not specific, and capable students with backgrounds in different branches of engineering or in science may gain entry.</p>

<p>To qualify for a graduate degree, applicants are expected to have at least an undergraduate-level exposure to most of the core ME disciplines (applied mechanics, fluid mechanics, thermodynamics and heat transfer, materials, control, design and manufacturing), and to be familiar with basic electric circuits and electromagnetic field theory. Those who are deemed deficient may be asked to make up courses in certain areas before they graduate. The makeup courses may be at the undergraduate level, in which case they are relatively elementary, but usually cannot be applied toward graduate credit, or at the graduate level, in which case they carry graduate credit.

</p>

<p>Some of the undergraduate topics mentioned overlap with stuff that physics majors learn anyway, but others need to be taken as electives if you want to complete them during your bachelor’s degree.</p>

[mikemac]

<p>

How possible is it to major in physics or even computer science as an undergraduate and then study engineering (probably mechanical) as a graduate student.

Possible but difficult and expensive. If a school accepts you they will make you take many of the ME courses you didn’t take as an undergrad. So you’ll waste 1-2 years being a grad student essentially working on a 2nd undergrad degree.</p>

[xraymancs]

<p>All this is true, however, remember that a physics degree generally has more electives available than an engineering degree and therefore, you have the opportunity to take some of those ME courses. On the other hand, if you take an Applied Physics or Engineering Physics degree, you will be able to take those courses as part of your major.</p>

[mikemac]

<p>If you want to try the path suggested in Post number 4, taking mechanical engineering classes as well majoring in physics, be sure you are able to do that at your school. At some colleges, for example the UC system, classes in engineering are restricted to majors only.</p>

[ucbalumnus]

<p>The engineering courses may not be restricted, but may have little or no space available for non-majors (they presumably set the class sizes to accommodate the number of students in majors that need those courses, and give registration priority to those students).</p>

<p>Taking elective engineering courses alongside a physics major may also be unfeasable if the OP is considering a school that does not have engineering at all.</p>