<p>I plan on going to graduate school. I do not want to teach. Different people have been telling me to go into engineering. I was going to go into CivE but realized Physics is for me. I guess I want to be employable and not have to work at Starbucks with a degree. I live near Houston, too, if that helps.</p>
<p>What exactly do you want to do anyway? Some work in finance, and some alongside engineers. I also know of a guy who works on simulation software (aerodynamics I think).</p>
<p>I honestly don't know yet. I don't have a specific career in mind. </p>
<p>The University of Houston offers a Mechanical Engineering Minor. Would doing that be a good idea? Would it give me more employment options? What about a business minor?</p>
<p>If you're a physics guy and you're interested in engineering (or are considering it) then maybe try electrical engineering, biomedical engineering, or others that have a heavy physics component to them. I know of at least 1 BME who had a physics background, with all that fancy imaging and radiation stuff I'm sure it would come in useful, also the biophysics of cellular modeling etc...</p>
<p>My husband and I have engineering physics degrees, but studied enough computer science to work as software engineers. Some employers like physics majors, some ignore them. The job search will be harder than w/an engineering degree but doable, IMO.</p>
<p>What do you plan to study in grad school?</p>
<p>The only reason why I'm considering some engineering again is because I want to be able to have a job when I graduate. Haha. I'd like to study physics in graduate school, too. Like I was saying, I live near Houston, which is the energy capital of the world and NASA and its contractors are right down the street. Maybe my location has more job opportunities for pure science majors.</p>
<p>Oh, would a business minor help out any?</p>
<p>I think you really need to figure out what you want to do before that question can be awnsered.</p>
<p>If you don't want to get involved in the real world, preferring to stay in academia, than I would suggest going into an engineering (not Civil) or business masters program since they will keep a lot of doors open. A physics masters can't hurt either, I would assume, though I haven't met many who don't also have a PhD.</p>
<p>I would suggest listing out the things you like to do and the thing you don't like to do, and try to find something that help accentuate the positives in your motivation.</p>
<p>Well, I want the physics degree because of its broad spectrum of coverage of physics, as opposed to engineering which is more specialized. I also want to study relativity, quantum mechanics, and so forth in graduate school. I want a technical job but not necessarily engineering.</p>
<p>I wouldn't turn down an engineering job, though.</p>
<p>Why shouldn't he go into civil?</p>
<p>IMO, Civil niches you into structual design or planning functions, meaning that there's not 'as many' doors left open to someone who is still deciding what to do. A Masters in Civil Engineering generally is more for those who know what they want to do. Granted the other engineering fields tend to begin to focus you on to a specific field or industry, but IMO those skills are much more transferable across industry than would civil... so far as in not knowing what you want to be when you grow up.</p>
<p>You might want to check out this link to a career planning site for science/engineering/technology majors. </p>
<p>Hey, thanks, for the link. That introductory page just further reinforces that a physics degree is for me. I'll check out the rest of the resources on there.</p>
<p>I can tell you right now what my main intellectual interests in physics are according to the "Physics Overview" on that website. Maybe this will help direct me in the right direction career-wise.</p>
<p>Energy, Materials Science, Solid State Physics, Thermal Physics</p>
<p>Since I am a multi-instrumentalist and "soundman," acoustics interests me on a more practical level. In fact, my best friends and I are working on opening a live music venue next year sometime with eventually maybe practice rooms, a studio, and so forth.</p>