<p>Hi. I'm new around here. I came here in hopes that I could get some really good answers to my questions about college. I always have questions, and I used to post them on Yahoo Answers, but I rarely got any answers; let alone good ones.</p>
<p>Here's my story and question: (It's been bugging me for a while now)</p>
<p>I'm currently getting an Associate of Applied Science degree in Industrial Management. When I'm through, I'm moving to a University (Marshall University to be exact) to study Mechanical Engineering. (That's my MAJOR focus). I love science, especially physics, and would love to study physics as well, and make a career out of mechanical engineering. I feel like I would, by doing so, be much more knowledgeable than if I had only studied engineering, and that I would also be more marketable when job hunting; however, I'm hearing from all directions that by double majoring in ME and Physics, I will be looked at from an odd and not so good angle by potential employers and may even "have to explain why I would ever have majored in both physics and engineering" as if I would be seen as being indecisive. I'm not understanding how me studying MORE physics than most engineers would be frowned upon by employers, but that's what I'm getting from everyone else when I ask. Can someone here please help me out? It's really killing me not knowing what I should do when I WANT to study both, but fear it will somehow effect me in a negative way. Thank you.</p>
<p>It’ll take longer to complete your double degree and many of the classes you take for your physics degree (QM, Stat. Mech, upper-level electives etc.) won’t really matter to employers. In other words, it’ll delay your entry into the job market and it won’t even give you an appreciable advantage. </p>
<p>If your focus is on getting a job after college, you should instead spend your time trying to secure a good co-op and taking engineering electives that focus on a field that you would like to work in.</p>
<p>If a physics major isn’t a good second major, maybe I can make it a minor along with math then. However, I would like to choose a second major to go along with ME that will benefit me in the ways I want it to: I want to gain more knowledge that will make me a better engineer and I want to have an upper hand over someone else who ONLY has an ME degree. Ill do more research into what my shook has. In the meantime, does anyone else have anything they want to throw in?</p>
<p>Why a second major? It won’t really improve your salary or job chances. A better choice would be a masters degree. Many schools now are offering co-terminal B.S./M.S. combinations. The options for an M.S. could include Mechanical Engineering or even Applied Physics.</p>
<p>I’ll have my AAS in Industrial Management in about a year. If it wont help me out that much, maybe I should just major in Mechanical Engineering with a minor in math and physics (Most of the required minor courses I have to take anyway. I’ll only have to take about 3 extra) and then once I finish I can work toward a Master’s. Does that sound more reasonable?</p>
<p>Op, are you going to the Marshall university that is in Huntington, wv or is there another Marshall? I’m just curious cuz it’s not often I run into another West Virginian on here lol. </p>
<p>To answer your question, I would recommend a minor rather than a double major. I’m a mechanical engineering major too, also considering a physics minor. That would give you the chance to learn more about physics if it really interests you, but without delaying graduation. </p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>Can’t speak from personal experience but my Physics tutor this past semester graduated and was accepted to Ohio, Michigan, and Duke’s master’s programs in engineering with a b.s. double major in physics and mechanical engineering. He was cool guy but he had obvious enthusiasm in both subjects and did research during his senior year with graduates.</p>
<p>The two majors complement each other well and if you can pull off a 3.5+ you are likely to have many options as far as graduate school based on what I observed from my physics tutor. He was one of those guys you could tell loved physics and thinking that type of way- make sure you have a genuine interest in BOTH of those if you take that route.</p>
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<h1>1 does not require a double major. All that is needed to satisfy that desire is take some elective classes in areas you feel you need more knowledge. A Physics major will have requirements (make you learn things) that are not necessarily useful for MechE (like quantum mechanics and relativity).</h1>
<p>For #2, a physics double major does not appreciably improve your job prospects. Why would an employer favor you over a single MechE major? MechE already has plenty of physics requirements, so as far as the job is concerned, you both know the same amount of relevant physics - you’ll just know more theoretical physics. </p>
<p>Furthermore, there is a tradeoff with double majoring - you will have a more packed schedule. The time spent on a double major could be better spent doing project-based research in a lab, doing a part-time internship, or doing tangible extracurricular activities with other students working on projects (like a car, just as an example).</p>
<p>@goldandblue92</p>
<p>I actually am referring to that Marshall University. Thank you for your advice. After everyone’s reply, if my mind wasn’t made up before, it certainly is now. The physics minor will require me to take General Physics 1 and 2 with each having a lab. I’ll also have to take two electives; I chose electricity and magnetism 1 & 2.</p>