<p>can you get into engineering with a physics degree? one of the places i am considering going has no engineering but i feel that it is something i might want to do as a career, so if i end up down the road wanting to do engineering could a physics degree get me anywhere</p>
<p>also can you get opportunities as an engineer with a physics bachelor, or would you just be able to go to graduate school for something like mechanical engineering or any other engineering and then enter the workforce in that field</p>
<p>I would say that if you want to do engineering, you should have an engineering degree. Pure physics and engineering can be completely different.</p>
<p>I agree with csprof. Many physicists end up working engineering jobs without an engineering degree. A physics degree is very flexible and gives one the background for many different career fields.</p>
<p>If you would like, you can get an advanced degree in engineering with a physics bachelor's. It may be a little difficult, but I know people who have done it.</p>
<p>A friend of mine was a physics major (UC Berk) and entered engineering graduate school. He still had to retake a few courses (Thermo, Fluids, Heat Transfer) because the engineering classes are taught in a different perspective than physics classes. </p>
<p>My point is that it is quite possible to get into engineering graduate school as a Physics (or a Math major) but there might be requirements on prior course work and you'l have to play catch up.</p>
<p>As for employment, most companies will higher physics majors but they won't typically classify them as full blown engineers. I'm not saying that a physicsts can't get engineering jobs but instead they will need some outside experience (internships) to get them or will be working in a very analytical position (like a researcher).</p>
<p>Example: Oil service companies will higher physics majors for the nuclear machinery for well logging but won't always give them the drilling engineering or "hard core" engineering jobs.</p>
<p>nshah: I agree with what you've said about going to grad school for engineering, but disagree about your assessment of engineering jobs for physicists. You'd be surprised how many full blown engineers have physics backgrounds. When I started looking it to it, I was surprised – more than I expected! You'd never know unless they told you their educational history, because all of them have the title engineer with engineering positions.</p>
<p>In your situation, I'd say if you have the passion for it and you're pretty sure you will be going to grad school then go for physics. But if you know you're going to be an engineer for sure (and your school offers the major) then you should do that instead, obviously.
I was going to be a physics major but decided on engineering because I'm not sure whether I'll want to go to grad school right after undergrad... engineering makes it easier to get jobs. I would suggest, however, to try and take as practical an approach as possible to physics. Take courses relevant to the "real world," it will give you something to start proving your worth with.</p>