<p>I recently got the idea of being a physics major. I was accepted for chemical engineering, but I'm not sure I want to concentrate on that just yet. I will be entering college in the fall.</p>
<p>I really love studying physics, even though I've never had an actual class on it. I read physics books in my free time (mostly without math, due to my level). I really like astronomy too...I would honestly enjoy my studies.</p>
<p>I chose engineering because I like math, physics, and chemistry a lot. It seemed like a great fit. But now I'm thinking that maybe I should just have fun in undergrad and be a physics or chemistry major and then go to grad school for engineering if I feel so compelled. And by fun I don't mean party every night and disregard schoolwork, I mean enjoy my studies and decide what I want to specialize in, since I don't know if I'm the engineering type. Now I seem more interested in learning why something works than actually building it. If I understand why I can build it, but I think engineering focuses more on the building first and then the understanding. </p>
<p>Thus, I'm wondering...is it better to study physics or engineering as an undergrad if I (as of right now) want to go into the field of engineering. If I decide I don't enjoy it as much as I thought, which would have the best back-up plan? (Probably still would go to grad school...maybe business, medical, or dental...) I've heard that a physicist always makes a good engineer, but an engineer never makes a good physicist. I know the job opportunities are better for engineers right out of undergrad, but either way I'd most likely go to grad school. The option is still open for engineering grad school if I'm a physics major, right?</p>
<p>I feel like this is the best time to get my studies straight, because I really don't want to change majors 5XX times if I can help it...</p>
<p>Also, any suggestions relating to either field would be welcomed :) .</p>
<p>I have also considered getting a major in physics and a minor in chemical engineering. Is this at all marketable? Say I wanted to work in industry for a year or so before grad school, could this combination land me a job? And since I’ve considered this combination, I’ve naturally considered the opposite as well, but I’m really leaning toward learning why things work completely, then in the continuation of my studies learning how things work and making them work.</p>
<p>Might I also add, I may be interested in astronautical engineering. A b.s. in physics could get me into this as a masters or phD program, right? What about if I had a b.s. in chemE but decided I wanted to switch to astro?</p>
<p>I don’t think a minor in engineering helps. In my experience with job hunting after getting my BS in physics, I will tell you that if you want an engineering job then you absolutely must get your BS in chemE. If you really love physics as well, then I highly recommend you do a double major in both. </p>
<p>It isn’t impossible to find a job with just a BS in physics, but it will be almost impossible to find engineering-related jobs. But you can other jobs such as software engineering, programming, analyst, high school teaching, etc. But just getting a BS in physics isn’t enough. You have to market yourself by taking relevant physics courses, doing research projects/internships, learning computer programming, and more.</p>
<p>you can do a google search such as ‘marketing yourself physics’ to learn how to find jobs with a BS in physics</p>
<p>Consider engineering physics, or “engineering science,” as some places call it. It’s a full degree in physics with a minor in some kind of engineering. At OSU, you have your choice of thirty elective hours in the basics of aerospace, electrical, nuclear, mechanical, etc. Even CS. It prepares you for grad school in engineering <em>or</em> physics, and for many engineering jobs (though I won’t lie to you, many employers may want an EE major and <em>only</em> an EE major for a job, and they don’t care if you had a minor in EE).</p>
<p>Take several classes and see what attracts your attention. Who knows? Maybe you end up studying something you hadn’t considered before. You don’t need to make a decision right away so feel free to explore.</p>
<p>I’d major in ChemE and either minor or double major in Physics. Check your school’s program requirements. You will get many, many more job opportunities with a ChemE degree than with physics.</p>
<p>Or you could major in Chemistry.</p>
<p>“I really love studying physics, even though I’ve never had an actual class on it. I read physics books in my free time (mostly without math, due to my level). I really like astronomy too…I would honestly enjoy my studies.”</p>
<p>Reading popular science books on Physics (penrose etc…) is very different from actually majoring in physics. Have you had multivariate calculus? If so, I would advise to browse through the 1st chapter of Landau Lifschitz “A course of Theoretical Physics: Mechanics” (vol.1) to give you an idea of what physics is like. Then, look at a typical engineering mechanics textbooks, and you’ll notice immediate the difference.</p>
<p>Faraday makes a good point: Reading a physics related book is completely different than Studying physics. You should take a physics course before you actually jump off the edge and declare yourself a physics major.</p>
<p>His advice is also extremely unhelpful. How is the OP going to get anything out of an advanced undergraduate/graduate level physics textbook, or a slam against engineering students? faraday’s post, I think, was more for his own self-benefit . . .</p>
<p>@silence_kit</p>
<p>faraday never slammed engineering students. He merely said there is a difference between how and what physics students learn about mechanics and how and what engineering students learn about mechanics, which is true.</p>
<p>oh come on, he’s obviously showing off his theory dick in that post</p>
<p>No, faraday is right somewhat. I could pick up some physics related book and read it, but it is completely and totally different from sitting in a classroom and having to study physics. They are two completely different things. There is a tendency to read about only things that interest you (say it is something about astronomy) however in academia you are forced to learn about some things you may not find interesting at all. I have no comment towards differences between engineering/physics methods of learning. I would assume physicists learn more behind the theory and less about application than engineering majors but that is just my guess.</p>
<p>i see your point, but why suggest that he read an advanced textbook? almost all students going into physics first year couldn’t read that book. that isn’t at all what he’ll be expected to know his first year.</p>
<p>There’s no reason to read an advanced textbook. That part I definitely don’t agree with.</p>
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<p>Only true if you satisfy the prerequisites for graduate courses in the engineering major. Usually this is done by obtaining a BS in that field.</p>
<p>It would be better (job-wise) to major in an engineering and take supplemental physics courses in the area that interests you most. Creepy is right, a BS in physics isn’t worth much to many employers. Find a way to take something marketable too, or focus on how to be in a position to do grad school.</p>
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<p>Depends on the graduate engineering program you enter. You would need to check with the specific engineering department to find out minimum requirements for the grad program. For instance, a grad EE program will probably ask for the core Circuits and Electromagnetic courses. CompE will ask for Circuits, Programming, Digital Circuits and Computer Architecture courses, etc.</p>
<p>Probably Engineering Physics and Systems Engineering graduate programs will take a Physics major “as is”, but that is because both of those programs require few core courses (usually satisfied in the grad program) and are interdisciplinary in nature anyway.</p>
<p>Oh…and maybe some “Master of Engineering” programs that allow a “hodge-podge” of engineering courses like the grad programs at Texas A&M or N.C. State.</p>
<p>to silence_kit:</p>
<p>The first ch. of Landau Vol. 1 is ridiculously short ( 12 pages), and the prerequisite is only multivariate calculus. Or if you are too lazy, just look up a youtube lecture by Prof. Balakrishnan on classical mechanics.
I don’t know where you got the idea that Landau Vol. 1 requires some crazy advanced knowledge.</p>