http://www.bls.gov/ooh/computer-and-information-technology/computer-programmers.htm
http://www.bls.gov/ooh/computer-and-information-technology/computer-support-specialists.htm#
http://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/electrical-and-electronics-engineering-technicians.htm#tab-2
When I finish my Bachelors I want to be qualified for the 3 jobs above, after my Bachelors I want to pursue a PhD in Applied Physics.
At first I thought I should go for a Bachelors in Computer Engineering but I heard that you cant get accepted into a PhD program in Physics with a Computer Engineering degree so I’m confused as to which Bachelors to go for.
All of those positions you listed are technician positions and require only a 2 year degree or a 4 year technology degree. Further, none of them lend themselves easily to a PhD in physics. If you want a PhD in physics, why not study physics?
I’m afraid that if I get a Bachelors in Physics I will not be qualified for the 3 jobs I mentioned.
But I found a major called “Engineering Physics”, would that qualify me for a PhD program in Physics as well as the 3 jobs I mentioned?
Or what If I go for a Bachelors in Applied Physics?
None of that is really going to lead to your wuslification for those jobs. Those are technician jobs. Those jobs themselves may even hirt your shot at the PhD program.
Maybe we need to hear a little more about your goals and motivation to help you more.
You should develop a relevant background if you want to pursue a PhD in Physics. A BS in Computer Engineering will make the transition to a Physics PhD very difficult as you will have a lot of catching up to do. Like boneh3ad said, a BS in Physics would be your best bet.
Also, Physics is a highly competitive field. You almost certainly need a PhD to get into any of the fun jobs, and even then, competition is fierce. Bottom line here is to make sure you are deadset on a career in Physics, and if you are, go for a BS in Physics and skip the technician jobs.
BS or MS in Physics can get you a job in engineering, if you decide PhD is not for you.
Programming jobs just require programming skills you could develop outside of coursework.
Physics for engineers (first year) isn’t even considered real physics by many physics majors. And you would much more need a class in say quantum physics than statics or some project type class.
Engineering physics sounds like a neat degree, does anyone know what people typically do with that ?
Also CEs and CS and EEs are a different labor category, and you will be happy to know, pay better than those jobs mentioned above. Take another look through BLS data and maybe monster, etc.
ME is also based on physics, but mechanics, not electromagnetism.
CE/CS is really not going to provide you the right coursework to do anything other than design or program computer related things. Why would that be related to PhD physics ?
Think about what you would like to do for say your thesis for PhD in Physics. Then look at the coursework required, some schools and what their prereqs are.
If you just want an employable job, programming is likely a good bet, as a backup. As I mentioned in a prior post, having a backup plan can derail your true calling, tempting to get that job right out of school and get off the academic treadmill.
UC Davis has a Bachelors major in “Applied Physics” and with this major your able to choose a specialty and one of these specialties is in “physical electronics”
http://admissions.ucdavis.edu/majors/major_view.cfm?major=lapp
Would I be qualified for the 3 jobs in my first post if I choose this major?
Several people have already said that those jobs require only an Associate’s degree. having a Bachelor’s in just about any STEM field will over-qualify you for them. Furthermore, none of those jobs will remotely help you have a career in physics. Instead of repeating the same question several times, how about answering the questions that others have posed.
- If you have B.S. why do you want to take a technician's job?
- If you want a Ph.D. in physics, where does taking a technician job fit into your timeline?
As a physics professor who has been involved in graduate admissions for many years, I can tell you that if you want a Ph.D. in physics the most direct route is to start with a B.S. in Physics (best), Applied Physics (acceptable), or Engineering Physics (acceptable). Of course there are people who start with an engineering degree and then move into physics as a graduate student. We have had a number of such at my university, Illinois Institute of Technology. However, this requires them to take remedial courses in physics before being able to start with graduate physics courses. Mechanical Engineers will need to take Electrodynamics and Quantum Mechanics. Electrical Engineers will have to take Classical Mechanics, Quantum Mechanics, and Statistical Mechanics. Chemical Engineers will have to take Classical Mechanics and Electrodynamics. it is doable though and a strong student will make the transition relatively easily.
Your question about Engineering Physics is a good one. This major is basically the same as Applied Physics in that it has a dual concentration: Physics and an Engineering discipline. It is essentially a double major. The Engineering Physics degree is often ABET accredited and thus a graduate can sometimes more easily access jobs which require an accredited engineering degree. Applied Physics is more usually not accredited. Whether you have a Physics, Engineering Physics or Applied Physics B.S., you will have a good chance of finding a good job with your B.S. As you can see from the listing above, the physics major touches on nearly all engineering fields and thus has the flexibility to develop a career in a number of directions. it is sometimes more difficult to get that first job when a company is expecting to hire an engineer but after the first job, it will not matter. Furthermore, there are some enlightened companies who like to hir physics majors precisely because of the flexibility.
Anyway, if you want more specific advice, please consider answering the two questions above and providing more detail about your goals and how you see your timeline taking place.