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On October 10 2011 06:35 TexDrum wrote:Show nested quote +On October 10 2011 06:02 OrchidThief wrote:On October 10 2011 05:56 JacobDaKung wrote:
A bit off topic could someone explain the difference between a major, master and bachelor? Master and bachelor refers to the stage of your education on a subject, major (and minor) is usually used around the main subject and the secondary subject your degree is on. (For instance english and philosophy, or physics and chemistry). It's used for dual degrees. On October 10 2011 06:00 TexDrum wrote:Btw, getting an engineering degree in physics and nanotechnology. =) Hmm... this is very interesting. Can you expand on whwat exactly you do? Because I like both of those  Well, the department of engineering physics is split into four: Nanotech, Photonics, Atomic Physics and Biophysics. I'm at the Nanotech department, designing various things within nanotechnology, among other things, microsensors, MEMS, Lab-on-a-chip, as well as stuff like diodes and other silicon technology. At photonics they're doing stuff like Lasers, Optics and such, Atomic Physics is quantum mechanics, surface physics, catalysis, superconductor physics and such, and Biophysics I honestly have no clue about. Think Neurophysics mostly, but no idea really. That sounds really cool actually. Is the specific major that you are in called Physics and Nanotechnology? I'm curious. I don't think Rice offers much of a nanotechnology major, so would there be any other general options that I could look into if I wanted to do a masters or something more centralized in it? Also, if I chose a general major like mechanical, would I be able to take specialized classes that give me an opportunity to have more of an aerospace etc. centralized resume/degree?
Eh, don't know anything about how stuff works across the Atlantic, can't advice on anything specific regarding how it would work in the states. At my university (Technical University of Denmark), both the bachelors and the masters degree is called "Physics and Nanotechnology". And it's a pure engineering school. But the split up of degrees into bachelors and masters is something relatively new in Denmark, it used to be one consolidated 5 year program, granting a "Candidatum Polytechnicum" degree in the end.
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On October 10 2011 06:40 OrchidThief wrote:Show nested quote +On October 10 2011 06:35 TexDrum wrote:On October 10 2011 06:02 OrchidThief wrote:On October 10 2011 05:56 JacobDaKung wrote:
A bit off topic could someone explain the difference between a major, master and bachelor? Master and bachelor refers to the stage of your education on a subject, major (and minor) is usually used around the main subject and the secondary subject your degree is on. (For instance english and philosophy, or physics and chemistry). It's used for dual degrees. On October 10 2011 06:00 TexDrum wrote:Btw, getting an engineering degree in physics and nanotechnology. =) Hmm... this is very interesting. Can you expand on whwat exactly you do? Because I like both of those Well, the department of engineering physics is split into four: Nanotech, Photonics, Atomic Physics and Biophysics. I'm at the Nanotech department, designing various things within nanotechnology, among other things, microsensors, MEMS, Lab-on-a-chip, as well as stuff like diodes and other silicon technology. At photonics they're doing stuff like Lasers, Optics and such, Atomic Physics is quantum mechanics, surface physics, catalysis, superconductor physics and such, and Biophysics I honestly have no clue about. Think Neurophysics mostly, but no idea really. That sounds really cool actually. Is the specific major that you are in called Physics and Nanotechnology? I'm curious. I don't think Rice offers much of a nanotechnology major, so would there be any other general options that I could look into if I wanted to do a masters or something more centralized in it? Also, if I chose a general major like mechanical, would I be able to take specialized classes that give me an opportunity to have more of an aerospace etc. centralized resume/degree? Eh, don't know anything about how stuff works across the Atlantic, can't advice on anything specific regarding how it would work in the states. At my university (Technical University of Denmark), both the bachelors and the masters degree is called "Physics and Nanotechnology". And it's a pure engineering school.
Oh, haha, I should have paid attention a bit more, but still, that all does sound really interesting. Does anybody know what the equivalent major would be/how I would go about it for photonics or any of the other majors he talked about?
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At good schools, no one will really care whether you are a physics or an engineering major, as they both indicate you got some brains.
That said, engineering majors tend to be math heavy, and physics majors, despite the math and depending on the program, can also be engineering heavy (matlab/other programming).
I wouldn't think too hard about it and pick what you like more. If you are thinking about a particular career outside that field, show your interest by taking up extracurriculars.
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On October 10 2011 06:01 SpiffD wrote:
Around 25% of physics majors here are doing practical work in the private sector, so it is definitely possible to get work other than teaching as a physics major.
Can you expand on that and inform us of what they are doing more specifically?
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I'd advise you to apply for engineering, unless you enjoy theoretical physics and are willing to give up income in favor of interesting research.
On October 10 2011 06:11 micronesia wrote:Show nested quote +On October 10 2011 06:10 strongandbig wrote:
So I'm currently a first-year grad student in physics, and one thing a lot of people don't realize is how common it is for physics majors to go into finance/banking/consulting. For whatever reason, the people in those industries who hire new people out of college believe that a physics major teaches you things like problem-solving and flexible thinking. For undergrad physics majors in the department I went to, there were as many people going into finance etc as there were going to grad school. Yes, this was one of the things I heard... that physics majors often are prime candidates to go into finance due to their mathematical background (among other things like strongandbig said).
Same with engineers, especially if you're applying for something like structuring. As someone who has done an internship in the city, I can tell you that it really doesn't matter what you did at university when you apply for banking/consulting. Something mathematical would give you an advantage but your ability to learn and be a douche is far more advantageous.
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I have a couple of friends that did their bachelor's in engineering, and went on to do their master's and PhDs in physics. I suppose the benefit of this approach is that you can still go into an engineering career after your bachelor's, but I'm not too sure what value a only bachelor's degree in physics would be.
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On October 10 2011 06:47 tryummm wrote:Show nested quote +On October 10 2011 06:01 SpiffD wrote:
Around 25% of physics majors here are doing practical work in the private sector, so it is definitely possible to get work other than teaching as a physics major. Can you expand on that and inform us of what they are doing more specifically?
Many physics Ph.D.s do private sector research in semiconductors and nanotechnology. Graphene and carbon nanotubes are poised to revolutionize a huge amount of our current technology, so companies are jumping on it. Atomistic effects are also very important in modern microprocessors because of the scale (the architecture in most CPUs is about 45 nanometers, or 450 atom-widths, approximately). I was looking at job openings for Intel not long ago and there are numerous positions calling for a physicist (or engineer) with background in atomistic methods. Also, as a physicist you can work in the government sector, either on a project for the military or at a national laboratory doing independent research. This is a stressful existence, however, because your income depends on applying for grants, etc, but there is no teaching involved (except the occasional intern, I guess).
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obviously engineering would do you better if you are really just looking to make money and have a decent job within the industry, but if u have a passion for physics obviously i would encourage you to take physics (myself currently a mathematics major since there is only 2 physics courses at CC but once xfering going to physics)
i will say that you only have one life to live so whatever you're most passionate about should be what you end up doing in life...whether or not another decision would have made you more cash in the long run doesn't really matter if you're actually enjoying your work.
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A physics degree is more broad, as well as being more theoretical (and math heavy). Engineering is more specialized, you won't cover all the background physics you would for a physics degree, but it is more practical for getting a job (this may partly be due to the fact that an engineering degree carries more weight with potential employers who do not know exactly what engineering/physics entail).
That said, don't dismiss the physics degree just because the engineering may be somewhat more likely to get you a job. If you like physics, I would give it a try, but if you are really more interested in practical stuff, go engineering. I am doing a physics degree, and yes, most of the opportunities appear to be in grad school and/or research. But there are definitely jobs for physics out there. I forget what percentage of graduates from my physics program get jobs, but it is pretty high. Also, for example, there is a nuclear plant near where I live that is planning to have a new reactor built I think, and I am keeping an eye out there. So jobs are out there.
I don't really know what to tell you. At my university, you don't have to declare your major until second year or something. If that is the same where you are, take some time to think about it.
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On October 10 2011 06:56 Blenderhead wrote:Show nested quote +On October 10 2011 06:47 tryummm wrote:On October 10 2011 06:01 SpiffD wrote:
Around 25% of physics majors here are doing practical work in the private sector, so it is definitely possible to get work other than teaching as a physics major. Can you expand on that and inform us of what they are doing more specifically? Many physics Ph.D.s do private sector research in semiconductors and nanotechnology. Graphene and carbon nanotubes are poised to revolutionize a huge amount of our current technology, so companies are jumping on it. Atomistic effects are also very important in modern microprocessors because of the scale (the architecture in most CPUs is about 45 nanometers, or 450 atom-widths, approximately). I was looking at job openings for Intel not long ago and there are numerous positions calling for a physicist (or engineer) with background in atomistic methods. Also, as a physicist you can work in the government sector, either on a project for the military or at a national laboratory doing independent research. This is a stressful existence, however, because your income depends on applying for grants, etc, but there is no teaching involved (except the occasional intern, I guess).
That sounds really interesting. I don't think I want to do government work, private sector is much more my thing. I do plan to go to graduate school anyways, but is that something that I could do with just my undergrad degree? Working at intel or AMD or anything like that would actually be really cool, and I know nanotechnology will be really important in the future.
As a physicist, I know that there are the whole research grants and things, but what other options are there? And how would I go about getting those kind of backgrounds? (For work in nanotechnology) And this is in the states, btw.
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How about majoring in astro physics? If you're into space at all it seems like it would be a good choice.
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This is a Canadian perspective.
I have a Bachelors and Masters in physics. I got a computer science degree afterwards, because there weren't readily available job opportunities in physics. I now have a job in computer science and I am happily employed as a programmer analyst in the public sector. Even after the PhD, it's only postdoc positions for most research physicists. My friends that completed their PhDs in physics successfully are now facing difficulties obtaining any positions. Finding a postdoc position is getting hard to find as well.
Don't do the physics degree. The probability of obtaining a job position in physics is too low to justify the amount of time you're putting in that degree. A Bachelors + Masters + PhD is 10 years of your life. Near the end of your PhD, you'll get envious of your friends that have cars and houses while you're still living with three or four roommates in a cramped house and making $20,000.
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Just grabbed my Bachelor in physics.
From what I've heard and seen, the pure M.sc. in physics usually qualifies you for jobs involving banking, insurances, IT stuff and management consultancy. It is similar to having a M.sc. in mathematics, which my brother has. He had no problem finding a job, even though he applied during the pinnacle of economic crisis.
I do think you put a lot more work into surviving the physics route than an engineering one. Though that also provides you with different qualities that you'd be unable to obtain by becoming an engineer.
Also, in the M.sc. we're offered extra courses that teach you the basics of different subjects, if you want to proceed to work into these areas. You'll still finish as a M.sc. in physics but already have knowledge of the subject you're interested to work in.
A professor showed us a graphic of the unemployment rate of physicists over the years. The average was 2%, which is very low. (He said that those 2% probably consists of students who just finished their studies and haven't gone job hunting yet.)
EDIT: Also check the post below me. Basically the same as what I've heard 
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Actually I had the same "problem" ~6 years ago. I was finishing school and needed to choose what to study. I was the biggest geek about physics and I spend all time in school thinking about going into the field of physics in the hope of going into nuclear physics, thinking nuclear fusion reactors would be the biggest thing of the future (don't judge I was very young and very naive and I read to many sci-fi comics... thinking about it... judge all you want )
Anyway... just before applying to colleges I guess my German heart kicked in and I picked electrical engineering. I guess it was programmed into me at birth and I couldn't escape. (I come from the a part in south of Germany where ~70% of the jobs are directly or indirectly connected with the automotive industry).
But in the end... it was the best decision I could have made. Because at Uni I realized that physics would have been to "theoretical" for me and I saw that a lot of friends studying physics stayed at Uni to stay in research or go in to the industry without actually doing what they studyed. I know alot of people with PhDs or degrees in physics that work in software companies or engineering, even one that went on to go to a consulting firm.
But all of them have in common that they are not using the actual theoretical and practical knoweledge of physics. They were more hired for their ability to understand complex systems and their analysis skills etc.
But hey... they do earn good money doing that.
Physic students staying in research definately don't earn the same amount of money.
I know work as an electrical engineer in research and development (in the automotive industry :p, can't escape it! ).
For me it was the right thing. And too be honest, you do get payed very well as an engineer in Germany.
At the moment I live in the UK thanks to my job working on amazing projects.
I guess I made the right decision for me back then. But I can only tell you this using hindsight.
Just be sure that once you make your decision you give it your all and try to really work hard on the subject you chose. Once you try to do that and you realize you aren't happy what your doing and that your really struggling to motivate yourself to keep going, always remember that no decisions are final and that you do have the ability to start new.
Edit:
I must add that in Germany back then, we didn't have a bachelor/master system and the subject you chose after school was a five year course at Uni granting you a "Diplom" in the end. So maybe Bachelor/Master gives you a good chance of looking into both?
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if you want your name in a textbook go with physics.
if you want your name on a building go with engineering
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A physics degree is the science equivalent of a philosophy degree in that you actually have a surprisingly large spread of options available to you without much auxillary training- mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, aerospace engineering, aeronautical engineering, materials engineering, industrial engineering, mathematics, and of course physics itself. With additional training, a physics degree can help you to distinguish yourself in really crowed fields, such as business, law, and medicine.
Besides, in the upper tiers of the professional world, what you do on the graduate and post-graduate levels is far more important than your undergraduate work. So don't worry too much about what you want to do just now, and enjoy your upcoming college years, because you can't get them back. Work your ass off on the weekdays, then play hard on the weekends. Also, even if you don't think you are a particularly social individual, go to lots of parties- the people you meet there might become very important later on, and even if they don't, there's nothing wrong with having more friends.
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I graduated from Rice five years ago with a bunch of credits in electrical engineering (though a degree in the humanities which I am now pursuing a Ph.D. to accompany), and for both physics and electrical engineering majors, you will have to pick a specialty, one of which for EE was nanotech oriented, if I remember right.
EDIT: There's a ton of nanotechnology research happening at Rice, in general.
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Hmm, there seems to be a lot of conflicting opinion actually. I love all of the responses though, thank you everybody!
I seem to be gathering that even if you major in physics, my graduate work can give me a lot of different job opportunities. It still seems like engineering is the most practical though, but I don't think anybody answered this yet. If they did and I missed it, sorry! But what kind of degree would be best for somebody looking into either 1) space work with NASA/private sector companies who are getting into space flight etc. or 2) nanotechnology? Both of these fields (although totally different) interest me.
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Professional degree >>>>>> liberal arts / science degree.
Go for the engineering degree. Professional degrees are almost always in demand.
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EPT
