Engineering Physics Degree.

[Aven]

I don't know if this goes here, if not, my apologies.

I love physics, I mean, I really really do, I strive to understand it, a big chunk of it, of course not all of it because there are just too many branches of it.
I keep wavering between double-majoring in CS and Engineering Physics, because I just think I am better at systems than anything else.

So, has anyone heard of the degree? Is it a good idea to double-major if what I want to do is physics-modeling somehow tied in with Sustainable Energy? It seems straight-forward but I honestly have no idea what the market is like atm.

Would any Physics Majors/CS Majors in the industry please advice.

[Aronnax]

Engineering physics is a flexible degree and often used as an undergrad for Physicists who want to move into experimental physics (my favorite physics instructor's undergrad was in engineering physics). The advantage of engineering physics compared to pure physics as an undergrad is it give them a better understanding of their equipment, a big advantage for an experimentalist. Computer modeling is usually a tool for theoretical physics, not to say that experimentalists don't use computer models but how they use them is only part of their process.

If you want to deal with sustainable energy the pure engineering degrees, like electrical engineering or mechanical engineering, are better choices when compared to engineering physics. The current constraints for sustainable energy are engineering problems, not physics questions (assuming you ignore fusion).

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Well, that's how a Physicist gets through school, the actual process of a research Physicist is fitting data and models together to try and figure out "black holes and the origin of the universe" or you investigate the nature of subatomic structure or the behavior of matter at temperatures approaching 0 K.

There are Physicists who do research because we don't have a complete set of equations "full of Greek letters" that describe the entire Universe. Maybe it'll turn into accounting once it's all figured out but we're not there yet...

[Aven]

I have heard about that, but mechanical engineering? I mean I know I'm gonna be dealing with Newtonian mechanics mostly, I guess only part of my question was answered, the physics part, if somehow I can bridge CS and Physics together I might be happy.
I do find Engineering Physics rather appealing, and the math issue is not a problem, I still want to major first and foremost in CS, and at the school I want to go to both departments are basically married.
I will ponder this more though.

[Monte314]

Modeling and simulation might provide a good marriage of CS and physics for you.

I did my first two years in college as a physics major, but switched to mathematics my Junior year because I could never figure out when to make an approximation... physics was just a little too imprecise for me.

I teach a course in modeling and simulation, and find that it satisfies my desire to think "physically", and then use my computing skills to design and build something that appeals to my physical intuition. And I have discovered some subtle misconceptions I have held when a simulation that "just had to work" did something crazy.

[Aven]

Modeling and simulation might provide a good marriage of CS and physics for you.

I did my first two years in college as a physics major, but switched to mathematics my Junior year because I could never figure out when to make an approximation... physics was just a little too imprecise for me.

I teach a course in modeling and simulation, and find that it satisfies my desire to think "physically", and then use my computing skills to design and build something that appeals to my physical intuition. And I have discovered some subtle misconceptions I have held when a simulation that "just had to work" did something crazy.
I have to take math anyway, for a CS degree, my skills there are not horrible, I just lack experience.

I guess I just do not feel comfortable yet with the amount of knowledge I have acquired to date [mind you I was going at it pretty blindly by taking a Modern Physics/Intro to Quantum Mechanics independent study, *eyes gnat* but I did have some help :D] in each discipline, but that was my take, I wanted to do what you mentioned above, I just don't know where to look for work, haha.

[Tenacious B]

If you want to pursue two majors, your time will be better better spent on a BS in one and an MS in the other. Having the MS is more valuable than a second BS major, especially if you are going into research.

[Aven]

If you want to pursue two majors, your time will be better better spent on a BS in one and an MS in the other. Having the MS is more valuable than a second BS major, especially if you are going into research.

Makes sense, what about the five year MS-programs? Those any good?

[Arcani]

I'm an Applied Physics major but I'm staying an extra year to finish the credit requirements for a Masters in Applied Optics (it's an ME but all my courses are in the physics department).

I think it's definitely worth it to go for a Masters in the current job market, especially for science related fields. If you're going for two degrees I think you should go for a masters in one of them. A friend of mine is double majoring in CS and Applied Physics and he has a really heavy course load. I'm not sure about other schools, but at my school the Engineering Physics program has higher credit requirements than the Applied Physics, but if you can handle the extra courses then it's definitely worth it. I still suggest going for the Masters in one of them, it will open up more opportunities for you.

Check to see if the school has a five year masters program and learn a little about how they run it. My school doesn't have one, but I was able to tailor my schedule and set one up for myself.

[Aven]

I'm an Applied Physics major but I'm staying an extra year to finish the credit requirements for a Masters in Applied Optics (it's an ME but all my courses are in the physics department).

I think it's definitely worth it to go for a Masters in the current job market, especially for science related fields. If you're going for two degrees I think you should go for a masters in one of them. A friend of mine is double majoring in CS and Applied Physics and he has a really heavy course load. I'm not sure about other schools, but at my school the Engineering Physics program has higher credit requirements than the Applied Physics, but if you can handle the extra courses then it's definitely worth it. I still suggest going for the Masters in one of them, it will open up more opportunities for you.

Check to see if the school has a five year masters program and learn a little about how they run it. My school doesn't have one, but I was able to tailor my schedule and set one up for myself.

Thanks, I'm thinking masters in CS and BS in Engineering Physics, I hadn't really heard of Applied Physics until I saw it at a website here [I'm in CO] for Denver University, I think it's under "Liberal Arts" here, so that's why the school I want to go to doesn't have it.

[Arcani]

Thanks, I'm thinking masters in CS and BS in Engineering Physics, I hadn't really heard of Applied Physics until I saw it at a website here [I'm in CO] for Denver University, I think it's under "Liberal Arts" here, so that's why the school I want to go to doesn't have it.

:shocked: Liberal Arts!! Blasphemy :shout:!!!
Actually it's not that surprising, I go to an engineering school and the physics department was in the School of Arts and Sciences until last year. Then we ran out of money and got absorbed by the School of Engineering (now it's called Engineering and Sciences)

[Tenacious B]

Makes sense, what about the five year MS-programs? Those any good?
Yup, usually it just means that you will be able to take some of your undergrad courses for grad credit (might include a little extra work, like an extra paper and some additional hw problems) and start taking your grad courses senior year.

If that is something you are interested in, I would try to place out of the gen eds and take classes over the summer as well. I graduated BS with about 20-25 credits more than needed for my degree, which is pretty close to an MS non-thesis (usually around 36 hours of class).

[Aven]

Yup, usually it just means that you will be able to take some of your undergrad courses for grad credit (might include a little extra work, like an extra paper and some additional hw problems) and start taking your grad courses senior year.

If that is something you are interested in, I would try to place out of the gen eds and take classes over the summer as well. I graduated BS with about 20-25 credits more than needed for my degree, which is pretty close to an MS non-thesis (usually around 36 hours of class).

That's what I am doing, the general eds for the school I want to go to include a lot of science [geology, chem I and II, environmental science] so I plan to do that, I am pretty much done with the physics [only because I Like it, hah] and english and all that, just need the sciences.