r/Physics • u/Ok-Recognition-7429 • 18h ago
Physics or engineering.
This question may have been asked on this subreddit a lot already but I really need advice regarding this. I'm a student in IBDP and will apply for universities next year.
I absolutely love physics, I enjoy almost everything about physics (except electric stuff because it wasn't really taught with that much information in my curriculum.) the derivations, unknowns, finding stuff and looking at stuff that makes absolutely no sense without staring at it blankly for an hour. I also really enjoy maths, not as much as physics definitely but I do like it a lot. I'm quite decent and coding, I know python and a little bit of C and Java. I also used to daily drive linux for 2 years so I'm quite decent at it too (left it because my laptop decided it doesn't want to run linux anymore for some reason. Yes I tried to read documentation and fix it. It didn't work.)
Since grade 9th (the time I started to finally become serious with life and started to have interest in studies), I have really enjoyed physics and planning to apply for B.Sc physics in future and study to become a physicist. I researched more regarding it and found out that the study for becoming a physicist is quite long. Which doesn't demotivate me at all to be honest but, it feels like whoever I try to talk to about wanting to be a physicist just discourages me into doing it. When it was just a few classmates it wasn't an issue, but then my teacher (not my physics teacher) and for some reason even my principal started lecturing me about why I should do engineering instead of physics because I won't find a job and the pay is bad. It more discouraging because the principal himself holds a PhD in physics so it seems like he's saying with experience.
I do know by studying physics I probably will not earn as much as an engineer. But that doesn't really seem like an issue to me as long as I will be able to earn enough to live without worrying about making ends meet. If I get to do something I am interested in then it seems quite good. The only thing worrying me about my choice with physics is if I don't end up in a STEM field. Physics has very high unemployment rate.
And engineering does seem quite interesting too. But one of the reasons I do not want to do engineering is because of the image engineering has in my country. India. Literally most of the people who did engineering have either ended up unemployed or underemployed or payed an extremely shitty salary and have a boss constantly yelling at them and overworking them (a relative of mine told me, someone who did engineering from the top University here).
I just don't know what I'm supposed to do. Whether to do engineering or physics. It's only an year until I have to apply. I'm planning to apply to Oxford but if that fails then I will do Studienkolleg and apply to German universities. I'm still really lost when it comes to select between physics and engineering. Any advice will be appreciated. Thank you
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u/Electric_Buzz_999 18h ago
I would suggest that you major in physics but from an engineering school! That will be the best of both worlds. At least in the US, some engineering schools have their own physics department. See, for instance, https://physics.illinois.edu. This combines the employability of an engineering degree while allowing to study physics and giving you a good foundation for a PhD (should you be so inclined). Not sure if this is feasible in the UK or Netherlands.
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u/Ok-Recognition-7429 18h ago
US is something I will absolutely not even think about atleast for my bachelor in the current time.
Mainly because of-
- Trump
- Crazy living cost
- Insane tuition fees.
- I have near to no extracurriculars
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u/Electric_Buzz_999 18h ago
In not suggesting that you apply to the US! Just that you should consider studying physics in an engineering college, if such a thing is possible in Europe.
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u/Ok-Recognition-7429 18h ago
Oh my bad. Really sorry, I'm still just really frustrated from the lecture the principal and coordinator gave. Pressuring me to take subjects I don't want because if I do those subjects I'll fulfill 'breadth requirements' for US universities. Really sorry, I'm just really annoyed by them.
But yeah, I mean that is something I could do but wouldn't that just make it so I'm not able to be specialized in either? Since it's an engineering college I may not be able to do a lot of physics related experiments or have professors more related to pure physics. And as I'm not doing engineering I won't be able to take the benefit of the college being specialized in engineering.
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u/Electric_Buzz_999 8h ago
It’s too early for you to specialize in anything as that requires a master’s or PhD. Physics departments outside engineering schools would tend to be more theoretical, so you may miss out on some skills that make you employable for industry. With a degree in physics (within engineering), or EE as suggested below, you keep your options open. If you find that you want to work in industry, you can pursue a job. If you’re inclined towards doing research in physics, you can do that in grad school.
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u/ParanoicFatHamster 15h ago
But even by European standards his advice is good. I believe it is much better to learn physics in the University of technology in any big city of Europe. Because you will learn programming and you will focus on research that might provide you a job.
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u/Rokushoh 16h ago
You’re guaranteed better job prospects if you study engineering. However, you sacrifice potential academic opportunities that you could find in physics, but they’re nothing you can’t recuperate if you have some initiative and learn physics on your own in conjunction with your engineering studies. I’m going into my third year of aerospace engineering, and I had the same dilemma you had. So far, I’ve attended physics conferences, studied it in my own time, joined clubs, and have gotten to mingle with some other physics students and staff through clubs, all while being in engineering. I am still planning to do graduate school in physics, but at least I’ve got an engineering degree backing me up (where you also learn a lot of physics).
My true suggestion however, is just to « do ». Say yes to things, let opportunities find you, and find them yourself, too. Go to conferences, involve yourself in clubs, and just enjoy opening the books in a library all by yourself. Time’s gonna fly, and as long as you stay true to these few things, there’s nothing you’ll regret.
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u/Halbleiter-PAK 15h ago edited 15h ago
I hold BSc/MSc in Physics and PhD in Semiconductors. If you love Physics and Engineering, but you would like to carry the title of Engineer, then you should look to the following direction;
BSc or Diploma in Electrical Engineering with a lot of elective courses from Physics at later years. After that, you head for either MSc or PhD in Applied Physics or Engineering Physics.
From my experience in Academia and Industry, the best colleagues with regard to solving complex practical problems or developing new equipment, were those who had E/E background with tons of exposure to Physics.
If you major in Physics, then you are trained to approach problems with a more scientific viewpoint, which is absolutely fine for fundamental knowledge but does not necessarily apply in Industry.
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u/Less-Consequence5194 18h ago
If you love physics, learn physics. It turns out, that at this particular moment in history, worrying about what job you will have in the future is even more futile than ever. And, anyway, enjoy college. That is your job for the next few years.
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u/Ok-Recognition-7429 18h ago
Enjoying college is something that should be done but I do need to think about the future too.
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u/Less-Consequence5194 18h ago
OK. If you must think about the future, then think about this. By the time you graduate, AI will be super intelligent and robots will be superhuman. AI, working independently, will be solving all engineering problems, and perhaps with a few genius physicists will be solving all physics problems.
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u/Rosychuck 1h ago
Someone help me too I am currently pursuing bsc FY. I am thinking of putting physics as my major. I had the curiosity for phyiscs but during my 12th I messed up i put too much pressure on my self and i couldn't focus enough and got less in 12th so could not clear the 12th criteria for IISER (indian research colleges) I told my parents that i would take a drop and work hard to clear the boards criteria and work insanely hard to get in IISER but my parents told me that moving forward would be better. And they won't allow me to take a drop year. So I joined a local college now reading this has thrown me in an dillema but that aside i really have changed my self and am working harder everyday to make my self better. Now my decision is that I work insanely hard to get in iisc or any iits for masters or integrated phd. I have thought a lot and still thinking and I really want to pursue particle physics and high energy physics. This time I won't repeat my history and finally work hard to get in a good college in India and hopefully I can be a researcher or a professor in the later years.
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u/Impossible_Smoke7746 Undergraduate 18h ago
Mm hello friend ....I am a Bsc physics student second year going on...I was a dropper too for a year after 12th grade ....so that I can get into a top engineering college but that didn't work out well and then idk I used to like physics so much and still do ....so I took the Bsc physics....and I really think you should pursue engeneering....from my personal experience and currently facing the issue ... it's that you will be really really confused by what you want to do after Bachelors...a master fine but in employment sense what you truly want to do....first be crystal clear of that otherwise it will be really difficult...coz I am not sure what I want to do master or wanna switch field for employment reason you mentioned.....so from my side.... engeneering will be a safe option ...and not sure from what country you are...but as in India my college professors just solely focus on covering the syllabus....few exceptions are there but the interest aspect kinda dies down I think...
But plz one more think so whatever you feel is right ....at the end of the day it will be only you with your decision
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u/Ok-Recognition-7429 18h ago
Oh I do not want to study in India at all. As soon as my 12th studies are done I am out. But yeah I do think I'm more clear about what I want to do after bachelors and masters in physics.
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u/Impossible_Smoke7746 Undergraduate 18h ago
Ohh then I think it's fine ......good luck mate for your future 🙌
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u/Cosmic_StormZ Undergraduate 39m ago
I am a very similar case. The part about people discouraging and saying physics won’t pay, engineering is more advised and all, is so damn common in my life every day.
I also want to do physics and since 6th grade (when the subject was introduced) I have been a big fan of studying it much in contrast to the other students in class. They’ve always told me I’ll start hating it in higher classes but I’ve finished 12th and I got 97/100 in physics and topped my school, love it even more then ever now.
Considered trying for BS-MS in IISERs as I too would love being a physicist and doing research and I don’t have any particular field of physics that I like more then the rest, I want to dive into quantum, astro, magnetism etc so j thought a physics undergrad would be ideal. But I’d have to take a break year to study as I was ill and couldn’t do competitive prep during 12th
I have the same issue, everyone keeps telling me that science won’t get a job, it’s a long haul game, it’s unnecessary and I’m complicating my life, they ask me what I really want to do in life and want me to find an easy path that aligns with interests- engineering. They say I can pivot from there staying close to physics while also getting more job opportunities and the ability to apply physics so I can be marketable and easily find a career. They know job isn’t my priority but still feel even research, can be done in a more efficient and rewarding way with engineering skills.
Currently I’ve enrolled into a material Science engineering BE with my school marks- it’s closely tied to physics and chemistry and has high scope for research in semiconductor , photonics etc. after this, I can go do a masters that is related to physics and this. so the idea is to stay true to my interests while finding a genuine way to milk it and utilise it to do something worthwhile and get successful. It has great scope for future innovation. So I am hoping I’m on the right track. They say bachelors is just a stepping stone to masters. So you can do physics related things even after a bachelors like this, is what I’ve been told.
I still feel from time to time that someone like me should be going all into physics and I’m unique in that way, but again, it’s a longer process. I might actually be burdened by overload of theory which could be counter productive. I may become a physicist, but it should be sustainable. I’m still keeping doors open to prepare and go for it next year, but I feel like taking everyone’s inputs here has been helpful. Sometimes you need to find ideal ways to utilise passion to gain max advantage.
Everything in the world is physics, you don’t have to study Bsc physics to do something related to physics. Ask yourself what physics means. It’s a versatile field that has application in so many different areas
I guess you are Indian as well, so I think you can relate. The country is very geared into engineering that it’s tough to not see it as a rat race, but you can always stand out on your own and do what you want.
You can thus ask yourself what you feel is more worth it. What of the options feels most attractive to you based on study, the prospects and the potential.
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u/waterwaterH30 18h ago
Hello there, this was my question too! I struggle to choice between engineering and physics, I am very passionate in physics. Fast foward now I am now studying mechanical engineering (as a year 1), this is what I am planning, studying mechanical engineering for the degree (also dream to work in rocket science area) while self learning physics for my passion, I am also thinking to get a minor in physics too, I think that you can try physics/engineering first, and then consider switching major if you found out it's not what you really want, after all physics and engineering is closely related!