Physics degree vs Nuclear Engineering degree

I applied for Physics at all 5 of the unis I applied to, however Birmingham have rejected me for Physics but given me the option to have an offer processed for either their Nuclear Science BSc or their Nuclear Engineering MEng.
I'm going to have one of these processed so that I have the offer on UCAS (probably the BSc) but I'm not sure about whether or not to consider it for a firm or insurance. As it still contains a lot of Physics I am interested as it does look to be something which I would enjoy. I am tempted because Birmingham was one of my favourites out of the unis I visited. However, I'm concerned that the course is too specialised. The Birmingham website says: 'This new course has been designed in response to demand from the Nuclear industry for a programme at undergraduate level to equip students with the fundamentals to help provide non-fossil fuel alternatives for our future energy requirements'.
This makes me think I'd be very limited in career options with this degree, and would have no choice but to work in the nuclear industry. Which I'm sure would be great, but I don't want to decide on that for certain as this stage. If I did a straight Physics degree would I still have the opportunity to work in the nuclear industry? Would this course at Birmingham really limit my options? Thanks

You will be able to use this degree as a generic degree to enter non-technical grad schemes in the same way you would a chemistry or classics degree.

Otherwise, yes this degree is pushing you towards nuclear engineering. However think on this. 47% of all recent graduates are stuck in non-graduate jobs and 9% are unemployed. This course, on the other hand has been set up because there is a perceived skills shortage in an industry which will be expanding again as new nuclear power stations are built. Therefore the options you might be limiting by taking this course are the options between serving a Big Mac and a Whopper.

With nuclear engineering your prospects are somewhat tied to the nuclear industry, however as it is an engineering degree it also opens up technical career paths outside of just the nuclear industry. If you look at the career destinations, it lists a variety of technical employers that have recruited nuclear engineering graduates, with quite a few having nothing to do with the nuclear industry.

However, if all of your five choices were physics, it seems clear that physics is where your heart is, so I would say to stick with physics.

Ah yeah, that was what I was leaning toward anyway. Thanks.

I guess that there's no harm for them to process one of the offers for you anyways.

Best of luck!

You will be able to use this degree as a generic degree to enter non-technical grad schemes in the same way you would a chemistry or classics degree.

What do you mean by this? A chemistry degree is as good as a classics degree?

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I think they mean for graduate positions that only specify "a 2.1 honours degree"


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Oh - that would make sense. I wasn't sure if the OP was implying a Chemistry degree would be viewed similar to a Classics degree - for Chemistry demonstrates a far more versatile set of skills than a Classics degree that may be useful in the workplace (attention to detail, maths and teamwork for example).

While the nuclear industry is very volatile, the physics 'industry' is rather flat.

Please could you elaborate on that a bit? I'm not sure what you mean by 'flat', and why is the nuclear industry volatile?

The nuclear industry is almost entirely dependent on public funding, which is heavily influenced by public perception, which is heavily influenced by ignorance and recent events.

That makes sense, why is the Physics industry flat though?

I don't know anything about the physics industry.

Please could you elaborate on that a bit? I'm not sure what you mean by 'flat', and why is the nuclear industry volatile?