Physics or Engineering?

Hi,
I am a yr12 student doing Maths, Further Maths, Physics and Chemistry. and I don't know what to do at uni. its between Physics and Engineering for me, so if you are doing either at uni can you please share your experiences?
thanks.

I'm doing engineering...

Have a look at course content/modules you will study.
Do something you think you will enjoy because that's all you'll be studying for at least 3 years.

I'd imagine the actual experiences of the degrees are quite similar, in that both involve doing lots of maths and equations. I did engineering and that was mainly my experience.

I'd say, when deciding between these two degrees, the most important consideration is what you want to do after graduation: do you want to be an engineer, or are you at least considering it? If so, choose engineering. If you are mainly interested in physics, or want to study a mathematical degree for the benefits, physics is probably a more interesting option.

Yes that's what im trying to find out. As in school we cant choose engineering as a subject.
but I know i like physics as I have studied it before but as ive never done engineering I dont know if ill enjoy it as much as physics or if ill like it even more.
Thank you for your reply!

Engineering is for making an impact on the world, physics is for those who want to understand the world.

okay!
if im completely honest i dont really know what engineers actually do, i know what it involves and i have an idea as to what the degree would be like, but don't actually know what they do in their day to day jobs.

which engineering did you do at uni?

and when you say the benefits of a mathematical degree, what are you referring to?
Thank you for your reply!

It's hard to come up with a short and accessible description which accurately encompasses all of the things engineers actually do. But I'll try. Basically, I'd say they are involved with the design, manufacture/construction, operation and maintenance of "engineered artefacts", which is basically virtually everything made and used by humans. To distil this down to day to day tasks, this can include designing things, performing calculations, writing reports, gathering and analysing data, risk assessments, developing procedures and instructions, working onsite in a more overseeing role, etc.



Mechanical.



Career prospects - some jobs in other sectors, such as finance and tech, look for graduates with mathematical backgrounds, who can then use and build upon these skills in the workplace. For example, I'd imagine very few physics graduates actually do any, say, particle physics after graduating, but they might use some or a fair bit of maths in a data science role.

Career prospects - some jobs in other sectors, such as finance and tech, look for graduates with mathematical backgrounds, who can then use and build upon these skills in the workplace. For example, I'd imagine very few physics graduates actually do any, say, particle physics after graduating, but they might use some or a fair bit of maths in a data science role.

Do many physics students go into engineering jobs too?

And do many engineers go into finance/mathematical jobs?

Do many physics students go into engineering jobs too? And do many engineers go into finance/mathematical jobs?

oh okay thank you for clearing that up!
being an engineer does seem surprisingly versatile and fun so maybe i will choose engineering!
Thank you <33

Hi there @User_2804122826

Great to hear you're interested in studying engineering!
My name is Anna and I study civil engineering at the Uni of Surrey. I am currently in my placement year (3rd year)
To give you a bit of background about my course, civil engineering is the design of structures such as bridges, buildings, roads, tunnels, etc. The list is honestly endless

I can share how I have found my 2 years at Surrey studying civil engineering

1st year
There are a lot of contact hours with face-to-face teaching and they teach the basics so everyone is on the same page. There are Maths modules in both semesters and it has a lot of overlap with A-level Maths and Further Maths. A few modules, such as Maths as well as Materials and Statics, are shared with other engineering departments so the class sizes will be huge. However, most of the modules are only for civil engineering students, which was good as I got to know my course mates and make friends a lot better. It is also a huge advantage because the lectures are more interactive due to the smaller class size, and it’s easier to ask lecturers for help.

2nd year
I found the course quite intense when I got into second year, which I’m sure everyone will say is the case with every degree. The content goes into a lot more detail. From this year onwards, each mark and percentage count towards the final grade you get when you graduate so there is that added pressure. First year is about getting people on the same page but once you get into second year, you have less face-to-face teaching than 1st year.This is to encourage you to learn more independently and work with course mates to help each other out. You will still have tutorials to ask lecturers for help and, not to forget, you can email lecturers and arrange a meeting so you can ask for help in person. Some of the lecturers are just amazing and they’re so willing to put time aside to help you out. I had quite a lot of coursework during the semester as some modules were purely coursework based, so it was a challenge trying to manage deadlines and to stay on top of lectures.


Hope this was useful, feel free to ask any questions that you have (can be about Surrey, my course, uni life, etc)

All the best
Anna Civil Eng

omg i do the same subjects as you and I was in the same situation as you lolll
i made loads of threads on here haha because im very indecisive

Ultimately I think what helped me decide was that you should only study engineering if you know you want to be an engineer as a profession. If not, choose physics or something, imo. xx