Physics or engineering degree??
Hi! just wanted an opinion on wether to do a degree in a type of engineering or solely a physics degree. i’m trying to take into account both what i love and what will get me better employment prospects. i love love love physics it’s one of my biggest interests and i know id absolutely love doing either physics with astrophysics OR physics with theoretical physics however im not quite sure if it’ll be harder for me to get a job with that in comparison to if i do aerospace or nuclear engineering. any input would be great, thanks !
Original post by lulalula
Hi! just wanted an opinion on wether to do a degree in a type of engineering or solely a physics degree. i’m trying to take into account both what i love and what will get me better employment prospects. i love love love physics it’s one of my biggest interests and i know id absolutely love doing either physics with astrophysics OR physics with theoretical physics however im not quite sure if it’ll be harder for me to get a job with that in comparison to if i do aerospace or nuclear engineering. any input would be great, thanks !
Aerospace: there are certainly opportunities for physics grads, probably more naturally aligned to more specific areas and you won’t have some of the background knowledge required for some companies & roles, there are options but an engineering degree will provide more opportunities.
If you were interested in mechanics or powered electronics or similar id say pursue engineering but it sounds like your interested in other areas of physics. Given you have an interest in both theoretical & astro physics why not do a Physics BSc in a reputable university where you get exposure to both, then do an MSc (postgraduate masters) on the masters you could then pursue a physics specialist area or even move back to an engineering program such as an MSc in Mechanical engineering giving you a broad spectrum of opportunities and not pegging you down now.
The one downside to this is a postgraduate masters set out as BSc physics + MSc astro/theoretical physics/mechanical engineering versus a straight MPhys is you’ll have to get the postgraduate masters loan (separated from your undergraduate loan), a lot of postgraduate students end up also having to do some part time work in holidays and such but it is all manageable and fairly normal things to do.
(edited 8 months ago)
Original post by mnot
Nuclear engineering is quite broad house, in industry nuclear is several different things (civil fission large reactors/ civil fission small & medium reactors/ fission r&d/fusion r&d/defense r&d/defense management/nuclear waste....) whilst all these are ‘nuclear’ they are all actually very different so keep in mind nuclear is a host if different industries. And you can certainly work in nuclear engineering from a physics degree it just depends what you want to do.
Aerospace: there are certainly opportunities for physics grads, probably more naturally aligned to more specific areas and you won’t have some of the background knowledge required for some companies & roles, there are options but an engineering degree will provide more opportunities.
If you were interested in mechanics or powered electronics or similar id say pursue engineering but it sounds like your interested in other areas of physics. Given you have an interest in both theoretical & astro physics why not do a Physics BSc in a reputable university where you get exposure to both, then do an MSc (postgraduate masters) on the masters you could then pursue a physics specialist area or even move back to an engineering program such as an MSc in Mechanical engineering giving you a broad spectrum of opportunities and not pegging you down now.
The one downside to this is a postgraduate masters set out as BSc physics + MSc astro/theoretical physics/mechanical engineering versus a straight MPhys is you’ll have to get the postgraduate masters loan (separated from your undergraduate loan), a lot of postgraduate students end up also having to do some part time work in holidays and such but it is all manageable and fairly normal things to do.
Aerospace: there are certainly opportunities for physics grads, probably more naturally aligned to more specific areas and you won’t have some of the background knowledge required for some companies & roles, there are options but an engineering degree will provide more opportunities.
If you were interested in mechanics or powered electronics or similar id say pursue engineering but it sounds like your interested in other areas of physics. Given you have an interest in both theoretical & astro physics why not do a Physics BSc in a reputable university where you get exposure to both, then do an MSc (postgraduate masters) on the masters you could then pursue a physics specialist area or even move back to an engineering program such as an MSc in Mechanical engineering giving you a broad spectrum of opportunities and not pegging you down now.
The one downside to this is a postgraduate masters set out as BSc physics + MSc astro/theoretical physics/mechanical engineering versus a straight MPhys is you’ll have to get the postgraduate masters loan (separated from your undergraduate loan), a lot of postgraduate students end up also having to do some part time work in holidays and such but it is all manageable and fairly normal things to do.
thankyou so much for your reply it genuinely means a lot to me!! i think im going to try very hard over the summer going into year 12 to figure out what i think would be most fulfilling and rewarding for me because as much as i love physics i do feel as though it might limit me doing it as a degree especially because my interests lie in theoretical/astro which are apparently really difficult and selective industries
Original post by lulalula
thankyou so much for your reply it genuinely means a lot to me!! i think im going to try very hard over the summer going into year 12 to figure out what i think would be most fulfilling and rewarding for me because as much as i love physics i do feel as though it might limit me doing it as a degree especially because my interests lie in theoretical/astro which are apparently really difficult and selective industries
Good luck- I think one factor you should be aware of is your interests and passions may change as you explore different areas in more depth.
Id note with something like astrophysics or theoretical physics yes you are limited to pretty much academia if you want to work in these areas however the skills you acquire from physics are directly applicable to lots of industries.
The big benefit of the path I shared earlier is you don’t have to make a decision until you get more exposure through 2 or 3 years of university. The other option you could look at is Loughborough run a course called BSc Engineering Physics which is a hybrid of both (although its the only one im the country im aware of).
Good luck
Original post by lulalula
Hi! just wanted an opinion on wether to do a degree in a type of engineering or solely a physics degree. i’m trying to take into account both what i love and what will get me better employment prospects. i love love love physics it’s one of my biggest interests and i know id absolutely love doing either physics with astrophysics OR physics with theoretical physics however im not quite sure if it’ll be harder for me to get a job with that in comparison to if i do aerospace or nuclear engineering. any input would be great, thanks !
The assumption here is that engineering has better prospects than physics. That is only the case within the engineering field. Outside of that, they're equivalent, with physics possibly having an edge when it comes to highly quantitative roles.
Within engineering disciplines, aerospace isn't the best discipline for employment afterwards. It's essentially a mechanical engineering degree modified to be more specific towards the aerospace sector. However, electrical and electronics engineering is more in demand in that sector (and many others) than mechanical based disciplines. I'm not that familiar with the nuclear sector, though my impression is that much of the engineering in that sector is mechanical, electrical (particularly this, when you include controls and instrumentation) and civil engineering rather than specialist nuclear engineering, which I imagine leverages physics quite heavily.
As mnot says, your interests may change when you get older... And not many people actually get jobs related to their academic interests anyway, because often what people are interested in doesn't really match up with what's available on the jobs market. Since I don't want to be a downer, I would just reiterate that both physics and engineering are good degrees to have that open up a wide range of careers.
Original post by lulalula
Hi! just wanted an opinion on wether to do a degree in a type of engineering or solely a physics degree. i’m trying to take into account both what i love and what will get me better employment prospects. i love love love physics it’s one of my biggest interests and i know id absolutely love doing either physics with astrophysics OR physics with theoretical physics however im not quite sure if it’ll be harder for me to get a job with that in comparison to if i do aerospace or nuclear engineering. any input would be great, thanks !
Hi!
In terms of what course you want to study, studying something that you would enjoy and have an interest in is definitely beneficial and a key motivator as you don't want to be studying a course that you aren't going to enjoy!
Definitely keep exploring what both courses offer as you might find something new about either that could drive your choice for choosing one course over the other! You could also see if there are any optional modules within the courses that you could take that could give you exposure to either field.
It's also great that you are looking at which one would give you better employment prospects. And as others have said there is always the option of doing a Masters in either field, depending on which one you choose! Good luck!
Kind regards,
-Wanita
Original post by lulalula
Hi! just wanted an opinion on wether to do a degree in a type of engineering or solely a physics degree. i’m trying to take into account both what i love and what will get me better employment prospects. i love love love physics it’s one of my biggest interests and i know id absolutely love doing either physics with astrophysics OR physics with theoretical physics however im not quite sure if it’ll be harder for me to get a job with that in comparison to if i do aerospace or nuclear engineering. any input would be great, thanks !
1.) Considering passion: Since you love physics, a degree in physics with astrophysics or theoretical physics would most likely be fulfilling for you. You'll get the opportunity to engage in theoretical and experimental work that challenges and excites you. If your primary goal is to satisfy your intellectual curiosity and passion, a physics degree would be a great fit.
2) Considering employment prospects: A physics degree offers a broad range of career opportunities. Aerospace and nuclear engineering, are specialised disciplines with clear career paths in industries that are constantly evolving and in need of skilled professionals. Which means they tend to be in high demand and a career path is clearer.
I would advise you to consider whether there's a way to blend your love for physics with practical applications. Some universities offer interdisciplinary programs or dual degrees that allow you to study both physics and engineering. This could give you the best of both worlds , DMU does not offer a combination of both but we do offer a range of engineering degrees.
To help you make a more informed decision, I highly recommend attending one of our open days. We have one coming up on the 21st of June, where you can learn more about our engineering courses, meet current students and faculty, and get a feel for what studying each subject would entail. This could be a great opportunity to ask questions, explore the facilities, and gain a better understanding of the career paths each degree can offer. All universities offer these and you can attend some over the summer .
Ultimately, the best choice depends on your personal interests and career goals. Reflect on where you see yourself in the future and what excites you the most about your studies. Whatever you decide, both paths offer exciting opportunities and the potential for a fulfilling career.
Best of luck with your decision, and I hope to see you at the open day in the near future!
Cece
Engineering Student
De Montfort University
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