Can physics degree holders get engineering jobs?

I am looking into applying for a physics degree at a top russell group uni (maybe Imperial, Oxford or UCL) mainly because it covers topics like Relativity, quantum and particle physics that I find interesting and may not be covered in an Engineering degree.

But career-wise I am pretty sure I would like to work as an Mechanical/Aerospace Engineer but fear that I might miss out on top jobs simply because I didn't do a traditional MEng Degree.

If it is not probable then would doing an engineering internship/placement (as a physics student) or pursuing a masters in engineering improve my competitiveness for those top jobs.

Thanks

Reply 1

Cam3r0n

As an Imperial physics student, I am more limited in immediately finding an engineering job, but there are engineering graduate programs accepting physics students. You miss out on learning some of the tools that the engineers use, but perhaps this could be replaced by a placement or masters like you say.

Hopefully an engineering student/graduate can weigh in.

Reply 2

grey_boredom

Original post by Cam3r0n

As an Imperial physics student, I am more limited in immediately finding an engineering job, but there are engineering graduate programs accepting physics students. You miss out on learning some of the tools that the engineers use, but perhaps this could be replaced by a placement or masters like you say.
Hopefully an engineering student/graduate can weigh in.

Thanks for replying

May I ask what you are considering to do after uni? Is it corporate or academic?

Reply 3

Cam3r0n

Original post by grey_boredom

Thanks for replying
May I ask what you are considering to do after uni? Is it corporate or academic?

I wasn’t sure when I started, but I’ve had a really good experience doing my master’s project during my year abroad so I will be applying for PhDs.

Most graduates either continue studying or work in finance, consulting, or other professional services. Mainly because that’s the industry in London.

Reply 4

Ghostlady

My daughter has graduated from Lancaster this summer with a degree in physics, particle physics and cosmology at Lancaster. Its all under the term of physics now on the website, but the options are the same to go down the particle route. She did two internships in Tao neutrinos, and proton decay with DUNE, and she is now going onto Manchester to do a phd in neutrinos at an experiment in Spain. With physics you can branch out into various fields. One of her friends is going on into teaching, another 2 did their masters project with a company with a job at the end of it. 1 astrophysicist is taking a gap year before applying for phd's next year. Another is going into finance, and data science. She plans to finish her phd and go into either a research associate, going into nuclear physics maybe. As far as Im aware you can do a grad job in engineering with physics.
Lancaster is one of the top universities in physics. You want Relativity, quantum and particle physics. They do all of those, and they have good funding as well.

(edited 11 months ago)

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