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/sci/ - Science & Math

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4565233 No.4565233 [Reply] [Original]

I don't know what to do with my life.

I'm currently in college (UK). I've looked at doing an MSci Physics degree and also at doing an Electronic and Engineering degree.

As of present, my passion is with Physics, I would love to do Physics as my University degree, however, what would I do in life with said Physics degree? I asked my Physics teacher and he said, "With a Physics degree, you could become a teacher or a banker or work anywhere in the financial business." He didn't even mention working AS A PHYSICIST.

Is it me or have I got my ideas wrong about doing a Physics degree then becoming a Physicist? Is that not how it works?

However, I'm told repeatedly that Engineering in the UK is big business, if you do an engineering degree of any sort, you will become and engineer and not some other profession of no relation. I've also been told time after time that they're undersubscribed and highly paid.

Anyone got any advice for someone in my position?
Thanks /sci/.

>inb4 Engineers are gay

>> No.4565241 [DELETED] 

which uni?

>> No.4565243

If you think you might get a masters, go with physics. You can go into engineering for grad school if you still want to do it. If you're sure you want to go work right out of college, do engineering. Engineering may be shit, but its the best thing you can do with a bachelors.

>> No.4565271

>>4565241
Nottingham perhaps.
I'm not a Cambridge, Oxford, Imperial grade student before you or someone suggests. I'm just not on that level or work.

>>4565243
Hmmm but once I have that Physics degree, what could I then do with it? How hard is it to get into research projects etc?

>> No.4565293

>>4565271
Based on what I've heard, I wouldn't get a bachelors in physics unless you plan on going.
You're essentially going to be an engineer who can't get certified with that degree (though it may be different in the UK, thats how it is in the US).

>> No.4565322

>>4565293
>You're essentially going to be an engineer who can't get certified with that degree

What's that based on?

>> No.4565360

>>4565322
You really don't learn enough in a bacehlors to be that useful (this is engineering, physics etc.). This may be different in the UK, but in the united states all engineering projects require a "Professional Engineer" to sign off. To become a PE, you must have a specific engineering degree.
So basically, you won't be able to get in high level research jobs and you won't be able to sign off on your own projects.
I'm not saying there's no jobs but if you want physics, I'd go for the masters.

>> No.4565395

>>4565360
So you're saying what the 2nd reply is saying?

>> No.4565423

>>4565395
Not really.
I think you should either do masters in physics + bs in physics or bs in engineering.

>> No.4565445

>>4565423
Okay, thankyou.

>> No.4565483

I had a similar problem when I was deciding on what to study.
I was torn between electrical engineering and physics (astronomy).

I chose EE, simply because I can still learn physics in my own free time and buy a nice telescope with the dosh EE would bring in.

A few years later I am glad I chose the path I did. Not only did I learn a ton of useful stuff from EE, but since I had lots of free time between exams (or during weekends), I read a few physics books (both uni learning material and popular physics books by famous authors).


And I got to sneak into an observatory since my friend worked there, so I pretty much got the best of both worlds.
tl;dr: Go for EE, but keep physics a close second.

>> No.4565543

B.S.E.E. , B.A. Physics in 4 years master race here.

don't know if the equivalent is possible in the U.K. in a reasonable time

>> No.4565555

>>4565271
I did my masters at Imperial, now doing my PhD in Physics.

What it boils down to is whether you want to do quantum shit or not. Quantum = physics. If you want your stuff to still be visible, even with a microscope go for engineering.

I never got a really good grasp on quantum and wish I had done engineering.

For research, its easy enough to get in but you will never have job security.

But your teacher is right, I think 80% of physics graduates at imperial went into banking and consulting and make a pretty good living there. 3-4k a month starting salary + bonuses.

Hope that helps.

>> No.4565563

>>4565543
PhD in physics, all the way in 6 years. Beat that.

>> No.4565567

And just a stupid question, how are you going to afford the 9k a year. Loan from the government?

Just for my own curiosity. You guys really messed that one up.

>> No.4565777

bump

>> No.4565938

Become a physician!

>> No.4565944

>>4565555
Really? Is that all that is going for Physics? Quantum?
>>4565567
I don't know man! I just don't know..

>> No.4565947

>>4565944
Thats all thats going for it with applications. Applied physics is mostly studying solid materials, and theres a ton of quantum involved.

>> No.4565954

I'm in the same place that you are op. I've chosen to do physics at university because i enjoy and am passionate about physics but i don't have any career options in mind and right now, i don't need any and won't for the next 5 years. Whatever happens after that i leave to itself. Something will sort itself out eventually for me.

>> No.4565976

>>4565954
I wish I could think like you bro. My friend who's doing Physics also is saying, "I'll just see where the road takes me."

I dont wanna sit back and leave it too fate.

>> No.4565986

Physics graduate here. Got a internship right after college that turned into a 60k job almost right away. If you get good grades and apply for a bunch of internships, you'll have no problem getting something. The downside is you might have to do code-monkey work - you aren't likely to be doing real physics without a grad degree.

>> No.4566003

>>4565986
UK?

>> No.4566076

>>4565555

A lot of people I knew who got PhDs in Maths or Physics still went into finance - the salaries are ridiculous for quants at hedge funds and the like. A friend of mine went straight from uni to £180K/year + bonuses upwards of £700K.

Bastard.

>> No.4568085

>>4566076
Regardless of ridiculous salaries, I don't wanna end up in finance.

>> No.4568099

>>4565555

>doing PhD in physics
>"never got a good grasp on quantum"

you best be trolling

>> No.4568103

>>4565233
>Is it me or have I got my ideas wrong about doing a Physics degree then becoming a Physicist? Is that not how it works?

You 'become a Physicist' when you submit a physics paper. Typical route is bachelors -> honours/masters -> Ph.D. -> Post Doc -> "Physicist". At some point along that route you become a physicist, I put "Physicist" at the end as this is the point where there is nothing else to call you but a physicist. The point at which you start being a physicist usually exists between Honours Ph.D.

>> No.4568105

>>4568103
>You 'become a Physicist' when you submit a physics paper.
Should read 'submit an original physics paper'

>> No.4568115

>>4568103
You become a physicist when you make a contribution to physics. This is usually done by publication of scientific papers.

If you never make any contribution, you never become physicist, no matter how much schooling or training you have.

>> No.4568125

>>4568115
>If you never make any contribution, you never become physicist, no matter how much schooling or training you have.

Is submitting a Ph.D. thesis not contribution enough?

>> No.4568170

>>4566076
What exactly does a job in finance entail?

>> No.4568181

>>4568115
>if Dirac never published any paper he wouldn't have been a physicist

>> No.4568964

>>4568181
Now imagine a world like that... Woah!