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I'm a recent graduate with a BS in Engineering Physics (EP) as well. I chose the field because I love mathematics and because of the "infinite career possibilit

by nikk1 7y ago

I'm a recent graduate with a BS in Engineering Physics (EP) as well. I chose the field because I love mathematics and because of the "infinite career possibilities" that the Physics department advertised (just like in this article) which was actually very misleading. I had a really hard time getting started right out of college (your description of HR's view of EP majors is spot on) and started to pursue my Master's at the same University in EP. I dropped out of my Master's program after about a year because I realized I hated doing academic research. A lot of the courses that I took were also very similar to my undergraduate courses... So I didn't feel like I was gaining any added value from my MS. Most of us graduates in EP either went to pursue graduate work or became Systems Engineers. Now I'm working as a Systems Engineer really only because it felt like the only alternative. I'm planning on getting my Master's in CS so I can get myself on track to the career that I really want. I don't regret studying physics - but I wish I had done a double major instead.

noetic_techy 7y ago
Yup, this resonates with me. I hated academia and wanted to get out there and do some real high level engineering work, so I took my BS in EP and left. Luckily I had some decent programming skills and it helped me land my systems engineering job doing simulation work. Yes I reversed engineered system in order to understand how to simulate them which applies to my degree focus, but without the software background I could never put theory into practice. Now I'm a project engineer leading teams of other systems engineers, so it worked out ok for me. If you are the more mathematically inclined theoretical type rather than the build systems hand on type of physics major, you will have a harder time. First thing I do when I go back to visit my Alma mater is dispell their "infinite possibilities" myth.

by nikk1 7y ago

noetic_techy 7y ago

Yup, this resonates with me. I hated academia and wanted to get out there and do some real high level engineering work, so I took my BS in EP and left. Luckily I had some decent programming skills and it helped me land my systems engineering job doing simulation work. Yes I reversed engineered system in order to understand how to simulate them which applies to my degree focus, but without the software background I could never put theory into practice. Now I'm a project engineer leading teams of other systems engineers, so it worked out ok for me. If you are the more mathematically inclined theoretical type rather than the build systems hand on type of physics major, you will have a harder time. First thing I do when I go back to visit my Alma mater is dispell their "infinite possibilities" myth.