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Engineering or physics degree?

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  • 09-04-2014 8:57pm
    #1
    Tesco TripleChicken
    Registered Users Posts: 164 ✭✭


    I have an interest in Physics and I was thinking of studying it at third level, but I'm not sure if I should just do an engineering course instead. Are engineering graduates more employable than physics graduates? What advantages does one have over the other?


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    #2
    con1982
    Registered Users Posts: 515 ✭✭✭con1982


    Engineering is a broad field. Is there any particular area you prefer?

    I know quite a few physics graduates. In my experience, physics graduates tend to continue studies to phd level. This isn't common for engineers. The length of time you spend at uni may be something to consider.


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    #3
    FISMA
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,616 ✭✭✭FISMA


    Tesco TripleChicken wrote: »
    I have an interest in Physics and I was thinking of studying it at third level, but I'm not sure if I should just do an engineering course instead. Are engineering graduates more employable than physics graduates? What advantages does one have over the other?

    Yes, Engineering degrees, in general, make more money.

    If you are really torn between the two, get an Electrical Engineering degree. With the amount of Physics you will have to take, you may even get to double major.

    Have you looked in to Chemical Engineering? How about Petroleum. You would be guaranteed a high paying job and a Visa.


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    #4
    con1982
    Registered Users Posts: 515 ✭✭✭con1982


    Manufacturing, Electrical, Mechanical and Chemical Engineers make more than Civil Engineers. At the moment


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    #5
    bduffy
    Registered Users Posts: 404 ✭✭bduffy


    This week I met with a HR manager from a large medical device company who can't get materials engineers. They need graduates who understand the chemistry of coatings, physics of fluid flow and the mechanical properties of metals and plastics. Civil Eng is oversupplied and Physics is generally too broad (I did Optoelectronics, Quantum theory in my final year but never used either since). Interesting, but no jobs.
    Just my two cents......


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    #6
    ted1
    Registered Users Posts: 23,311 ✭✭✭✭ted1


    con1982 wrote: »
    Manufacturing, Electrical, Mechanical and Chemical Engineers make more than Civil Engineers. At the moment

    That's at the moment , after a 4 year degree that could have changed again.


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    #7
    shruikan2553
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,113 ✭✭✭shruikan2553


    Something I noticed is there are a lot of courses designed for people with physics degrees to get qualified for electrical engineering. A graduate electronic engineer can be earning 30k straight out of college. No idea how much a physicist can get but a guy I know is emigrating to teach english after getting a degree in physics and spending awhile on the dole.


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    #8
    Timmaay
    Registered Users Posts: 11,394 ✭✭✭✭Timmaay


    Tesco TripleChicken wrote: »
    I have an interest in Physics and I was thinking of studying it at third level, but I'm not sure if I should just do an engineering course instead. Are engineering graduates more employable than physics graduates? What advantages does one have over the other?

    If you like physics and are interested in engineering, I'd go one step further and ask you what areas of physics do you enjoy? If its more the motion side of things, likes of newtons laws etc, then mechanical would be a good bet, similarly if the elec side interests you go down the elec engineering road.

    Above all else I'll warn ya that you will need to be tidy enough at maths, engineering is as much about the application of maths as it is the application of science, and nomatter what engineering degree you do, maths will be the single subject you spend the most of time in lectures at!


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    #9
    longhalloween
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,207 ✭✭✭longhalloween


    shruikan2553 wrote: »
    A graduate electronic engineer can be earning 30k straight out of college.

    If you see anywhere offering that salary let me know :D:D:D
    shruikan2553 wrote: »
    No idea how much a physicist can get but a guy I know is emigrating to teach english after getting a degree in physics and spending awhile on the dole.

    You could always apply to CERN.


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    #10
    shruikan2553
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,113 ✭✭✭shruikan2553


    longhalloween wrote: »
    If you see anywhere offering that salary let me know :D:D:D



    You could always apply to CERN.[/QUOTE]

    30k is what HR told us where Im currently working. May be only for those who did placement with them or rounding it up though.

    I dont think Irish people can apply to CERN, we dont pay the membership fees.


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    #11
    miss no stars
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,957 ✭✭✭miss no stars


    ted1 wrote: »
    That's at the moment , after a 4 year degree that could have changed again.

    That's what everyone was saying 6 years ago.


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    #12
    Beargrylls01
    Registered Users Posts: 161 ✭✭Beargrylls01


    Tesco TripleChicken wrote: »
    I have an interest in Physics and I was thinking of studying it at third level, but I'm not sure if I should just do an engineering course instead. Are engineering graduates more employable than physics graduates? What advantages does one have over the other?

    I am doing internships with a load of physics undergrads at the moment, and they say it is really common for them to enter the semiconductor area. They seem pretty intelligent to me and I can only fathom they will not have much trouble after college.


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    #13
    skallywag
    Registered Users Posts: 2,987 ✭✭✭skallywag


    There is the old joke, 'what do you call a scientist with a job: : An engineer' ... just a joke, apologies to any scientists reading !

    As an engineer you may certainly have more career options. Keep in mind too that engineering courses typically have tons of Physics content included.

    The point made about maths above though cannot be stressed highly enough, I did Elec Eng myself and it contains an enormous amount of maths. Unless one is comfortable with math then I would stay clear of engineering.

    If on the other hand a life in academia appeaks to you, then going down the pure Physics road could of course be interesting to you.


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