Applied Maths & Physics, or Theoretical Physics?

Smythe

If you had the option, at the same university, or your BSc degree title being either

a) Applied Mathematics and Physics
or
b) Theoretical Physics

and there wasn't a significant difference in the overall modules, which would you prefer?

Would one generally be perceived by employers as being preferential to the other?

Thanks

Tails142

Depends on who your empolyer is;

If you were going for a job in an applied field such as engineering, financial, manfuacturing etc. then 'Applied' would be my opinion.

However, if the employer/position was more research focussed then perhaps 'Theoretical' would be more preferable.

Isn't it funny how in the end the title of your degree/masters course bears so much weight as in an interview you get very little time to desribe what the course is about. It probably doesn't matter too much in the grand scheme of things though.

Professor_Fink

Smythe wrote: »

Would one generally be perceived by employers as being preferential to the other?

My BSc degree is "Theoretical Physics", but I honestly don't see how it the title makes even the slightest bit of difference (between the two you mention at least). The only case where it is likely to make a difference is where an employer is hugely misinformed about the course content, which seems equally likely to happen to the detriment of the holder of either degree. This usually only happens if the interview is for a position way outside your field, in which case the exact degree doesn't matter anyway.

Morbert

I have been told (though the source is by no means reputable), that "theoretical" can have negative connotations, in the sense that it is esoteric, and doesn't imply transferable skills like "applied" does.