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A physics master’s degree opens doors to myriad careers

physicstoday.scitation.org

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Re: A physics master’s degree opens doors to myriad careers

#111

Post by sidlls »

SantalBlush wrote: post #70
sidlls wrote: post #65

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It isn't overconfidence. The academic material these individuals study is directly and specifically related to the work of a data scientist. Statistical analysis is built in to any reasonably good physics curriculum starting with undergrad lab courses and proceeding through statistical mechanics, quantum physics and beyond.

In your mind, do you think a physics degree or a statistics degree is better suited to doing data analysis, and why?

Depends on the context of the analysis and the desired outcome. What does that have to do with my comment or the GP's?

Re: A physics master’s degree opens doors to myriad careers

#112

Post by noetic_techy »

batbomb wrote: post #78
noetic_techy wrote: post #47

Not my experience and I have a Engineering-Physics degree, which is essentially a full physics degree with additionaly courses gears towards training us as systems engineers and luckily that's how I landed a job afterwards. I tell all prospective physics majors to dual major in CS or EE or some other engineering useful discipline if you truly want to do something good. You have a much better chance of landing a job a…

I will say I do believe this is a much smaller issue in the bay area (and possibly a few other places), provided you can code okay. If you are looking for a job, say, in Phoenix, St. Louis, Dallas or similar, the HR hurdles are much harder to overcome. Those places want CS or EE, maybe ME. I have a BS in Applied Physics.

Agreed, although I no longer live in the Bay Area, I grew up there and probably would not have had the same problems. Cost of living and a sense of "been there done that" kept me from going back. Luckily coming from SV, I had some coding skills just from high school and stuff I was doing on the side + internships back home, and that was a major factor in landing my current job.

Re: A physics master’s degree opens doors to myriad careers

#113

Post by noetic_techy »

nikk1 wrote: post #55
noetic_techy wrote: post #47

Not my experience and I have a Engineering-Physics degree, which is essentially a full physics degree with additionaly courses gears towards training us as systems engineers and luckily that's how I landed a job afterwards. I tell all prospective physics majors to dual major in CS or EE or some other engineering useful discipline if you truly want to do something good. You have a much better chance of landing a job a…

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…

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.

Re: A physics master’s degree opens doors to myriad careers

#114

Post by jackcosgrove »

rongenre wrote: post #19
plazmaphyujin wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I would say yes. Pursue physics only because you love it. Unless you want to go into Defense the job prospects are terrible. However, learning physics teaches you how to learn anything and how to do it fast. This turns out to be an invaluable skill for programming, so physicists make great programmers. You just have to earn it on top of all the physics.

Yeah it's very much like that with my math degree. Demonstrated ability to torture myself with difficult concepts.

I think engineering degrees demonstrate an ability to torture oneself with boring and routine concepts. A skill which is apparently more valuable in the working world.

Re: A physics master’s degree opens doors to myriad careers

#115

Post by jackcosgrove »

muvek wrote: post #27

I have an MS in physics and I disagree with this. If you want opened doors, go for software engineering. You have so many things you can do with software, seriously. I have finished my master's in November, and I have been looking for a job. I have not been very lucky so far. I am looking for data-science related stuff. If you have any suggestions, please, I am all ears. (I am in Europe) There was a time when, if you…

I went through a lot of mental gymnastics justifying the path I took in college for years, when in retrospect the straightest, simplest path to get where I am today was to just get a CS degree at my flagship state school.

Re: A physics master’s degree opens doors to myriad careers

#116

Post by heimatau »

muvek wrote: post #27

I have an MS in physics and I disagree with this. If you want opened doors, go for software engineering. You have so many things you can do with software, seriously. I have finished my master's in November, and I have been looking for a job. I have not been very lucky so far. I am looking for data-science related stuff. If you have any suggestions, please, I am all ears. (I am in Europe) There was a time when, if you…

Consider Lambda School. That way you have skills and education. You'll be an easy pick for employers.

Re: A physics master’s degree opens doors to myriad careers

#118

Post by AQuantized »

BeetleB wrote: post #63
crispyambulance wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Well, the job prospects are "terrible" if you're committing yourself to stay in physics and be a physicist in both title and profession. The thing is, most people that get advanced degrees in physics don't stick around in the field and don't follow the traditional path. The article is correct to point out that physics departments would do better if they accept that reality and accommodate for it explicitly. Some scho…

>The thing is, most people that get advanced degrees in physics don't stick around in the field and don't follow the traditional path. The point isn't that if you get a degree in physics, that you're doomed. Pretty much everyone I know who got a degree in physics is doing well. The point is, they are pretty much at a disadvantage (at least initially) in getting those jobs. Whichever non-physics job you find physicist…

Versatility is one of the main things offered by a physics degree. It might not be the most preferred degree in a given area you're likely to move into, but it's probably at least acceptable.

Re: A physics master’s degree opens doors to myriad careers

#119

Post by anmorgan »

oneepic wrote: post #41

I've also heard the opposite, that it leads to absolutely nothing and you are kind of treated like a PhD dropout, at least in the US. Just be careful, I guess, and get plenty of advice from real people who took that path (successfully or not). Oh, and a bachelor's in engineering physics seems to lead to nothing as well. Have had quite a few friends go to career fairs and every company rep lost interest as soon as the…

I have a degree in Engineering Physics where I concentrated in Electrical Engineering. I also minored in Industrial Design. I currently work at a product design firm as an "Embedded Systems Engineer", where I primarily design and write software for embedded microcontrollers and microprocessors and couple that with user experience design.

I have been able to utilize my understanding of physics to work on things like designing sensors into products that require real world math (motion, position, motor control, etc), though not as extensive as it could be if it were academic research. And have used my circuits foundation to understand how to get answers in the realm of embedded micros.

The thing I emphasize the most though, is understand where you want to have an expertise and make it happen, work on it. Mine is embedded software with a user focused design process.

Fresh out of college, your degree is not going to separate you unless it's coupled with experience from internships, school projects, or personal projects.

My opinion is that a degree in engineering provides foundation, but real world experience is where you grow and learn for your career.

Side note: You mentioned "other than learning code", I think that is a valid option to supplement this degree. I started writing code in eighth grade, so it was something I was already doing and interested in. I never wanted to be a plain ol' software developer, so this path was good for me.

TL;DR Went to school for Engineering Physics, I am happy with my career path, but took it upon myself to find a way to provide value beyond the name of my degree.

Re: A physics master’s degree opens doors to myriad careers

#120

Post by codesushi42 »

oneepic wrote: post #41

I've also heard the opposite, that it leads to absolutely nothing and you are kind of treated like a PhD dropout, at least in the US. Just be careful, I guess, and get plenty of advice from real people who took that path (successfully or not). Oh, and a bachelor's in engineering physics seems to lead to nothing as well. Have had quite a few friends go to career fairs and every company rep lost interest as soon as the…

Unsubstantiated hearsay. How does a Master's imply you are a PhD dropout? Plenty of people go with the expectation of only Master's to begin with.

Heck, this distinction is even made when you enroll in the Master's program in Stanford CS instead of the PhD program. They are treated as different tracks that you can't move between.

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