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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

#61

Post by walshemj »

throwaway2019Z wrote: post #7

From my experience both interviewing and hiring, a physics degree absolutely will not help you in tech. You will have more credibility than any non-STEM graduate, but employers will constantly wonder if you've bridged the gap created by your lack of a CS degree.

So you think a CS chitty is automatically the best possible career in development no wonder you used a throwaway handle.

I would have said having a good grounding in physics or engineering can be a plus having to work from first principals rather than using memorised algo's for w=example.

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

#62

Post by stdbrouw »

ShepherdKing wrote: post #58

As someone who obtained their Master's in Physics, I have to agree with the article. The breadth and depth of my scientific training has made me a much more capable data scientist (and engineer) than most of my peers who went the CS path. I only wished that I could have double majored in biology. I would say that my study in physics has taught me how to better see the "bigger picture" and to try to account for all po…

> As someone who obtained their Master's in Physics, I have to agree with the article. The breadth and depth of my scientific training has made me a much more capable data scientist (and engineer) than most of my peers who went the CS path.

Not knocking on you specifically, but I've seen this kind of overconfidence before in physicists, mechanical engineers, mathematicians etc.: "programming / statistics / data science is so easy, of course I know what I'm doing and will be up to speed right away." Their work is generally not bad, but not particularly great either. I do think the scientific training and rigorous education in these fields helps, but if it's not supplemented with a little humility it makes for poor colleagues.

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

#63

Post by BeetleB »

crispyambulance wrote: post #26
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.

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 physicists going into, it'll be easier to get those jobs with a different degree.

The only exception I can think of is quantitative finance in the 2000's, where they seemed to prefer physicists and mathematicians above all us (including finance degree holders).

I agree that physics is a great preparation to problem solving. I've heard this in industry as well. Yet I've consistently found that even those who make such statements are more likely to hire those with engineering degrees.

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

#64

Post by throwaway2019Z »

walshemj wrote: post #61
throwaway2019Z wrote: post #7

From my experience both interviewing and hiring, a physics degree absolutely will not help you in tech. You will have more credibility than any non-STEM graduate, but employers will constantly wonder if you've bridged the gap created by your lack of a CS degree.

So you think a CS chitty is automatically the best possible career in development no wonder you used a throwaway handle. I would have said having a good grounding in physics or engineering can be a plus having to work from first principals rather than using memorised algo's for w=example.

"So you think a CS chitty is automatically the best possible career in development no wonder you used a throwaway handle. I would have said having a good grounding in physics or engineering can be a plus having to work from first principals rather than using memorised algo's for w=example."

Then you should have said that rather than whatever it is that you just typed.

I make a new throwaway every month so I don't get attached to HN karma - which often clouds your thinking for fear from judgment from the community.

If you actually read my posts, I have a physics degree.

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

#65

Post by sidlls »

stdbrouw wrote: post #62
ShepherdKing wrote: post #58

As someone who obtained their Master's in Physics, I have to agree with the article. The breadth and depth of my scientific training has made me a much more capable data scientist (and engineer) than most of my peers who went the CS path. I only wished that I could have double majored in biology. I would say that my study in physics has taught me how to better see the "bigger picture" and to try to account for all po…

> As someone who obtained their Master's in Physics, I have to agree with the article. The breadth and depth of my scientific training has made me a much more capable data scientist (and engineer) than most of my peers who went the CS path. Not knocking on you specifically, but I've seen this kind of overconfidence before in physicists, mechanical engineers, mathematicians etc.: "programming / statistics / data scien…

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.

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

#66

Post by [deleted] »

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…

[deleted]

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

#67

Post by ptero »

I think there are two parts of it. Physics degree is good -- obtaining it correlates with the head being screwed on straight and is often appreciated by employers.

On the other axis, I am puzzled on why they consider a Masters as a sweet spot. If a graduate degree is not required, it does not get you much, career-wise; and wherever a graduate degree is appreciated a PhD gets you further. Just my 2c.

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

#68

Post by BeetleB »

In the US, a lot of Master's degrees in physics and mathematics are really watered down. I was an engineering student, and had an MS in engineering, and was pursuing a PhD in it as well. I dropped out of the PhD and got another MS in physics as a "consolation degree" - I basically had all the coursework done as part of my PhD, so the credits just transferred over and I had a free MS in physics. I almost got another MS in mathematics just for the heck of it (took courses for fun).

Why do I say they are watered down degree? Because both the math and physics Master's requirements allow you to use courses that are required for their Bachelor's degree! So the main undergrad analysis class could be used for a Master's in mathematics (unless you had a math undergrad degree).

They structured it this way to try to get people from outside the discipline (like me) into the MS program. I could get an "easier" MS in physics than a physics student could (they could not double count their credits for the MS degree).

It may be another reason the MS degree in these disciplines is looked down upon.

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

#69

Post by dekhn »

I knew a ton of Physics PhDs who went on to be very successful software engineers. They were always sad they couldn't do physics because of either lack of salary or lack of good job options, but they were often very good quantitative engineers.

My PhD opened a lot of doors but it also taught me that I didn't want to be a scientist.

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

#70

Post by SantalBlush »

sidlls wrote: post #65
stdbrouw wrote: post #62

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> As someone who obtained their Master's in Physics, I have to agree with the article. The breadth and depth of my scientific training has made me a much more capable data scientist (and engineer) than most of my peers who went the CS path. Not knocking on you specifically, but I've seen this kind of overconfidence before in physicists, mechanical engineers, mathematicians etc.: "programming / statistics / data scien…

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?
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