How does a Physics class differ from an Engineering class?

[elect_eng]

In my experience, I have an undergrad in physics and have never taken an undergrad engineering course, I am now doing graduate studies and have taken a couple graduate courses in the physics department and am taking one in the engineering department, the expectations in an engineering course, (and thesis from the ones I have watched defended) are pretty much a joke if you are used to pure physics courses. Also, I know in my undergrad, I had many pure physics classes that engineers took as an elective, and 100% of them dropped out by a week after the midterm as they couldn't hack it.

I feel it is important for me to provide an alternate view here. If this is your experience, I have no right to deny it. However, to provide a balanced view for the OP, I'd like to say that this is not my experience. I was always torn between physics and electrical engineering. I finally chose EE, but only did so because I decided that I could take many physics classes along the way. I took them every chance I could as electives in place of engineering courses. Then, in grad school (both MS and PhD) my classes were equally split between physics and EE courses. I also had physics professors on my thesis and dissertation committees. The caliber and quality of professors, courses, students, thesis/dissertation work etc., in both physics and electrical engineering, were on par with each other. There are definitely differences between, engineers and scientists, but also, much in common. A case like the one cited above, where one discipline seems far superior to another, would seem to me to be an isolated case of a poor department and a good department existing at the same university.

 

[djeitnstine]

I simply believe that this is all how one views physics and one views engineering. Both are implicitly difficult in their own way. If CaptainQuaser's post were simply true, then tell me why is no influx in engineering degrees across the globe?

In my experience, the main thing that makes physics difficult is the copious amounts of difficult mathematics involved. Engineering has a lot of mathematics but is much more conceptually challenging in comparison to the mathematics it requires.

I am currently taking AE with a physics minor and I could eat up just about any physics class you throw at me any day.

It simply depends on how you think and process your information that would allow one to do well in one or the other.

 

[Hessami]

I'm 4th year Mech. Eng, from Australia. Don't really know how our courses stack up to you guys in America, but over here I have seen a noted difference in the classes run by the Engineering and those run by the maths/physics department.

Engineering classes (with a few rare exceptions) seem to be more inclined to helping you solve a problem, pass an exam, scrape through with the minimum knowledge required. You can very easily get yourself an Engineering degree, while not actually understanding ANY of the concepts that you are supposedly being taught.

Maths/physics classes generally focus on the concepts behind the work, and not so much the actual formulae, or the outcomes of the calculations, and usually result in the student having a much deeper understanding of the topic, though with a narrower view.

Engineering does have a reputation for being quite shallow, with no real understanding of the concepts that their work is based around. However a good Engineer will do their best not to fall into the trap of taking the easy road, and to sometimes think of problems more from the perspective of a physics student.

In fact, many of the concepts in engineering are MUCH simpler, if you delve a little deeper, and put in the hard work on the foundations. I would recommend ALL engineering students to expose themselves to some advanced mathematics/physics classes, as they can help make the difference between an air conditioner salesman and what I would call a REAL engineer.

 

[kote]

There seems to be a lot of discussion on how a physicist thinks compared to how an engineer thinks. Many of the people I studied engineering with were just physicists who wanted jobs. We had a lot of double majors in physics and math.

As for the differences between the courses, physics is more theoretical and will involve more derivations etc. Engineering has its fair share of theory though. At my school, math through calc3 and differential equations was required with upper level courses recommended. Physics through the introductory 3 course sequence was required with mathematical physics optionally replacing optics.

There are some other differences that I haven't seen mentioned yet. Overall, the engineering major had about twice the required courses of the physics major. Upper level physics courses often had take home exams that were only due at the end of the semester. You'll never have take home exams in engineering - just problem sets, labs, projects, and in class exams.

The physics degree is useful if you want to study physics in grad school. The engineering degree is useful if you want a job. This last distinction is really the only one that matters in my opinion.