Applied Physics at Purdue a good idea?

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Applied Physics at Purdue offers a unique curriculum that diverges from traditional Physics degrees by replacing 30 credit hours of electives with specialized courses in areas such as Nuclear Physics, Astrophysics, and Engineering. This structure allows students to gain a broader knowledge base and enhances their job market diversity compared to a standard General Physics degree. The only courses omitted from the General Physics track are two advanced electives, allowing for a more focused education in applied sciences. Additionally, Purdue provides a pathway to earn a Master's in Applied Physics within a year post-graduation, requiring 30 graduate-level credits, including 12 in Physics. The discussion raises questions about the benefits of this program and its implications for career prospects, especially for those considering the switch from General to Applied Physics.
Mzachman
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I've been look at some stuff about applied physics recently to see if I would be interested in doing that, but it seems like mostly everywhere else it is different than it is here at Purdue.

Applied Physics here at Purdue takes all of the core classes of the Physics degree (physics and college of science requirements), removes the 30 credit hours of electives you normally take, and replaces them with classes for a "specialization", whatever that may be. So basically you earn a full General Physics degree and take 30 credit hours of Nuclear Physics, Astrophysics, Electrical/Mechanical Engineering, Chemistry, Biology, or whatever other science/engineering subject you want in place of the electives in the General Physics degree. So basically you just learn a lot more than a General Physics major about science/engineering subjects (and are more diverse when it comes to looking for a job).

The only classes you lose from the General Physics degree are the last two, a choice between PHYS 536 or 580 which are "Electronic Techniques For Research" or Computational Physics", and then a 300+ Astro/physics elective.

Then they also have a program to get an Applied Physics Master's in a year after your undergraduate graduation. You take 30 more credit hours of graduate level classes this time, 12 of which are Physics credits, and 18 of them are for your "specialization" again. That would take one extra year.

So what do you think? Sound good, or no?

PS, I've been at Purdue 3 years and I'm switching to Physics this summer. Applied would take me a semester or possibly a year longer than General Physics.
 
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Nobody has any thoughts on this? Lol. I'll bet somebody does...
 
Its three years late but, I'm am going to Purdue in the fall for this. I have similar questions as well. So did you stick with Applied?
 
I graduated with a BSc in Physics in 2020. Since there were limited opportunities in my country (mostly teaching), I decided to improve my programming skills and began working in IT, first as a software engineer and later as a quality assurance engineer, where I’ve now spent about 3 years. While this career path has provided financial stability, I’ve realized that my excitement and passion aren’t really there, unlike what I felt when studying or doing research in physics. Working in IT...
Hello, I’m an undergraduate student pursuing degrees in both computer science and physics. I was wondering if anyone here has graduated with these degrees and applied to a physics graduate program. I’m curious about how graduate programs evaluated your applications. In addition, if I’m interested in doing research in quantum fields related to materials or computational physics, what kinds of undergraduate research experiences would be most valuable?

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