Hi people. I'm going to be starting my university life this coming week, and I'm doing a B.Eng degree in Electrical Engineering. There are some questions i would like to ask. I know some of these questions have been done to death before, but pardon me because i haven't found answers that relate to my circumstances 100%.
1) Is there ANY university that would allow me to directly undertake a PhD in astrophysics (which i understand is a graduate degree in SCIENCE) with just a BEng degree (which i don't think is even a degree in science), and
2) If so, is it possible to do it 10-15 years after i have gotten the degree? And lastly,
3) If the above is not possible, what is the best possible route for me to take to ensure that this is possible in the shortest and easiest way? (eg. take a minor or double major, take a separate BSc)
I know this all may sound silly, but it all stems out from my 2 dreams of being an engineer and an astronomer. I have always wanted to be an electrical engineer, but there are times when i think a huge bulk in my intellectual curiosity lies with the intrigues of the universe. I was actually thinking of working as an engineer for a decade or so, and when i got tired of the rat race, i would switch back to studying again, and perhaps be a professional astronomer for the rest of my life.
However, after speaking to my teacher about this recently, she advised against it. She made me realize that going for graduate studies in science with a bachelor in engineering was not as easy as i thought. So now i am stuck at my current position not knowing what to do. If it is really impossible i don't mind being just a backyard astronomer, but if life permits i would prefer to study at a university. Anybody have any suggestions on what i should do?